USS Semmes (DD-189)
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Semmes |
Namesake | Raphael Semmes |
Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company |
Laid down | 10 June 1918 |
Launched | 21 December 1918 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. John H. Watkins |
Commissioned | 21 February 1920 |
Decommissioned | 17 July 1922 |
Fate | Transferred to U.S. Coast Guard 25 April 1932 |
Acquired | 20 April 1934 (from U.S. Coast Guard) |
Recommissioned | 20 April 1934 |
Reclassified | Miscellaneous auxiliary , AG-24, 1 July 1935 |
Decommissioned | 2 June 1946 |
Stricken | 3 July 1946 |
Fate | Sold for scrap 25 November 1946 |
United States Coast Guard | |
Name | USCGD Semmes (CG-20) |
Acquired | 25 April 1932 (from U.S. Navy)[1] |
Commissioned | 25 April 1932 |
Decommissioned | 20 April 1934 |
Fate | Returned to US Navy 20 April 1934 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Clemson-class destroyer |
Displacement | 1,215 long tons (1,234 t) |
Length | 314 ft 5 in (95.83 m) |
Beam | 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m) |
Draft | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) |
Installed power | 26,500 kW ) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
Range | 4,900 nmi (9,100 km; 5,600 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement | 101 officers and enlisted |
Armament |
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USS Semmes (DD-189/AG-24) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first Navy ship named for Commander (USN), Rear Admiral (CSN), Brigadier General (CSA) Raphael Semmes (1809–1877).
Service history
Semmes was
Following shakedown, Semmes participated in exercises along the northeast coast until January 1921 when she sailed south for winter fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean. From there, she transited the Panama Canal to cruise off the west coast of South America and returned to the Caribbean in late February to conduct further exercises out of Guantanamo Bay. In late April, she resumed operations out of Norfolk, Virginia.
The destroyer was ordered inactivated in 1922; and, on 12 April, entered the
Reactivated 10 years later, she was transferred to the
Although not officially redesignated as an auxiliary ship, AG-24, until 1 July 1935, Semmes was assigned to Experimental Division 1 and, with assigned submarines, tested and evaluated underwater sound equipment into the 1940s. In May 1939, Semmes took part in the recovery efforts for the submarine Squalus.[8]
Semmes was fitted with the XAR air search radar in July, 1941 This was the prototype for the SC, SA, and SK series of radars.[9]
After the entry of the United States into World War II, Semmes added escort missions, training services for the Key West Sound School, and antisubmarine patrol work to her duties.
At
Permanent repairs were completed at Norfolk on 3 June and the former destroyer resumed her test and evaluation, patrol, and escort work which she continued through the end of the war in Europe. After the capitulation of
Semmes can be seen briefly as AG-24 in the 1943 movie
Fate
On 21 May 1946, Semmes again entered the
Awards
Semmes received five
Citations
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- ^ "USCGD Semmes (CG-20)" (PDF). Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ a b Friedman 1982, p. 434.
- ^ a b "Semmes". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Friedman 1982, p. 42.
- ^ Parkes 1931, p. 477.
- ^ "Warship Guided into Port by Radio Piloting Cable" (PDF). The New York Times. 7 October 1920.
- ^ "Ships Steered by Submarine Cable". Los Angeles Times. 8 February 1925.
- ISBN 0-06-101459-1.
- ISBN 9780471472209.
References
- Blair, Clay (2000). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939–1942. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35260-8.
- Friedman, Norman (1982). U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-733-X.
- Parkes, Oscar (1973) [first published 1931 by Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.: London]. Jane's Fighting Ships 1931. Newton Abbott, UK: David & Charles (Publishers). ISBN 0-7153-5849-9.
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 4"/50 Gun Page
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 3"/23 Gun Page
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 3"/50 Gun Page
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com Pre-WWII US Torpedoes
- US Navy Torpedo History, part 2 Archived 15 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Photo gallery of USS Semmes at NavSource Naval History
- hazegray.org: USS Semmes