Built in 1906 in Camden, New Jersey, by John H. Dialogue, the Aurora was originally used for civilian purposes.

In August 1917, the ship was chartered from Lehigh Valley Railroad, the owners at that time, and was commissioned on 22 September 1917 as a minesweeper in New York Harbor.

In December 1918, Aurora was transferred to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service for use as a tugboat in Tompkinsville, New York.

[1] This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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