USS Panther ( 1889 ) The first USS " Panther " ( AD - 6 ) , the former " SS Venezuela " , was an auxiliary cruiser and naval troop transport in the United States Navy . " Panther " was built by William Cramp and Sons , Philadelphia , Pa . in 1889 . As the " SS Venezuela " , a merchant steamship , it was used for several years as a cargo freighter transporting bananas from Central and South America . The " Panther " was purchased by the Navy from Red D Line Steamship Co . on 12 April 1898 , and commissioned at New York on 22 April 1898 , Commander George Cook Reiter in command . " Panther " was designated AD - 6 in 1920 . Service history . Spanish - American War , 1898 – 1899 . " Panther " was pressed into service immediately after commissioning on the outbreak of the Spanish - American War , and was hastily converted into a troop transport . On 27 April 1898 the ship took aboard the First Marine battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert W . Huntington in preparation for combat operations in Cuba , sailing from Brooklyn , New York just five days later . As a converted ' banana boat ' , the " Panther " proved totally inadequate as a troop transport , and the morale of the Marines suffered in the tight and sweaty confines of the hastily - converted ship as it steamed southward . As the " Panther " was unarmed , it was forced to stop at Hampton Roads , Virginia to obtained an armed escort before steaming to Key West , Florida , to await orders while the Marines disembarked for battalion drills , rifle practice , and route marches . The ship then joined the North Atlantic Fleet , portions of which blockaded Cuba throughout the conflict . Admiral William T . Sampson received word from Key West early in May that Spanish Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete ' s squadron was very likely to sortie against U . S . naval forces at Santiago , Cuba . " Panther " and other ships of the American fleet patrolled off that port until she steamed to Guantánamo with a battalion of 633 enlisted Marines and 24 officers commanded by Lt . Col . Robert W . Huntington . On 9 – 10 June 1898 the " Panther " disembarked the First Marine Battalion at Caimanera , Guantánamo Bay , Cuba in preparation for seizure of the harbor . During the landings , Commander Reiter of the " Panther " , who had continually argued over control of the Marine battalion while it was aboard ship , refused to permit the Marines to unload their small arms and artillery ammunition for their offensive , stating that he needed it for ship ' s ballast . He was overruled by another Navy Commander , Bowman H . McCalla , who instructed Reiter to give the Marine Lieutenant Colonel whatever he desired . From 11 – 14 June 1898 the Marines engaged Spanish forces in the land battles of the Guantánamo Bay campaign . After a series of sharp engagements , the marines routed the 500 Spanish defenders , while suffering casualties of six killed and 16 wounded . The " Panther " then withdrew to her former position with the fleet in the successful campaign at Santiago . After the destruction of the Spanish fleet , " Panther " steamed to New York , to cruise between New York , Boston , Norfolk , and Portsmouth until 20 October 1899 , when she went into ordinary at Philadelphia . Caribbean Squadron , 1902 – 1903 . She remained in ordinary until recommissioning on 19 June 1902 , when she fitted out as a training ship . In July , she steamed to New York to begin operations with various state militias . In this connection , she embarked crews from New Jersey in July , Pennsylvania in early August , and Connecticut later that month . In 1902 , disturbing conditions in the West Indies and Caribbean required the constant presence of U . S . ships to maintain order and preserve U . S . treaty rights . In September 1902 , " Panther " embarked a Marine battalion and departed for Caribbean waters to serve as a station ship to protect American interests during unrest in Honduras . She continued with the Caribbean Squadron until 21 October 1903 , when she decommissioned at Philadelphia . North Atlantic & Asiatic Station , 1907 – 1923 . . " Panther " recommissioned on 18 November 1907 to serve as auxiliary repair ship for the North Atlantic Fleet until April 1917 . She served as one of the auxiliary ships for the Great White Fleet ' s cruise around the world ( 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 ) . She sailed for Brest on 1 July 1917 to serve as tender for the U . S . destroyer force throughout World War I . After the war , her duties took her to ports such as Kirkwall , Scotland ; Devonport , England ; Lisbon , and Ponta Delgada . In 1921 , American interest shifted to China ; the Navy ' s Yangtze River Patrol had operated there for some years , guaranteeing the prevention of strife and the protection of persons and interests in the region . " Panther " joined the Asiatic Station ' s Yangtze River Patrol , where she patrolled on station until May 1922 , when she returned stateside to decommission . She subsequently was sold to Tioga Steel Co . , Philadelphia , 24 March 1923 . She was broken up for scrap at Philadelphia in April 1923 .