Suzanne was built as the private motor yacht Cristina in 1908 by George Lawley & Son at Neponset, Massachusetts, for Frederick C. Fletcher of Boston, Massachusetts. She later was renamed Esperanza, then Jorosa, and then Suzanne. On 18 May 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired Suzanne from her owner - by then F. M. Kirby of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania - for use as a section patrol boat during World War I. She was commissioned as USS Suzanne (SP-510) the same day. Assigned to the 4th Naval District, Suzanne served on patrol duties there for the remainder of World War I.