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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Gopher (IX-11)
ex
 USS Gopher (1905 - 1920)
 USS Fern (Gunboat) (1891 - 1905)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Service Medal - Spanish Campaign Medal - World War I Victory Medal
Gunboat:
  • Built in 1871 at Delamater and Steack of New York City at Newport, R.I.
  • Transferred to the Navy from the Treasury Department, 30 January 1891
  • Commissioned USS Fern, 22 April 1891, LCDR. A. J. Iverson in command
  • Decommissioned, 22 October 1904
  • Laid up at Norfolk in 1905
  • Renamed USS Gopher, 27 December 1905
  • Recommissioned, 30 May 1917
  • Decommissioned, 19 April 1919
  • Designated Miscellaneous Auxiliary (IX-11), 17 July 1920
  • Recommissioned, 15 May 1921
  • Decommissioned, 21 September 1923
  • Final Disposition, lost 21 September 1923 due to a storm
    Specifications:
    Displacement 840 t.
    Length 160'
    Beam 28'
    Draft 12' 9"
    Speed 9 kts
    Complement 12
    Armament five 3-pdrs, four 1-pdrs
    Propulsion steam, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Fern
    Gopher 84k USS Fern at anchor, circa 1891 - 1905, location unknown.
    Library of Congress, LC-D4-32278    		 Mike Green
    USS Gopher
    Gopher 56k USS Gopher moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH-068794    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Gopher 67k USS Gopher moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # NH-068793    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Gopher 113k USS Gopher at anchor, circa 1906, location unknown.
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Gopher 72k USS Gopher underway date and location unknown., probably while serving with the Minnesota State Naval Militia.
    Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1914".    		 Robert Hurst
    Gopher 202k Post card image of USS Gopher underway, probably on the Great Lakes while training naval reservists with the Minnesota State Naval Militia, circa 1914. Tommy Trampp
    USS Fern / USS Gopher (IX-11)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Patrol Ship Type Index Back To The Service Ship Type Index Back To The Gunboat (PG) Ship Photo Index Back To The Miscellaneous Auxiliary (IX) Ship Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 September 2011