Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
To Britain November 26 1940, renamed HMS Ripley (G79).| Click On Image For Full Size Image |
Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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| 68k | William Bradford Shubrick was born on 31 October 1790 at "Belvedere," Bull's Island, SC. He studied at Harvard before accepting an appointment as a midshipman in 1806. Following service in the Mediterranean in Wasp, he served in Argus along the Atlantic coast of the United States. After duty in Hornet early in the War of 1812, he was assigned to Constellation; and, while that frigate was at Norfolk, he led a party of bluejackets in beating off a British boat attack against Craney Island on 22 June 1813. He subsequently won a Congressional medal for service in Constitution during her capture of Cyane and Levant. During the more than three decades separating the War of 1812 from the Mexican War, Shubrick commanded, in turn, Lexington and Natchez; directed operation of the West Indies Squadron from ]838 to 1840; and headed the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing from 1845 to 1846. At the outbreak of the war with Mexico, Shubrick requested sea duty and, in Independence, sailed for the California coast to relieve Commodore Sloat in command of American naval forces there. However, Commodore James Biddle brought his East India Squadron to Monterey, California, on 02 January 1847, only a week after Shubrick's arrival and assumed command. In April, Shubrick sailed for the coast of Mexico to head the blockade of Mazatlan and Guaymas. Early in June, Shubrick was recalled to California where Biddle restored him to overall command on 19 July and sailed for the East Coast. Under Shubrick, the Navy successfully conducted the closing operations of the war on the Pacific coast. Highlights were the capture of Guaymas in October and of Mazatlan in November. San Bias fell in January 1848. The following spring, Shubrick headed home and took command of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1849. He subsequently headed the Bureau of Construction and Repair. In August 1852, he became chairman of the Lighthouse Board. In October 1858, Shubrick sailed in command of the fleet sent to South American waters to support diplomatic efforts to resolve differences with Paraguay resulting from the firing upon the USS Waterwitch. In December 1861, Shubrick was retired; and he was promoted to Rear Admiral on the retired list on 16 July 1862. He died in Washington, DC, on 27 May 1874. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 106k | USS Shubrick (Destroyer No. 268) at Boston, Massachusetts, 11 August 1919. Panoramic photograph, taken by Crosby, 11 Portland Street, Boston. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 105315. | Robert Hurst | |
| 474k | Victory Destroyer Plant, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum, Massachusetts. View of the open dock, with destroyers fitting out, including USS Shubrick (Destroyer No. 268, builder's yard number 348), Ballard (Destroyer No. 267, builder's yard number 347) and (probably) Greene (Destroyer No. 266, builder's yard number 346). Note the destroyer mast, with crow's nest, lying on the pier at left. Photographed between 27 April and 3 May 1919 by Monks & Johnson, Boston, Mass. Naval History & Heritage Command NH 43152. | Fred Weiss/Robert Hurst | |
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593k | U.S. Navy destroyers at San Diego, California, photographed circa 1919 or 1920 by the Bunnell Photo Shop and printed on "AZO" postal card stock. Ships present are (seen from astern, left to right): USS Laub (Destroyer No. 263); unidentified; USS Edwards (Destroyer No. 265); USS Ballard (Destroyer No. 267); USS Shubrick (Destroyer No. 268) and USS McLanahan (Destroyer No. 264). The original card, which has neither stamp nor postmark, is inscribed : This is the way they anchor Destroyers, in the harbor. They have what they call a 'Mother ship' or supply ship and 6 or 8 destroyers all tied up close together". Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 93975, courtesy of Jack Howland, 1982. | Tony Cowart | |
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466k | "U.S.S. Cuyama nursing her babies." USS Cuyama (AO-3) with twelve destroyers tied up alongside, during the early 1920s. The ships present include (from left to right): USS Jacob Jones (DD-130); USS Hull (DD-330); USS Thompson (DD-305); USS Corry (DD-334); USS Kennedy (DD-306); USS Reno (DD-303); USS Cuyama (AO-3; USS Stoddert (DD-302); USS Yarborough (DD-314); USS Sloat (DD-316); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Shubrick (DD-268); USS Young (DD-312). Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 77258, courtesy of Mrs. C.R. DeSpain, 1973. From the scrapbooks of Fred M. Butler. | Fabio Peņa | |
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195k | Red Lead Row, San Diego Destroyer Base, California. Photographed at the end of 1922, with at least 65 destroyers tied up there. Ships present are identified as:
(left to right, in the right diagonal row): Stansbury (DD-180); MacKenzie (DD-175); Renshaw (DD-176); Howard (DD-179); Gillis (DD-260); Tingey (DD-272); McLanahan (DD-264); Swasey (DD-273); Morris (DD-271); Bailey (DD-269); Tattnall (DD-125); Breese (DD-122); Radford (DD-120); Aaron Ward (DD-132) -- probably; Ramsey (DD-124); Montgomery (DD-121); and Lea (DD-118).
(left to right, in the middle diagonal row): Wickes (DD-75); Thornton (DD-270); Meade (DD-274); Crane (DD-109); Evans (DD-78); McCawley (DD-276); Doyen (DD-280); Elliot (DD-146); Henshaw (DD-278); Moody (DD-277); Meyer (DD-279); Sinclair (DD-275); Turner (DD-259); Philip (DD-76); Hamilton (DD-141); Boggs (DD-136); Claxton (DD-140); Ward (DD-139); Hazelwood (DD-107) or Kilty (DD-137); Kennison (DD-138); Jacob Jones (DD-130); Aulick (DD-258); Babbitt (DD-128); Twiggs (DD-127); and Badger (DD-126).
(left to right, in the left diagonal row): Shubrick (DD-268); Edwards (DD-265); Palmer (DD-161); Welles (DD-257); Mugford (DD-105); Upshur (DD-144); Greer (DD-145); Wasmuth (DD-338); Hogan (DD-178); O'Bannon (DD-177); and -- possibly -- Decatur (DD-341).
(Nested alongside wharf in left center, left to right): Prairie (AD-5); Buffalo (AD-8); Trever (DD-339); and Perry (DD-340). Minesweepers just astern of this group are Partridge (AM-16) and Brant (AM-24). Nearest ship in the group of destroyers at far left is Dent (DD-116). The others with her are unidentified. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 42539. | Robert Hurst | |
| 207k | USS Shubrick (DD-268) and USS Leary (DD-158) moored at New York Navy Yard, 03 September 1940, awaiting possible transfer to the Royal Navy. Acme press photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. | Darryl Baker | |
| On British Service |
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| HMS Ripley commissioned on 26 November 1940 at Halifax, and arrived at Devonport for refit on 27 December. On completion on 13 February 1941, she was in collision with HMS Burwell and the A/S trawler HMS Notre Dame de France, which required further repairs until 3 March, followed at once by a patrol searching for a possible blockade runner. Joining 5th Escort Group at Liverpool, HMS Ripley commenced North Atlantic escort work with convoy OB308 on 6 April, and continued in that role until August 1941 only interrupted by acting as an A/S screen at Placentia Bay for the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and involvement in the Bismarck search operations. Returning to Britain for refit with convoy TC12B, she was en-route to Middlesborough when she went ashore at Flamborough Head on 4 September. Towed off the same day, she had temporary repairs at Grimsby until 25 September, and then a protracted refit at Middlesborough until 15 March 1942. After a seven day work up at Tobermory, HMS Ripley covered the initial passage of convoy WS20 and then joined B2 Escort Group. Transferred to B7 Group early in August 1942, HMS Ripley took convoy ON117 to Canada, and then went south with her Group to the Caribbean for duty with the USN there. Apparently found unsuitable, she returned to Halifax after one round trip, and to Britain with convoy SC103, arriving at Holyhead with defects on 14 October. Temporarily repaired there, a long refit followed at Liverpool until 19 May 1943, after which the ship was allocated to Admiral Commanding Orkney & Shetland for local duty. She worked up at Tobermory in June 1943, took part in Operation "Governor" in July 1943, and covered a troop convoy to the Faeroes in August 1943. Thereafter her duties were entirely local until she paid off to reserve on the Tyne arriving there on 4 January 1944. Transferred to BISCo on 10 March 1945, she arrived at Sunderland on 14 April to be broken up by Thos. Young & Sons (Shipbreakers) Ltd. (Foreign service history thanks to Robert Hurst) | ||||
| 52k | HMS Ripley (G 79) taken around April/May 1941, location unknown. | Robert Hurst | |
| 61k | HMS Ripley (G 79) underway probably after her refit in March 1942, location unknown. | Robert Hurst | |
| 75k | HMS Ripley (G 79) shown underway between 10 and 14 April 1941 while escorting convoy HX118, as seen from HMS Ramsey, whose guns are to be seen the left. The censor requires Ripley's pennant number to be blacked out before the picture was released to the public. Admiralty official photo. | Robert Hurst | |
| 56k | HMS Ripley (G 79) underway on September 18 1943, location unknown. Photo # FL 3320 from the collections of the Imperial War Museum. | Robert Hurst | |
| 39k | HMS Ripley (G 79) while entering harbour in late 1943, probably from post refit trials. | Robert Hurst | |
| Commanding Officers | ||
| 01 | LCDR Creed Haymond Boucher (USNA 1909) | 03 July 1919 - 1920 |
| 02 | LCDR Arthur Dewey Struble (USNA 1915) | 1920 - April 1920 |
| 03 | LT Leslie Kennedy Orr USN | 05 May 1920 - 19 August 1921 |
| 04 | ENS Thomas Smith Thorne (USNA 1920) | 19 August 1921 - 08 June 1922 |
| Decommissioned | 08 June 1922 - 18 December 1939 | |
| 05 | LCDR Louis Allen Bryan (USNA 1932) | 18 December 1939 - 26 November 1940 |
| 06 | LCDR John Andrew Agnew RN | 26 November 1940 - 10 November 1941 |
| 07 | LCDR Christopher Robert Bax RN | 10 November 1941 - 27 January 1942 |
| 08 | LCDR (Ret.) George William Emil Castens RN | 27 January 1942 - 23 April 1943 |
| 09 | LT Louis George Toone RN | 30 April 1943 - 16 October 1943 |
| 10 | LT William Frank Broughton Webb DSC, RN | 16 October 1943 - 02 November 1943 |
| 11 | LT Basil Churchill Hutchinson RN | 02 November 1943 - 24 February 1945 |
| 12 | T/A/LCDR William Fleming McAusland RNVR | 24 February 1945 - mid-1945? |
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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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