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USS McKEAN (DD-90 / APD-5)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NEMT

CLASS - WICKES (LITTLE)
Built to a different set of plans (Bethlehem) than the Wickes (Bath) the Little versions were
considered less successful than the Bath designed ships, with few remaining in service past 1936.
Displacement 1,154 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 2 x 1pdr AA (1 x 3"/23AA In Some Ships), 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 24,200 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 103.
Operational and Building Data
Built by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco, CA (YN 159)
Laid down 12 February 1918
Launched 04 July 1918
Commissioned 25 February 1919.
Decommissioned at Philadelphia 19 June 1922
Berthed there until towed to Norfolk in early 1940 for conversion to high speed transport
Reclassified APD-5 02 August 1940
Recommissioned at Norfolk 11 December 1940
Fate Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese aircraft [G4Ms of 702nd Kokutai] off Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, 17 November 1943.
64 of her crew and 52 Marines were lost and remain on duty.

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Namesake
McKean 38k

William Wister McKean was born in Philadelphia, PA, 19 September 1800. The grandson of Pennsylvania governor and Declaration of Independence Signer Thomas McKean, he was appointed Midshipman 30 November 1814. In the War of 1812, McKean served on Java under Oliver Hazard Perry. He later served as commanding officer of schooner Alligator in Porter's squadron, suppressing piracy in the West Indies, 1821-22, subsequently commanding schooner Terrier. Commissioned Lieutenant 13 January 1825, he served aboard sloop Warren February 1827 to August 1830 and sloop Natchez in the Brazilian Squadron 1834-1835. Promoted to Commandeer 08 September 1841, McKean commanded brig Dolphin, as governor of the Naval Asylum 1843-1844, commanded sloop Dale 1846-1857, and frigate Raritan, the flagship of the Pacific Squadron 1852-1853. Promoted to Captain 14 September 1855, he served on special duty aboard steam frigate Niagara, conveying the Japanese legation back to their homeland. Returning to the United States at the outbreak of the Civil War, McKean was given the command of the Gulf Blockading Squadron in September 1861. The Gulf Squadron being too large, it was divided in half, David Farragut taking command of the West, and McKean retaining the East to June 1862. Placed on the retired list as Commodore, 16 July 1862, McKean served on the Naval & Marine Examining Board and special duty at Philadelphia. Commodore McKean died at "The Moorings," his home in Binghamton, New York, 22 April 1865. DD-90 was the first of two ships named in his honor.

Portrait photograph as Commodore, circa 1862.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 80397
Dave Wright
McKean (DD-90)
McKean 484kUSS McKean (Destroyer No. 90), photographed circa 1919.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 72236
Fred Weiss
McKean 105kInterior communications system aboard USS McKean photographed at Mare Island, 01 March 1, 1919.Darryl Baker

USS McKEAN DD-90 / APD-5 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
McKean (DD-90)
01LCDR Raleigh Corwin Williams (USNA 1909)20 February 1919 - 24 October 1919
02CDR William Edgar Eberle (USNA 1905)24 October 1919 - 17 October 1921
03LCDR Hamilton Harlow (USNA 1912)17 October 1921 - 19 June 1922
 Decommissioned19 June 1922 - 11 December 1940
McKean (APD-5)
04LCDR Thomas Burrowes, Jr. (USNA 1925)11 December 1940 - 09 November 1941
05LCDR John Driscoll Sweeney (USNA 1926)09 November 1941 - 04 January 1943
06LCDR Ralph Lester Ramey (USNA 1935)04 January 1943 - 17 November 1943
Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Contact Name: Curt Clark, Secretary Four Stack APD Veterans
Address: 3384 Grim Ave., San Diego, CA 92104
Phone: 619-282-0971
E-mail: apdsec@cox.net


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
NavSource page for the USS McKean APD-5
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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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
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Last Updated 16 October 2020