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USS MEADE (DD-274)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NEBJ

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 Bethlehem Shipbuilding, Squantum Ma. on September 23 1918.
Launched May 24 1919 and commissioned September 8 1919.
Decommissioned Mat 25 1922, Recommissioned December 18 1939.
Decommissioned November 26 1940.
To Britain November 26 1940, renamed HMS Ramsey (G60).
Stricken January 8 1941.
Fate Paid off into reserve June 30 1945, sold February 18 1947 and broken up for scrap July 1947.

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Meade
Photo #: NH 47816 Lieutenant Richard W. Meade III
88kRichard Worsam Meade, born in New York City 9 October 1837, and Robert Lemy Meade, born at Washington, D.C., 26 December 1841, compiled distinguished military careers during the 19th century. They were nephews of Gen. George Gordon Meade who Commanded the Army of the Potomac during the Battle of Gettysburg. Richard Worsam Meade was appointed midshipman 2 October 1850, and prior to the Civil War served in the Mediterranean, West Indian, Pacific, and African Squadrons. He served under Admiral Porter during the Civil War, Commanded Marb1ehead, and took part in action against Confederate batteries along the Stono River, S.C. He later held important shore positions including duty at the Naval Academy. Promoted to rear admiral 7 September 1894, he retired from the Navy in 1895 and died at Washington, D.C., 4 May 1897.

Robert Lemy Meade was commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps 14 June 1862. He commanded a battalion of marines during the suppression of the New York City draft riots in July 1863. He took part in the daring boat attack against Fort Sumter 8 September and was later brevetted for gallant and meritorious service. During the Spanish-American War he served as fleet marine officer in New York and participated in the Battle of Santiago. Promoted to colonel 3 March 1899, he served in China during the Boxer Rebellion and participated in the Battle of Tientsin. For distinguished conduct and public service, he was appointed brigadier general, by brevet, 13 July 1900. He retired 29 June 1906 and died at Lexington, Mass., 11 February 1910.
Bill Gonyo
Meade 75kUndated, location unknown.Frieda Marie Davison
Meade 56kUndated, Frieda's father-in-law, Walter Ray Davison, is on the ladder.Frieda Marie Davison
Meade 135kUndated, USS Meade (DD-274), USS Bailey (DD-269) and USS Thornton (DD-270) anchored near the Evans, Coleman and Evans dock in Vancouver BC. Source: City of Vancouver Archives, Photo No. AM1506-S3-1-: CVA 447-2874, by Walter E. Frost.Mike Green
Meade 157kVictory Destroyer Plant, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum, Massachusetts, interior of the wet slips, photographed between 24 May and 21 July 1919 by Monks & Johnson, Boston, Mass. Ships whose bows are visible at right are (from front to rear): Meade (Destroyer # 274), Swasey (Destroyer # 273), Morris (Destroyer # 271), and Tingey (Destroyer # 272). Note ship components awaiting installation, and the security sign on the pole at right. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Photo #: NH 43161.Robert Hurst
Meade 42kPhoto #: NH 98465, USS Meade (Destroyer # 274) at Boston, Massachusetts, 10 September 1919. Panoramic photograph by J. Crosby, Naval Photographer, 11 Portland St., Boston, Mass. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Crosby Collection. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Meade 115kUSS Meade (DD-274) at anchor off San Diego, California, circa 1920. Ship visible in the right distance is USS Ward (DD-139). Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 49833 Mike Green
Meade 108k"Old Hen and Chickens" USS Kanawha (AO-1) with thirteen destroyers alongside, off San Diego, California, during the early 1920s. Photographed by Bunnell, 414 E Street, San Diego. Ships present are (from left to right): USS Meade (DD-274); USS Evans (DD-78); USS Kennedy (DD-306); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Woolsey (DD-77); USS Wickes (DD-75); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Kanawha; USS Farquhar (DD-304); USS Paul Hamilton (DD-307); USS Thompson (DD-305); USS Reno (DD-303); USS Stoddert (DD-302) and USS Philip (DD-76) Collection of Chief Quartermaster John Harold, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Meade 50kSan Diego Early 1920's.Marc Piché
Meade 94kPhoto #: NH 49833, USS Meade (DD-274) at anchor off San Diego, California, circa 1920. Ship visible in the right distance is USS Ward (DD-139). Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Meade 76kUSS Meade (DD-274) in a harbor, circa the early 1920s. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Meade 135kPhoto #: NH 69516: Destroyer Division THIRTY-ONE moored together off San Diego, California, circa 1922. Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego. These ships are (from left to right): USS Bailey (DD-269); USS Thornton (DD-270); USS Tingey (DD-272); USS Morris (DD-271); USS Swasey (DD-273) and USS Meade (DD-274). Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.-
Red Lead Row 195kRed 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. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. : NH 42539 Robert Hurst
On British Service
HMS Ramsey was commissioned at Halifax 26 November 1940, sailed 5 December and arrived for refit at Devonport 17 December, finally completing for service on 29 January 1941. After trials she joined 5th Escort Group based at Liverpool and worked from there until an engine breakdown on 9 March which required repairs lasting to 5 April. HMS Ramsey then continued with local escort work until transferred to the new NEF arriving St John's, NF on 11 June 1941. In August 1941 she joined 22nd Escort Group, remaining part of it for a year during which she refitted at Boston, Mass, from November 1941 to February 1942, and had major turbine repairs at Halifax and later Charleston, SC, from 5 April 1942 to 27 July 1942. Further work being required, HMS Ramsey took passage with convoy HX200 to Liverpool where repairs there, at Belfast and the Clyde took from 7 August to 22 October 1942. Post refit, HMS Ramsey joined B6 Escort Group for one round trip, but then paid off for a long refit at Grimsby from November 1942 to July 1943. During this she received a new bridge and had major boiler repairs, but on completion of her post refit work up at Tobermory she was relegated to Air Target Ship in the Irish Sea. HMS Ramsey was paid off in July 1945 and laid up at Grangemouth, passing to BISCo 18 February 1947 and being broken up at Bo'ness by P & W MacLellan Ltd in July 1947. (Foreign service history thanks to Robert Hurst.)
Meade 26kEx-Meade (DD 274) seen here as HMS Ramsey (G 60) circa 1942, Charleston, SC. Joe Radigan
Meade 93kHMS Ramsey (G.60) underway at the US Navy Yard, South Carolina, 20 June 1942. Photo taken by an unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo # FL 17899 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.from the collections of the Imperial War Museum.Robert Hurst
Meade   Meade   Meade
Charleston on June 20 1942.
Mike Mohl

USS MEADE DD-274 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

LCDR Benjamin Franklin Tilley Jr.    Sep 8 1919 - May 10 1920
CDR Ellis Lando    May 10 1920 - Nov 2 1921
LT Edward Paul Sauer    Nov 2 1921 - May 25 1922
(Decommissioned May 25 1922 - Dec 18 1939)
LCDR Carter Alston Printup    Dec 18 1939 - Nov 26 1940

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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