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USS Du Pont (DD-152)
Encyclopedia
USS Du Pont (DD–152) was a Wickes class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during the World War II
, later reclassified as AG-80. She was the second ship named for Rear Admiral
Samuel Francis Du Pont
.
Du Pont was launched 22 October 1918 by William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; sponsored by Miss C. S. Du Pont, great-grandniece of Rear Admiral Du Pont; and commissioned 30 April 1919, Commander
W. Baggaley in command.
6 May 1919 to patrol off the Azores
during the historic first transatlantic airplane flight
, made by Navy seaplanes
, then visited Brest, France
, before returning to New York 15 June. She sailed 10 July for the Mediterranean and on the 27th reported to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, European Waters, at Constantinople
, Turkey
. She carried mail and passengers in connection with relief in eastern Europe
, and investigated conditions in Lebanon
, Syria
, Egypt
, and Greece
. Returning to New York 21 July 1920, she was placed in reserve and operated with 50 percent of her complement in training duty along the Atlantic coast until placed out of commission at Philadelphia 19 April 1922.
Recommissioned 1 May 1930, Du Pont operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean
, in practice and exercises and on reserve training cruises. Between 13 March and 29 March 1931 she escorted with President H. C. Hoover
embarked for visits to Ponce, Puerto Rico
, and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, then returned to tactical exercises with the fleet and occasional duty as a plane guard.
Between 9 January and 22 October 1932, Du Pont cruised to the west coast, returning to Norfolk
to join Rotating Reserve
Squadron 19. She operated from Boston
training Naval Reservists until assigned temporary duty on patrol off Cuba
from September 1933 until February 1934.
On 15 August 1934, Du Pont returned to active commission. She left Charleston, South Carolina
, 15 September, served as target vessel and plane guard in the Caribbean, then arrived at San Diego
9 November. Based there she served in training and tactical development with the fleet, cruising to Alaska
n waters and Pearl Harbor
on a problem during 29 April 1935 – 10 June 1935. She sailed from the west coast 27 April 1936 for the annual fleet problem held that year in the Canal Zone
, then transited the Panama Canal
, and arrived at Jacksonville, Florida
, 7 June for Naval Reserve training duty along the east coast. Arriving at Philadelphia Navy Yard 29 September 1936, Du Pont was placed out of commission 14 January 1937.
. She patrolled along the east coast, trained reservists, and spent several periods training with submarine
s out of New London
. Between 7 July 1941 and 26 February 1942, she escorted five vital convoys to NS Argentia
, Newfoundland
, and Iceland
, continuing escort and antisubmarine patrol duty in the Atlantic as far north as Argentia and south to the Caribbean. Du Pont, 15 March 1942, rescued 30 survivors from a torpedoed merchantman. From 8 May 1942 to 19 January 1943, she guarded convoys from New York and Norfolk to Key West
and Guantanamo Bay
.
After overhaul, Du Pont returned to the Caribbean to escort tanker convoys between Aruba
, Netherlands West Indies, and Guantanamo Bay until 17 May 1943 when she sailed from Aruba to the Mediterranean. She arrived at Algiers
, Algeria
, 1 June, and put into Casablanca
5 days later. The destroyer sailed on 9 June for New York in the escort for , rescuing four men from downed aircraft during hunter-killer operations en route. She arrived at New York 6 July.
Between 17 July and 12 September 1943, Du Pont made two voyages to the United Kingdom
on convoy escort duty. On 25 September, she sailed from Norfolk for an antisubmarine patrol with a hunter-killer group centered on Card. On 6 October she joined the screen for during exercises in Casco Bay
and Long Island Sound
. The group sailed from Norfolk 14 November to give close support to a Gibraltar
-bound convoy. On the return passage one of Bogues planes sighted and bombed surfaced , 12 December. Du Pont and continued the attack, driving the submarine to the surface on the morning of the following day. The destroyers opened fire and after the submarine's conning tower exploded, rescued 46 survivors including the captain as U-172 sank in 26°19′N 29°58′W. Du Pont shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Bogue task group for distinguished success in operations against submarines.
Du Pont escorted a convoy to Gibraltar and back to Boston between 25 January and 9 March 1944, and then returned to escort duty in the Caribbean. She left Norfolk 11 June in the screen of sailing by way of Casablanca to Avonmouth, England, arriving 28 June. Du Pont returned to Boston 13 July with Albemarle who was carrying casualties from the Normandy
invasion.
merchantman to render emergency treatment. She continued to serve off Florida
aiding aviation training until 1 April 1946 when she arrived at Boston. Du Pont was decommissioned 2 May 1946 and sold 12 March 1947.
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...
, later reclassified as AG-80. She was the second ship named for Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Samuel Francis Du Pont
Samuel Francis du Pont
Samuel Francis Du Pont was an American naval officer who achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, and a member of the prominent Du Pont family; he was the only member of his generation to use a capital D...
.
Du Pont was launched 22 October 1918 by William Cramp & Sons 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 Miss C. S. Du Pont, great-grandniece of Rear Admiral Du Pont; and commissioned 30 April 1919, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
W. Baggaley in command.
Service history
Du Pont sailed from NewportNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
6 May 1919 to patrol off the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
during the historic first transatlantic airplane flight
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
, made by Navy seaplanes
NC-4
The NC-4 was a Curtiss NC flying boat which was designed by Glenn Curtiss and his team, and manufactured by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. In May 1919, the NC-4 became the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, starting in the United States and making the crossing as far as Lisbon,...
, then visited Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, before returning to New York 15 June. She sailed 10 July for the Mediterranean and on the 27th reported to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, European Waters, at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. She carried mail and passengers in connection with relief in eastern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and investigated conditions in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Returning to New York 21 July 1920, she was placed in reserve and operated with 50 percent of her complement in training duty along the Atlantic coast until placed out of commission at Philadelphia 19 April 1922.
Recommissioned 1 May 1930, Du Pont operated along the east coast and 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 practice and exercises and on reserve training cruises. Between 13 March and 29 March 1931 she escorted with President H. C. Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
embarked for visits to Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, then returned to tactical exercises with the fleet and occasional duty as a plane guard.
Between 9 January and 22 October 1932, Du Pont cruised to the west coast, returning to Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
to join Rotating Reserve
Rotating Reserve
In the United States, a number of ships whose construction was authorized during World War I entered service at a time when the post-war cutbacks in funds and personnel seriously curtailed American peacetime naval operations. The Navy established the rotating reserve to maintain a force in readiness...
Squadron 19. She operated from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
training Naval Reservists until assigned temporary duty on patrol off Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
from September 1933 until February 1934.
On 15 August 1934, Du Pont returned to active commission. She left Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, 15 September, served as target vessel and plane guard in the Caribbean, then arrived at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
9 November. Based there she served in training and tactical development with the fleet, cruising to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n waters and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on a problem during 29 April 1935 – 10 June 1935. She sailed from the west coast 27 April 1936 for the annual fleet problem held that year in the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, then transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, and arrived at Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, 7 June for Naval Reserve training duty along the east coast. Arriving at Philadelphia Navy Yard 29 September 1936, Du Pont was placed out of commission 14 January 1937.
World War II
With the outbreak of war in Europe, Du Pont was recommissioned 16 October 1939 for duty on the Neutrality PatrolNeutrality 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...
. She patrolled along the east coast, trained reservists, and spent several periods training with submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s out of New London
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....
. Between 7 July 1941 and 26 February 1942, she escorted five vital convoys to NS Argentia
Naval Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia is a former base of the United States Navy that operated from 1941-1994. It was established in the community of Argentia in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland, which later became the tenth Canadian province .-Construction:Established under the British-U.S...
, Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, continuing escort and antisubmarine patrol duty in the Atlantic as far north as Argentia and south to the Caribbean. Du Pont, 15 March 1942, rescued 30 survivors from a torpedoed merchantman. From 8 May 1942 to 19 January 1943, she guarded convoys from New York and Norfolk to Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
and Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
.
After overhaul, Du Pont returned to the Caribbean to escort tanker convoys between Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, Netherlands West Indies, and Guantanamo Bay until 17 May 1943 when she sailed from Aruba to the Mediterranean. She arrived at Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 1 June, and put into Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
5 days later. The destroyer sailed on 9 June for New York in the escort for , rescuing four men from downed aircraft during hunter-killer operations en route. She arrived at New York 6 July.
Between 17 July and 12 September 1943, Du Pont made two voyages to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on convoy escort duty. On 25 September, she sailed from Norfolk for an antisubmarine patrol with a hunter-killer group centered on Card. On 6 October she joined the screen for during exercises in Casco Bay
Casco Bay
Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the southern coast of Maine, New England, United States. Its easternmost approach is Cape Small and its westernmost approach is Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth...
and 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...
. The group sailed from Norfolk 14 November to give close support to a Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
-bound convoy. On the return passage one of Bogues planes sighted and bombed surfaced , 12 December. Du Pont and continued the attack, driving the submarine to the surface on the morning of the following day. The destroyers opened fire and after the submarine's conning tower exploded, rescued 46 survivors including the captain as U-172 sank in 26°19′N 29°58′W. Du Pont shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Bogue task group for distinguished success in operations against submarines.
Du Pont escorted a convoy to Gibraltar and back to Boston between 25 January and 9 March 1944, and then returned to escort duty in the Caribbean. She left Norfolk 11 June in the screen of sailing by way of Casablanca to Avonmouth, England, arriving 28 June. Du Pont returned to Boston 13 July with Albemarle who was carrying casualties from the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
invasion.
Convoys escorted
| Convoy | Escort Group | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HX 153 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
7-13 Oct 1941 | from Newfoundland Dominion of Newfoundland The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland... to Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... prior to US declaration of war |
|
| ON 28 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
25 Oct-3 Nov 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 161 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
23-25 Nov 1941 | from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| ON 43 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
11-15 Dec 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland | |
| HX 172 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
28 Jan-2 Feb Feb 1942 | from Newfoundland to Iceland | |
| ON 65 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
12-19 Feb 1942 | from Iceland to Newfoundland |
Ausiliary service
After overhaul and refresher training, Du Pont put into Charleston Navy Yard 16 September 1944 to undergo conversion to an auxiliary vessel. Reclassified AG-80, 25 September 1944, she sailed from Charleston 9 October and arrived at Key West 2 days later to act as target ship for Fleet Air Wing 5. She rescued two downed aviators 24 November and 2 days later, transferred her doctor to a NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
merchantman to render emergency treatment. She continued to serve off Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
aiding aviation training until 1 April 1946 when she arrived at Boston. Du Pont was decommissioned 2 May 1946 and sold 12 March 1947.