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USS Lamberton (DD-119)
Encyclopedia
USS Lamberton (DD-119)/(DMS-2) was a Wickes-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
. She was the only ship named for Benjamin P. Lamberton
, an admiral
who had served with Admiral Dewey
in the Battle of Manila Bay.
Lamberton was laid down 1 October 1917 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia
; launched 30 March 1918; sponsored by Miss Isabell Stedman Lamberton, Admiral Lamberton's granddaughter; and commissioned 22 August 1918, Lieutenant Commander
Frank L. Slingluff in command.
, Lamberton joined the Atlantic Fleet for maneuvers off the Azores
in the spring of 1919. Reassigned to the newly formed Pacific Fleet
, the destroyer departed Hampton Roads
19 July and arrived at San Diego 7 August.
Based at San Diego, Lamberton operated along the west coast from August 1919 until June 1922. She participated in training maneuvers and performed experiments to develop superior naval tactics. The destroyer decommissioned at San Diego 30 June 1922.
. She also engaged in experimental minesweeping exercises off the west coast and was reclassified DMS-2 on 19 November 1940.
After arriving Pearl Harbor 11 September 1941, Lamberton resumed target towing and ASW screening operations in the Hawaii
an Islands. On 7 December 1941, she was escorting to Oahu
when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor
. Following the attack, she returned to port to sweep the harbor. For the next 7 months she remained on offshore patrol in the Hawaiian Islands.
Departing Pearl Harbor 11 July 1942, Lamberton steamed north; arriving at Kodiak, Alaska
, 7 days later. The high-speed minesweeper performed patrol and escort duty in the frigid North Pacific during the Aleutian campaign. In mid-May 1943, she escorted the task group which brought reinforcements for the second landing at Massacre Bay
, Attu
. Lamberton continued patrol operations until late June when she sailed for Kuluk Bay.
The high-speed minesweeper then steamed to San Diego, arriving there 23 July. For the rest of the war, she performed target-towing operations off the west coast and out of Pearl Harbor.
Lamberton was reclassified AG-21 on 5 June 1945, and, following the Japanese surrender
, she operated out of San Diego as an auxiliary.
She decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington
, 13 December 1946 and was sold 9 May 1947 to National Metal and Steel Corporation, Terminal Island
, Los Angeles, California
for scrapping.
The actor Ernest Borgnine
served aboard the Lamberton during the war.
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...
. She was the only ship named for Benjamin P. Lamberton
Benjamin P. Lamberton
Benjamin P. Lamberton was a rear admiral in the United States Navy, who served in the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
, an admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
who had served with Admiral Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
in the Battle of Manila Bay.
Lamberton was laid down 1 October 1917 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, 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...
; launched 30 March 1918; sponsored by Miss Isabell Stedman Lamberton, Admiral Lamberton's granddaughter; and commissioned 22 August 1918, 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...
Frank L. Slingluff in command.
Service history
After shakedown in the CaribbeanCaribbean
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...
, Lamberton joined the Atlantic Fleet for maneuvers 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...
in the spring of 1919. Reassigned to the newly formed Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, the destroyer departed Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
19 July and arrived at San Diego 7 August.
Based at San Diego, Lamberton operated along the west coast from August 1919 until June 1922. She participated in training maneuvers and performed experiments to develop superior naval tactics. The destroyer decommissioned at San Diego 30 June 1922.
World War II
Lamberton recommissioned 15 November 1930, Lieutenant Commander S. N. Moore in command. Operating along the west coast, she performed training exercises for nearly 2 years. She was reclassified AG-21 on 16 April 1932 and converted to a target-towing ship. From 1933 until 1940 she operated out of San Diego towing targets for surface ships, submarines, and aircraft, a role which paid dividends during World War IIWorld 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 also engaged in experimental minesweeping exercises off the west coast and was reclassified DMS-2 on 19 November 1940.
After arriving Pearl Harbor 11 September 1941, Lamberton resumed target towing and ASW screening operations in the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an Islands. On 7 December 1941, she was escorting to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. Following the attack, she returned to port to sweep the harbor. For the next 7 months she remained on offshore patrol in the Hawaiian Islands.
Departing Pearl Harbor 11 July 1942, Lamberton steamed north; arriving at Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
, 7 days later. The high-speed minesweeper performed patrol and escort duty in the frigid North Pacific during the Aleutian campaign. In mid-May 1943, she escorted the task group which brought reinforcements for the second landing at Massacre Bay
Massacre Bay
Massacre Bay is an inlet on the southeast coast of the island of Attu in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.Massacre Bay was among the landing sites of United States Army troops in the Battle of Attu in May 1943, which led to the recapture of the island from the Japanese during World War...
, Attu
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
. Lamberton continued patrol operations until late June when she sailed for Kuluk Bay.
The high-speed minesweeper then steamed to San Diego, arriving there 23 July. For the rest of the war, she performed target-towing operations off the west coast and out of Pearl Harbor.
Lamberton was reclassified AG-21 on 5 June 1945, and, following the Japanese surrender
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
, she operated out of San Diego as an auxiliary.
She decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, 13 December 1946 and was sold 9 May 1947 to National Metal and Steel Corporation, Terminal Island
Terminal Island
Terminal Island is an island located in Los Angeles County, California between Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach Harbor. Originally a mudflat known to the Spanish as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, and later called Rattlesnake Island, it has officially been Terminal Island since 1918...
, Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for scrapping.
The actor Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
served aboard the Lamberton during the war.
See also
- List of World War II ships
- List of United States Navy destroyers
- List of ship launches in 1918
- List of ship commissionings in 1918
- List of ship decommissionings in 1946