She was the victim of the deadliest friendly fire incident involving the U.S. Navy during World War I. SC-209 was a wooden-hulled 110-foot (34 m) submarine chaser laid down by the Mathis Yacht Building Company at Camden, New Jersey, in 1917.

On 22 August 1918, the Patterson Group was created to perform patrol and antisubmarine warfare duties also the United States East Coast during World War I.

The United States Army-chartered armed cargo ship SS Felix Taussig, with guns manned by U.S. Navy gunners, was passing through the area, nearing the end of a voyage from Bordeaux, France, to New York City.

The second and fourth 3-inch rounds struck S.C. 209, and she caught fire and sank in only three minutes at 40°08′N 073°12′W / 40.133°N 73.200°W / 40.133; -73.200 (USS S.C. 209) with the loss of two officers and 16 men.

Patterson carried the wounded survivors into New York Harbor for transfer to the U.S. Navy hospital ship USS Comfort.