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USS Taylor (DD-94)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Taylor (DD-94) was a Wickes-class
destroyer
in World War I
and the years following. She was named for Rear Admiral
Henry Taylor
.
; launched on 14 February 1918; sponsored by Miss Mary Gorgas; and commissioned on 1 June 1918, Commander Charles T. Hutchins, Jr., in command.
Upon commissioning, Taylor joined Division 12 of the Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet
. She cruised with that fleet through the end of World War I and into the postwar period. By 1 April 1919, she was assigned to Division 8, Destroyer Force. In 1920, Taylor was placed in reduced commission though still operating on the Atlantic coast. That summer, on 17 July, the Navy adopted the alpha-numeric hull designation system, and Taylor became DD-94. In October, she was placed back in full commission and, until the summer of 1922, operated with Division 8, Flotilla 8, Squadron 3. On 21 June 1922, the destroyer was placed out of commission at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
Taylor remained inactive there until 1 May 1930, when she was placed back in commission, Comdr. George B. Keester in command. She was assigned to Division 33, Squadron 7, Destroyer Squadrons, Scouting Fleet, and operated from Charleston, South Carolina
, until November when she was placed in reduced commission once again. At the same time, Taylor was detached from the Scouting Fleet and transferred to Division 47, Squadron 16, Training Squadron. She was assigned to the 6th and 7th Naval Districts to train reservists and to carry Reserve Officer Training Corps midshipmen on summer cruises.
By 1 April 1931, her unit designation changed completely. Scouting Fleet became Scouting Force, and the destroyer was an element of Division 28 of the Training Squadron. She operated with that unit until early in 1934 when she joined Squadron 19 of the rotating reserve with which she remained until that fall.
On 1 September, she relieved J. Fred Talbott (DD-156)
on duty with the Special Service Squadron
. She patrolled the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico
with that little force for the better part of a year to guard American interests during Latin America
's sporadic political spasms. By 1 October 1935, Taylor was back with the Training Squadron as a unit of the newly established Division 30. She trained reservists until early in 1937 when she returned to the Special Service Squadron in relief of Manley (DD-74)
. The destroyer again patrolled the volatile Caribbean
area protecting American lives and property.
Upon her return to the United States
in 1938, Taylor was moored at Philadelphia to prepare for inactivation. The destroyer was placed out of commission on 23 September 1938. Although her name was struck from the Navy list
on 6 December 1938, and she was offered for sale in July 1939, Taylors service to the Navy was not yet at an end. On 11 July 1940, she was selected for use in training damage control parties and was designated Damage Control Hulk No. 40.
Moreover, at least a part of her saw duty in World War II
. In May 1942 - while patrolling off Martinique
- one of her sister ships Blakeley (DD-150)
, lost 60 feet of her bow to a German
torpedo; Taylors bow was grafted onto Blakeley at Philadelphia that summer; and, in September, the latter destroyer returned to convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean
. The former Taylor continued to serve as a damage control hulk until almost the end of the war. She was finally sold for scrap in August 1945 and delivered to her purchaser on the 8th.
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 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...
and the years following. She was 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"...
Henry Taylor
Henry Clay Taylor
Henry Clay Taylor was a rear admiral in the United States Navy who served in the American Civil War and the Spanish–American War. He also served as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation and President of the Naval War College....
.
History
Taylor was laid down on 15 October 1917 by the Mare Island Navy Yard, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; launched on 14 February 1918; sponsored by Miss Mary Gorgas; and commissioned on 1 June 1918, Commander Charles T. Hutchins, Jr., in command.
Upon commissioning, Taylor joined Division 12 of the Destroyer Force, 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...
. She cruised with that fleet through the end of World War I and into the postwar period. By 1 April 1919, she was assigned to Division 8, Destroyer Force. In 1920, Taylor was placed in reduced commission though still operating on the Atlantic coast. That summer, on 17 July, the Navy adopted the alpha-numeric hull designation system, and Taylor became DD-94. In October, she was placed back in full commission and, until the summer of 1922, operated with Division 8, Flotilla 8, Squadron 3. On 21 June 1922, the destroyer was placed out of commission at 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,...
.
Taylor remained inactive there until 1 May 1930, when she was placed back in commission, Comdr. George B. Keester in command. She was assigned to Division 33, Squadron 7, Destroyer Squadrons, Scouting Fleet, and operated from 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...
, until November when she was placed in reduced commission once again. At the same time, Taylor was detached from the Scouting Fleet and transferred to Division 47, Squadron 16, Training Squadron. She was assigned to the 6th and 7th Naval Districts to train reservists and to carry Reserve Officer Training Corps midshipmen on summer cruises.
By 1 April 1931, her unit designation changed completely. Scouting Fleet became Scouting Force, and the destroyer was an element of Division 28 of the Training Squadron. She operated with that unit until early in 1934 when she joined Squadron 19 of the rotating reserve with which she remained until that fall.
On 1 September, she relieved J. Fred Talbott (DD-156)
USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156)
USS J. Fred Talbott , named for Joshua Frederick Cockey Talbott , Representative from Maryland Second District from 1879 to 1885, from 1893 to 1895 and again from 1903 to 1918, was a Wickes-class destroyer....
on duty with the Special Service Squadron
Special Service Squadron
The Special Service Squadron was a component of the United States Navy during the 1920s and 1930s.Under the United States Fleet, the squadron patrolled the Caribbean Sea as an instrument of gunboat diplomacy. It was headquartered in Balboa, Panama Canal Zone.-Commanders:* C.H. Hockson 1907 * Henry...
. She patrolled the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
with that little force for the better part of a year to guard American interests during Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
's sporadic political spasms. By 1 October 1935, Taylor was back with the Training Squadron as a unit of the newly established Division 30. She trained reservists until early in 1937 when she returned to the Special Service Squadron in relief of Manley (DD-74)
USS Manley (DD-74)
USS Manley , a , served in the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named for Captain John Manley ....
. The destroyer again patrolled the volatile 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...
area protecting American lives and property.
Upon her return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1938, Taylor was moored at Philadelphia to prepare for inactivation. The destroyer was placed out of commission on 23 September 1938. Although her name was struck from the Navy list
Naval 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 6 December 1938, and she was offered for sale in July 1939, Taylors service to the Navy was not yet at an end. On 11 July 1940, she was selected for use in training damage control parties and was designated Damage Control Hulk No. 40.
Moreover, at least a part of her saw duty in 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...
. In May 1942 - 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...
- one of her sister ships Blakeley (DD-150)
USS Blakeley (DD-150)
The second USS Blakeley was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War II. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley.-History:...
, lost 60 feet of her bow to a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
torpedo; Taylors bow was grafted onto Blakeley at Philadelphia that summer; and, in September, the latter destroyer returned to convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The former Taylor continued to serve as a damage control hulk until almost the end of the war. She was finally sold for scrap in August 1945 and delivered to her purchaser on the 8th.
See also
- USS TaylorUSS TaylorUSS Taylor may refer to:, was a from 1918 to 1938 was a 1942 to 1969, and later transferred to the Italian Navy as Lanciere ., is an in active service.See also* USS David W. Taylor * USS Lawrence C. Taylor...
for other ships of this name. - List of United States Navy destroyers
- List of World War II ships
- List of ship launches in 1918
- List of ship commissionings in 1918
- List of ship decommissionings in 1938