USS Dewey (YFD-1)

USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4) in drydock Dewey, c. 1906–1907
History
United States
Name: USS Dewey
Namesake: Admiral George Dewey
Builder: Maryland Steel Co.
Cost: $1,127,000
Laid down: early 1905
Launched: 10 June 1905
Sponsored by: Miss Endicott, daughter of Rear Admiral Mordecai T. Endicott
Reclassified: YFD-1, 20 July 1920
Honors and
awards:		 1 battle star, World War II
Fate: scuttled at Mariveles, 1942; raised by Japanese; resunk by U.S. forces
General characteristics
Displacement: 18,500 t.
Length: 501 ft 9 in (152.93 m)
Beam: 100 ft (30.5 m)
Draft: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) (empty)

USS Dewey (YFD-1) was a floating dry dock built for the United States Navy in 1905, and named for American Admiral George Dewey. The drydock was towed to her station in the Philippines in 1906 and remained there until scuttled by American forces, to prevent her falling into the hands of the invading Japanese.

History

Laid down in early 1905 at Maryland Steel Co. of Sparrows Point, Maryland, Dewey was floated for the first time on 10 June 1905. She was christened on that date with the traditional bottle of wine by Miss Endicott, the daughter of U.S. Navy Chief of Yards Mordecai T. Endicott.

On 28 December 1905, Dewey began a journey to her station in the Philippines under tow by colliers Caesar and Brutus, stores ship Glacier, and tug Potomac. Leaving the Solomons, Maryland on the Patuxent River, the convoy sailed to Olongapo, Philippines, via Las Palmas in the Canary Islands; Port Said, Egypt; the Suez Canal; and Singapore. They arrived at their destination on 10 July 1906. World's longest tow job at the time.[1]

Dewey was put into service in the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay at Olongapo and remained active through World War I and the interwar years. After the outbreak of World War II, Dewey was moved to Mariveles, Bataan, when the U.S. forces retreated to that peninsula. As the reality of the situation of the U.S. forces became apparent, several undamaged ships, including Dewey, were ordered scuttled to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Japanese. On 8 April 1942, Dewey 's docking officer, Lt. C. J. Weschler, scuttled the drydock.

She was later raised by the Japanese, but sunk again by Allied forces.

Dewey earned one battle star for her World War II service.

References

  1. ↑ Naval Historical Center. "Glacier". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
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