USS Crowninshield (DD-134)

USS "Crowninshield" (DD–134) was a "Wickes" class destroyer in the United States Navy between World War I and World War II. She was named for Benjamin Williams Crowninshield. In World War II she was transferred to the Royal Navy where she was named HMS "Chelsea", and subsequently to the Soviet Navy where she was named Derzkiy.

History

"Crowninshield" was launched July 24, 1919 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Emily Crowninshield Davis, great-great-granddaughter of B. W. Crowninshield; commissioned August 6, 1919, Lieutenant Commander R. E. Sampson in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.United States Naval Historical Center. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c15/crowninshield.htm Crowninshield] .]

"Crowninshield" cruised along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean, participating in 1921 in the fleet concentration in the Panama Canal Zone and Cuban waters. During this exercise she carried Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels from Key West to Guantanamo Bay for fleet maneuvers. From November 14, 1921 "Crowninshield" operated with 50 percent of her complement until placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia July 7, 1922.

Recommissioned May 12, 1930, "Crowninshield" arrived at San Diego April 4, 1931 to join the Battle Force. She took part in fleet problems and exercises on the west coast, in Hawaiian and Caribbean waters; operated with Aircraft, Battle Force; conducted practice cruises to Canadian and Alaskan ports for members of the Naval Reserve; and spent from July 15 to December 17, 1934 in the Rotating Reserve. She was at San Diego between October 30 and November 2, 1935, for the Presidential Fleet Review and attended the ceremonies opening the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge in November 1936. "Crowninshield" was decommissioned at San Diego April 8, 1937.

Recommissioned September 30, 1939, "Crowninshield" sailed from Mare Island November 25 and arrived at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, December 10 for duty with the Neutrality Patrol in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. On September 9, 1940 she was decommissioned at Halifax (former city), Nova Scotia, and delivered to British authorities in the land bases for destroyers exchange. She was commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS "Chelsea" the same day.

"Chelsea" reached Devonport, England, September 28, 1940. Assigned to the Sixth Escort Group, Western Approaches Command, Liverpool, for Atlantic convoy duty, she fought the double-menace submarine and air attacks on vital supplies. On April 6, 1941 she rescued 29 survivors of SS "Olga S." which had been sunk by an air attack. "Chelsea" was modified for trade convoy escort service by removal of three of the original 4"/50 caliber guns and one of the triple torpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of hedgehog. [Lenton&Colledge (1968) p.90]

"Chelsea" joined "Arbutus" February 5, 1942 to hunt for a submarine sighted from their convoy. Two hours later "Arbutus" was torpedoed. "Chelsea" opened fire on the surfaced submarine and made three depth charge attacks after she dived but contact was lost and she returned to pick up the survivors from "Arbutus".

In November 1942 "Chelsea" was lent to the Royal Canadian Navy and until the end of 1943 operated in the mid and western Atlantic Ocean escorting convoys to and from Great Britain. She returned to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, December 26, 1943 and early in 1944 was reduced to reserve on the Tyne. On July 16, 1944 she was transferred to Russia and renamed "Derzkiy" (rus. Дерзкий, "Insolent").

As of 2004, no other ship in the United States Navy has borne this name.

ee also

*List of United States Navy destroyers

References

*
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c15/crowninshield.htm

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/134.htm NavSource Photos]
* [http://sovnavy-ww2.by.ru/destroyers/typ_town.htm SovietNavy-WW2: Таун ("Town") class]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5410.html U-boat.net: Derzkij]