Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
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Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20k | Charles Baldwin, born on 30 June 1839 in Smyrna, Delaware, enlisted in the Navy on 13 January 1864 at Philadelphia. While serving as a coal heaver in the side wheel gunboat Wyalusing stationed at the western end of North Carolina's Albemarle Sound near the mouth of the Roanoke River, Baldwin joined four other enlisted men in devising a plan to sink the Confederate ironclad ram Albemarle. Their superiors approved the project and, in the afternoon of 26 May 1864, the five sailors rowed up the Middle River with two 100 pound torpedoes (mines) and carried them by stretcher across the swampland separating the Middle and Roanoke Rivers to a point just above and opposite Albemarle's mooring place on the Roanoke at Plymouth. Baldwin and another sailor, John Lloyd, then swam across the river with a towline attached to the explosive devices and hauled them across. They then connected the torpedoes by a bridle; and Baldwin reentered the water to guide them downstream toward the ram, hoping to place the bridle across her prow torpedo making contact with each side of her hull. He was then to swim clear before another man--stationed across the river--detonated the torpedoes electrically. The Confederates, however, caught sight of both swimmer and torpedoes when they were just a few yards short of their goal. A hail of musketry from the shore followed soon after a sentry's alarm. Lloyd quickly cut the guideline while Baldwin swam back across the river and hid in the swamp. Three of the five Union sailors returned to Wyalusing on the evening of 28 May. Baldwin and the remaining man spent two hungry days and nights evading Southern forces before being rescued on the 28th by Commodore Hull. For his part in the mission, Baldwin was promoted to acting master's mate and later received the Medal of Honor. Despite the failure of Baldwin's daring expedition, efforts to destroy Albemarle continued. In June, a string of torpedoes was placed across the Roanoke to be exploded under the ram should she descend the river for another foray into Albemarle Sound. Each was attached to a lock string held by a sailor hiding on shore ready to pull a detonating wire were Albemarle to pass over his charge. Baldwin commanded these pickets until captured along with four of his men on Independence Day 1864. Later exchanged, Baldwin was mustered out of the Navy on 12 January 1865 at the expiration of his term of enlistment. Following the war, he lived and worked at various places in several states before finally settling in Accokeek, a small hamlet in Maryland south of Washington, D.C. Baldwin died in Accokeek on 22 January 1911. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 82k | Artist's conception of the Baldwin as she appeared in World War II by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource. | Navy Yard Associates | |
| 125k | Undated, location unknown. | - | |
| 164k | Undated, location unknown. | Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET. | |
| 97k | Launching June 14 1942 at Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding. | Ron Reeves | |
| 84k | Harbor Island, Seattle in April 1943. From the collections of Seattle NARA. | Tracy White | |
| 188k | Aerial view of the USS Baldwin (DD-624) circa 1944. Originally commissioned on April 30, 1943, the ship has since been modified. The after torpedo tubes have been replaced with two 40 mm twin mounts and the ship has upgraded electronics with a SC radar and Mk12/22 radar on her Mk37 gun director. Also 20 mm guns have been added front of the bridge and aft of the stacks. National Archives, NARA 80-G-426277. | Mike Green | |
| 137k | USS Satterlee (DD-626) In Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland, with other destroyers, 14 May 1944, while preparing for the invasion of France. Photographed from USS Quincy (CA-71). USS Baldwin (DD-624) is in the middle distance, with USS Nelson (DD-623) beyond. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss | |
| 69k | USS Baldwin (DD-624) In the Suez Canal, Egypt, on 9 February 1945. Photographed from USS Quincy (CA-71), which had President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarked. Baldwin's camouflage is Measure 32, Design 3D. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss | |
| 76k | Alongside Monssen (DD-798) in storage at South Boston Naval Annex, August 1960 | © Richard Leonhardt | |
| 104k | South Boston Naval Annex, 1960 | © Richard Leonhardt | |
| 112k | South Boston Naval Annex, 1960 | © Richard Leonhardt | |
| 64k | South Boston Naval Annex, 1960 | © Richard Leonhardt | |
| 66k | South Boston Naval Annex, 1960 | © Richard Leonhardt | |
| 164k | USS Baldwin (DD-624) Aground at Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, shortly after she came to rest. The "mothballed" destroyer had broken free from her towline on 16 April 1961 and drifted ashore. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 101k | USS Baldwin (DD-624) at right during operations to refloat her at Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, at 1030 hrs. on 28 April 1961. The "mothballed" destroyer had broken free from her towline on 16 April 1961 and drifted ashore. Among the ships engaged in the salvage effort are USS Hoist (ARS-40), USS Salvage (ARSD-3), USS Windlass (ARSD-4) and a fleet tug (ATF). photographed from an aircraft based at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island (USN Photo No NH 99108). She was towed seaward by the USS Luiseno (ATF-156), bottom left, and the USS Recovery (ARS-43), top left, and sunk by their gunfire, in 200 fathoms. Both the USS Salvager (ARDS-3) and USS Windlass (ARSD-4), participated in towing her off the beach. | Robert Hurst | |
| 311k | the salvage lifting Vessel USS Windlass (ARSD-4) prepares for a pull on the stranded reserve fleet destroyer USS Baldwin (DD-624) off Montauk Point, Long Island. other vessels not shown but involved were USS Luiseno (ATF-156), USS Recovery (ARS-43), and USS Salvager (ARSD-3). Image scanned from Mud, Muscle, and Miracles by Captain Charles A. Batholomew, USN and Commander William I. Milwee, Jr., USN, (Ret.). | Robert Hurst | |
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Operations to refloat Baldwin at Montauk Point, Long Island, New York. | Mike Murphy | |||
LCDR George Knuepfer Apr 30 1943 - Nov 30 1943 CDR Edgar Samuel Powell Jr. Nov 30 1943 - Sep 1 1944 CDR Robert Cecil Houston Sep 1 1944 - Jun 20 1946
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.
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