USS Smith, name ship of a class of five 700-ton destroyers, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Commissioned in November 1909, she operated with the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet in East Coast and Caribbean waters until October 1912, when she was placed in reserve. Smith returned to active service to conduct neutrality patrols in late 1915. A year later she began recruiting duty at New Orleans, Louisiana, a function she also performed at New York City in February and March 1917.
When the United States entered World War I, Smith was employed on anti-submarine patrol work off the Atlantic coast. In July 1918 she steamed to the Azores, where she continued patrolling against German U-boats. In October the destroyer went on to Brest, France, to begin convoy escort work in the eastern Atlantic. In the course of this duty she rescued survivors of two torpedoed transports, USS President Lincoln at the end of May 1918, and USS Covington at the beginning of July. Smith remained at Brest following the 11 November 1918 Armistice, returning to the U.S. in May 1919. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia in September of that year. Used as a target for bombing experiments in September-November 1920, she was sold for scrapping in December 1921.
USS Smith was named in honor of Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith (1826-1862), who lost his life while serving as Executive Officer of the frigate Congress during her battle with CSS Virginia on 8 March 1862.
This page features all the views we have related to USS Smith (Destroyer # 17).
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 93695 USS Smith (Destroyer # 17) Photographed on 21 September 1909, shortly before she was delivered to the Navy. Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1982. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 48KB; 475 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 43763 USS Smith (Destroyer # 17) At anchor, 1910. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 580 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 65862 USS Smith (Destroyer # 17) Securing from action stations, just prior to entering New York Harbor in late March 1917. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Collection of Captain R.T. Merrill. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 350 pixels Note: Captain Merrill's comments concerning this photograph are contained in Photo #: NH 65862 (extended caption). |
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Photo #: NH 41935 USS Smith (Destroyer # 17) Tied up at the Battery, New York City, "to hurry the recruiting", circa February-March 1917. Photographed by Kadel & Herbert, New York. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 77160 Sinking of USS President Lincoln, 31 May 1918 Survivors on board USS Warrington (Destroyer # 30), at left, and USS USS Smith (Destroyer # 17), at right, after they were rescued, about 1 June 1918. The donor, a member of Warrington's crew at the time, comments: "We had to transfer some men to the Smith as we had too many men to feed." Courtesy of Gustavus C. Robbins, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
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USS Smith (Destroyer # 17) may be among the destroyers seen in the following photograph:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 14 January 2004
Link added 30 November 2005