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

Photo # NH 95680:  USS Woodbury steaming off San Diego, California, circa 1923

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

USS Woodbury (DD-309), 1920-1923

USS Woodbury, a 1190-ton Clemson class destroyer built at San Francisco, California, was commissioned in October 1920. She placed in the "rotating reserve" shortly after completion, which kept her inactive in West Coast ports for the next two years. However, from time to time during this period her crew was temporarily augmented and she put to sea for brief sessions of gunnery practice and other combat exercises. Finally, in February 1923 Woodbury was able to join the fleet for major maneuvers off Panama. She returned to San Diego in April and went north to Tacoma, Washington in early July. The destroyer operated in Pacific Northwest waters for the nearly two months, then steamed down to San Francisco.

On 8 September 1923, Woodbury left San Francisco to cruise down the coast of California with other ships of Destroyer Squadron ELEVEN. Soon after dark that evening, the squadron commander ordered his force to turn eastward, intending to enter the Santa Barbara Channel. Unfortunately, an error in navigation on board his ship caused the turn to be made too early, and much of the squadron went ashore a few miles north of the channel entrance. This Honda Point disaster caused the loss of seven of the Navy's destroyers, including Woodbury. She struck an islet a few hundred yards from the mainland. Though her hull was fatally damaged, all of her crew were able to get ashore on the islet, from which they were rescued the next day. Left where she lay, USS Woodbury was gradually broken up by wind and waves.

USS Woodbury was named in honor of Levi Woodbury (1789-1851), who was Secretary of the Navy in 1831-1834.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Woodbury (DD-309).


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 95680

USS Woodbury (DD-309)


Steaming off San Diego, California, circa 1923.
Photographed by O.W. Waterman.

Courtesy of Ted Stone, 1985.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 595 pixels

 


The following photograph shows USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the distant background of a view of another ship:

Photo #: NH 69440

USS Rappahannock (AF-6)


Moored off San Diego, California, during the early 1920s.
Several destroyers are tied up in the left distance, among them: USS Woodbury (DD-309), 2nd from left; and USS Mullany (DD-325), 4th from left.
Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego.

Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 


The following photographs all show the wreck of USS Woodbury (DD-309), after she was lost at Honda Point, California, on 8 September 1923.

For more pictures of USS Woodbury's wreck, see:

  • USS Woodbury (DD-309) -- Wrecked at Honda Point, September 1923 (Part II); and
  • USS Woodbury (DD-309) -- Wrecked at Honda Point, September 1923 (Part III).

    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 66722

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the southern part of the disaster area, showing five of the 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 visible are:
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the small cove at left;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in left center;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the right center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297) on the rocks at right.
    The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper middle.

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

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66720

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the southern part of the disaster area, showing four of the 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 visible are USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the lower left; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright beyond Delphy; USS Young (DD-312), capsized aft of Chauncey; and USS Woodbury (DD-309) at right.
    Point Arguello lighthouse is in the center distance.

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

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69585

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking westward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Visible are five of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. They are:
    USS Fuller (DD-297), beyond the small rock island in the center;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309), just ahead of Fuller;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), closest to the camera;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized astern of Chauncey;
    and USS Delphy (DD-261), barely visible, capsized just beyond the coast at right.

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

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69586

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking westward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). USS Fuller (DD-297) is in the center, with her bow toward the camera.
    Nearer, and listing to port, is USS Woodbury (DD-309).
    Note the oil in the water from these two ships, and from others that were wrecked at the same time.

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

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     

    For more pictures of USS Woodbury's wreck, see:

  • USS Woodbury (DD-309) -- Wrecked at Honda Point, September 1923 (Part II); and
  • USS Woodbury (DD-309) -- Wrecked at Honda Point, September 1923 (Part III).


    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 19 July 2002