She was outfitted as an armed patrol craft, and her owner, Ensign James W. Alker, was named as commanding officer of the yacht and its crew of sixteen.

Florence, based out of New York City, was assigned various duties in the Long Island Sound.

173) was built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, as the yacht Quickstep.

She was free leased by the Navy for wartime service in late April 1917 and placed in commission on 29 August of that year as USS Florence (SP-173), commanded by her owner, Ensign James W. Alker, USNRF, of New York City.

During 1918 she also conducted drills, acted as guardship, convoyed submarines out for operations, and set up target ranges for the ships of the fleet.