USS Shaw (DD-68)
Encyclopedia
USS Shaw (DD-68) was a in the United States Navy
during World War I
. She was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard
as CG-22.
Shaw was laid down on 7 February 1916 by the Mare Island Navy Yard, launched on 9 December 1916, sponsored by Mrs. Virginia Kemper Lynch Millard, and commissioned on 9 April 1917, Lieutenant Commander
Milton S. Davis in command.
. On 26 June, she fueled at sea from a tanker, and the convoy
arrived at Quiberon Bay
, France, on 1 July. On the 4th, she sailed from St. Nazaire and arrived at Cobh, Ireland, the next day. On 10 July, she began patrol and convoy escort duty based on Cobh, convoying eastbound and westbound ships through the submarine danger zone around Great Britain
and Ireland
, for the most part without incident. On 1 July 1918, she received an SOS from the torpedoed American transport, , and rushed to her aid. On arrival, she found that Covingtons survivors had been removed and the ship had been taken undertow. But, the crippled transport sank later in the day. On 25 September, a ship in Shaws convoy was attacked by a submarine but not damaged.
On 9 October 1918, while escorting , Shaws rudder jammed just as she was completing the right leg of a zigzag, leaving her headed directly towards the transport. A moment later, Aquitania struck Shaw, cutting off 90 feet of the destroyer's bow, mangling her bridge and setting her on fire. Shaws crew heroically brought her damage under control, and a skeleton crew of 21 men took the wreck 40 miles into port under her own power. 12 men died in the accident.
Shaw remained under repair at Portsmouth, England, until 29 May 1919 when she sailed for the United States. She arrived at New York on 17 June 1919 and moved to the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 2 October where she joined the reserve destroyer group and was decommissioned on 21 June 1922.
on 25 March 1926 and transferred to the Coast Guard the same day, to serve in the Rum Patrol
. She was returned to the Navy by the Coast Guard and reinstated on the Navy list effective 30 June 1933.
Her name was canceled on 1 November 1933 for assignment to a new destroyer
, and the ship was struck again on 5 July 1934 and sold on 22 August 1934 for scrapping to Michael Plynn, Inc., Brooklyn, New York.
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 World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. She was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
as CG-22.
Shaw was laid down on 7 February 1916 by the Mare Island Navy Yard, launched on 9 December 1916, sponsored by Mrs. Virginia Kemper Lynch Millard, and commissioned on 9 April 1917, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Milton S. Davis in command.
World War I
Shaw sailed from Mare Island on 25 May 1917 and arrived at New York on 10 June 1917 ready for distant service. She sailed a week later as one of the escort of Group 4 of the Expeditionary Force from the United States to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. On 26 June, she fueled at sea from a tanker, and the convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
arrived at Quiberon Bay
Quiberon Bay
The Baie de Quiberon is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département.-Geography:The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to the north-east and the narrow peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon providing...
, France, on 1 July. On the 4th, she sailed from St. Nazaire and arrived at Cobh, Ireland, the next day. On 10 July, she began patrol and convoy escort duty based on Cobh, convoying eastbound and westbound ships through the submarine danger zone around Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, for the most part without incident. On 1 July 1918, she received an SOS from the torpedoed American transport, , and rushed to her aid. On arrival, she found that Covingtons survivors had been removed and the ship had been taken undertow. But, the crippled transport sank later in the day. On 25 September, a ship in Shaws convoy was attacked by a submarine but not damaged.
On 9 October 1918, while escorting , Shaws rudder jammed just as she was completing the right leg of a zigzag, leaving her headed directly towards the transport. A moment later, Aquitania struck Shaw, cutting off 90 feet of the destroyer's bow, mangling her bridge and setting her on fire. Shaws crew heroically brought her damage under control, and a skeleton crew of 21 men took the wreck 40 miles into port under her own power. 12 men died in the accident.
Shaw remained under repair at Portsmouth, England, until 29 May 1919 when she sailed for the United States. She arrived at New York on 17 June 1919 and moved to the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 2 October where she joined the reserve destroyer group and was decommissioned on 21 June 1922.
United States Coast Guard
Shaw was struck from the Navy listNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 25 March 1926 and transferred to the Coast Guard the same day, to serve in the Rum Patrol
Rum Patrol
The Rum Patrol was an operation of the United States Coast Guard to interdict liquor smuggling vessels, known as "rum runners" in order to enforce prohibition in American waters. On 18 December 1917, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution was submitted to the states by Congress...
. She was returned to the Navy by the Coast Guard and reinstated on the Navy list effective 30 June 1933.
Her name was canceled on 1 November 1933 for assignment to a new destroyer
USS Shaw (DD-373)
USS Shaw , a Mahan-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Captain John Shaw, a Naval officer. Commissioned in 1936, she was plagued by construction deficiencies and was not fully operational until 1938...
, and the ship was struck again on 5 July 1934 and sold on 22 August 1934 for scrapping to Michael Plynn, Inc., Brooklyn, New York.