Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
	56k	Stephen Decatur was born on 5 January 1779 in Sinepuxent, Md. He was warranted a midshipman at the age of 19 and made his first cruise in the frigate United States. In command of the schooner Enterprise at the outbreak of the Tripolitan War, he captured the bomb ketch Mastico on 23 December 1803. He used this ship, renamed Intrepid, in his daring raid to burn the captured frigate Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli, 16 February 1804. He also distinguished himself during the attacks on Tripoli in command of a gunboat division. Promoted to captain he was assigned command of Constitution, and later, in November 1804, Congress. He negotiated with the Bey of Tunis at the close of the Tripolitan War, and returned to the United States in September 1805 with the Tunisian envoy. During the War of 1812 he commanded United States, capturing HMS Macedonian in one of the greatest single-ship actions of naval history. He took command of President at New York and attempting to slip through the blockade fell in with a British squadron of five heavy ships. After 2 hours of furi ous combat the frigate HMS Endymion was silenced but President had suffered such extensive damage that it was impossible to execute an escape. The twice-wounded Decatur reluctantly surrendered, but was paroled, landing at New London 22 February 1815. Returning to the Mediterranean in 1815, Decatur in Guerriere, negotiated a treaty with the Dey of Algiers which ended tribute and exacted full payment for injuries to Americans, then concluded similar agreements with the Bey of Tunis and the Bashaw of Tripoli. From November 1815 until killed by Commodore James Barron in a duel 22 March 1820, Decatur served on the Board of Navy Commissioners. Photo #: KN-2779. Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN (1779-1820) oil on wood, 35" x 27", by John Wesley Jarvis (1780-1840). Painting in the U.S. Naval Academy Museum Collection. Transferred from the U.S. Naval Lyceum, 1892. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri
	128k	Photo #: NH 98173, USS Dale (Destroyer # 4) and USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) fitting out at the William R. Trigg Company shipyard, Richmond, Virginia, 29 June 1901. The photographer was standing on Dale's after superstructure, looking forward and to starboard, with Decatur at the right. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	112k	USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) Steaming at high speed, while running trials in 1902. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	99k	USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) At anchor in Long Island Sound, circa 1903. The original was a color-tinted postal card. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1977. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	141k	1905, location unknown. Naval Historical Center photo 54649.		Paul Rebold/Ed Cleary
	164k	Post card from 1905 in Long Island Sound, mailed September 3 1908.		Robert Hurst/Tommy Trampp
	126k	Photo #: NH 54648, USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) view on deck in Asiatic waters, circa 1905, showing an 18-inch torpedo partially withdrawn from its tube. Courtesy of Captain Dudley W. Knox, USN, 1932. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	122k	The First Torpedo Flotilla steaming in close formation off Chefoo, China, in 1905, while under the command of Lieutenant Dudley W. Knox. Ships present are (as numbered): 1 USS Decatur (DD-5); 2 USS Dale (DD-4); 3 USS Barry (DD-2); 4 USS Chauncey (DD-3) and 4 USS Bainbridge (DD-1). Donation of Mrs J.R.Kean. 1938. Courtesy of Captain Dudley W.Knox, USN (Retired) (Photo No 52102).		Robert Hurst
	60k	The First Torpedo Flotilla forming a 'wedge' formation while steaming off Chefoo, China, during the summer of 1905. Photographed from USS Dale (DD-4). The other ships present are (as numbered). 1 USS Decatur (DD-5), 2 USS Barry (DD-2); USS Chauncey (DD-3) and 4 USS Bainbridge (DD-1). The Flotilla was commanded by Lieutenant Dudley W. Knox. Donation by Mrs. J.R.Kean, 1938. Courtesy of Captain Dudley W. Knox, USN (Retired) (Photo No NH 52103.		Robert Hurst
	86k	USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) Photographed circa 1907, while stationed in Asiatic watersNote the air scoops fitted to her portholes. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	92k	USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) Off Olongapo Naval Station, Philippine Islands, prior to World War I. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1978. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	93k	Waterfront at Olongapo Naval Station, Philippine Islands, c1914-16. Ships present (from left to right) are: USS Monadnock (BM-3), USS Monterey (BM-6), USS Bainbridge (DD-1), USS Decatur (DD-5), USS Pampanga (PG-39) and the tug USS Piscataqua (later AT-49, (USN).		Robert Hurst
	171k	USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) Ship's Officers and Crew on deck in 1907. Some of those present are identified (as numbered): 1. Ensign John M. Smeallie, USN, Ship's Engineer; 2. Ensign Chester W. Nimitz, USN, Commanding Officer; 3. Midshipman Hugh Allen, USN, Executive Officer; 4. Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Holmes; and 5. Seaman Eversole. Second from the left in the front row is Chief Quartermaster Michael V. Tobin. Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph		Fred Weiss
	69k	Photo #: NH 54646, USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) stern view, taken while she was in dry dock at Gibraltar in 1918. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Fred Iverson collection. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	88k	Photo #: NH 54647, USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5) bow view, taken while she was drydocked at Gibraltar, 1918. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Fred Iverson collection. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	120k	Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania. Destroyers in the Reserve Basin awaiting decommissioning, circa March-April 1919. Ships present include (from left to right). USS Preble (Destroyer # 12); USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5); USS Paul Jones (Destroyer # 10); unidentified "750-ton" destroyer; USS Flusser (Destroyer # 20); and unidentified "750-ton" destroyer. Note the bent bow on the third ship from right. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	168k	Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, Old destroyers in the Reserve Basin, 13 June 1919, while awaiting decommissioning. Note the truck and liferafts on the pier. These ships are (from left to right): USS Worden (Destroyer # 16); USS Barry (Destroyer # 2); USS Hull (Destroyer # 7); USS Hopkins (Destroyer # 6) -- probably; USS Bainbridge (Destroyer # 1); USS Stewart (Destroyer # 13); USS Paul Jones (Destroyer # 10); and USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5). Ships further to the right can not be identified. Courtesy of Frank Jankowski, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	81k	Photo #: NH 43036, Philadelphia Navy Yard, destroyers awaiting decommissioning in the Navy Yard's Reserve Basin, during the Spring of 1919. Photographed by La Tour.dShips present are (from left to right): USS Isabel; four unidentified "750-ton" type destroyers; USS Preble (Destroyer # 12); USS Decatur (Destroyer # 5); USS Paul Jones (Destroyer # 10); USS Stewart (Destroyer # 13); USS Bainbridge (Destroyer # 1); USS Hopkins (Destroyer # 6); USS Hull (Destroyer # 7); USS Barry (Destroyer # 2); USS Worden (Destroyer # 16); USS Truxtun (Destroyer # 14); USS Whipple (Destroyer # 15); USS Perry (Destroyer # 11); USS Lawrence (Destroyer # 8); and USS Dale (Destroyer # 4). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart

LT Lloyd Horwitz Chandler    May 19 1902 - Apr 22 1904 (Later RADM)
LT Dudley Wright Knox    Apr 22 1904 - Mar 24 1906 (Later COMO)
MACH George Growney    Mar 24 1906 - Jul 18 1907
MACH John Littleton King    Jul 18 1907 - 1907
ENS Chester William Nimitz    1907 - 1907 (Later FADM & CNO)
ENS John Morris Smeallie    1907 - Dec 20 1908
ENS Albert Cushing Read    Dec 20 1908 - Feb 18 1909
(In Reserve Feb 18 1909 - Dec 22 1910)
LT Carroll Stephen Graves    Dec 22 1910 - Apr 4 1912
LT Burton Hepburn Green  Apr 4 1912 - Mar 29 1913
LT Ernest Durr    Mar 29 1913 - Apr 13 1913
ENS Francis Cogswell    Apr 13 1913 - Aug 5 1914
LT Wilfred Everett Clarke    Aug 5 1914 - Jul 5 1916
LT Ralph Roderick Stewart    Jul 5 1916 - Jan 31 1918
LCDR Harry Adrian McClure    Jan 31 1918 - Aug 4 1918 (Later COMO)
LCDR William Gibb Bartlett Hatch    Aug 4 1918 - Oct 2 1918
LT Homer Louis Grosskopf    Oct 2 1918 - Jun 20 1919 (later RADM)

Back To The Main Photo Index

To The Destroyer Photo Index Page

Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster