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USS Hopewell (DD-181)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Hopewell (DD–181) was a Wickes-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
following World War I
. She was later transferred to the Royal Navy
as HMS Bath (I-17), a "Town"-class destroyer
.
, she was launched by Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
on 8 June 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Orote Hutcheson; and commissioned on 22 March 1919 at Portsmouth, Virginia
, Lieutenant Commander
R. E. Rodgers in command.
Hopewell sailed from Norfolk
on 19 April 1919 to join the 3rd Destroyer Squadron in New England
waters, and in May was on observation station off the Azores
during the historic crossing of the Atlantic by Navy seaplanes
. The destroyer returned to New York on 8 June to complete her interrupted fitting out, and rejoined her squadron in August for firing tests. The winter of 1920 was spent on intensive training and target practice in Caribbean
waters.
The ship returned to New England
in early May, where she remained until September training reservists and engaging in division maneuvers. Arriving Charleston
on 22 September, Hopewell carried out similar operations out of the South Carolina
port, returning to New York in May 1921 for reserve training. Sailing from Newport
on 10 October, the destroyer was placed in reserve at Charleston until 10 April, when she departed for Philadelphia
. Hopewell decommissioned there on 17 July 1922.
She recommissioned on 17 June 1940 as America prepared for World War II
, and after operating with the Neutrality Patrol
off New England arrived Halifax
on 18 September. She decommissioned on 23 September and was transferred to Great Britain
as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
.
, in April 1941. As HNoMS Bath she began operation as part of the "Liverpool Escort Force" early in June, but had a very brief subsequent career, being sunk by the German
submarine
on 19 August 1941, while escorting the convoy, OG-71, bound for Gibraltar
. She was hit in the engine room with a torpedo and broke in two, sinking in three minutes. Of her 128 crew, only 42 survived.
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...
following 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 Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as HMS Bath (I-17), a "Town"-class destroyer
Town class destroyer
The Town class destroyers were warships transferred from the United States Navy to the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy in exchange for military bases in the Bahamas and elsewhere, as outlined in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between Britain and United States, signed on 2 September 1940...
.
As USS Hopewell
Named for Pollard HopewellPollard Hopewell
Pollard Hopewell was a midshipman in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. He was killed in the battle of the US frigate Chesapeake with the British frigate Shannon....
, she was launched by Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
on 8 June 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Orote Hutcheson; and commissioned on 22 March 1919 at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
R. E. Rodgers in command.
Hopewell sailed from 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....
on 19 April 1919 to join the 3rd Destroyer Squadron in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
waters, and in May was on observation station 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 crossing of the Atlantic 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,...
. The destroyer returned to New York on 8 June to complete her interrupted fitting out, and rejoined her squadron in August for firing tests. The winter of 1920 was spent on intensive training and target practice in 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...
waters.
The ship returned to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in early May, where she remained until September training reservists and engaging in division maneuvers. Arriving Charleston
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...
on 22 September, Hopewell carried out similar operations out of the South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
port, returning to New York in May 1921 for reserve training. Sailing from Newport
Newport, 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...
on 10 October, the destroyer was placed in reserve at Charleston until 10 April, when she departed for Philadelphia
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,...
. Hopewell decommissioned there on 17 July 1922.
She recommissioned on 17 June 1940 as America prepared for 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...
, and after operating with 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...
off New England arrived Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
on 18 September. She decommissioned on 23 September and was transferred to Great Britain
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...
as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement
Destroyers for Bases Agreement
The Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, September 2, 1940, transferred fifty mothballed destroyers from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions...
.
As HMS Bath and HNoMS Bath
Renamed HMS Bath, she was manned by sailors of the exiled Royal Norwegian NavyRoyal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
, in April 1941. As HNoMS Bath she began operation as part of the "Liverpool Escort Force" early in June, but had a very brief subsequent career, being sunk by the German
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
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...
on 19 August 1941, while escorting the convoy, OG-71, bound for 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...
. She was hit in the engine room with a torpedo and broke in two, sinking in three minutes. Of her 128 crew, only 42 survived.