UC-97, a mine laying submarine, was laid down late in 1917 at Hamburg, Germany, by Blohm & Voss and launched on 17 March 1918. She was never commissioned in the Imperial German Navy because the armistice of 11 November ended hostilities before the submarine was ready for sea. She was surrendered according to the terms of the armistice and was probably interned at Harwich, England.
In any event, the United States Navy expressed an interest in acquiring several of the surrendered German submarines for display purposes in conjunction with a Victory Bond drive. Early in 1919, UC-97 and five other U-boats were allotted to the United States. Officers and sailors went to England in March and took possession of the boats on the 23d. Soon thereafter, UC-97 was placed in special commission for the voyage to the United States, Lt. Comdr. Holbrook Gibson in command.
Photo taken 1919 in Toronto, and she was sunk in Lake Michigan in 1921.
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