USS J. A. Palmer (SP-319)

USS J. A. Palmer (SP-319), later USS SP-319, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission between 1917 and 1919.

J. A. Palmer was built as a wooden commercial fishing vessel of the same name in 1912 by Jackson and Sharpe at Wilmington, Delaware. The U.S. Navy acquired her from her owners, the C. E. Davis Packing Company of Reedville, Virginia, on 7 April 1917 for World War I service as a patrol vessel. She was commissioned the same day as USS J. A. Palmer (SP-319) with Boatswain W. A. Hudgins in command.

Assigned to the 5th Naval District, J. A. Palmer operated on section patrol duty off Cape Henry, Virginia, until February 1918, when she received special cable equipment at Berkeley, Virginia. She then was loaned to the United States Coast Guard for use as a cable ship and steamed along the United States East Coast laying and repairing cable.

To avoid confusion with the destroyer USS Palmer (DD-161), J. A. Palmer's name was dropped on 17 January 1919, and she became USS SP-319 as of that date.

SP-319 was transferred to the Coast Guard on 10 September 1919 for continued use as a cable ship. She served in the Coast Guard as USCGC Pequot until 1922.