USS Smith (DD-17)

The first USS "Smith" (DD–17) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy during the World War I. She was named for Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith.

"Smith" was laid down on 18 March 1908 by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; launched on 20 April 1909; sponsored by Mrs. Edward Bridge Richardson; and commissioned on 26 November 1909, Lieutenant Commander D. F. Boyd in command.

"Smith" was attached to the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet upon commissioning and, after three years of active service, was placed in reserve in October 1912. Reactivated with reduced complements in December 1915 for Neutrality Patrol duty off Boston, Massachusetts, "Smith" arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on 10 December 1916 for recruiting duty with the Naval Auxiliary Reserve. She arrived at Key West, Florida on 12 February 1916 and at New York on 15 February to continue recruiting duty.

With war imminent, "Smith" was ordered on 1 April 1917 to anchor in the North River, New York to assist the Collector of Customs in preventing the German ships at New York from escaping or destroying themselves. She departed New York on 4 April and operated with the Patrol Force along the East Coast from 10 April to 14 May. On 17 April, she reported sighting a submarine which submerged, and then saw a torpedo wake cross her bow; however, neither inflicted damage on the other. "Smith" underwent overhaul at the Charleston Navy Yard from 17 May to 16 July, during which time she prepared for distant service.

"Smith" departed Charleston, South Carolina on 16 July; and, after a stop at Bermuda from 18 July to 20 July and three months of patrols in the Azores from 26 July to 5 October, she arrived at Brest, France, on 20 October. For the remainder of the war, "Smith" escorted eastbound and westbound convoys through the submarine danger area extending about 500 miles (800 km) to the westward of Brest. Her escort missions were largely uneventful and, despite several sightings of suspected submarines, she made no confirmed kills. She was called upon twice, however, to rescue survivors of torpedoed transports. On 31 May 1918, she rescued 240 men from "President Lincoln"; and, while carrying them into port, unsuccessfully attacked a submarine on 1 June. On 1 July 1918, she rescued survivors from "Covington" while other destroyers circled the two ships at high speed to deter submarine attack.

"Smith" underwent repairs in England from 16 September to 3 November 1918 and, after the end of the war, at Brest from 7 March to 2 April 1919. She sailed for the United States on 11 May; and, after arriving at Philadelphia, was decommissioned there on 2 September 1919. She was ordered sold on 28 February 1920 but was withdrawn from sale on 9 June 1920 in response to a request from the Bureau of Construction and Repair for a destroyer, a submarine, and a battleship for exhaustive bombing experiments. On 18 September, "Smith" was anchored in Chesapeake Bay with battleship, "Indiana", and submarine, G-1, for the tests, which were completed on 5 November. "Smith" was then towed back to Philadelphia and, after again being designated a bombing target on 20 July 1921, was sold on 20 December 1921 to Joseph G. Hitner of Philadelphia for scrapping.

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External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/017.htm NavSource Photos]