USSDeLong(DD-129)

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS DeLong.

DeLongaground at Half Moon Bay, December 1921
History
United States
Namesake	George W. DeLong
Builder	New York Shipbuilding Corporation,Camden, New Jersey
Laid down	21 February 1918
Launched	29 October 1918
Commissioned	20 September 1919
Decommissioned	18 March 1922
Fate	Sold 25 September 1922
General characteristics
Class and type	Wickes-classdestroyer
Displacement	1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) (standard) 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) (deep load)
Length	314 ft 4 in (95.8 m)
Beam	30 ft 11 in (9.42 m)
Draught	9 ft 10 in (3.0 m)
Installed power	27,000shp(20,000 kW) 4water-tube boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2steam turbines
Speed	35knots(65 km/h; 40 mph) (design)
Range	2,500nautical miles(4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (design)
Complement	6 officers, 108 enlisted men
Armament	4 × single4-inch (102 mm) guns 2 × single1-pounderAA guns 4 × triple21 inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes 2 ×depth chargerails

USSDeLong(DD-129)was aWickes-classdestroyerbuilt for theUnited States Navyduring World War I.

Description

TheWickesclass was an improved and faster version of the precedingCaldwell-class.Two different designs were prepared to the same specification that mainly differed in the turbines and boilers used. The ships built to theBethlehem Steeldesign, built in the Fore River and Union Iron Worksshipyards,mostly usedYarrow boilersthat deteriorated badly during service and were mostly scrapped during the 1930s.The ships displaced 1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) atstandardload and 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) atdeep load.They had anoverall lengthof 314 feet 4 inches (95.8 m), abeamof 30 feet 11 inches (9.4 m) and adraughtof 9 feet 10 inches (3.0 m). They had a crew of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.

Performance differed radically between the ships of the class, often due to poor workmanship. TheWickesclass was powered by twosteam turbines,each driving onepropeller shaft,using steam provided by fourwater-tube boilers.The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000shaft horsepower(20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35knots(65 km/h; 40 mph). The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) offuel oilwhich was intended gave them a range of 2,500nautical miles(4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

The ships were armed with four4-inch (102 mm) gunsin single mounts and were fitted with two1-pounderguns for anti-aircraft defense. Their primary weapon, though, was their torpedobatteryof a dozen21 inch (533 mm)torpedo tubesin four triple mounts. In many ships a shortage of 1-pounders caused them to be replaced by 3-inch (76 mm)anti-aircraft (AA) guns.They also carried a pair ofdepth chargerails. A "Y-gun" depth charge thrower was added to many ships.

Construction and career

DeLong,named for Lieutenant CommanderGeorge W. DeLong(1844–1881), anArcticexplorer, was launched 29 October 1918 byNew York Shipbuilding Corporation,Camden, New Jersey;sponsored by Miss E. DeL. Mills, granddaughter of Lt. Cmdr. DeLong; and commissioned 20 September 1919.DeLongsailed from New York 3 November 1919, and after joining in exercises atGuantanamo Bay,and patrolling offHondurasarrived atSan Diego24 December. She sailed in maneuvers and torpedo practice offCoronado Roadsuntil placed in reserve 20 June 1920. After extended overhaul atMare Island Navy Yard,she returned to San Diego 26 June 1921 and began operating from that port 21 October with 50 percent of her complement. On 1 December 1921 she went aground in a heavy fog atHalf Moon Bay.A tug and two destroyers,Badger(DD-126) andBallard(DD-267), stood by to assist. On 17 December she was salvaged and towed toMare Island Navy Yard.DeLongwas decommissioned 18 March 1922 and her hulk sold 25 September 1922.

References

• Friedman, Norman (1982).U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-87021-733-X.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-85177-245-5.
• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.

External links

• navsource.org: USSDeLong
• hazegray.org: USSDeLong