- USS Dorsey (DD-117)
USS "Dorsey" (DD–117) was a "Wickes" class
destroyer in theUnited States Navy during theWorld War I . She was named forJohn Dorsey .History
"Dorsey" (DD-117) was launched
9 April 1918 byWilliam Cramp & Sons ,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; sponsored by Mrs. A. Means, distant relative of Midshipman Dorsey; and commissioned16 September 1918 , CommanderG. F. Neal in command."Dorsey" sailed with a merchant convoy from Philadelphia
20 September 1918 , escorted it toIreland , and returned to New York19 October . Between28 October and20 November , she voyaged on escort duty to theAzores , then operated locally out of New York until13 January 1919 when she got underway for target practice and fleet maneuvers inCuba n waters, returning2 March . Three days later she sailed to escort "George Washington" with PresidentWoodrow Wilson embarked as far as the Azores, returning toGuantánamo Bay 21 March to join the Fleet for maneuvers."Dorsey" sailed from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba,
9 April 1919 , and arrived atValetta ,Malta ,26 April to report to Commander,Adriatic Squadron , for duty in the execution of the terms of the armistice withAustria . She served in the Mediterranean until9 July when she proceeded to New York arriving on the 21st."Dorsey" sailed from New York with her division
17 September 1919 for the west coast, arriving atSan Diego 12 October . She joined in fleet maneuvers in thePanama Canal Zone and operated with seaplanes atValparaíso ,Chile , until clearing San Diego25 June 1921 to join theAsiatic Fleet ."Dorsey" arrived at
Cavite ,Philippine Islands ,24 August 1921 , and served in experimental submarine practice and long-range battle and torpedo practice. On3 June 1922 she sailed fromManila to call atShanghai andChefoo ,China , Nagasaki,Japan , andPearl Harbor on her passage toSan Francisco where she arrived2 October . She was placed out of commission at San Diego9 March 1923 .Recommissioned
1 March 1930 "Dorsey" operated on the west coast, in the Canal Zone, and in theHawaii an Islands acting as plane guard for carriers and participating in tactical maneuvers with the fleet. In reserve from10 June to29 June 1935 , she then enteredMare Island Navy Yard for the installation of gear for her new assignment as a high-speed towing vessel."Dorsey" continued to operate from San Diego providing high-speed target towing for ships in training along the west coast, in the Canal Zone, and, between
29 December 1938 and25 April 1939 , in the Caribbean. From3 July 1940 she was based at Pearl Harbor. She enteredPearl Harbor Navy Yard 6 November for conversion to a high-speed minesweeper and was reclassified DMS-1 on19 November 1940 .When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor
7 December 1941 , "Dorsey" was at sea with TF 3 bound forJohnson Island . The force returned to its base on the 9th, and "Dorsey" was assigned to the Hawaiian Sea Frontier for patrol, local escort, and training duty. Except for overhaul at San Francisco from1 January to11 February 1943 , she remained on this duty until24 September 1943 .After scouting convoys to
Efate ,New Hebrides , andNoumea ,New Caledonia , "Dorsey" sailed to theSolomon Islands for patrol and minesweeping operations. She swept and patrolled offCape Torokina , Bougainville, and screened transports during the landings of1 November , returning on8 November and13 November with reinforcement and supply convoys. She escorted from her base atPort Purvis to Neoumea until29 March 1944 , then screened transports between Port Purvis,Kwajalein , Manus, andNew Georgia until arriving atMajuro 12 May for duty towing targets at high speed for ships in training. From20 June to9 July she guarded convoys between Kwajalein andEniwetok , then escorted "Makin Island" (CVE-93) to Pearl Harbor, and proceeded to San Francisco for overhaul.Returning to Pearl Harbor
1 October 1944 "Dorsey" had towing duty and joined in minesweeping experiments until9 November when she got underway as convoy escort for Port Purvis. On1 December she arrived at Manus for minesweeping operations until23 December . Continuing to San Pedro Bay, Leyte, "Dorsey" sortied on2 January 1945 for the invasion ofLingayen Gulf . During the preinvasion minesweeping she accounted for several attacking planes and rescued five survivors from stricken LCI(G)-70."Dorsey" arrived off
Iwo Jima for preinvasion mine-sweeping16 February 1945 . She patrolled during the assault landings, and towed bomb-damaged "Gamble" (DM-15) to safety18 February . She sailed from Iwo Jima1 March forUlithi to prepare for the invasion ofOkinawa , where she arrived25 March to sweep mines. On the 27th she was struck a glancing blow by a suicide plane which killed three of her crew and wounded two. "Dorsey" remained on duty, screening assault shipping during the landings of1 April and patrolling until the 4th when she departed for Pearl Harbor and battle damage repairs.Returning to Okinawa
1 July 1945 "Dorsey" joined the minesweeping unit operating in conjunction with the3rd Fleet raids on the Japanese home islands. She sailed on14 September for minesweeping operations in theVan Diemen Straits , returning to Okinawa five days later. On9 October she was grounded by a severetyphoon . Decommissioned8 December 1945 , her battered hulk was destroyed1 January 1946 ."Dorsey" received six
battle star s for World War II service.As of 2004, no other ships in the United States Navy have gone by this name.
John Dorsey
John Dorsey (about
1780 -7 August 1804 ) was an officer in theUnited States Navy during theFirst Barbary War .Born in
Maryland , Dorsey was appointedmidshipman April 28 ,1801 . He was killed 7 August 1804 in the attack onTripoli in northAfrica when "Gunboat No. 9" was blown up by an enemy shell.In his honour, the USS Dorsey was named after him.
ee also
*
List of United States Navy destroyers
*1940–49 Pacific typhoon seasons#1945 Pacific typhoon season , Typhoon LouiseReferences
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/117.htm NavSource Photos]
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