She had an American owner by 1910, served as a United States Navy patrol ship in the latter part of the First World War, and afterward was returned to US civilian service.

On 9 June 1917 she left New York City to cross the Atlantic, and early in July she reached Brest, France.

For the remainder of the war Christabel served on escort and patrol duty off western France, and took part in at least two actions against German U-boats.

As an officer on board the Christabel, Ensign Daniel Augustus Joseph Sullivan was awarded the Medal of Honor for "extraordinary heroism" during combat action on 21 May 1918.

Officer of the Deck Lieutenant JG Howard Rutherford Shaw was awarded the Navy Cross for "promptly heading for the submarine with the intent to ram, with the result that it was possible to drop depth charges at the right time and place, damaging the submarine so severely that she was obliged to intern at Santander, Spain, for the remainder of the war."