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USS YOUNG (DD-312)

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 Steel, San Francisco January 28 1919.
Launched May 8 1919 and commissioned November 29 1920.
Wrecked on Honda Point Calif. September 8 1923.
Fate Wreck sold October 19 1925.
20 of her crew were lost and remain on duty.

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John Young ( 1740-1781) was a captain in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War, commander of the Saratoga which was lost at sea. He began his seafaring career at an early age in the colonial merchant marine and, at the start of the American Revolution, was commissioned 23rd on the list of captains in the Continental Navy. On 20 September 1776, the Continental Congress directed Young to take the sloop-of-war Independence to Martinique to protect American mercantile shipping in the West Indies. Collaterally, Independence was to raid British shipping whenever the opportunity arose. On 5 July 1777, Young was ordered to Nantes, France, and subsequently arrived at Lorient with two prizes. On 17 February 1778, while in French waters, he sailed through the French Fleet, saluting that nation's government with a 13-gun salute. In return he received a nine-gun salute, one of the earliest salutes rendered by the French government to the fledgling American government. At the time, John Paul Jones was on board Independence. Young returned to America in the spring of 1778 and successively commanded two Pennsylvania privateers, Buckskin and Impertinent, before he was given command of the sloop-of-war Saratoga - then fitting out at Philadelphia--in May 1780. Young took her to sea on 13 August 1780 and, in the course of the ship's first cruise, captured one prize before she returned to port for repairs and alterations. Subsequent cruises were more successful, as Young commanded Saratoga on three more sweeps at sea in which he took a total of eight more prizes. Young proved himself a daring and resourceful commander. On one occasion, he took Saratoga between two British ships and captured both. Largely as a result of his dedication and emphasis on training, Saratoga compiled a distinguished, but altogether brief, record before her untimely and unexplained loss. Saratoga set sail from Cap Francais, in what is now the Dominican Republic, on 15 March 1781. After taking a prize three days later, the sloop-of-war became separated from her later that day when a strong gale swept through the area, the high winds nearly swamping the prize commanded by Midshipman Penfield. After the storm passed by, Saratoga was nowhere to be seen, having vanished without a trace. The United States Navy named two ships, USS Young (DD-312), and USS John Young (DD-973) in his honor.Bill Gonyo
Young 70kPhoto #: NH 77258: The 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); Courtesy of Mrs. C.R. DeSpain, 1973. From the scrapbooks of Fred M. Butler. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 144kAerial view of the Honda Point disaster area September 8, 1923, showing all seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the upper left; USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas; USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the left center; USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young; USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center; and USS Fuller (DD-297), in the lower center. The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper left. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.Fabio Peņa
Young 71kPhoto #: NH 86413: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog. In the foreground is USS Delphy (DD-261), which has broken in two, with her forward section capsized to port. USS Young (DD-312) is capsized to starboard, astern of Delphy. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island, with USS Fuller (DD-297) faintly visible beyond her. Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 60kPhoto #: NH 42173: Honda Point disaster, September 1923, ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven wrecked on the California coast, near the northern entrance of the Santa Barbara Channel, shortly after they ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. The stern of USS Delphy (DD-261) is in the right foreground. At left is USS Chauncey (DD-296). Beyond her stern is the capsized USS Young (DD-312). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is on the rocks in the upper right, with USS Fuller (DD-297) partially visible behind her. Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 102kPhoto #: NH 66720: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, aerial view of the southern part of the disaster area, showing four of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships visible are USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the lower left; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright beyond Delphy; USS Young (DD-312), capsized aft of Chauncey; and USS Woodbury (DD-309) at right. Point Arguello lighthouse is in the center distance. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 86kPhoto #: NH 84819: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog. In the foreground is USS Delphy (DD-261), which has broken in two, with her forward section capsized to port. At left, behind the rocky outcropping, is the stern of USS Chauncey (DD-296). USS Young (DD-312) is capsized to starboard, astern of Chauncey. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island, with USS Fuller (DD-297) beyond her. Photograph by Aston. Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 59kPhoto #: NH 42172: Honda Point disaster, September 1923, ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven wrecked on the California coast, near the northern entrance of the Santa Barbara Channel, shortly after they ran aground in the fog during the night of 8 September 1923. USS Delphy (DD-261) is in the foreground, capsized. Beyond her, also capsized, is USS Young (DD-312). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is on the rocks in the middle distance, with USS Fuller (DD-297) partially visible beyond her. Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 84kPhoto #: NH 66722: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, aerial view of the southern part of the disaster area, showing five of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships visible are: USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the small cove at left; USS Young (DD-312), capsized in left center; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young; USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the right center; and USS Fuller (DD-297) on the rocks at right. The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper middle. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 99kPhoto #: NH 66723: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, aerial view of the disaster area, showing the seven destroyers that ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the left center; USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas; USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in small cove (center); USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young; USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center; and USS Fuller (DD-297), closest to the camera. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 84kPhoto #: NH 84821: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog. In the foreground is USS Chauncey (DD-296), with life rafts in the water alongside. USS Young (DD-312) is capsized astern of Chauncey. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island. USS Fuller (DD-297) is barely visible behind that island. Photograph by Aston. Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peņa
Young 146kHonda Point Disaster, September 1923, from top to bottom the wrecks of the USS Fuller (DD-297), USS Woodbury (DD-309), USS Young (DD-312) and USS Chauncey (DD-296). Copyright Bunnell Photo Shop, San Diego, CA. From the collection of CPO A. F. Meehan USN (Ret.).Pam Mayfield
Young 117k USS Chauncey (DD-296) in the foreground, with USS Young (DD-312) capsized astern. USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the centre distance, with USS Fuller (DD-297) faintly visible behind her. Note the people on the rocky point at right. photographed by Aston. Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired) Photo No NH 84822.Robert Hurst
Young 27kOne of the heroes of Honda, Chief Boatswain's Mate Arthur Peterson, who swam from the Young (DD-312) to the Chauncey (DD-296) to set up a line for his shipmates to ferry themselves across to the Chauncey which was is substantially better condition. Ultimately, 11 trips were made allowing nearly 70 sailors to escape the Young. He was recommended for a citation for his bravery.Bill Gonyo

USS YOUNG DD-312 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 Herbert James Ray    Nov 29 1920 - Nov 19 1921
CDR Ingolf Norman Kiland    Nov 19 1921 - Feb 27 1922 (Later VADM)
LCDR Howard Kirk Lewis    Feb 27 1922 - Aug 2 1923
LCDR William Lowndes Calhoun    Aug 2 1923 - Oct 26 1923

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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