USS Harding (DD-91)
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba , circa 1920–1921
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Harding |
| Namesake | Seth Harding |
| Builder | Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California |
| Laid down | 12 February 1918 |
| Launched | 4 July 1918 |
| Commissioned | 24 January 1919 |
| Decommissioned | 1 July 1922 |
| Stricken | 7 January 1936 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 8 September 1936 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Wickes-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,060 long tons (1,080 t) |
| Length | 315 ft 5 in (96.1 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft 8 in (9.7 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft 6 in (2.6 m) |
| Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h) |
| Complement | 100 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
USS Harding (DD-91) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the first ship named in honor of Seth Harding.
Design and construction
Harding was one of 111
She had a
Specifics on Harding's performance are not known, but she was one of the group of Wickes-class destroyers known unofficially as the 'Liberty Type' to differentiate them from the destroyers constructed from detail designs drawn up by Bath Iron Works, which used Parsons or Westinghouse turbines. The 'Liberty' type destroyers deteriorated badly in service, and in 1929 all 60 of this group were retired by the Navy. Actual performance of these ships was far below intended specifications especially in fuel economy, with most only able to make 2,300 nautical miles (4,260 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) instead of the design standard of 3,100 nautical miles (5,741 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h).[1][4] The class also suffered problems with turning and weight.[5]
Harding was the first ship to be named for Seth Harding. The second Harding was a Gleaves-class destroyer, commissioned in 1943.[6]
Service history
Harding was
Next, she put in for repairs at
After the end of
At Pensacola, Harding was assigned to a seaplane pilot training program. She remained there until 4 August 1920, after which she operated in the Caribbean area tending seaplanes until 23 February 1921. She stopped briefly at Philadelphia before heading to Hampton Roads to support bombing tests on surrendered German ships, leaving Norfolk on 21 June. She was present during the bombing tests on SM U-117 and remained assigned to the tests until the sinking of the German battleship SMS Ostfriesland on 21 July 1921. Harding was detached from this duty the next day.[3][9]
Harding subsequently conducted training exercises out of Newport and other East Coast ports until 27 December 1921, when she arrived at Charleston, South Carolina. Remaining there until 3 April 1922, she sailed to Philadelphia where she decommissioned 1 July 1922. Harding was then sold for scrap on 29 September 1936, to Schiavone-Bonomo Corporation in New York City.[3]
Notes
- ^ a b c Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 124.
- ^ Friedman 2003, p. 40.
- ^ a b c d e f DANFS 1968, p. 107.
- ^ Friedman 2003, p. 41.
- ^ Friedman 2003, p. 46.
- ^ DANFS 1968, p. 108.
- ^ Johnson 2011, p. 141.
- ^ Johnson 2011, p. 280.
- ^ a b Johnson 2011, p. 283.
Sources
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- Dictionary of American naval fighting ships / Vol.3, Historical sketches : letters G through M, OCLC 551573855
- Friedman, Norman (2003), United States Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, ISBN 978-1-55750-442-5
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (1985), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921, Volume 2, ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8
- Johnson, E. R. (2011), United States Naval Aviation, 1919-1941: Aircraft, Airships and Ships Between the Wars, ISBN 978-0786445509
