USS Kilty
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Namesake | Augustus Kilty |
| Builder | Mare Island Navy Yard |
| Laid down | 15 December 1917 |
| Launched | 25 April 1918 |
| Commissioned | 17 December 1918 |
| Decommissioned | 5 June 1922 |
| Recommissioned | 18 December 1939 |
| Decommissioned | 2 November 1945 |
| Reclassified |
|
| Stricken | 16 November 1945 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 26 August 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Wickes-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,090 tons |
| Length | 314 ft 5 in (95.83 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m) |
| Draft | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) |
| Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h) |
| Complement | 113 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | 4 x 4 in (102 mm)/50 guns, 1 x 1-pounder . (0.454 kg) |
USS Kilty (DD–137) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was the first ship named for Admiral Augustus Kilty.
Kilty was launched 25 April 1918 by the
Service history
After a
World War II
Kilty recommissioned 18 December 1939, and in April 1940 sailed on Neutrality Patrol out of San Diego. During the summer, she conducted reserve training cruises and resumed her patrols early in September. The destroyer continued these operations until the United States entered World War II. Then, Kilty intensified ASW patrols, trained armed-guard crews for merchantmen, and escorted coastal convoys throughout 1942.
Reclassified APD-15 on 2 January 1943, Kilty cleared Mare Island 2 March for the
As Allied operations built up momentum, Kilty moved on to the Treasury Islands Campaign. She successfully landed New Zealand troops on Stirling Island 27 October and a Marine force on Bougainville 9 days later, enabling Allied Forces to bypass Rabaul. Kilty effectively aided this campaign in three more landings before sailing for Brisbane 21 November.
Returning
Following an unopposed
After a minor overhaul at
During another cruise to Leyte in mid-November, the transport splashed two Aichi D3A "Vals" before they could crash into American LSTs. Continuing operations in the strategic Philippines, Kilty landed troops 15 December in the invasion of Mindoro, and on 11 January 1945 supported the Luzon landings. She made additional landings at Nasugbu 31 January and at Corregidor in mid-February before sailing for Ulithi 25 February for overhaul.
Battle-proven Kilty cleared Ulithi 2 April as escort to four escort carriers ferrying planes to the Okinawa beachhead. During May she made another escort cruise from
Awards
Kilty received ten battle stars for World War II service.
As of 2009, no other ship in the United States Navy has borne this name.
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
