Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive

Howard (AG 106)
ex-DMS-7



Call sign:
Nan - Item - Fox - Mike

ex-DD-179
ex-Destroyer No. 179

Wickes Class Destroyer/Dorsey Class Highspeed Minesweeper:

  • Laid down 9 December 1918 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA
  • Launched, 26 April 1919
  • Commissioned, USS Howard, Destroyer No. 179, 29 January 1920 at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA
  • Designated DD-179, 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 27 May 1922 at San Diego, CA and laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 29 August 1940
  • Reclassified and converted to a Highspeed Minesweeper, DMS-7, 19 November 1940
  • Damaged off Iwo Jima 24 February 1945
  • Reclassified as a Miscellaneous Auxiliary, AG-106, 5 June 1945
  • Decommissioned, 30 November 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register 19 December 1945
  • Sold for scrap in 1946 to Northern Metals Co. of Philadelphia, PA.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 1,060 t.
  • Length 314' 5"
  • Beam 31' 4"
  • Draft 11' 4"
  • Speed 31.2 kts.
  • Complement 149
  • Armament: Three 3"/50 dual purpose mounts and one twin 40mm mount
  • Propulsion: Yarrow boilers, two 27,000shp Bethlehem Steel (Curtis design) geared turbines, Falk single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Howard (DD 179)
    Howard 106k
    USS Howard (DMS 7)
    Palmer 126k Mine Division NINETEEN (MINDIV 19) plaque. MINDIV 19 consisted of Palmer (DMS 5), Hogan (DMS 6), Howard, Stansbury (DMS 8) and
    Hamilton (DMS 18)
    From the collection of CAPT R. Roy Sampson    		 Bob Sampson
    Howard 124k Refueling from USS Chenango (ACV-28) while en route to Casablanca, Morocco on 29 November 1942. Howard is painted in Camouflage Measure 12 (Modified)
    National Archives photo 80-G-20769 from the Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Robert Hurst
    Howard 210k 17 February 1943
    Off Norfolk Navy Yard Portsmouth, VA
    Norfolk Navy Yard photo 4660(43)    		 Ed Zajkowski
    Howard 209k c. 1944
    U.S. Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Howard 180k 1 October 19444
    SC3/c Salvatore Lucido's Shellback Card
    From the collection of Salvatore Lucido    		 James Hogan
    USS Howard (AG 106)
    Howard 186k From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara John Smith
    Howard 108k
    Howard 155k
    Howard 114k Swinging out the whaleboat
    From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 140k Whaleboat ready for launching
    From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 81k Heaving in the anchor
    From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 92k
    Howard 78k Making smoke
    From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 140k From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 72k
    Howard 104k
    Howard 68k
    Howard 94k
    Howard 124k
    Howard 89k
    Howard 139k In dry dock
    From the Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Howard 129k
    Howard 108k
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR Leigh Morrison Stewart, USN28 January 1920 - March 1920
    02LCDR Howard Hartwell James Benson, USN - USNA Class of 1909
    Awarded the Navy Cross (1918) and the Legion of Merit (1944) - Retired as Commodore    		March 1920 - August 1920
    03LT Robert Ward Hayler, Sr., USN - USNA Class of 1914
    Awarded three Navy Crosses (1942/1943/1944), the Silver Star (1943), two Legion of Merits (1944/1945), two Bronze Stars and the Navy Commendation Medal - Retired as Vice Admiral    		5 July 1921 - 27 May 1922
    04LT Fondville Lee Tedder, USN - Awarded the Legion of Merit (1951)
    Retired as Rear Admiral    		29 August 1940 - 18 March 1942
    05LCDR Charles Joseph Zondorak, USN18 March 1942 - 4 January 1943
    06LCDR Lawrence Blanchard Cook, USN - USNA Class of 1931
    Awarded the Navy Cross (1945) - Retired as Captain    		4 January 1943 - 13 August 1943
    07LT Onofrio Frederick Salvia, USN13 August 1943 - 1 May 1945
    08LCDR Fred William Diehl, USN1 May 1945 - 14 August 1945
    09LCDR Fred William Pump, Jr., USN14 August 1945 - 30 December 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler, Ron Reeves and Joe Radigan
    View the Howard (DMS-7)
    DANFS History entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Website
    View the crew photos from the
    Scrapbook of Thomas P. O'Hara
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    NavSource Destroyer Pages, USS Howard (DD-179)
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Mine Warfare Ship Photo Index Back to the Highspeed Minesweeper (DMS) Photo Index Back to the Auxiliary Ship Photo Index Back to the Miscellaneous Auxiliaries (AG) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo & maintained by Joseph M. Radigan (of blessed memory) & David Wright
    All Pages © 1996 - 2023, NavSource History, All rights reserved.