USS Chauncey, a 1190-ton Clemson class destroyer built at San Francisco, California, was commissioned in June 1919. During her first year of service, she operated along the U.S. West Coast and in Hawaiian waters. She was in the ready reserve from mid-1920 until October 1921, then returned to active work with Destroyer Squadron ELEVEN and spent the next several months participating in fleet maneuvers and other training exercises.
On the morning of 8 September 1923, Chauncey's squadron began a cruise from San Francisco to San Diego. That evening, under conditions of darkness and poor visibility, the column of destroyers turned to enter the Santa Barbara Channel, but an error in navigation on board the squadron flagship resulted in the turn being made too far north. Within minutes, seven of the destroyers went ashore on rugged Honda Point (more formally called Point Pedernales). Chauncey, tenth in line, attempted to rescue men from the capsized USS Young, but herself ended up on the rocks. She was the least damaged of the seven stranded ships, and suffered no losses among her crew, but she could not be saved. Though some of her equipment was salvaged, USS Chauncey was broken up by the pounding surf during the following months.
USS Chauncey was named in honor of Commodore Isaac Chauncey (1772-1840), a hero of the War of 1812, whose Naval service extended from 1798 to 1840.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Chauncey (DD-296).
For more pictures of USS Chauncey, taken after her
loss, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 55094 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 8 July 1919. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55095 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296) Photographed circa 1919. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69510 USS Birmingham (CL-2) Leading destroyers out of a West Coast harbor (probably San Diego), circa 1919-1922. The ships directly behind her are USS Twiggs (DD-127) and USS Chauncey (DD-296). Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1979. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 102784-A Destroyers at San Diego, California, circa December 1919 These ships are, from left to right: All were members of the 22nd Destroyer Division except Chauncey, which was then the only active member of the 32nd Destroyer Division. Note "Merry Christmas" sign and Christmas tree atop Renshaw's pilothouse. This image is copied from the original print for Photo # NH 102784. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69935 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296), Commander William A. Glassford, Jr., ship's Commanding Officer and Commander Destroyer Division 32 (seated, center) with Chauncey's Officers and Chief Petty Officers, while she was at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. Among those seated are (from left to right): Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas C. Macklin -- tentative identification; Lieutenant Allan P. Flagg; Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Ingraham, Executive Officer; Commander Glassford; unidentified Lieutenant; an Ensign (probably either Philip M. Fisher, Jr.; Walter A. Keller; or William R. Schimmeyer); and Gunner Joseph R. Ross -- tentative identification. Note the coarse canvas deck covering, and the supporting framework for the ship's foredeck awning. Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 143KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69936 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296), Commander William A. Glassford, Jr., ship's Commanding Officer and Commander Destroyer Division 32 (seated, center) with Chauncey's Officers and Chief Petty Officers, while she was at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. Among those seated are (from left to right): Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas C. Macklin -- tentative identification; Lieutenant Allan P. Flagg; Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Ingraham, Executive Officer; Commander Glassford; unidentified Lieutenant; an Ensign (probably either Philip M. Fisher, Jr.; Walter A. Keller; or William R. Schimmeyer); and Gunner Joseph R. Ross -- tentative identification. Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 137KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69934 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296), Commander William A. Glassford, Jr., ship's Commanding Officer and Commander Destroyer Division 32 (seated, center) with Chauncey's officers, while she was at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. Among the others present are: Lieutenant Commander Charles H. Ingraham, Executive Officer (seated, left); Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas C. Macklin (standing, left) -- tentative identification; Lieutenant Allan P. Flagg (standing, 2nd from left); Gunner Joseph R. Ross (standing, right) -- tentative identification. Note that these men are wearing both the old and new style uniforms. Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69933 Commander William A. Glassford, Jr., USN, Commanding Officer of USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296) and Commander Destroyer Division 32 On board his ship, at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. Note the World War I service chevrons on his uniform sleeve. Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69933-A Commander William A. Glassford, Jr., USN, Commanding Officer of USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296) and Commander Destroyer Division 32 Stands by the steering wheel in his ship's pilot house, at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. Note his binoculars and the World War I service chevrons on his uniform sleeve. Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 77KB; 575 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 57621 USS Anthony (Destroyer # 172) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 27 June 1919, eight days after she went into commission. She is moored outboard of USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 85KB; 610 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69803 USS Chauncey (Destroyer # 296) Fitting out in Drydock # 3 at Hunters Point, San Francisco, California, on 14 October 1918. She had been launched a few weeks earlier. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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For more pictures of USS Chauncey, taken after her
loss, see:
For a portrait of Commodore Isaac Chauncey that was presented to USS Chauncey (DD-296) by artist Albert Rosenthal in 1920, see: Photo # NH 51626.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 19 July 2002
New image added 14 March 2005