Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 84821:  Destroyers Chauncey, Young, Woodbury and Fuller wrecked at Honda Point, California, September 1923

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1920s -- 1923

Honda Point Disaster, 8 September 1923 --
Surface Views of the Southern Wrecks

For the hundreds of shipwrecked crewmen on board the seven destroyers, the immediate situation ranged from uncomfortable to nearly catastrophic. Nobody knew where they were, the best estimate being San Miguel island, on the other side of the Santa Barbara Channel entrance, and everyone was stunned by the suddenness of the calamity. Off-duty Sailors came topsides ill-dressed for what awaited them: chilly air, damp fog and drenching waves breaking over the ships. Oil, released from punctured fuel tanks, added to the misery, and to the danger. Most ships' boiler and machinery spaces were flooded, extinguishing all electrical power. Darkness thus dominated nearly the entire area. Fortunately, disciplined crews were able to release steam before they abandoned their posts, preventing boiler explosions from compounding the tragedy.

On board Young, many men were swept away as the ship rolled over. Some were rescued or landed alive further down the coast, but twenty died in the water. With only inches of freeboard, waves easily swept over the wreck, threatening the rest of her crew as they clung to the now-horizontal port side, holding on to portholes broken open for the purpose or lashed to deck edge fittings. A particular terror was the sight of the oncoming Chauncey, seemingly bound for a collision. However, she went aground nearby, put her crew ashore with relative ease and soon became a route to safety for Young's survivors. In a heroic swim, Chief Boatswain's Mate Arthur Peterson carried a line from Young to Chauncey's stern. One of the latter's life rafts was then pulled back to the capsized destroyer, and some two-and-a-half hours after she was wrecked, all the men on Young had been brought over.

Woodbury, the only ship that retained power for more than a brief time, was firmly stuck near a little offshore islet. As a precaution, few men and a line were sent there while the ship tried to back free. Following over an hour of fruitless effort, her Captain decided to abandon ship, and the remainder of his crew hauled themselves along the line to the uncomfortable security of the islet, which was soon rechristened "Woodbury Rock".

Settling fast on that rock's outskirts, Fuller tried to send a whaleboat, and later a rubber raft, to rig a line between her bow and Woodbury, but this proved impossibile. Swimmers finally established a connection to the as yet unchristened Woodbury Rock, to be followed by the rest of those on board Fuller. There they joined the Woodbury Sailors in trying to keep warm. All were rescued the next morning, most by the Santa Barbara fishing boat Bueno Amor de Roma.

This page features all the surface views we have of wrecked destroyers on the southern side of Honda Point, California, soon after they went aground on 8 September 1923.

For more images related to the September 1923 Honda Point Disaster, see:

  • Honda Point Disaster, 8 September 1923.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 84819

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    In the foreground is USS Delphy (DD-261), which has broken in two, with her forward section capsized to port. At left, behind the rocky outcropping, is the stern of USS Chauncey (DD-296). USS Young (DD-312) is capsized to starboard, astern of Chauncey. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island, with USS Fuller (DD-297) beyond her.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 535 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 86413

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog.
    In the foreground is USS Delphy (DD-261), which has broken in two, with her forward section capsized to port. USS Young (DD-312) is capsized to starboard, astern of Delphy. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island, with USS Fuller (DD-297) faintly visible beyond her.

    Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 470 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 86415

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog.
    In the foreground is USS Delphy (DD-261), which has broken in two, with her forward section capsized to port. USS Young (DD-312) is capsized to starboard, astern of Delphy. Barely visible at left is the stern of USS Chauncey (DD-296). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is in the center distance heeled with her bow near a small rock island. USS Fuller (DD-297) is visible beyond her.
    Note the salvage ship in the left distance.

    Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69508

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers at Honda Point, California, shortly after they went ashore in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    USS Delphy (DD-261) is in the foreground, capsized and broken in two. In the middle, also capsized, is USS Young (DD-312). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is faintly visible in the upper right. At left, behind the rocks, is the stern of USS Chauncey (DD-296).

    Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1979.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42172

    Honda Point disaster, September 1923


    Ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven wrecked on the California coast, near the northern entrance of the Santa Barbara Channel, shortly after they ran aground in the fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    USS Delphy (DD-261) is in the foreground, capsized. Beyond her, also capsized, is USS Young (DD-312). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is on the rocks in the middle distance, with USS Fuller (DD-297) partially visible beyond her.

    Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 440 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42173

    Honda Point disaster, September 1923


    Ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven wrecked on the California coast, near the northern entrance of the Santa Barbara Channel, shortly after they ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923.
    The stern of USS Delphy (DD-261) is in the right foreground. At left is USS Chauncey (DD-296). Beyond her stern is the capsized USS Young (DD-312). USS Woodbury (DD-309) is on the rocks in the upper right, with USS Fuller (DD-297) partially visible behind her.

    Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84822

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    In the foreground is USS Chauncey (DD-296), with USS Young (DD-312) capsized astern. USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the center distance, with USS Fuller (DD-297) faintly visible behind her.
    Note the people on the rocky point at right.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 515 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 86411

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a heavy fog.
    USS Chauncey (DD-296) is in the foreground, with USS Young (DD-312) capsized behind her. USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the center distance. USS Fuller (DD-297) is partially visible behind the rocks further to the left.

    Collection of Edward C. Knapp, Sr., courtesy of John E. Knapp, 1978.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84821

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    In the foreground is USS Chauncey (DD-296), with life rafts in the water alongside. USS Young (DD-312) is capsized astern of Chauncey. In the distance is USS Woodbury (DD-309), heeled to port with her bow near a small rock island. USS Fuller (DD-297) is barely visible behind that island.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84824

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    At right, near shore, is USS Chauncey (DD-296). USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the center distance. USS Fuller (DD-297) is barely visible behind the rocks further to the left.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 510 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 84823

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Wrecked destroyers on Honda Point, California, soon after the night of 8 September 1923, when they went ashore in a fog.
    At right, near shore, is USS Chauncey (DD-296), with USS Young (DD-312) capsized behind her. USS Woodbury (DD-309) in the left center distance. USS Fuller (DD-297) is behind the rocks further to the left.
    Photograph by Aston.

    Donation of Captain George M. Grening, USN (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     

    For more images related to the September 1923 Honda Point Disaster, see:

  • Honda Point Disaster, 8 September 1923.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 14 July 2002
    Text added 27 July 2002