USS Aaron Ward (DD-132)
.jpg) USS Aaron Ward
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Aaron Ward |
| Namesake | Aaron Ward |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down | 11 August 1918 |
| Launched | 10 April 1919 |
| Commissioned | 21 April 1919 |
| Decommissioned | 17 June 1922 |
| Recommissioned | 24 May 1930 (Rotating Reserve) |
| Recommissioned | December 1934 (full service) |
| Decommissioned | 1 April 1937 |
| Recommissioned | 30 September 1939 |
| Decommissioned | 9 September 1940 |
| Stricken | 8 January 1941 |
| Identification | DD-132 |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom 9 September 1940 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Castleton |
| Acquired | 9 September 1940 |
| Commissioned | September 1940 |
| Out of service | Paid off in March 1945 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1947 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Wickes-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,090 long tons (1,107 t) |
| Length | 314 ft 4 in (95.81 m) |
| Beam | 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 35 kn (40 mph; 65 km/h) |
| Complement | 159 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
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The first ship named in honor of Rear Admiral Aaron Ward, USS Aaron Ward (DD-132) was a Wickes-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy. In 1940, she was transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Castleton.
Service history
As USS Aaron Ward
She was
Pacific Theater during World War II
.
Upon commissioning, the destroyer reported for duty with Destroyer Division 13 (DesDiv 13),
Reserve Fleet at San Diego
.
The destroyer remained inactive for almost eight years, and then was recommissioned at San Diego on 24 May 1930. After active service until mid-1932, she entered the
Key West, Florida. For the rest of her U.S. Navy career, she conducted neutrality patrols in the Gulf of Mexico and in the West Indies
.
.jpg)
As HMS Castleton
On 9 September 1940, Aaron Ward was decommissioned at
4 in (102 mm)/50 caliber guns and one of the triple torpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar system.[1]
Castleton served as convoy escort and as an escort for mine-laying operations for the remainder of the Atlantic campaign. In August 1942 Castleton and sister ship Newark apprehended the survivors of U-464, who had taken refuge on an Icelandic trawler after their vessel was sunk by aircraft.[2][3]
In October 1944 Castleton was relegated to duty as an Air Target ship. She was paid off in March 1945 and sold for scrap in January 1948.
Notes
- ^ Lenton&Colledge (1968) p.90
- ^ G Mason, HMS Castleton at naval-history.net
- ^ HMS Castleton at uboat.net
References
- Lenton, H.T. and Colledge J.J. (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Aaron Ward (DD 132) (ship, 1919).
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