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USS Blakeley (DD-150)
Encyclopedia
The second USS Blakeley (DD–150) was a Wickes class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during the World War II
. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley
.
Ship and Engine Building Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; sponsored by Mrs. C. A. Blakeley, wife of Commander Blakeley, great-grandnephew of Captain Blakeley; commissioned 8 May 1919, Commander W. Brown, Jr., in command; and joined the Atlantic Fleet
.
Blakeley cruised along the east coast until going out of commission 29 June 1922 at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Except for 1932-37 when she served with the Scouting Fleet
, Blakeley remained out of commission at Philadelphia until 16 October 1939.
Upon recommissioning, Blakeley joined the Neutrality Patrol
and with America's entrance into World War II began patrol and convoy duty in the Caribbean
. In February 1942 she helped escort the convoy carrying troops to garrison Curaçao
Netherlands West Indies. While patrolling off Martinique
; 2,5 May 1942, under the command of Werner Hartenstein
torpedoed her, carrying away 60 feet of her bow. Six men were killed and 21 wounded, but the crew saved the ship and brought her to Fort-de-France
, Martinique, for emergency repairs. After additional repairs at Castries
, Saint Lucia
, British West Indies
, and San Juan, Puerto Rico
, Blakeley steamed to Philadelphia where she was refitted with a bow taken from her stricken sister Taylor (DD-94)
and thoroughly overhauled. The Blakeley was the only U.S. World War I-era destroyer that was not sunk after being torpedoed by German U-boats.
In September 1942 Blakeley returned to duty with the Caribbean Sea Frontier and, with the exception of two voyages, continued escort and patrol work there until February 1945. From 1 January to 23 February 1943 she served with TG 21.13 on hunter-killer duty in the North Atlantic and between 24 March and 11 May 1943 she escorted a convoy to Bizerte, Tunisia.
She operated out of New London, Connecticut
, 18 March 1945 – 13 June 1945 on training duty with submarines in Long Island Sound
. Decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 21 July 1945, she was sold 30 November 1945.
Blakeley received one battle star for her convoy duty.
The Captain Johnston Blakeley
Anchor monument, compromised of the anchor from the USS Wasp
, an aircraft carrier
during the World War II
was installed at Blakely corners in Blakely, Pennsylvania
in 1976.
Wickes class destroyer
The Wickes-class destroyers were a group of 111 destroyers built by the United States Navy in 1917-1919. Along with the 6 preceding Caldwell class and 155 subsequent Clemson-class destroyers, they formed the "flush-deck" or "four-stack" class. Only a few were completed in time to serve in World...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley also spelled Johnston Blakely was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. He is considered to be the most successful American naval officer of that period....
.
History
Blakeley was launched 19 September 1918 by William Cramp and SonsWilliam Cramp and Sons
thumb | upright | 1899 advertisement for William Cramp & Sons William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1825 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder in the 19th century. The American Ship & Commerce Corporation bought the yard in 1919 but closed...
Ship and Engine Building Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
; sponsored by Mrs. C. A. Blakeley, wife of Commander Blakeley, great-grandnephew of Captain Blakeley; commissioned 8 May 1919, Commander W. Brown, Jr., in command; and joined the Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
.
Blakeley cruised along the east coast until going out of commission 29 June 1922 at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Except for 1932-37 when she served with the Scouting Fleet
Scouting Fleet
The Scouting Fleet was part of the United States Fleet in the United States Navy, and renamed the Scouting Force in 1930.Established in 1922, the fleet consisted mainly of older battleships and initially operated in the Atlantic...
, Blakeley remained out of commission at Philadelphia until 16 October 1939.
Upon recommissioning, Blakeley joined the Neutrality Patrol
Neutrality Patrol
At the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 started the hostilities in Europe, President Franklin D...
and with America's entrance into World War II began patrol and convoy duty in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. In February 1942 she helped escort the convoy carrying troops to garrison Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
Netherlands West Indies. While patrolling off Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
; 2,5 May 1942, under the command of Werner Hartenstein
Werner Hartenstein
Gustav Julius Werner Hartenstein was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of . He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military...
torpedoed her, carrying away 60 feet of her bow. Six men were killed and 21 wounded, but the crew saved the ship and brought her to Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
, Martinique, for emergency repairs. After additional repairs at Castries
Castries
Castries , population 10,634, aggl. 37,963 , is the capital city of Saint Lucia, a country in the Caribbean. The district with the same name had a population of 61,341 in 2001-05-22, and stretches over an area of ....
, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
, and San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Blakeley steamed to Philadelphia where she was refitted with a bow taken from her stricken sister Taylor (DD-94)
USS Taylor (DD-94)
The first USS Taylor was a Wickes-class destroyer in World War I and the years following. She was named for Rear Admiral Henry Taylor.-History:...
and thoroughly overhauled. The Blakeley was the only U.S. World War I-era destroyer that was not sunk after being torpedoed by German U-boats.
In September 1942 Blakeley returned to duty with the Caribbean Sea Frontier and, with the exception of two voyages, continued escort and patrol work there until February 1945. From 1 January to 23 February 1943 she served with TG 21.13 on hunter-killer duty in the North Atlantic and between 24 March and 11 May 1943 she escorted a convoy to Bizerte, Tunisia.
She operated out of New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, 18 March 1945 – 13 June 1945 on training duty with submarines in Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. Decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 21 July 1945, she was sold 30 November 1945.
Blakeley received one battle star for her convoy duty.
The Captain Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley also spelled Johnston Blakely was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. He is considered to be the most successful American naval officer of that period....
Anchor monument, compromised of the anchor from the USS Wasp
USS Wasp
Ten ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Wasp, after the stinging insect. was a merchant schooner originally named Scorpion and purchased by the Continental Navy in late 1775. In the fall of 1777, the Wasp was run aground, set on fire, and destroyed when its gunpowder exploded....
, an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was installed at Blakely corners in Blakely, Pennsylvania
Blakely, Pennsylvania
Blakely is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,564 at the 2010 census. Its only village is Peckville, PA.-Geography:Blakely is located at ....
in 1976.
See also
- See USS BlakelyUSS BlakelyUSS Blakely may refer to:, a torpedo boat commissioned 1904 was named for Capt. Johnston Blakeley. The name was canceled in 1918 so that it could instead be assigned to Blakeley ., a Wickes-class destroyer was named for Capt. Johnston Blakeley. , a Knox-class frigate was named for Captain Johnston...
for other ships also named for the same namesakes. - List of United States Navy destroyers