USS Clemson (DD-186)

USS "Clemson" (DD-186/AVP-17/AVD-4/DD-186/APD-31) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers which served in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Midshipman Henry A. Clemson (1820–1846).

She is the only ship in the United States Navy to have received the name "Clemson".

History

"Clemson" was launched 5 September 1918 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia; sponsored by Miss M. C. Daniels; and commissioned 29 December 1919, Lieutenant Commander G. C. Dichman in command.

"Clemson" cruised in east coast and Cuban waters until placed in reserve with 50% complement at Norfolk Navy Yard 13 June 1920. She lay there and later at Charleston, South Carolina and Boston Navy Yards until she sailed to Philadelphia Navy Yard where she was decommissioned 30 June 1922.

World War II service in the Atlantic

Reclassified AVP-17, 15 November 1939, and converted into a small aircraft tender, "Clemson" was recommissioned 12 July 1940. On 6 August she was again reclassified, becoming AVD-4, and on 18 August reported to Commander, Aircraft, Scouting Force, Atlantic Fleet at Norfolk, Virginia. From 29 August 1940 to 28 November 1941 she tended patrol planes in the Caribbean and at the Galapagos Islands. "Clemson" then sailed south arriving at Recife, Brazil, 6 December. She remained on the coast of Brazil until 22 January 1942 when she returned to the Galapagos Islands. For the next year the tender shuttled between there and the Caribbean as her services were required. She returned to Norfolk, 2 March 1943 and then moved to Charleston, for reconversion to a destroyer (although not reclassified DD-186 until 1 December 1943).

On 30 May 1943 she joined the pioneer American hunter-killer group built around "Bogue" (CVE-9). "Clemson" made eight patrols with the group during which it sank eight German submarines, a major contribution to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. "Clemson" shared in the credit for the sinking of U-175 on 13 December in 26° 19' N., 29° 58' W. After an overhaul at New York early in 1944, she escorted a convoy to Casablanca and back between 25 January and 9 March. Once more "Clemson" underwent conversion, this time to a high speed transport at Charleston Navy Yard (reclassified APD-31, 7 March 1944).

"Clemson" shared in the Presidential Unit Citation (US) awarded the "Bogue" hunter-killer group.

World War II service in the Pacific

Clearing Charleston 1 May 1944 the transport reached Pearl Harbor 24 May and embarked Underwater Demolition Team 6. She then sailed westward to act as a mother ship for the UDT as it prepared beaches immediately before the invasions of Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Leyte and of Luzon. While entering Lingayen Gulf 5 January 1945, she drove off a Japanese air attack. "Clemson" escorted convoys to Ulithi, Saipan, and Okinawa before returning to San Pedro, California, 6 July. Re-designated DD-186, 17 July, she was still undergoing reconversion when World War II ended. She was decommissioned 12 October 1945 and sold 21 November 1946.

"Clemson" received nine battle stars for World War II service.

References

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See also

* List of World War II ships

External links

* [http://history.navy.mil/danfs/c10/clemson.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Clemson"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/186.htm navsource.org: USS "Clemson"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd186txt.htm hazegray.org: USS "Clemson"]