Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
	57k	Robert Field Stockton, born on 20 August 1795 at Princeton, N.J., entered the United States Navy as a midshipman in 1811. During the War of 1812, he served with distinction on board a frigate, President, and later ashore defending Washington and Baltimore. After the war, Stockton served in the Mediterranean Squadron, operating against Barbary pirates in waters off the west coast of Africa, suppressing the slave trade, and in the Caribbean fighting buccaneers. He commanded Erie and Alligator between 1820 and 1822. Stockton left active duty in 1828 to become involved in the Delaware & Raritan Canal Co. Returning to active duty in 1838 with the rank of captain, Stockton assumed command of ship-of-the-line Ohio. He declined President Tyler's offer to appoint him Secretary of the Navy in 1841 and instead worked with John Ericsson on the construction of the Navy's first screw warship Princeton; and, in 1843, he became her first commander. In 1845, he was chosen by the President to convey the United States government's annexation resolution to the government of Texas. After relieving Commodore Sloat in command of the Pacific Squadron on 23 July 1847, Commodore Stockton directed operations which captured California and added other territory to the nation. He resigned from the Navy on 28 May 1850; and, in the following year, was sent to the United States Senate by New Jersey. During his term as Senator, Stockton introduced a bill providing for abolition of flogging in the Navy; and he was energetic in urging adequate coastal defenses. From 1853 until his death, Commodore Stockton was president of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Co. He died on 7 October 1866 at Princeton, N.J. Photo #: NH 63721. Captain Robert Field Stockton, USN, engraved portrait by H.B. Hall, from a painting on ivory by Newton, London, 1840. Published by Derby & Jackson, 119 Nassau Street, New York. It features a facsimile of Stockton's signature below the image. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Bill Gonyo
	145k	Undated, location unknown. Crew photo from the collections of Floyd and Leo LaFountain who were crewmembers at the time.		Jeff St. John
	79k	Undated, location unknown. HMS Ludlow (G57) at rest. Photo # FL 3280 from the collections of the Imperial War Museum.		Robert Hurst
	459k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) crewmembers exercising with the ship's twin 4"/50 gun mount, circa 1918. View looks forward from Stockton's pilothouse. Naval History & Heritage Command NH 99599		Paul Rebold / Robert Hurst
	83k	Photo #: NH 2667-B, USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) 4"/50 twin gun mount on the ship's foredeck, while she was in a British port, 1918. Note the voice tube attached to the left gun, near the sight setter's station. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	41k	Port view as completed, 1918 camouflaged image.		USN
	63k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) view on board, looking forward from the after deckhouse while the ship was on patrol duty off the Irish coast, circa 1918. Note smokestacks, boat davits and other midships details, and Stockton's roll to starboard. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	108k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) view on board, looking aft from the midship's deckhouse while the ship's crew was at fire quarters leading out hose, circa 1918. Note ventillators and torpedo tubes. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	66k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) view on the bridge, while the ship was on patrol off the Irish coast, circa 1918. Note canvas-protected chart table at right, Lieutenant using binoculars to scan the sea for German submarines, and helmsman at left. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	81k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) view on board, looking aft from the port side of the bridge, while the ship was rolling at sea in 1918. Stockton's port midships 4"/50 gun is in the right center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	84k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) approaches another ship, while operating at sea off the Irish coast in 1918. Note the twin 4"/50 gun mount on Stockton's bow, and the pattern camouflage on the other ship. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	105k	Photo #: NH 43115. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) in Queenstown harbor, Ireland, circa 1918. Note her pattern camouflage. Donation of Captain H.A. Baldridge, USN (Retired), who was the ship's first Commanding Officer. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	52k	Photo #: NH 61709. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) moored alongside another destroyer in a British harbor, circa 1918. Note her pattern camouflage. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	64k	Photo #: NH 100403. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) in British waters, circa 1918, while painted in pattern camouflage. Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1985. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	80k	Photo #: NH 41978. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) operating at sea in 1918. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	95k	Photo #: NH 2667-A. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) 4"/50 twin gun mount on the ship's foredeck, while she was in a British port, 1918. This was the only such gun mount carried on a U.S. destroyer during World War I. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	85k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) Crew of one of the ship's 4"/50 guns on "stand-by", "waiting for a shot at a German submarine", during operations in British waters, 1918. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	97k	USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) Twin 4"/50 gun mount in action on the destroyer's forecastle, 1918. Note the pattern camouflage painted on the face of Stockton's forward superstructure, and the pipe rails installed to keep the gun from firing into the ship's structure. This photograph was long identified as having been taken on either USS Hovey (DD-208) or USS Long (DD-209). However, neither of these ships was in service until October 1919, about a year after the photo was taken. Camouflage pattern confirms identification as Stockton, which is listed in the 1919 "Ships' Data" book as carrying one twin and three single four-inch guns. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	101k	Screened color print of an oil painting by Burnell Poole. It depicts USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) narrowly averting a collision with a large troopship she was escorting in thick weather during 1918. Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold
	61k	Photo #: NH 104236, USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) collision damage to the ship's bow, 1918. The original image is printed on post card stock. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Paul Rebold/Robert M. Cieri
	283k	USS Stockton (DD-73) showing depth charges in position and ready for dropping, 1918. Image from A History Of The Transport Service: Adventures And Experiences Of United States Transports And Cruisers In The World War, by Vice Admiral Albert Gleaves, USN, published by George H Doran Company, New York.		Robert Hurst
	69k	Circa 1919, location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	72k	Photo #: NH 63214. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) at anchor, circa 1919-1922. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
On British Service
HMS Ludlow (ex-USS Stockton, DD-73) transferred at Halifax on 23 October 1940, Ludlow refitted at Devonport from 17 November 1940 to 1 March 1941, a protracted affair like the older 'Towns'. On completion of refit she joined Rosyth Command, in which she served throughout the war escorting East Coast convoys. Paid off in May 1945, the old ship was stripped at Rosyth and then beached as a target for rocket-firing aircraft on 6 June 1945. A month later the sunken wreck was passed to BISCo for disposal, but little or no work seems to have been done as her remains may still be seen at low water off Fidra Island in the Forth, the position being 56 03 95N and 02 45 85W. (History thanks to Robert Hurst.)
	120k	As the HMS Ludlow (Town class - 2nd Group), undated and location unknown. Image from Warships of World War 11, by H.T. Lenton and J.J. Colledge, published by Ian Allan Ltd, London.		Robert Hurst
	71k	The 'Town' class destroyer HMS Ludlow (ex-USS Stockton, DD-73) underway, date and location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	65k	The 'Town' class destroyer HMS Ludlow (ex-USS Stockton, DD-73) underway, date and location unknown. She displays a novel, if unconvincing, bow wave design of extreme simplicity (Imperial War Museum: A3396). Photo from Naval Camouflage 1914-1945, by David Williams.		Robert Hurst
	73k	Starboard side view of HMS Ludlow (G-57) circa 1941. Note unique bow wave camouflage. Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Tomlin H W (Lt), Photo No. A 3397.		Mike Green
	68k	The 'Town' class destroyer HMS Ludlow (ex-USS Stockton, DD-73) underway circa 1944 while still with Rosyth Escort Force (Admiralty Official).		Robert Hurst

LCDR Harry Alexander Baldridge    Nov 26 1917 - Dec 16 1919 (Later RADM)

LTJG William John Strachan    Dec 16 1919 - Nov 18 1920

LCDR Ewart Gladstone Haas    Nov 18 1920 - Mar 12 1920

LCDR John Jacob Saxer    Mar 12 1920 - Jan 6 1920

LT Thomas Tillman Hassell    Jan 6 1920 - Feb 10 1921

CDR George Barney Wright    Feb 10 1921 - Jun 26 1922

(Decommissioned June 26 1922 - August 16 1940)

LT Lewis Robinson Miller    Aug 16 1940 - Oct 23 1940

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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