USS Osborne (DD-295)

USS "Osborne" (DD-295) was a "Clemson"-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Weedon Osborne.

History

"Osborne" was laid down 23 September 1919 at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum, Massachusetts; launched 29 December 1919; co-sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Osborne Fisher, sister of Lt. (jg) W. E. Osborne and Mrs. C. H. Cox—and commissioned 17 May 1920, Lieutenant Dennis L. Ryan in command.

Commissioned into a peacetime navy curtailed by a retrenching Congress, the undermanned four stacker departed Boston, Massachusetts 25 June to join DesRon 3, Atlantic Fleet. The limited coastal operations of 1920 were supplemented by 2 months of fleet exercises and battle problems off Cuba during the first quarter of 1921. Whether operating out of Charleston, South Carolina, her normal base of operations, or out of the Brooklyn or Philadelphia Navy Yards "Osborne" regularly steamed southward early each year for these competitive exercises and large scale tactical maneuvers. These useful testing periods brought a familiarization not only with the Caribbean area but also the Pacific coast of Panama. Under the new command of Raymond A. Spruance, "Osborne" steamed from Boston 18 June 1925, to “show the flag” on an extensive year long cruise in the western half of the Mediterranean Sea and along the western European coastline.

Fate

Her sailing days ended 20 September 1929 upon entering the Philadelphia Navy Yard. "Osborne" decommissioned 1 May 1930 with her crew transferring to the newly recommissioned "Taylor" (DD–94). In accordance with the agreements reached at the London Naval Disarmament Conference of 1930, she was struck from the Navy List 22 October 1930 and sold for scrap 17 January 1931. Converted to a fruit carrier MV "Matagalpa" and served as an army freighter until burning in June 26, 1942 in Sydney Australia. [ [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/295.htm Destroyer Photo Index DD-295 USS OSBORNE ] ] "Matagalpa" was not repaired and was scuttled off Sydney on September 6 1947. [ [http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/pollution/dumping/history/pubs/sea-dumping-scuttled.pdf Scuttled and Abandoned Ships in Australian Waters] .]

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o4/osborne.htm history.navy.mil/danfs: USS "Osborne"]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-o/dd295.htm history.navy.mil/photos: USS "Osborne"]
*http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/295.htm