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USS SANDS (DD-243 / APD-13)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NULQ

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by New York Shipbuilding on March 22 1919.
Launched October 28 1919 and commissioned November 10 1920.
Decommissioned February 13 1931, recommissioned July 21 1932.
Decommissioned September 15 1938, recommissioned September 26 1939.
Reclassified High Speed Transport APD-13 December 17 1942.
Decommissioned October 19 1945.
Stricken November 1 1945.
Fate Sold May 23 1946 to Boston Metals, Baltimore and broken up for scrap.

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By
Sands
[A]

Sands
[B]
81k






121k
[A] Benjamin F. Sands, born in Baltimore on 11 February 1811, was appointed Midshipman in the United States Navy on 1 April 1828. By 1834, he had served on the Brazil Station and in the West Indies and Mediterranean squadrons. From 1834 to 1841, he was engaged in coastal survey work and during the mid-40's was attached to the Bureau of Charts and Instruments at the Naval Observatory. During hostilities between the United States and Mexico, he was attached to the Home Squadron and served off Tabasco and Tuxpan. In the 1850's, he commanded the steamer Walker in the Gulf of Mexico on coast survey duty and invented a deep sea sounding apparatus and other hydrographic instruments. Commissioned Captain in 1862, he served off the west coast on survey duty until 1863, then joined the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron as commander of Dacotah. In February of that year, he participated in the engagement at Fort Caswell. He remained off the Carolinas for another two years, commanding the steamer Fort Jackson during the attacks on Fort Fisher. In February 1865, he was transferred to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and assigned to duty off the Texas coast. Through the end of the Civil War, he commanded a division off that coast; and, on 2 June 1865, took formal possession of Galveston for the Union. After the war, Sands, appointed Commodore in July 1866, served at the Boston Navy Yard until returning to Washington as Superintendent of the Naval Observatory. Commissioned Rear Admiral on 27 April 1871, he remained at the Observatory until he retired in 1874. Rear Admiral Sands died in Washington, D.C.,on 30 June 1883.
[B] James H. Sands, son of Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Sands,was born in Washington, D.C., on 12 July 1845 and was appointed Acting Midshipman in the United States Navy on 25 November 1859. During the Civil War, he served in Tuscarora, Juniata, and Shenandoah and, in the years which followed, in Hartford and Richmond. Ordered to the Naval Observatory in 1869, he returned to sea duty, on the Asiatic Station, a year and a half later. From October 1873 to April 1875, he served in the Hydrographic Office. Duty in Minnesota and Iroquois followed; and, in 1884, he returned to Washington, D.C., for duty at the Navy Yard. During the 1890's, he commanded Monongahela; served as equipment officer at the Boston Navy Yard; commanded Columbia and Minneapolis; and served as Governor of the Naval Home at Philadelphia. Detached from the latter in 1901, he became a member of the Retirement Board and assumed its presidency in 1902. Commissioned Rear Admiral the same year, he served as Commandant of the Navy Yard, League Island, Philadelphia,from May 1902 to April 1903; commanded the Coast Squadron until 1905; then assumed duty as Superintendent of the Naval Academy. Further duty on the Retirement Board and as President, Naval Examining Board, followed; and, in July 1907, he transferred to the Retired List. Rear Admiral Sands died in Washington, D.C.,on 27 October 1911.
Bill Gonyo
Sands 79kAs DD-243, undated, location unknown.Curt Clark, The Four Stack APD Veterans
Sands 173kUndated, fueling from the USS Neches (AO-5).Robert Hurst
Sands 166kUndated, location unknown. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Sands 250kUndated, New York City is in the background. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Sands 91kUSS Barry (DD-248), USS Sands (DD-243) and USS King (DD-242), undated, location unknown.Tommy Trampp
Sands 41kUndated, location unknown.Bill Roddy
Sands 152kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of CWO4 Cecil Wood USMC.Donald Wood
Sands 131kNew York Shipbuilding Corporation Shipyard, Camden, New Jersey. Eleven destroyers fitting out in the Wet Basin between Piers 3 and 4. Photo is dated 28 September 1920. Ships present are identified as (from left to right): Childs (DD-241), commissioned 22 Oct. 1920; Reuben James (DD-245), commissioned 24 Sept. 1920; McFarland (DD-237), commissioned 30 Sept. 1920; Sturtevant (DD-240), commissioned 21 Sept. 1920; Williamson (DD-244), commissioned 29 Oct. 1920; Sands (DD-243), commissioned 10 Nov. 1920; Lawrence (DD-250), commissioned 18 April 1921; Hopkins (DD-249), commissioned 21 March 1921; Bainbridge (DD-246), commissioned 9 Feb. 1921; Goff (DD-247), commissioned 19 Jan. 1921; and Barry (DD-248), commissioned 28 Dec. 1920.Robert Hurst
Sands 103kUSS Sands (DD-243) under the command of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, circa 1920-1922. The other destroyer is possibly USS Williamson (DD-244). Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN (Supply Corps) (Ret.), Washington, D.C., 1969. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 67926 Mike Green
Sands 131kUSS Vestal (AR 4) with six destroyers alongside, during the later 1920s. Outboard destroyer is USS Sands (DD 243). Next inboard is USS Hatfield (DD 231). Two of the other destroyers present are also of the group (DD 231 - 235) armed with 5"/51 guns, which can be seen on the ships' fantails. Collection of Vice Admiral Dixwell Ketcham. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Joe Radigan
Sands 95kUSS Sands (DD-243), At Danzig, circa August-September 1921. She was then commanded by Commander Robert L. Ghormley. Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN(SC), 1969. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo #: NH 67925.Robert Hurst
Sands 301kBalboa Harbor, Panama Canal Zone. Aerial photograph taken 23 April 1934, with U.S. Fleet cruisers and destroyers moored together. Ships present include (left to right in lower left): USS Elliot (DD-146); USS Roper (DD-147); USS Hale (DD-133); USS Dorsey (DD-117); USS Lea (DD-118); USS Rathburne (DD-113); USS Talbot (DD-114); USS Waters (DD-115); USS Dent (DD-116); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Crowninshield (DD-134); USS Preble (DD-345); and USS William B. Preston (DD-344). (left to right in center): USS Yarnall (DD-143); USS Sands (DD-243); USS Lawrence (DD-250); (unidentified destroyer); USS Detroit (CL-8), Flagship, Destroyers Battle Force; USS Fox (DD-234); USS Greer (DD-145); USS Barney (DD-149); USS Tarbell (DD-142); and USS Chicago (CA-29), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. (left to right across the top): USS Southard (DD-207); USS Chandler (DD-206); USS Farenholt (DD-332); USS Perry (DD-340); USS Wasmuth (DD-338); USS Trever (DD-339); USS Melville (AD-2); USS Truxtun (DD-229); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS MacLeish (DD-220); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS Hovey (DD-208); USS Long (DD-209); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Tracy (DD-214); USS Dahlgren (DD-187); USS Medusa (AR-1); USS Raleigh (CL-7), Flagship, Destroyers Scouting Force; USS Pruitt (DD-347); and USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156); USS Dallas (DD-199); (four unidentified destroyers); and USS Indianapolis (CA-35), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Fabio Peña
Sands 141kAt Mare Island February 9 1942. From the John Dickey collection.Ed Zajkowski
Sands 205kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Sands 137kUSS Sands (DD 243) off Mare Island on February 10, 1942. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Sands 514kUSS Sands (DD 243) off Mare Island on February 10, 1942. MINSY photo DD 243 732-2-42, from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker

USS SANDS DD-243 / APD-13 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


ENS William Daniel Leahy    Nov 10 1920 - Nov 22 1920 (Later FADM)

LT Mark Leavenworth Sperry Jr.    Nov 22 1920 - Dec 13 1920

CDR Robert Lee Ghormley    Dec 13 1920 - Sep 24 1922 (Later VADM)

CDR James Blair Glennon    Sep 24 1922 - Jul 18 1923

LCDR John Reginald Beardall    Jul 18 1923 - Jul 25 1925 (Later RADM)

CDR Marshall Collins    Jul 10 1925 - Jun 1 1927

CDR Howard Blaine Mecleary    Jun 1 1927 - Feb 13 1921

(Decommissioned Feb 13 1931 - Jul 21 1932)

LCDR Herbert Russell Sobel    Jul 21 1932 - Apr 10 1934

LCDR Louis Richardson Vail    Apr 10 1934 -                                            

LT Charles Henry Murphy    May 15 1936 - Jun 12 1936 (XOIC)

LCDR Roy Clare Hudson    Jun 12 1936 - Jul 9 1937

LCDR James Henry Doyle    Jul 9 1937 - Aug 1938 (Later VADM) 

LT Hamilton Hains    Aug 1938 - Sep 15 1938

(Decommissioned Sep 15 1938 - Sep 26 1939)

LCDR Frank Wadsworth MacDonald    Sep 26 1939 - Jun 26 1940 

LCDR John Francis Newman Jr.    Jun 26 1940 - Apr 21 1942

LCDR John Treadwell Bowers Jr.    Apr 21 1942 – Dec 14 1942

LCDR Earl Neville Clark    Dec 14 1942 - Jan 1 1943

LCDR John Joseph Branson    Jan 1 1943 - Jul 31 1943

LCDR Lloyd Christian Brogger    Jul 31 1943 - Apr 29 1944

LCDR Jerome Michael Samuels    Apr 29 1944 - Oct 19 1945 


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
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 14 May 2018