Return to Naval Historical
Center home page.
Return to Online
Library listing
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85, later DD-85 and APD-2),
1918-1942
USS Colhoun, a 1060-ton Wickes class destroyer,
was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. Commissioned in June 1918,
she escorted Atlantic convoys during most of the remainder of
World War I. In November 1918, she was assigned duties in connection
with underwater sound experiments and in 1919 operated with the
Atlantic Fleet in the Caribbean and off the U.S. east coast. In
reduced commission from December 1919, Colhoun was decommissioned
in June 1922 and spent the next eighteen years laid up at the
Philadelphia Navy Yard.
When the expansion of World War II in Europe and growing tension
with Japan required enlarging the active fleet, Colhoun
was taken to the Norfolk Navy Yard in June 1940 and converted
to a high-speed transport. With the new hull number APD-2, she
recommissioned in December 1940 for operations and training in
the Atlantic and Caribbean in connection with the development
of an enhanced amphibious warfare capability.
Colhoun arrived in the south Pacific in July 1942 and
helped land U.S. Marines on Tulagi on 7-8 August, at the opening
of the long and bloody Guadalcanal Campaign. She continued on
transport and patrol service during the first weeks of that operation.
On 30 August 1942, while off Guadalcanal, she was targeted by
Japanese bombers. Hit several times, USS Colhoun soon sank
off Lunga Point with the loss of 51 crewmembers.
This page features all the views we have concerning USS
Colhoun (Destroyer # 85, later DD-85 and APD-2).
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 60479
USS Colhoun (DD-85)
Wearing World War I era "dazzle" camouflage.
The original print's caption is dated 28 April 1919, which seems
rather late for this paint scheme.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 95200
USS Colhoun (DD-85)
Escorting a convoy of troopships, in mid-1918.
The two-stack transport beyond her bow is USS Siboney
(ID # 2999).
Photographed by R. Bowman.
Courtesy of Jack L. Howland, 1983.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 460 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 104157
USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85)
In port, circa late 1918 or early 1919.
Note her pattern camouflage, and the splinter protection mats
hung over the face of her bridge.
The ship partially visible alongside Colhoun's starboard
side appears to be USS Alert (1875-1922).
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 67715
USS Colhoun (DD-85)
Close-up view of the ship's port side midships area, probably
taken in the Azores circa early 1919.
The ship is still painted in World War I "dazzle" camouflage.
Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California,
1969.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 69KB; 480 x 765 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 55255
USS Colhoun (DD-85)
Photographed on 15 November 1919.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 580 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 97775
USS Colhoun (APD-2)
Photographed while tied up to a mooring bouy, circa early 1942.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 97776
USS Colhoun (APD-2)
Photographed in port, circa early 1942, while painted in pattern
camouflage.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 97777
USS Colhoun (APD-2)
Photographed in port, circa early 1942.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 43019
Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Destroyer hulls on the building ways, 1 October 1917. Those closest
to the camera are the future USS Colhoun (DD-85) and Stevens
(DD-86), which had builder's numbers 280 and 281. The ships on
the left are probably the future USS Sigourney (DD-81)
and Gregory (DD-82).
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 168KB; 580 x 765 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 43022
Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Ships fitting out at the Fore River shipyard, 19 March 1918.
The six destroyers are Little (DD-79), Kimberly
(DD-80), Sigourney (DD-81), Gregory (DD-82), Colhoun
(DD-85) and Stevens (DD-86), which had builder's hull
numbers 274-277 and 280-281 respectively.
The freighter at right is Katrina Luckenbach, yard hull
# 267, which served as USS Katrina Luckenbach in 1918-19.
Most of the equipment on the pier is for her.
Note the large submarine being built in the background, under
the revolving crane.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 146KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
 |
In addition to the above images, the following photograph
shows what is probably USS Colhoun in the background of
a view of another subject:
Photo #: NH 67707
USS Comfort (hospital ship, later AH-3)
Unloading wounded soldiers in a U.S. port upon returning from
France, December 1918.
Note ambulances and railroad car.
Camouflage pattern indicates that the ship partially visible
in the background is USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85).
Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California,
1969.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
 |
Additional image, possibly related to this ship:
Photo # NH 103218
is a drawing of World War I Camouflage Type N-12, Design K which,
based on Photo # NH 60479 (shown above), was applied to the starboard
side of USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85). Note that, based
on Photo #s NH 95200 and NH 67715 (also shown above), Colhoun's
port side camouflage pattern differs from that used on USS
Robinson (Destroyer # 88), whose starboard side was
also painted in Camouflage Type N-12, Design K.
Return to Naval
Historical Center home page.
Page made 21 November 2001
New image added 6 December 2006