Wickes-class destroyer
USS "Biddle" (DD-151) was a in the United States Navy during World War II, later reclassified AG-114. She was the second ship named for Captain Nicholas Biddle.
Design.
The "Wickes" class was an improved derivative of the previous s, with a higher speed of specified in order to match the s and s authorized under the Naval Act of 1916. Fifty "Wickes"-class destroyers were authorized under the 1916 act, but with World War I demonstrating the need for large numbers of destroyers for anti-submarine operations, further orders were placed, with a total of 111 "Wickes" and 156 of the very similar s finally built. Two different designs to meet the specifications were drawn up by Bethlehem Steel (used by the Fore River and Union Iron Works subsidiary shipyards of Bethlehem) and by Bath Iron Works (used by all other shipyards and unofficially known as the 'Liberty' design). The two designs differed mainly in the machinery used.
The ships were long overall and at the waterline, with a beam of and a draft of at full load, with a similar flush-decked hull form to that used in the "Caldwell" class. Displacement of the Cramp-built "Wickes"-class ships was normal and full load. Four White-Forster water-tube boilers fed steam to geared sets of Parsons steam turbines, and drove two propeller shafts. The machinery had a designed power of . Performance of the Cramp-built ships exceeded contractual requirements for range and speed. "Biddle" reached a speed of on sea trials.
"Biddle" had a main gun armament of four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts, with it being planned to mount two 1-pounder autocannon for anti-aircraft defense, but there was a shortage of these guns, and many ships of the class were fitted with two 3-inch/23-caliber gun instead. "Biddle" only had a single 3-inch gun in 1935. Torpedo armament consisted of twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. The ship had a crew of 122 officers and other ranks in 1920. This had increased to 149 by 1945.
During World War II, the ship was re-armed to improve abilities as an escort. Two banks of torpedo tubes were removed to allow six 20 mm Oerlikon cannon and a heavier depth charge armament (six depth charge throwers) to be fitted. In addition, a boiler was removed to allow more fuel to be carried, increasing range, although reducing speed to about .
Construction and commissioning.
"Biddle" was authorised in 4 March 1917 with the contract for her construction signed on 8 September 1917. The ship was laid down at William Cramp &amp; Sons Ship and Engine Building Company, Philadelphia shipyard on 22 April 1918, and was launched on 3 October 1918, sponsored by Miss Elise B. Robinson, a great-great-grandniece of Captain Biddle. The ship was commissioned on 22 April 1919.
Service history.
Following her commissioning, "Biddle" made a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea. In February 1920, she assisted in the evacuation of Odessa, which was on the point of capture by the Red Army in the Russian Civil War. "Biddle" returned to New York on 1 July 1920. After assignment to Division 48, Atlantic Fleet, she carried out cruises along the east coast until decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 20 June 1922. She remained laid up until recommissioned on 16 October 1939. Until November 1940 she served on patrol duty with Destroyer Division 66, Atlantic Squadron, and on training duty with Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. She patrolled in the Caribbean Sea under orders of the Commandant, 15th Naval District (November 1940-May 1941) and then rejoined Destroyer Division 66 patrolling out of Key West, Florida.
"Biddle" spent March 1942-February 1945 on convoy duty in the Caribbean except for two short periods. On 5 August 1943, "Biddle" made Sonar contact with a submarine northwest of Trinidad and attacked with depth charges, but the submarine, the German , escaped from "Biddle"'s attacks by using a decoy, but was sunk after a series of sustained air attacks on 7 August. "Biddle" formed part of anti-submarine TG 2.13 from 18 January 1944 to 27 February 1944 and escorted a convoy to North Africa from 24 March 1944 to 11 May 1944. During the latter mission, 11–12 April, while fighting off an air attack, she had seven men wounded by a strafing attack by a German plane. "Biddle" operated off the east coast, March–July 1945, on training exercises with motor torpedo boats. She was reclassified a miscellaneous auxiliary (AG-114) on 30 June 1945, and arrived at Boston Navy Yard on 15 July for conversion. Her conversion was completed just as the war with Japan ended and she remained at Boston until decommissioned on 5 October 1945. She was sold for scrap on 3 December 1946.
Awards.
"Biddle" received one battle star for her service with Convoy UGS-37.
References.
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