USS Piedmont (AD-17)
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: | USS Piedmont |
| Namesake: | The Piedmont, a plateau region in the eastern United States |
| Builder: | Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Laid down: | 1 December 1941 |
| Launched: | 7 December 1942 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Elsa Kauffman |
| Commissioned: | 5 January 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 September 1982 |
| Struck: | 6 August 1987 |
| Fate: |
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| Notes: | Served in Turkish Navy as TCG Derya 1982–1994 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Dixie-class destroyer tender |
| Type: | Destroyer tender |
| Displacement: | 17,176 tons (full load) |
| Length: | 530 ft 6 in (161.70 m) |
| Beam: | 73 ft 3 in (22.33 m) |
| Draft: | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | Geared turbine engines; twin screws; 11,300 h.p. |
| Speed: | 18.5 knots (max); 12 knots (econ) |
| Complement: | 1,181 |
| Armament: |
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USS Piedmont (AD–17) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built during World War II for the United States Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty. She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. For her work in battle areas she won four battle stars for her Korean War efforts and one for Vietnam War service.
She was laid down by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Inc., in Tampa, Florida, on 1 December 1941; launched 7 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Elsa Kauffman; and, commissioned 5 January 1944, Commander Malcolm D. MacGregor in command.
The ship's mascot was the Doc, one of the dwarfs in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
After being decommissioned from the U.S. Navy, Piedmont was transferred to the Turkish Navy, where she served from 1982 to 1994 as TCG Derya. She was decommissioned from the Turkish Navy in 1994 and scrapped the following year.
Early in February 1944, Piedmont stood out from Tampa, Florida, on her shakedown cruise. On 6 March she sailed for the Panama Canal, San Diego, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Less than 24 hours after her arrival at Pearl Harbor, Piedmont had taken her first United States Pacific Fleet destroyer alongside. Piedmont remained at Pearl Harbor throughout the months of April and May during the feverish preparations for the Marianas campaign. At one time, Piedmont had seven destroyers alongside and was working on jobs for more than 50 other destroyers moored in the stream.
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