USS Ward, a 1247-ton Wickes class destroyer, was built at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California. Under the pressure of urgent First World War needs for destroyers, her construction was pushed rapidly from keel-laying on 15 May 1918 to launching on 1 June and commissioning on 24 July 1918. Ward transferred to the Atlantic late in the year and helped support the trans-Atlantic flight of the NC flying boats in May 1919. She came back to the Pacific a few months later and remained there until she was decommissioned in July 1921. She had received the hull number DD-139 in July 1920.
The outbreak of World War II in Europe brought Ward back into active service. She recommissioned in January 1941. Sent to Pearl Harbor shortly thereafter, the destroyer operated on local patrol duties in Hawaiian waters over the next year. On the morning of 7 December 1941, Ward was conducting a precautionary patrol off the entrance to Pearl Harbor when she encountered a Japanese Midget Submarine, attacked and sank it, thus firing the first shots of the Pacific War a few hours before Japanese carrier aircraft formally opened the conflict with their attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet inside the harbor.
In 1942, Ward was sent to the west coast for conversion to a high speed transport. Redesignated APD-16 in February 1943, she steamed to the South Pacific to operate with U.S. forces in the Solomon Islands area. She helped fight off a heavy Japanese air attack off Tulagi on 7 April 1943 and spent most of the rest of that year on escort and transport service. In December, she participated in the Cape Gloucester invasion. During the first nine months of 1944, Ward continued her escort and patrol work and also took part in several Southwest Pacific amphibious landings, among them the assaults on Saidor, Nissan Island, Emirau, Aitape, Biak, Cape Sansapor and Morotai.
As the Pacific War moved closer to Japan, Ward was assigned to assist with operations to recover the Philippine Islands. On 17 October 1944, she put troops ashore on Dinagat Island during the opening phase of the Leyte invasion. After spending the rest of October and November escorting ships to and from Leyte, in early December Ward transported Army personnel during the landings at Ormoc Bay, Leyte. On the morning of 7 December 1944, three years to the day after her Number Three Gun fired the opening shot of the War, she was patrolling off the invasion area when she came under attack by several Japanese aircraft. One bomber made a suicide crash into her hull amidships, bringing the ship to a stop. When the resulting fires could not be controlled, Ward's crew was ordered to abandon ship and she was sunk by gunfire from USS O'Brien (DD-725), whose Commanding Officer, William W. Outerbridge, had been in command of Ward during her action off Pearl Harbor three years before.
USS Ward was named in honor of Commander James H. Ward, USN, (1806-1861), the first U.S. Navy officer to be killed in action during the Civil War.
This page features, and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Ward (Destroyer # 139, later DD-139 and APD-16).
For more images related to this ship, see:
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 #: 19-N-6071 USS Ward (DD-139) On the building ways at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 1 June 1918, during her 14th day under construction. She was launched later in the day. Many of her hull plates are still held in place with bolts. Note banners. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 128KB; 610 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 50265 USS Ward (DD-139) Off Mare Island Navy Yard, California, circa September 1918, shortly after she was commissioned. Note her disruptive camouflage scheme and small hull numbers painted in rather fancy script below her bridge. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 555 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 92694 USS Ward (DD-139) Running speed trials off the California coast in September 1918, while painted in disruptive camouflage. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 460 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 63240 USS Ward (DD-139) Photographed on 26 February 1919. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 95201 USS Ward (DD-139) Photographed in late 1918 or early 1919, dressed with flags. Note that she still wears her hull number painted under her bridge in small numerals, as well as on her bow in large numerals. Courtesy of Jack L. Howland, 1983. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 80393 USS Chew (DD-106) and USS Ward (DD-139) At Hilo Sugar Docks, Territory of Hawaii, 22 July 1941. Courtesy of Mr. Jesse Pond (VP-1) via Mr. Robert Varrill. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 555 pixels |
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For more images related to this ship, see:
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 15 November 2000
New images added and page divided 11 January 2009