USS Worden (DD-16)
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The first USS ''Worden'' (DD-16) was a in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
. She was named for
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
John Lorimer Worden John Lorimer Worden (March 12, 1818 – October 19, 1897) was a U.S. Navy officer in the American Civil War, who took part in the Battle of Hampton Roads, the first-ever engagement between ironclad steamships at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 9 Ma ...
. It was the first US ship equipped with a
stabilizer Stabilizer, stabiliser, stabilisation or stabilization may refer to: Chemistry and food processing * Stabilizer (chemistry), a substance added to prevent unwanted change in state of another substance ** Polymer stabilizers are stabilizers used ...
.


Built in Sparrows Point, Maryland

''Worden'' was laid down at
Sparrows Point, Maryland Sparrows Point is an industrial area in unincorporated Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, adjacent to Edgemere. Named after Thomas Sparrow, landowner, it was the site of a very large industrial complex owned by Bethlehem Steel, known ...
, on 13 November 1899 by the
Maryland Steel Company Maryland Steel, in Sparrows Point, Maryland, US, was founded in 1887. It was acquired by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in 1916 and renamed as the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard. The shipyard was sold in 1997 to Baltimore Marine Industries ...
; launched on 15 August 1901; sponsored by Mrs. Daniel F. Worden, the daughter-in-law of Rear Admiral Worden; and commissioned on 17 March 1903.


Pre-World War I

''Worden'' passed her final acceptance test on 18 July and began duty with the 2nd Torpedo Flotilla, based at
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
. For more than four years, she remained a unit of the 2nd Torpedo Flotilla and conducted operations along the eastern seaboard from
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
south to the
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and the
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. Annually, she participated in the Fleet maneuvers held in the warm waters of the Caribbean. On 18 November 1907, the warship was placed in reserve at the
Norfolk Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a United States Navy, U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest ...
. As a unit of the
Reserve Torpedo Flotilla Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...
, she was berthed first at Norfolk and, later, at
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
. Save for a six-month interlude from May to November 1909 when she was returned to full commission, ''Worden'' remained inactive until 1912. Then, though still in reserve, she was loaned to the
Pennsylvania Naval Militia The Pennsylvania Navy, more formally known as the Pennsylvania State Navy or in modern terms the Pennsylvania Naval Militia, served as the naval force of Pennsylvania during the American Revolution and afterward, until the formation of the United ...
for training purposes and was stationed at
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until returned to Charleston and the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla the following year. Sometime in 1914, the torpedo-boat destroyer became a tender to the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force and continued to operate in support of submarines until sometime in March 1917 when she was sent to
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on special duty in connection with a recruiting campaign necessitated by the probability that the United States would enter
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. In June, she was reassigned back to her own type command as a unit of Division B,
Destroyer Force In navy, naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a Naval fleet, fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They w ...
; however, she continued her recruiting duty at New York through the end of the year.


World War I

On 16 January 1918, ''Worden'' got underway for Europe in company with , , , and . She steamed with them - via
Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...
- to
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in the
Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
, where she arrived on 29 January. There, ''Worden'' and ''Stewart'' parted company with the other three warships and were put to sea again on 4 February to continue on to the
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
coast. They reached Brest on the 9th and soon thereafter began escorting coastal convoys and hunting for enemy
U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...
s. During the remaining nine months of World War I, ''Worden'' maintained a grueling schedule escorting convoys between ports on the French coast.


Inter-war period

On 18 December 1918, about five weeks after the 11 November
armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
, she stood out of Brest in company with , ''Stewart'', and to return home. Following refueling and provisioning stops in the Azores and at Bermuda, she and her traveling companions arrived at Philadelphia on 3 January 1919. She remained in commission for a little over six months, probably at Philadelphia. In any event, ''Worden'' was placed out of commission there on 13 July, and her name was struck from the
Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...
on 15 September. In 1920, on the first anniversary of her return home, 3 January, she was sold to Henry A. Hitner's Sons Company of Philadelphia for conversion to mercantile service. ''Worden'' retained her former name while in mercantile service. On 1 May 1942, she was steaming off the Florida coast when the nearby British freighter ''La Paz'', en route from Liverpool, England, and Hampton Roads, VA, to Valparaiso, Chile, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-109 (Kapitänleutnant
Heinrich Bleichrodt Heinrich Bleichrodt (21 October 1909 – 9 January 1977) was a German U-boat commander during the World War II, Second World War. From October 1939 until retiring from front line service in December 1943, he was credited with sinking 25 ships for ...
). Worden stood by the damaged vessel and towed her toward Jacksonville. Although Bleichrodt claimed both ships as sunk, ''Worden'' with a torpedo meant for ''La Paz'', both ships survived, ''La Paz'' salvaged and resuming service, the fruit carrier continuing in that trade into the post-war period.


Noteworthy commanding officers

*
Ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
William R. Munroe (1912-Unknown) (Later
Vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
) * Lieutenant commander
Oscar C. Badger II Oscar Charles Badger II (June 26, 1890 – November 30, 1958) was an admiral of the United States Navy who served in both World Wars, and, as a junior officer, received the Medal of Honor. Early life and family The grandson of Commodore Oscar C. ...
(August 1918-October 1918) (Later
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
)


References


Bibliography

* * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Worden (DD-16) Truxtun-class destroyers World War I destroyers of the United States Ships built in Sparrows Point, Maryland 1901 ships