History
United States
Name	USS Jolly Roger
Namesake	Previous name retained
Builder	W. T. Kuddock, New York City
Completed	1917
Acquired	16 December 1917
Commissioned	December 1917 or early 1918
Stricken	4 April 1919
Fate	Damaged beyond repair 6 November 1918
Notes	Operated as private motorboat Jolly Roger 1917
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel
Length	55 ft 2 in (16.81 m)
Beam	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Draft	3 ft (0.91 m)
Speed	20 knots
Armament	1 × 1-pounder gun 1 × machine gun

USS Jolly Roger (SP-1031) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from December 1917 or early 1918 until November 1918.

Jolly Roger was built as a private wooden motorboat of the same name in 1917 by W. T. Kuddock at New York City. In 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, J. S. Van Allen of New York City, for use as a section patrol boat during World War I. The Navy took delivery of her at Newport, Rhode Island, on 16 December 1917, and she was commissioned as USS Jolly Roger (SP-1031).

Assigned to the Torpedo Station at Newport, Jolly Roger performed work ranging torpedoes, as well as aiding in experimental work on naval mines and depth charges. She also engaged in general dispatch boat and supply work in the Newport harbor area.

While being loaded on board the replenishment oiler USS Kanawha (Oiler No. 1) on 6 November 1918, Jolly Roger was damaged beyond repair. She was stricken from the Navy List on 4 April 1919.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• SP-1031 Jolly Roger at Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships -- Listed by Hull Number; "SP" #s and "ID" #s -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft numbered from SP-1000 through SP-1099
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive Jolly Roger (SP 1031)