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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 74319:  USS Dale underway, circa 1935-37

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

USS Dale (DD-353), 1935-1946

USS Dale, a 1395-ton Farragut class destroyer built at the New York Navy Yard, was commissioned in June 1935. She initially cruised in the Gulf of Mexico and Bahamas, but was soon transferred to the Pacific. During the rest of the 1930s, the destroyer took part in the regular exercises of the United States Fleet, visited ports from Alaska to Peru, and served as a gunnery training ship. In October 1939 she was assigned to the Hawaiian Detachment, operating out of Pearl Harbor, and was there on 7 December 1941 when Japan's attack on that Pacific Fleet base abruptly brought the U.S. into the Second World War.

In the war's first months, Dale performed escort and patrol duties and served with aircraft carriers during some of the fleet's first counter-blows against the Japanese. She screened USS Saratoga during the early August 1942 invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi and in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons later in the month. In the final months of 1942, following escort service in support of the Guadalcanal Campaign, Dale mainly operated out of Pearl Harbor.

In January 1943, Dale was sent to the Aleutians, where she took part in the occupation of Amchitka in January, the gunnery and torpedo Battle of the Komandorski Islands on 26 March, the recovery of Attu in May and the Kiska landings in August. She returned to the warmer central Pacific in September 1943 and in the next two months covered replenishment ships supporting a raid on Wake Island and screened landing ships during the invasion of Makin Atoll, in the Gilberts.

Dale remained in the central Pacific theater during the first seven months of 1944. Among her activities were supporting the seizure of the Marshall Islands, serving with the fast carrier striking forces in attacks on the Japanese throughout the area, and bombarding the enemy during the June and July landings on Saipan and Guam. After an overhaul at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, she escorted logistics ships during several months of carrier air operations ranging from the Philippines to the Japanese home islands. In June and July 1945 Dale helped with the invasion of Borneo, then returned to her escort duties. She steamed to the U.S. shortly after the Pacific fighting ended. Decommissioned at New York in October 1945, USS Dale was sold for scrapping in December 1946.

USS Dale was named in honor of Commodore Richard Dale (1756-1826), who served in the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War and in the United States Navy in the late 1790s and early 1800s.

This page features selected views related to USS Dale (DD-353).


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 61869

USS Dale (DD-353)


Photographed by the New York Navy Yard, 22 July 1935.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 74319

USS Dale (DD-353)


Underway, circa 1935-1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 61514

USS Dale (DD-353)


Steaming at sea, circa 1935-1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 152KB; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 74268

USS Dale (DD-353)


At sea, 10 March 1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-425602

USS Dale (DD-353)


Underway on 28 April 1938.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 121KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 19-N-72714

USS Dale (DD-353)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944.
Her camouflage scheme is Measure 31, Design 6d.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 63117

USS Dale (DD-353)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944.
The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 6d.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-72715

USS Dale (DD-353)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944.
Her camouflage is Measure 31, Design 6d.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 67298

USS Dale (DD-353)
(left)

Leading USS Monaghan (DD-354) through a turn during an exhibition by Destroyer Squadron Twenty ships, staged for Movietone News, off San Diego, California, on 14 September 1936.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 595 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 74267

USS Dale (DD-353)


Operating at sea with the Battle Fleet, circa 1937-1940.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-254260

USS Dale (DD-353)


Underway at sea, June 1944, probably during the Marianas operation.
Note ships conducting replenishment operations in the distance.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 131KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Note: In addition to the views presented above:

  • Photo # NH 83109, a chart of ship locations during the 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, locates USS Dale in the upper left center part of the image, in a "nest" with three other ships.


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


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    Page made 16 May 2002
    Link added 26 October 2002