Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	133k	Richard Dale was born 6 November 1756 in Norfolk, Va. He was appointed a midshipman in the Continental Navy in 1776, serving in the brig Lexington. After a voyage to the West Indies in Lexington, Dale now rated a master's mate, sailed in that brig from Baltimore on 27 February 1777. The Lexington captured two small British ships before joining the Reprisal and Dolphin at the mouth of of the Loire River. On 28 April 1777 the squadron entered the Irish Channel from the south and after passing through the north channel, reached the Irish Sea off the port of Glasgow and Greenock, being in position to intercept both coastal and inter-ocean commerce. Two brigs and two sloops were taken north of Ireland and fourteen additional captures were made in the Irish Sea. Lexington was captured by the British cutter Alert on 19 September 1777 and her officers and crew were committed to Mill Prison. Dale made good his escape and reached L'Orient, France where the Bon Homme Richard was being fitted for sea by Captain John Paul Jones. Selected by that discerning commander as First Lieutenant , he took part in the memorable cruise that Culminated in the brilliant sea fight off Flamborough Head, England on 23 September 1779. Being in charge of the gun-deck and second in command of the Bon Homme Richard, Dale was the first to board HMS Serapis (44) when she struck her colors, and not until after he had taken possession of her did he discover that he had been severely wounded. He later cruised with John Paul Jones in the frigate Alliance and Ariel, then became First Lieutenant on the frigate Trumbull. He was wounded in that ship's engagement with the British ship Iris. Dale's last sea service during the Revolution was during 1781-82, in the privateer Queen of France, first as mate and afterward as captain, making se veral British captures. Dale returned to the merchant service and was usually in command of East Indiamen until 1794 when he was commissioned by President Washington as one of six captains of the new Navy on 4 June 1794. After superintending the construction of a frigate in Norfolk, he obtained a furlough from the Navy in 1795 and returned to his former occupation. He sailed for Canton, China in command of the Ganges. Three years later, when war with France was threatening, Ganges was purchased by the Government. Dale took her to sea on 30 May 1798, during the Quasi-War with France, on the first cruise undertaken by a ship of the new Navy. He served during the war from 1798 to 1801, then commanded the Mediterranean Squadron in the operations against Tripoli in 1801. He was then the third ranking officer in the Navy. Richard Dale resigned from the Navy on 17 December 1802 and spent the remainder of his lifetime, a highly esteemed citizen of Philadelphia where he was often called upon to take the lead in public enterprises. He was President of the Washington Benevolent Society of Pennsylvania and during the War of 1812 served on a general committee charged with the protection of the city. Two of his sons entered the Navy: Richard, who was killed in action and John M. who died in the service. Commodore Richard Dale died on 26 February 1826 in Philadelphia.Photo #: NH 51764, Captain Richard Dale, USN (1756-1826). Mid-Nineteenth Century engraving "by R.W. Dobson from a drawing by J.B. Longacre, after a Portait by J.Wood in Peale's Museum, New York". It was published in James Herring's and James Barton Longacre's "National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans", volume 3. Dale commanded the U.S. squadron in the Mediterranean Sea during 1801-1802. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri
	25k	Undated, location unknown.		-
	67k	Undated, location unknown.		Robert M. Cieri
	31k	Undated, location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	125k	Commissioning ceremony at New York Navy Yard June 17 1935.		Ron Reeves
	172k	Shortly after commissioning at New York Navy Yard, June 17 1935.		Jon Balson
	109k	USS Dale (DD-353) Photographed by the New York Navy Yard, 22 July 1935. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Joe Radigan
	221k	Huge crowds jam the Washington Navy Yard, as the Navy went on show for the Navy Day celebration on October 28, 1935. The USS Dale (DD-353), the largest class of U.S. Navy destroyers, at that time, is open for tours. Source: Library of Congress, Photo No. LC-H2-B-39511.		Mike Green
	104k	USS Dale (DD-353) Underway, circa 1935-1937. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	185k	USS Dale (DD-353) Steaming at sea, circa 1935-1937. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	85k	USS Dale (DD-353) (left) Leading USS Monaghan (DD-354) through a turn during an exhibition by Destroyer Squadron Twenty ships, staged for Movietone News, off San Diego, California, on 14 September 1936.Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	59k	USS Monaghan (DD-354), USS Dale (DD-353) and USS Worden (DD-352) of DesRon 20 steaming in line abreast for a Movietone News camera, September 1936, location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	80k	Destroyer Squadron Twenty (DesRon20) steam through a smokescreen laid by planes of Patrol Squadrons Seven, Nine and Eleven, during an exhibition staged for Movietone News off San Diego, California, 14 September 1936. the ships are, from bottom to top: USS Farragut (DD-348); USS Dewey (DD-349); USS Hull (DD-350); USS Macdonough (DD-351); USS Worden (DD-352); USS Dale (DD-353); USS Monaghan (DD-354) and USS Aylwin (DD-355). Courtesy Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Centre photo # NH 67293.		Robert Hurst
	162k	September 14, 1936 photograph staged for Movietone News off San Diego, California. Destroyer Squadron 20 (DesRon 20) steams through a smokescreen laid by Patrol Squadrons Seven, Nine and Eleven. USS Aylwin (DD-355), USS Monaghan (DD-354), USS Dale (DD-353), and USS Worden (DD-352) are visible, while USS Macdonough (DD-351), USS Hull (DD-350), USS Dewey (DD-349) and USS Farragut (DD-348) are out of the photo, their presence indicated by their wakes. Overhead, two PH Flying Boats observe the formation. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.229.032.		Mike Green
	57k	Circa 1937, location unknown. Image from the 1943-44 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.		O.W. Waterman
	111k	USS Dale (DD-353) At sea, 10 March 1937. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	134k	USS Dale (DD-353) Operating at sea with the Battle Fleet, circa 1937-1940. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	149k	USS Dale (DD-353) Underway on 28 April 1938. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.		Fred Weiss
	75k	USS Monaghan (DD 354) and USS Dale (DD 353) coming out of a smoke screen during Fleet Problem XX, held in February 1939 in the Caribbean and off the Northeast coast of South America. USN photo.		Joe Radigan
	158k	USS Dale (DD-353) Underway at sea, June 1944, probably during the Marianas operation. Note ships conducting replenishment operations in the distance. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.		Fred Weiss
	144k	USS Dale (DD-353) Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 31, Design 6d. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.		Fred Weiss
	125k	USS Dale (DD-353) Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 6d. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	96k	USS Dale (DD-353), Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 5 October 1944. Her camouflage is Measure 31, Design 6d. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Photo #: 19-N-72715.		Robert Hurst

CDR William Anderson Corn    Jun 17 1935 - Apr 25 1936

LCDR Francis Wyse Benson    Apr 25 1936 - Jan 4 1938 (Later RADM)

LCDR John Roland Redman    Jan 4 1938 - Dec 21 1938 (Later VADM)

LCDR John Phillip Womble Jr.    Dec 21 1938 - Feb 28 1941 (Later RADM)

LCDR Anthony Lawless Rorschach    Feb 28 1941 - Dec 7 1941

ENS Frederick Malcolm Radel    Dec 7 1941 - Dec 8 1941 (Acting)

LCDR Anthony Lawless Rorschach    Dec 8 1941 - Jan 1942

CDR Harold Earl Parker    Jan 1942 - Apr 8 1943

LCDR Charles Warren Aldrich Sr.    Apr 8 1943 - Sep 5 1944

LCDR Stanley Michael Zimny    Sep 5 1944 - Oct 16 1945

Back To The Main Photo Index

To The Destroyer Index Page

Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster

This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright

Last Updated 03 September 2017