USS William B. Preston (DD-344)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Namesake: | William B. Preston |
| Builder: | Norfolk Naval Shipyard |
| Laid down: | 18 November 1918 |
| Launched: | 9 August 1919 |
| Commissioned: | 23 August 1920 |
| Decommissioned: | 6 December 1945 |
| Struck: | 3 January 1946 |
| Fate: | sold for scrap, 6 November 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Clemson-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 1,308 tons |
| Length: | 314 feet 4 inches (95.81 m) |
| Beam: | 30 feet 11 inches (9.42 m) |
| Draft: | 9 feet 10 inches (3 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 35 knots (65 km/h) |
| Range: | |
| Complement: | 221 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 4 × 4" (102 mm), 1 × 3" (76 mm), 12 × 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes |
USS William B. Preston (DD-344/AVP-20/AVD-7) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for naval secretary and United States senator William B. Preston.
William B. Preston was laid down on 18 November 1918 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched on 9 August 1919; sponsored by Mrs. William Radford Beale, the eldest daughter of William B. Preston; designated DD-344 on 17 July 1920; and commissioned on 23 August 1920, Lieutenant James B. Ryan in temporary command. On 7 September 1920, Commander William E. Eberle reported on board as commanding officer.
Following commissioning, William B. Preston operated with Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 19 and conducted trials and training off the east coast through the end of 1920. She then proceeded south to join the Fleet in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for winter maneuvers. After these exercises, she transited the Panama Canal to participate in the Fleet's visit to Callao, Peru, and arrived at that port on 21 January 1921.
The ship next received orders transferring her to DesDiv 45, Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 14; and she joined the Asiatic Fleet in mid-1922. With her home port at Cavite, near Manila in the Philippines, the destroyer cruised with her division on exercises and maneuvers. In the summer months, the ships would base out of Chefoo on the north coast of Shantung province, China, while moving southward to Philippine waters for the winter exercises. In between, there were visits to China coastal ports such as Amoy, Foochow, and Swatow and occasional tours on the Yangtze River between Shanghai and Hankow.
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