USS Somers (DD-381)
![]() Somers circa 1944, with mid-war armament modifications including removal of No. 3 5-inch mount and one of the three torpedo tube mounts in favor of 40mm and 20mm guns.
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History | |
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Namesake | Richard Somers |
Builder | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company |
Laid down | 27 June 1935 |
Launched | 13 March 1937 |
Commissioned | 1 December 1937 |
Decommissioned | 28 October 1945 |
Stricken | 28 January 1947 |
Fate | Sold to Boston Metals, Baltimore |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Somers-class destroyer |
Displacement | 1850 tons (2905 tons full) |
Length | 381 feet |
Beam | 36 feet 11 inches |
Draft | 14 feet |
Propulsion | 52,000 shp; geared turbines, 2 screws |
Speed | 39 knots |
Range | 6500 nm@ 12 knots |
Complement | 294 |
Armament |
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USS Somers (DD-381) was a
History
Somers was laid down on 27 June 1935 at Federal, Kearny, New Jersey launched on 13 March 1937; co-sponsored by Miss Marie Somers and Miss Suzanne Somers; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 1 December 1937.
In 1938 she transported a consignment of gold from the Bank of England to New York. On 6 November 1941, she and the cruiser USS Omaha captured the German freighter Odenwald which was carrying 3800 tons of scarce rubber while disguised as the American merchantman Willmoto.
Odenwald was taken to Puerto Rico. An admiralty court ruled that since the ship was illegally claiming American registration, there were sufficient grounds for confiscation. A legal case was started claiming that the crews of the two American ships had salvage rights because the Odenwald crew's attempt to scuttle the ship was the equivalent of abandoning her. The court case, settled in 1947 ruled the members of the boarding party and the prize crew were entitled to $3,000 apiece while all the other crewmen in Omaha and Somers were entitled to two months' pay and allowances. This was the last prize money awarded by the US Navy.[1]
In November 1942 Somers, with USS Milwaukee (CL-5) and USS Cincinnati (CL-6), intercepted another German blockade runner, the Anneliese Essberger, near Brazil.
In January 1943 Somers and
Somers next participated in the
For the next month, the destroyer operated in the
Fate
On 4 August 1945, she put into
Honors
Somers earned two battle stars during World War II.
See also
References
- ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
- Friedman, Norman, US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised Edition), Naval Institute Press, Annapolis:2004, ISBN 1-55750-442-3.
- Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, Conway Maritime Press, London:1980. ISBN 0-83170-303-2.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1965). U.S. Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan Ltd.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
Citations
- ^ Nofi, Al. "The Last "Prize" Awards in the U.S. Navy?" (#205, 20 July 2008). Strategypage.com.
Oldenwald was taken to Puerto Rico. An admiralty court ruled that since the ship was illegally claiming American registration, there was sufficient grounds for confiscation. At that point, some sea lawyers got into the act. Observing that the attempt to scuttle the ship was the equivalent of abandoning her, they claimed that the crews of the two American ships had salvage rights, to the tune of $3 million. This led to a protracted court case, which was not settled until 1947. At that time it was ruled that the members of the boarding party and the prize crew were entitled to $3,000 apiece, the equivalent today of over $25,000 according to the Consumer Price Index, but easily nearly twice that on the basis of the prevailing minimum wage, while all the other crewmen in Omaha and Somers were entitled to two months' pay and allowances at their then current rate.
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External links
- USS Somers photos at Naval History and Heritage Command
- USS Somers photo gallery at NavSource.org
- Somers-class destroyers at Destroyer History Foundation
- Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org – Somers class destroyer specs
- USS Somers and USS Warrington General Information Book with as-built data at Destroyer History Foundation
- "Goldplater" destroyers at Destroyer History Foundation
- 1850-ton leader classes at Destroyer History Foundation