In the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Union Square during World War I, the USS Recruit, a wooden landship constructed for the US Navy, stood proudly as a training tool for new recruits. Although it never sailed or saw combat, it successfully increased the number of men enlisting in the war effort. Mayor John P. Mitchel of New York City commissioned the ship to spark interest in potential candidates, and it was built to resemble active-duty battleships. The USS Recruit had fully-functioning quarters and weaponry made of wood, and it hosted public tours and social events, further raising interest in joining the war effort. The ship remained in Union Square for three years and helped recruit an impressive 25,000 sailors. However, by 1920, with the end of the war, the ship was decommissioned and dismantled due to the decreased need for Navy recruits.
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/ships/uss-recruit-1917.html