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USS Sands (DD-243)

USS Sands (DD-243) at Danzig in 1921
History
United States
Namesake: James H. Sands
Builder: New York Shipbuilding
Laid down: 22 March 1919
Launched: 28 October 1919
Commissioned: 10 November 1920
Decommissioned: 10 October 1945
Struck: 1 November 1945
Fate: sold for scrapping, 1946
General characteristics
Class and type: Clemson-class destroyer
Displacement: 1,190 tons
Length: 314 ft 5 in (95.83 m)
Beam: 31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
Draft: 10 ft (3.05 m)
Propulsion:
  • 26,500 shp (20 MW);
  • geared turbines,
  • 2 screws
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Range: 4,900 nm @ 15 kn (9,100 km @ 28 km/h)
Complement: 101 officers and enlisted
Armament: 4 x 4" (102 mm), 1 x 3" (76 mm), 12 x 21" (533 mm) tt.

The first USS Sands (DD-243/APD-13) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named for Benjamin F. Sands and his son, James H. Sands.

Sands was ordered from the New York Shipbuilding Corporation on 29 December 1917, and was laid down on 22 March 1919 at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation's, Camden, New Jersey shipyard. The ship was launched on 28 October 1919, sponsored by Miss Jane McCue Sands. Sands was commissioned on 10 November 1920, Ensign William D. Leahy, Jr. in temporary command.

Following commissioning, Sands remained at Philadelphia to fit out for European duty. On 22 November, Lieutenant M. L. Sperry, Jr., relieved Ens. Leahy as temporary commanding officer; and, on 13 December, Commander Robert L. Ghormley assumed command. The next day, the destroyer departed from Philadelphia; steamed to Melville, Rhode Island, for torpedo outfit; then proceeded to New York. On 3 January 1921, she sailed for Europe. She arrived at Brest on the 16th and, for the next seven months, conducted runs between French and British ports. In mid-August, she steamed for the Baltic; called at various ports on that sea, despite the still present danger of mines, and returned to Cherbourg on 27 September. Three weeks later, she cleared the French coast and headed for the eastern Mediterranean-Black Sea area. There, fighting between Greeks and Turks in coastal Asia Minor; between Turks and Armenians on the Anatolian plateau; and between Red and White forces in Russia had created problems including disease, poverty, and famine.


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