USS Babbitt

USS Babbitt (DD–128) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, later classified as AG-102. She was named for Fitz Babbitt.

Not to be confused with USS Babette II.
USS Babbitt in harbor
History
United States
Name: Babbitt
Namesake: Fitz Babbitt
Builder: New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
Cost: $1,437,440 (hull and machinery)[1]
Laid down: 19 February 1918
Launched: 30 September 1918
Commissioned: 24 October 1919
Decommissioned: 15 June 1922
Identification: DD-128
Recommissioned: 4 April 1930
Decommissioned: 25 January 1946
Reclassified: AG-102, 10 June 1945
Stricken: 25 February 1946
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 5 June 1946
General characteristics
Class and type: Wickes-class destroyer
Displacement: 1,211 tons
Length: 314 ft 5 in (95.8 m)
Beam: 31 ft 8 in (9.7 m)
Draft:

8 ft 8 in (2.6 m)

Ship propulsion=
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Complement: 113 officers and enlisted
Armament:

Babbitt was launched on 30 September 1918 at New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, sponsored by Miss Lucile Burlin. The destroyer was commissioned on 24 October 1919, Commander William E. Eberle in command, and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

Service history

Babbitt served with the Pacific Fleet on maneuvers and exercises until going out of commission at San Diego on 15 June 1922. Upon recommissioning on 4 April 1930, Babbitt reported to the Pacific Fleet and served along the west coast until February 1931, when she proceeded to the Atlantic Ocean. Between February 1931 and May 1932, she operated with Destroyer Squadron, Scouting Force, along the eastern seaboard, in the West Indies, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Panama Canal Zone. During May 1932 to April 1933, Babbitt served at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, and made a cruise to Chile conducting exercises with experimental torpedoes. She was assigned to Rotating Reserve Destroyer Squadron 19 at Norfolk between 25 May and 20 October 1933, and then assumed reduced commission status until January 1935. While in this status, she operated with the Training Squadron, Scouting Force, training reserves.

For a brief period between January and May 1935, she returned to Rotating Reserve Destroyer Squadron 19. Placed in full commission 15 May 1935, Babbitt served with the Midshipmen's Coastal Cruise Detachment and then, for two years, with the Special Service Squadron in the Cuban-Puerto Rican area. In April 1939, she participated in the opening of the New York World's Fair. Subsequently she was attached to Destroyer Squadron 27 Patrol Force, on Neutrality Patrol and convoy escort duty along the Atlantic and Caribbean coastlines.

World War II

Babbitt operated as a convoy escort in the waters off Iceland, along the east and gulf coasts of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea. Between 10 March 1943 and 21 March 1944, she also completed five trans-Atlantic escort crossings one to England and four to North Africa.

Convoys escorted
Convoy Escort Group Dates Notes
HX 152 30 Sept-9 Oct 1941[2] from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war; 1 ship torpedoed
ON 26 20-29 Oct 1941[3] 33 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war
ON 28 31 Oct-3 Nov 1941[3] from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war; 1 ship torpedoed
HX 160 17-25 Nov 1941[2] 62 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war
ON 41 4-10 Dec 1941[3] 37 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland: war declared during convoy
HX 167 29 Dec 1941-7 Jan 1942[2] 41 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 55 15-18 Jan 1942[3] from Iceland to Newfoundland; 2 ships torpedoed & sunk
HX 174 9-16 Feb 1942[2] 27 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Iceland
SC 71 5 March 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
SC 73 17 March 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
SC 75 24 March 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 86 15–17 April 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 90 29 April-4 May 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
SC 81 5 May 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 94 13–16 May 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 98 27–30 May 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 102 14–15 June 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 106 24–27 June 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 110 7–11 July 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
SC 91 19 July 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 116 25–29 July 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 120 9-14 Aug 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
ON 125 MOEF group A3 29 Aug-7 Sept 1942[3] 28 ships escorted without loss from Iceland to Newfoundland
SC 110 29 Nov-2 Dec 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 152 11-15 Dec 1942[3] Iceland shuttle
SC 112 16-19 Dec 1942[4] Iceland shuttle
SC 114 [4] Iceland shuttle
SC 116 22-23 Jan 1943[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 162 26-27 Jan 1943[3] Iceland shuttle
SC 118 6-8 Feb 1943[4] Iceland shuttle
ON 171 7–9 March 1943[3] Iceland shuttle
SC 121 9–11 March 1943[4] Iceland shuttle
Convoys HX 229/SC 122 19–21 March 1943[4] Iceland shuttle
UC 2 9–23 April 1943[5] 11 ships escorted without loss from Liverpool to Curacao
UGS 8A 15 May-1 June 1943[6] 80 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean Sea
UGS 25 24–27 November 1943[6] 59 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean Sea
UGS 33 3–13 February 1944[6] 4 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean Sea
GUS 32 7–23 March 1944[7] 91 ships escorted without loss from Mediterranean Sea to Chesapeake Bay

Auxiliary service

On 2 February 1945, Babbitt reported to the Underwater Sound Laboratory, New London, Connecticut, for experimental sonar work. On 10 June 1945, her classification was changed to AG-102. She remained on experimental duty until December 1945, when she entered New York Navy Yard for pre-inactivation overhaul. Babbitt was decommissioned on 25 January 1946 and sold on 5 June 1946.

Awards

Babbitt received one battle star for the escort of Convoy SC 121.

As of 2010, no other ship in the United States Navy has borne this name.

References
  1. "Table 21 - Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919". Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office: 762. 1921.
  2. "HX convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  3. "ON convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  4. "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  5. "UC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  6. "UC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  7. "UC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 June 2011.

Bibliography
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