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USS Elliot (DD-146)
Encyclopedia
USS Elliot (DD–146) was a Wickes class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during the World War II
, first reclassified as DMS-4, and later reclassified as AG-104. She was named for Lieutenant Commander
Richard M. Elliot
.
Elliot was launched on 4 July 1918 at William Cramp & Sons, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; sponsored by Mrs. R. M. Elliot, widow of Lieutenant Commander Elliot; and commissioned 25 January 1919, with Lieutenant Commander E. L. Gunther in command.
, Elliot sailed from New York 28 April 1919 to the Azores
; Gibraltar
; Malta
; and Split
, returning to Philadelphia on 4 June. Reassigned to the Pacific Fleet, she joined Destroyer Division 13 in New York Harbor in welcoming carrying President Woodrow Wilson
back from the peace conference at Paris
, then departed for the west coast, arriving at San Diego
on 7 August where she was reviewed by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels
.
Elliot maneuvered offshore with the fleet until 25 March 1920 when she departed for the Far East
. In June, she took Admiral
Albert Cleaves, Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet, aboard and sailed up the Yangtze
to investigate the murder of an American missionary, William A. Reimert. She stood by in China
during civil disturbances which threatened American lives and property. In September, she visited Port Arthur
and Darien
on intelligence duty, and then returned to her base at Cavite
for overhaul. Elliot went home to San Francisco the fall of 1921. In October, she arrived at San Diego to lie in reserve until being decommissioned on 22 May 1922.
Recommissioned on 8 February 1930, Elliot ranged the west coast with Destroyer Division 11 as plane guard in battle practice and major fleet problems. In the spring of 1934, she sailed for the east coast and a two-ocean fleet problem.
Elliot was assigned new duty in 1935 when she became high-speed towing vessel for fleet targets. From 1937, she was also continuously available for training and experimental services. In 1940, she accompanied the Eclipse Expedition to Muleje, Baja California
, and then was assigned to Pearl Harbor
. She was converted to a high-speed minesweeper
, and reclassified DMS-4, 19 November 1940.
. When the Japan
ese attacked Pearl Harbor
on 7 December 1941, she was returning to her base with TF 3 from Johnston Island, and at once began anti-submarine patrol duties there.
Elliot continued to patrol in Hawaii until 11 July 1942, when she sailed for the Aleutians. She joined TG 8.6 for bombardment of Kiska
on 7 August, and then took up patrol and escort work. In May 1943, she swept mines before and during invasion of Attu
.
Reporting to Operational Training Command at San Francisco in June, Elliot served at San Diego, towing targets and serving as a training ship until 13 August 1944. Sailing to Pearl Harbor, she had similar duty until 22 July 1945, and then she returned to San Pedro for inactivation. She had been reclassified AG-104 on 5 June 1945. Elliot was decommissioned on 12 October 1945, and sold for scrap on 29 January 1946.
Wickes class destroyer
The Wickes-class destroyers were a group of 111 destroyers built by the United States Navy in 1917-1919. Along with the 6 preceding Caldwell class and 155 subsequent Clemson-class destroyers, they formed the "flush-deck" or "four-stack" class. Only a few were completed in time to serve in World...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, first reclassified as DMS-4, and later reclassified as AG-104. She was named for Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Richard M. Elliot
Richard M. Elliot
Richard McCall Elliot was an officer in the United States Navy in World War I.Elliot, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduated from the Naval Academy 10 July 1909...
.
Elliot was launched on 4 July 1918 at William Cramp & Sons, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
; sponsored by Mrs. R. M. Elliot, widow of Lieutenant Commander Elliot; and commissioned 25 January 1919, with Lieutenant Commander E. L. Gunther in command.
Service history
After training in the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Elliot sailed from New York 28 April 1919 to the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
; Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
; Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
; and Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, returning to Philadelphia on 4 June. Reassigned to the Pacific Fleet, she joined Destroyer Division 13 in New York Harbor in welcoming carrying President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
back from the peace conference at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, then departed for the west coast, arriving at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 7 August where she was reviewed by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels
Josephus Daniels
Josephus Daniels was a newspaper editor and publisher from North Carolina who was appointed by United States President Woodrow Wilson to serve as Secretary of the Navy during World War I...
.
Elliot maneuvered offshore with the fleet until 25 March 1920 when she departed for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. In June, she took Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Albert Cleaves, Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet, aboard and sailed up the Yangtze
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
to investigate the murder of an American missionary, William A. Reimert. She stood by in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during civil disturbances which threatened American lives and property. In September, she visited Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
and Darien
Darien
Darien is a masculine name; variants include Darian and Darion. Darien may refer to:-Panama:*Darién Gap, border area between Panama and Colombia*Darién National Park*Darién Province*Gulf of Darién*Santa María la Antigua del Darién, town founded in 1510...
on intelligence duty, and then returned to her base at Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
for overhaul. Elliot went home to San Francisco the fall of 1921. In October, she arrived at San Diego to lie in reserve until being decommissioned on 22 May 1922.
Recommissioned on 8 February 1930, Elliot ranged the west coast with Destroyer Division 11 as plane guard in battle practice and major fleet problems. In the spring of 1934, she sailed for the east coast and a two-ocean fleet problem.
Elliot was assigned new duty in 1935 when she became high-speed towing vessel for fleet targets. From 1937, she was also continuously available for training and experimental services. In 1940, she accompanied the Eclipse Expedition to Muleje, Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, and then was assigned to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. She was converted to a high-speed minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, and reclassified DMS-4, 19 November 1940.
World War II
In exercises with Mine Division 6, Elliot often got as far as HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. When the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese attacked Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
on 7 December 1941, she was returning to her base with TF 3 from Johnston Island, and at once began anti-submarine patrol duties there.
Elliot continued to patrol in Hawaii until 11 July 1942, when she sailed for the Aleutians. She joined TG 8.6 for bombardment of Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
on 7 August, and then took up patrol and escort work. In May 1943, she swept mines before and during invasion of Attu
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
.
Reporting to Operational Training Command at San Francisco in June, Elliot served at San Diego, towing targets and serving as a training ship until 13 August 1944. Sailing to Pearl Harbor, she had similar duty until 22 July 1945, and then she returned to San Pedro for inactivation. She had been reclassified AG-104 on 5 June 1945. Elliot was decommissioned on 12 October 1945, and sold for scrap on 29 January 1946.