Mauna Loa ca. 1916 as a private pleasure craft prior to her U.S. Navy service
History
United States
Name	USS Mauna Loa
Namesake	Previous name retained
Builder	George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, Massachusetts
Completed	1916
Acquired	10 May 1917
Commissioned	11 May 1917
Decommissioned	5 December 1918
Fate	Returned to owner 5 December 1918
Notes	Operated as private motorboat Mauna Loa 1916-1917 and from December 1918
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel
Tonnage	18 GRT
Length	56 ft (17 m)
Beam	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Draft	2 ft 9 in (0.84 m)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	7
Armament	1 × machine gun

The first USS Mauna Loa (SP-28) was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918.

Mauna Loa was built in 1916 by George Lawley and Sons at Neponset, Massachusetts, as a private motorboat of the same name. The U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, A. C. James, on a free lease contract on 10 May 1917 for World War I service. She was commissioned as USS Mauna Loa (SP-28) on 11 May 1917.

Mauna Loa was assigned to the 1st Naval District. She patrolled the coast of northern New England until the end of the war.

The Navy decommissioned Mauna Loa on 5 December 1918 and returned her to her owner the same day.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Department of the Navy: Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: Mauna Loa (Motor Boat, 1916). Served as USS Mauna Loa (SP-28) in 1917-1918
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive Mauna Loa (SP 28)