USS Duncan (DD-46)

The first USS "Duncan" (DD-46) was a "Cassin"-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was named for Silas Duncan.

"Duncan" was launched 5 April 1913 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts; sponsored by Miss D. Clark; and commissioned 30 August 1913, Lieutenant Commander C. E. Courtney in command.

"Duncan" sailed along the East Coast and in the Caribbean for training, target practice, and exercises until 24 October 1914 when she was placed out of commission at Boston, Massachusetts. Recommissioned 22 January 1916, she sailed out of Hampton Roads and Newport, Rhode Island for Neutrality Patrol and exercises in the Caribbean, protecting battleships in fleet maneuvers, and guarding the entrance to the York River. Between 8 September and 30 September 1917, she escorted a convoy to an eastern rendezvous, where an escort out of England met the ships.

Sailing for New York on 30 October "Duncan" escorted a convoy to Brest, France, arriving at Queenstown, Ireland, 15 November to escort convoys and hunt submarines in the Irish Sea. On 17 July 1918 "Duncan" rescued from a small boat the survivors of the Norwegian bark "Miefield" and on 9 October, when one of her sisters, USS|Shaw|DD-68|3 collided with SS "Aquitania", "Duncan" took off 84 of her crew, 12 of them wounded, and stood by while "Shaw's" remaining men took their ship into the Isle of Portland, England, under her own power.

Remaining in European waters after the war, Duncan joined in escorting "George Washington", bearing President Woodrow Wilson, into Brest 13 December 1918. She cleared Queenstown 26 December for the Azores, Bermuda, and Norfolk, Virginia, arriving 12 January 1919. After 5 months of East Coast and Caribbean operations, she was placed in ordinary at Norfolk 31 May 1919; in reduced commission 1 January 1920; in reserve 1 August 1920; assigned to operate with 50 percent of her complement 1 January 1921; and decommissioned 9 August 1921. She was scrapped 8 March 1935 in accordance with the terms of the London treaty limiting naval armaments.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/d6/duncan-i.htm