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45k | Abel Parker Upshur was born on 17 June 1791 in Northampton County, Va. and was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1810 and practiced law in Richmond. He served in the state House of Delegates from 1812 to 1813 and again from 1825 to 1827. From 1826 until 1841, Upshur was a member of the supreme court of Virginia. In September 1841, Upshur was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President John Tyler. He held that position until 23 July 1843, when he succeeded Daniel Webster as Secretary of State. On 28 February 1844, Upshur accompanied a party of distinguished persons down the Potomac River in screw steamer Princeton to witness some experiments in firing a new iron gun of unusual size. On the return trip, the gun was fired a third time and exploded, killing Secretary Upshur and five others and wounding several more on board. Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.. | Bill Gonyo |
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105k | Undated, location unknown. USS Aaron Ward (DD-132) and USS Abel P.Upshur (DD-193). | Gerd Matthes |
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145k | Underway during the early 1920s. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. | Darryl Baker/Robert Hurst |
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156k | On Coast Guard service during the Prohibition Era, from the Official Coast Guard Website. | Mike Green/Darryl Baker |
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175k | 1928 photo of United States Coast Guard destroyers moored at New London, Connecticut. All are former US Navy destroyers loaned to the Coast Guard for Prohibition Service. Shown here are the Trippe (CG-20/DD-33), Wainwright (CG-24/DD-62), Downes (CG-4/DD-45), Beale (CG-9/DD-40) and Abel P. Upshur (CG-15/DD-193). Source: National Aviation Museum Collection, Photo No. 2009.006.001. | Mike Green |
On British Service
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HMS Clare (ex-USS Abel P Upshur, DD-193) transferred on 9 September 1940, and refitted at Devonport on 9 October 1940, she then joined 17th Flotilla of Western Approaches Command, being one of the first of her class to become operational. She was very soon overtaken by defects, however, being taken in hand at Liverpool on 17 November 1940. She was then transferred to Portsmouth for further work, and after trials and a collision with Peterton on 21 February 1941, it was decided to convert
her to a Long Range Escort at Devonport, the work lasting from 22 February 1941 to 14 October 1941. Thus is was more than thirteen months after transfer before she became operational. With the increased range provided by her refit, Clare joined 41st Escort Group operating on the new OS convoy route to Freetown, and continued escorting these convoys and the return SL series until their suspension due to the forthcoming North African landings (Operation Torch). 41st EG took a full part in escorting the convoys for and following that invasion, until July 1943. Clare then made an unusual (for a British escort) passage from Gibraltar to the USA escorting a convoy of the GUS series, returning with convoy UT1 from Argentia to go for refit at Cardiff in September 1943. While under refit at Cardiff, Clare suffered an onboard fire so that it was not until June 1944 that she was able to leave the repair yard, and then reduced to Air Target Ship status. In this role she served mainly in the Irish Sea, until paid off in mid-August 1945 and laid up at Barrow. Finally allocated for scrap in 1947, Clare arrived at Troon on 18 February 1947 to be broken up by West of Scotland Shipbreaking Co Ltd. (History thanks to Robert Hurst.) |
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58k | HMS Clare (I 14) underway, date and location unknown. Source: Imperial War Museum, Photo No. Unknown. | Mike Green |
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78k | View of British sailors learning about their new ships, a part of Lend-lease in September 1940. In the background are the USS Buchnanan (DD-131), USS Crowninshield (DD-134) and USS Abel P. Upshur (DD-193). | Tommy Trampp |
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96k | HMS Castleton (ex-USS Aaron Ward, DD-132) along with HMS Clare (ex-USS Abel P. Upshur, DD-193) secure alongside a jetty after their arrival in Britain, date and location unknown. | Robert Hurst/Mike Green |
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83k | The 'Town' class fifth group destroyer HMS Clare (ex-USS Abel P. Upsher) underway date and location unknown. | Robert Hurst |
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118k | HMS Clare (I14, ex-USS Abel P. Upsher, DD-193) leaving port after her transfer to the Royal Navy in October 1940. Note the Able Seaman as he locks the boom into position. Photo Roy Conyers Nesbit. | Robert Hurst |
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69k | HMS Clare (I 14), ex-Abel P. Upshur (DD-193). USN photo circa 1941. Photo taken by an unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo # A 9155 from the collections of the Imperial War Museum. | Joe Radigan/Robert Hurst |
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73k | In Plymouth Sound in October 1941 after conversion to a long-range escort, location unknown. | Robert Hurst |
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69k | The "Town" class destroyer HMS Clare (ex-USS Abel P.Upsher, DD-193) anchored in Plymouth Sound immediately after completion of her conversion to a Long-Range Escort in October 1941. | Robert Hurst |
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124k | Ship's badge. | Tommy Trampp |