USS Toucey (DD-282)

USS "Toucey" (DD-282) was a "Clemson"-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey.

History

"Toucey" was laid down on 26 April 1919 at Squantum, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 5 September 1919; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Alden Robinson; and commissioned at Boston, Massachusetts on 9 December 1919, Commander Reuben B. Coffey in command.

Soon after commissioning, "Toucey" began duty with the Atlantic Fleet as a unit of Division 42, Flotilla 7, Squadron 1. Based at Newport, Rhode Island, for the next seven years, she operated along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. During the summer, the destroyer cruised the northern latitudes off the New England coast, training in destroyer operations. Each winter, she headed south for the annual fleet concentration held in waters near the Panama Canal and for gunnery training at the range near Puerto Rico. Sometime between 1 July 1921 and 1 January 1922, she was reassigned to Division 25 of Squadron 9 and began operating with only 50 percent of her normal complement. However, by 1 January 1923, her full complement had been restored and, still assigned to the same squadron and division, she began operating with the newly organized Scouting Force.

Late in 1926, she appears to have been temporarily assigned to the American naval forces operating in Europe. By 1 January 1927, her base of operations had been moved from Newport, to Norfolk, Virginia. From the sketchy records which exist, she appears to have served the remainder of her career with the Scouting Force destroyers operating out of Norfolk.

Fate

In the spring of 1930, she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to prepare for inactivation. On 1 May 1930, "Toucey" was decommissioned at Philadelphia. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 22 October. The former destroyer was sold on 17 January 1931 and scrapped sometime in 1934.

As of 2005, no other ship have been named "Toucey". "Saginaw" was launched as "Toucey", but her name was changed prior to commissioning at the request of her namesake.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t7/toucey.htm

External links

*http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/282.htm