USS Melville (AD-2)

The USS "Melville" (AD-2) was a United States Navy destroyer tender and was laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., 11 November 1913. She was launched 2 March 1913, sponsored by Miss Helen W. Neel, granddaughter of Rear Admiral Melville; and was first commissioned on 3 December 1915, Comdr. Henry B. Price in command.

Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, "Melville" reported to Newport, R.I., in January 1916. On 11 May 1917, a month after the United States entered World War I, the destroyer tender got underway for Queenstown, Ireland, arriving the 22d. She carried out repair and support operations and served as flagship for Vice Adm. Williams S. Sims, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in European waters, from 10 September until 4 January 1919.

"Melville" departed Southhampton, England, 7 January 1919 with troops embarked for the east coast, arriving New York the 26th. She then operated at Newport and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, until 30 April when she departed Tompkinsville, N.Y., for the Azores. There she prepared flying boat NC‑4 for the final leg of her long‑transatlantic journey from New York to Europe and embarked crippled NC‑3 for return to the east coast, reaching New York 10 June.

Reassigned to the Pacific Fleet, the destroyer tender stood out from Hampton Roads, Va., 19 July for the west coast. En route one of her boilers exploded injuring six men, five of them fatally. Orion (AC‑11) took her in tow for repairs at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. On 31 October she arrived at her now home port, San Diego, Calif., for service along the west coast alternated with training and fleet exercises in the Caribbean and off Hawaii for the next 21 years.

With the threat of American involvement in World War II, "Melville" steamed from the Caribbean for the east coast in November 1940. She arrived Norfolk 9 December for operations with the Patrol Force, U.S. Fleet, and was transferred back to the Atlantic Fleet 1 February 1941. Following intensive training at Guantanamo Bay and Culebra, P.R., and 3 weeks of supply duties at Casco Bay, Maine, "Melville" continued on to Bermuda 16 September to service neutrality patrol ships until returning to Norfolk 28 November.

"Melville" got underway 12 January 1942 for Europe, reaching Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 31 January to begin tending escort ships of Allied convoys crossing the submarine infested Atlantic. In the next 2 years she also based at Hvalfjordur, Iceland; Recife, Brazil; and Rosneath, Scotland, as well as Newport and Casco Bay, while continuing support services for warships ranging from battleships to landing craft and minesweepers.

On 1 May 1944 "Melville" sailed from Rosneath for Portland, England, to begin the massive task of preparing the Allied minesweepers and landing craft for the Normandy landing 6 June. For the next year she was busy maintaining and repairing landing craft for the Allied push toward Germany.

The destroyer tender was at Portland when Germany surrendered 7 May 1945. "Melville" continued her support duties, now servicing the amphibious craft for final operations in the Pacific theater.

On 7 July "Melville" steamed for New York arriving the 20th to ready for assignment to the central Pacific. After Japan capitulated 15 August 1945, she sailed 1 October for Jacksonville, Fla., where she assisted in the inactivation of escort ships.

She got underway from Jacksonville 13 July 1946 for Norfolk. "Melville" decommissioned there 9 August, was struck from the Navy list 23 April 1947, and turned over to the Maritime Commission 30 March 1948. On 19 August 1948 she was sold to Patapsco Scrap Corp., Baltimore, Md., for scrapping.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m8/melville-i.htm