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Photo # NH 44824:  USS Nicholas running trials, 10 November 1920

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Nicholas (DD-311), 1920-1923

USS Nicholas, a 1190-ton Clemson class destroyer built at San Francisco, California, was commissioned in November 1920. For the next two years she was part of the "rotating reserve" scheme that tried to maintain a large fleet with minimal resources, and did not operate actively until February-April 1923, when she took part in exercises and the first of the inter-war Fleet Problems. Nicholas then served along the U.S. West Coast for the rest of the spring and most of the summer as a unit of Destroyer Squadron ELEVEN.

That squadron, including Nicholas, left San Francisco on the morning of 8 September 1923, bound down the California coast to San Diego. That evening, navigation errors on board DesRon 11's flagship produced a premature turn to enter the Santa Barbara Channel, and seven destroyers were wrecked on the rocky shore at Honda Point (more formally known as Point Pedernales). Nicholas, the fifth ship in the squadron column, turned to the left to try to avoid the pile-up, but grounded off the northern corner of the point. With her hull fatally ripped open by underwater rocks, she soon settled in shallow water and her crew spent a miserable night on board their wave-washed ship before they could be rescued. USS Nicholas, a total loss, was gradually pounded to pieces by the surf.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Nicholas (DD-311).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 44824

USS Nicholas (DD-311)


Making 27½ knots during builder's trials in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, 10 November 1920.
Her forward smokestack has been retouched to eliminate the builder's yard number painted there.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 45789

USS Nicholas (DD-311)


Running builder's trials in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, 10 November 1920.
The number "232" on her forward smokestack is her builder's yard number, not the ship's hull number.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 550 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 92638

USS Nicholas (DD-311)


Underway in San Francisco Bay, California, 1 September 1923.
She was wrecked at Honda Point seven days later.

Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1981.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 475 pixels

 


The following photographs all show the wreck of USS Nicholas (DD-311), after she was lost at Honda Point, California, on 8 September 1923.

For more pictures of USS Nicholas' wreck, see:

  • USS Nicholas (DD-311) -- Wrecked at Honda Point (additional views).

    Photo #: NH 69587

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking northward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Visible are six of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. They are:
    USS Fuller (DD-297), at left;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309), just ahead of Fuller;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright just ahead of Young;
    USS Nicholas (DD-311), beyond the rocks in the center;
    and USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the small cove between Chauncey and Nicholas.
    The remaining ship, USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), is out of sight behind the rocky point, astern of Nicholas.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 560 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66723

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, showing the seven destroyers that ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3).
    Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the left center;
    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas;
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in small cove (center);
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297), closest to the camera.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66721

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, showing all seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3).
    Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the upper left;
    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas;
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the left center;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297), in the lower center.
    The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper left.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 113KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69059

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    USS Delphy (DD-261) capsized and broken in two at Honda Point, California, shortly after she ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    USS Nicholas (DD-311), wrecked at the same time, is in the background.
    Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 44825

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    USS Nicholas (DD-311) wrecked at Honda Point, California, shortly after she ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    Note boat at left, possibly conducting salvage operations.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1965.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 445 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 86412

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    USS Nicholas (DD-311) and USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), at far right, wrecked at Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog.

    Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 550 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84820

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), at right, and USS Nicholas (DD-311) wrecked at Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 540 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 86414

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog.
    USS Nicholas (DD-311) is at left and USS S.P. Lee (DD-310) is in the center, close to the rocks.

    Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42174

    Honda Point disaster, September 1923


    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310) and USS Nicholas (DD-311) -- partially visible in upper left -- on the rocks at Honda Point, California, shortly after they ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    Note life rafts alongside S.P. Lee.

    Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 435 pixels

     

    For more pictures of USS Nicholas' wreck, see:

  • USS Nicholas (DD-311) -- Wrecked at Honda Point (additional views).


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 16 July 2002