USS Crystal

Cambriona, the third of three yachts of identical design developed by joint efforts of the naval architectural firms Cox & Stevens, Incorporated and John H. Wells, Incorporated, was built by the Pusey and Jones Co., Wilmington, Delaware.DANFS is incorrect stating the yacht was built as Vida. The vessel was assigned yard hull numbers 407/1042A new series of hull numbers began in 1918. The new series became the only one used in 1941. with keel laid 12 March 1929 and launch on 7 October 1929.{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |date=March 1930 |title=The Pusey and Jones Corporation |journal=Pacific Marine Review |page=185 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev2730paci#page/n184/mode/2up |access-date=20 October 2020}}{{cite web |last=Colton |first=Tim |title=Pusey & Jones, Wilmington DE |publisher=ShipbuildingHistory |date=September 12, 2014 |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/pusey.htm |access-date=17 October 2020}} Cambriona was delivered to the owner on 6 May 1930.{{cite journal |last=Pacific American Steamship Association; Shipowners Association of the Pacific Coast |date=June 1930 |title=The Pusey and Jones Corporation |journal=Pacific Marine Review |page=269 |location=San Francisco |publisher=J.S. Hines |url=https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev2730paci#page/n386/mode/2up |access-date=20 October 2020}} The other two Pusey and Jones built yachts of the same design were Nakhoda, hull 405/1040, for Frederick J. Fisher and Rene, hull 406/1041, for Alfred P. Sloan.Rene was also acquired by the Navy to become Beryl (PY-23).

The yacht was {{convert|234|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} overall length, {{convert|206.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (registered length), {{convert|34.2|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} beam with a depth of {{convert|16.8|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}. As built draft was {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} with Navy giving draft as {{convert|13|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}. Cambriona had two Winton diesel engines of 1,100 horsepower driving twin screws. The yacht was lavishly furnished with a crew of forty. Cambriona was registered with U.S. Official Number 229626, home port of Detroit, Michigan with signal letters MHSR.

Cambriona had an apartment suite for the owner that included two baths and five double staterooms with private baths for guests on the berth deck. The main deck had a large dining room forward with a hallway running through the pantry and galley area to music and living rooms and the owner's lounge and library. Above was a bridge deck with bridge, captain's quarters, radio and navigation rooms forward in a deck house. In an after house were smoking room, gymnasium and club room.

From 1930 until its sale in 1941 Briggs' captain of the yacht was Gaston R. De Groote who would later captain the first nuclear powered merchant ship NS Savannah.{{cite web |title=Gaston and Evelyn De Groote Scholarship |location=St. Leo, FL |publisher=Saint Leo University |url=https://saintleo.academicworks.com/donors/gaston-and-evelyn-de-groote-scholarship |access-date=20 October 2020}}

Cambriona was bought in 1938 by Erle P. Halliburton. Halliburton, founder of the New Method Oil Well Cementing Company now known as Halliburton and member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, California, named the yacht for his daughter as Vida under Honduran registry. The yacht was the largest in Newport Harbor and used for weekend trips to Catalina and cruises to Alaska, Mexico and Honduras.{{cite journal |last=Blaich |first=John |date=July 23, 2001 |title=Newport Harbor's biggest yacht |journal=Daily Pilot |publisher=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-xpm-2001-07-23-export46919-story.html# |access-date=20 October 2020}}

Vida was acquired by the Navy, 15 January 1942 and commissioned on 24 February 1942. The vessel arrived at Pearl Harbor 1 May 1942 for patrol and escort duty with the Hawaiian Sea Frontier. She served escorting Army transports and merchant vessels to outlying islands, transporting civilian workers and servicemen and participating in exercises and drills with destroyers. From 1 December 1943 to 14 April 1944 Vida was based at Midway for patrol duty, exercises and training with submarines. After overhaul at Pearl Harbor she returned to operations with weather station patrols added to her duties. On 8 November 1945 she got underway for the west coast arriving at San Francisco 17 November. Crystal was decommissioned there 6 March 1946 and was transferred to the custody of the Maritime Commission (MC) 2 April 1947 for disposal.

The vessel was placed by the MC in the reserve fleet for custody only awaiting sale on behalf of the Navy on 8 November 1946. On 12 February 1947 the vessel was sold to Clyde Webster and withdrawn from the fleet 7 April for delivery to Navy, the buyer and Barnett Shipping.{{cite web |url=https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/1146 |title=CRYSTAL (PY-25) |author=Maritime Administration |work=Ship History Database Vessel Status Card |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration |access-date=20 October 2020}} With the name Crystal retained the ship was apparently given IMO number 5082649.{{cite web |title=CRYSTAL (IMO 5082649) - Yacht |publisher=Vessel Tracking |url=http://www.vesseltracking.net/ship/crystal-5082649 |access-date=20 October 2020}} The vessel was used as a freighter and passenger service in Central and South America. The ship's fate is unknown.{{cite web |last1=Priolo |first1=Gary P. |last2=Radigan |first2=Joe |title=Crystal (PY 25) |publisher=NavSource Online |year=2020 |url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/1325.htm |access-date=20 October 2020}}

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• {{DANFS}}

• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_3821?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=31123b79c80c9434f662&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=2 Christening of the yacht, Cambriona, with sponsor] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_3837?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=033b98b6a5afbadbc0f2&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=3 The yachts Nakhoda, Rene and Cambriona] (Hagley Museum and Library)
• [https://digital.hagley.org/72350_3974?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=31123b79c80c9434f662&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=1 The yacht, Cambriona, at wharf finished] (Hagley Museum and Library)

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Category:Patrol vessels of the United States Navy

Category:1929 ships

Category:Ships built by Pusey and Jones