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	66k	Henry A. Walke was born on Christmas Eve 1809 in Princess Anne County, Va. and was appointed a midshipman on 1 February 1827 and reported for duty at the navy yard at Gosport, Va. (Norfolk). Walke received his initial naval training at Gosport and, from July 1827 to November 1828, cruised the West Indies in sloop Natchez in the campaign against pirates in that area. He made a voyage to the Mediterranean in Ontario between August 1829 and November 1831. Walke received his warrant as a passed midshipman on 12 July 1833 and, after several months of post-sea duty leave, transferred to duty ashore at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 7 March 1834. Between January 1836 and June 1839, he cruised the Pacific Station in the 74-gun ship-of-the-line North Carolina, primarily along the western coast of South America protecting American commerce during a period of unrest caused by strained relations between the United States and Mexico and the war between Peru and Chile. During service in the receiving ship at New York, Walke was promoted to lieutenant before reporting on board Boston on 5 October 1840. While Lt. Walke was assigned to that sloop of war, she made a cruise to the East Indies. Returning home in 1843, he went ashore for an extended leave before returning to sea in the brig Bainbridge in May 1844 for a cruise along the Brazilian coast. He returned home early in 1846 and, after a year assigned to the receiving ship at New York, made an eight-month voyage in Vesuvius20during which his ship participated in the Mexican War, blockading Laguna and supporting landings at Tuxpan and Tabasco. In October 1847, Lt. Walke went home for another extended leave after which he reported back to the receiving ship at New York on 22 September 1848. On 23 June 1849, he returned to sea in Cumberland for a cruise to the Mediterranean which lasted until mid-January 1851. Following a post-voyage leave, he reported to the Naval Observatory on 22 April for a very brief tour before beginning further duty in the receiving ship at New York. That tour lasted three years, from 17 July 1851 to 17 July 1854, but consisted of two distinct periods separated by a very short tour of duty in St. Mary's during September of 1853. In January 1861, as the American Civil War approached, Comdr. Walke found himself on board Supply at Pensacola, Fla. On the 12th, Capt. James Armstrong surrendered the navy yard to Confederate forces from Alabama and Florida. After providing temporary support for the defenders of Fort Pickens who refused to follow Armstrong's example, Walke took off some of the loyal sailors and navy yard employees and got underway for New York on the 16th. After arriving at New York on 4 February, the commander and his ship loaded supplies and reinforcements for Fort Pickens. Supply set sail on 15 March and anchored near the fort on 7 April and landed the troops and supplies. Operations supporting the nascent Union blockade occupied the ship for the next month, at the end of which Walke received orders to New York to take command of one of the Navy's newly acquired steamers. Following that service, during the summer of 1861, and a four-day tour as lighthouse inspector for the 11th District early in September, Walke headed west in response to orders to special duty at St. Louis, Mo. That assignment proved to be the command of Tyler, one of the river gunboats of the Army's Western Flotilla. In September and October, he took his gunboat downriver to bombard Confederate shore batteries at Hickman and Columbus in western Kentucky and traded a few shots with the Confederate gunboat Jackson. Early in November, his ship supported Grant's move on the Southern camp at Belmont, Mo., escorting troop transports, bombarding shore batteries and, finally, covering the withdrawal of Grant's mauled forces. In mid-January 1862, Comdr. Walke assumed command of the ironclad gunboat Carondelet, also assigned to the Western Flotilla. In February 1862, during his tenure as Carondelet's commanding officer, Walke led her during the captures of Forts Henry and Donelson which guarded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, respectively. In April, he led her in the passing of heavily fortified Island No. 10 and in the attack on and spiking of shore batteries below New Madrid, Mo. From April through the end of June, his ship participated in the drawn-out series of operations against Plum Point Bend, Fort Pillow, and Memphis. On 15 July, Comdr. Walke almost met his match when the Confederate ironclad ram Arkansas made its move down the falling Yazoo River toward Vicksburg. Carondelet supported by Queen of the West and Walke's former command, Tyler, engaged the Southern ironclad. During the brisk opening exchange, Carondelet suffered heavy damage and was forced out of action in a disabled, though floating, condition. Queen of the West retreated immediately, leaving only little Tyler to face the powerful ram. The Southern warship, consequently, made it safely to the stronghold at Vicksburg. On 4 August 1862, Walke was promoted to captain and assumed command of the ironclad ram Lafayette then under conversion from a river steamer at St. Louis. He put her in commission on 27 February 1863 and commanded her during the dash past Vicksburg on 6 April and during the duel with shore batteries at Grand Gulf on the 29th. That summer, his ship briefly blockaded the mouth of the Red River early in June. Later, on 24 July, Capt. Walke was ordered back to the east coast to prepare the sidewheeler Fort Jackson for service. He put her in commission on 18 August 1863 at New York, but his command of that steamer proved brief. On 22 September, he was transferred to the screw sloop Sacramento, which he commanded through the final two years of the Civil War, cruising the South American coast in search of Confederate commerce raiders. On 17 August 1865, he was detached from Sacramento and returned home to await orders. On 31 July 1866, Walke was promoted to Commodore. From 1 May 1868 until 30 April 1870, he commanded the naval station at Mound City, 111. While waiting orders to his next assignment, Walk e was promotedto rear admiral on 20 July 1870. He was placed on the retired list on 26 April 1871. However, his service to the Navy did not end for, on that same day, he reported for some variety of special duty under the senior admiral of the Navy, Admiral David Dixon Porter. That tour lasted until 1 October at which time he was appointed to the Lighthouse Board. Detached on 1 April 1973, he retired to a life of writing and sketching until his death on 8 March 1896 at Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo #: NH 66752. Captain Henry Walke, USN photograph taken circa 1863-66, in the uniform of a Captain. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri
	23k	Undated, location unknown.		USN
	13k	Undated, location unknown.		USN
	129k	Undated photo of destroyers showing (nearest to farthest), USS Warrington (DD-30), USS Walke (DD-34) and USS Porter (DD-59) moored at Queenstown, Ireland during WWI service. Source: Imperial War Museum Ministry of Information First World War Collection, Photo No. © IWM (Q 18176).		Mike Green
	155k	USS Walke (Destroyer # 34), Fitting out at the Fore River shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, 29 December 1910. Walke's after smokestack was in place at the time of this photograph, taken less than two months after her 3 November 1910 launching. Note ice at the water's edge, and on the ship's hull, forward. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Photo #: NH 41999.		Robert Hurst
	118k	Photo #: NH 2773, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) fitting out at the Fore River shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, 1 July 1911. The ship has awning and bridge cover framing installed, but still lacks her guns and torpedo tubes. Walke was placed in commission three weeks later, on 22 July. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	70k	Photo #: NH 99822, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) underway, during the time of her trials in 1911. Fine screen halftone reproduction of a photograph taken by N.L. Stebbins, of Boston, Massachusetts. Copied from "The New Navy of the United States", by N.L. Stebbins, (New York, 1912). Donation of David Shadell, 1987. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
		USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) underway showing propeller wash rising astern as the ship steams at high speed, circa 1914. Note water on the deck. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 99830.		Mike Green
	73k	Photo #: NH 99845, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) repairing a hole in Walke's after starboard underwater hull side, while she was drydocked circa March 1914. Note the starboard propeller shaft and its supports in the foreground, and open rivet holes in the ship's plating near the hole. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	93k	USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) Making repairs on an underwater hole in Walke's after starboard hull side, at Dry Tortugas, Florida, 17 March 1914. Note Fort Jefferson in the left background, ship's propeller guard, arrow painted on her side to mark the location of the hole, her above-deck steering gear, her after 3"/50 gun stowed facing forward, and working platform supported by two boats. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981.		Fred Weiss
		Photo #: NH 99824, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) Chief Petty Officer performs pre-launching maintenance on an 18-inch torpedo, which is partially withdrawn from the starboard twin torpedo tubes, 31 March 1914. Note torpedo davit at right and steam issuing from smokestack steam pipes in the background. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	90k	USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) Crew members pose with the ship's port side twin 18-inch torpedo tubes, with the torpedoes partially withdrawn for maintenance, circa 1914. Note the training gear and sight mounted atop the tubes, the torpedoes' four-blade propellers, and belled tops of the smokestack steam pipes. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	152k	USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) Hoists aboard an 18-inch torpedo, circa 1914. The ship's after (centerline) twin torpedo tubes are at left. Note torpedo cart on deck, line running over pulley at the end of the torpedo davit, and the torpedo's contrarotating propellers. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 92541, courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981.		Robert Hurst
	52k	USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) Firing an 18-inch torpedo from the ship's starboard twin torpedo tubes during practice, circa 1914. Note the trainer using a telescopic sight atop the tubes. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	249k	Crew photo taken at Charlestown Navy Yard on March 18 1918. If you can identify anyone in this image please let us know, it would be greatrly appreciated.		Matt Sexauer
	86k	Photo #: NH 41979, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) in port, dressed with flags, circa late 1918. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	78k	Photo #: NH 79531-A, USS Walke (Destroyer # 34) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 6 April 1919. She appears to have boats tied up astern. Courtesy of the St. Louis Memorial Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, 1974. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart

LT Charles Russell Train    Jul 22 1911 - Nov 13 1913 (Later RADM)

ENS David Irvin Hedrick    Nov 13 1913 - Jan 28 1914

ENS Walter Atlee Edwards    Jan 28 1914 - May 16 1914

LCDR Benyaurd Benyuard Wygant    May 16 1914 - Jul 16 1914 

LTJG Louis Francis Thibault    Jul 16 1914 - Jun 9 1915

LT Robert Alfred Theobald    Jun 9 1915 - Oct 26 1916 (Later RADM)

LT Francis Marion Collier    Oct 26 1916 - Dec 7 1916 

LT Charles Frank Russell    Dec 7 1916 - Dec 16 1917

LT Herbert Whitwell Underwood    Dec 15 1917 - Oct 11 1918

LCDR Stephan Boutwell Robinson    Oct 11 19 - Oct 6 1919 

LT Charles Horatio (Soc) McMorris    Oct 6 1919 - Dec 12 1919 (Later VADM)

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This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright

Last Updated 22 September 2017