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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 60479:  USS Colhoun in World War I era camouflage

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85, later DD-85 and APD-2), 1918-1942

USS Colhoun, a 1060-ton Wickes class destroyer, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. Commissioned in June 1918, she escorted Atlantic convoys during most of the remainder of World War I. In November 1918, she was assigned duties in connection with underwater sound experiments and in 1919 operated with the Atlantic Fleet in the Caribbean and off the U.S. east coast. In reduced commission from December 1919, Colhoun was decommissioned in June 1922 and spent the next eighteen years laid up at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

When the expansion of World War II in Europe and growing tension with Japan required enlarging the active fleet, Colhoun was taken to the Norfolk Navy Yard in June 1940 and converted to a high-speed transport. With the new hull number APD-2, she recommissioned in December 1940 for operations and training in the Atlantic and Caribbean in connection with the development of an enhanced amphibious warfare capability.

Colhoun arrived in the south Pacific in July 1942 and helped land U.S. Marines on Tulagi on 7-8 August, at the opening of the long and bloody Guadalcanal Campaign. She continued on transport and patrol service during the first weeks of that operation. On 30 August 1942, while off Guadalcanal, she was targeted by Japanese bombers. Hit several times, USS Colhoun soon sank off Lunga Point with the loss of 51 crewmembers.

This page features all the views we have concerning USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85, later DD-85 and APD-2).


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 60479

USS Colhoun (DD-85)


Wearing World War I era "dazzle" camouflage.
The original print's caption is dated 28 April 1919, which seems rather late for this paint scheme.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 95200

USS Colhoun (DD-85)


Escorting a convoy of troopships, in mid-1918.
The two-stack transport beyond her bow is USS Siboney (ID # 2999).
Photographed by R. Bowman.

Courtesy of Jack L. Howland, 1983.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 460 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 104157

USS Colhoun
(Destroyer # 85)

In port, circa late 1918 or early 1919.
Note her pattern camouflage, and the splinter protection mats hung over the face of her bridge.
The ship partially visible alongside Colhoun's starboard side appears to be USS Alert (1875-1922).

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67715

USS Colhoun (DD-85)


Close-up view of the ship's port side midships area, probably taken in the Azores circa early 1919.
The ship is still painted in World War I "dazzle" camouflage.

Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 69KB; 480 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55255

USS Colhoun (DD-85)


Photographed on 15 November 1919.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97775

USS Colhoun (APD-2)


Photographed while tied up to a mooring bouy, circa early 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97776

USS Colhoun (APD-2)


Photographed in port, circa early 1942, while painted in pattern camouflage.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97777

USS Colhoun (APD-2)


Photographed in port, circa early 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 595 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 43019

Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts


Destroyer hulls on the building ways, 1 October 1917. Those closest to the camera are the future USS Colhoun (DD-85) and Stevens (DD-86), which had builder's numbers 280 and 281. The ships on the left are probably the future USS Sigourney (DD-81) and Gregory (DD-82).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 168KB; 580 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 43022

Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts


Ships fitting out at the Fore River shipyard, 19 March 1918. The six destroyers are Little (DD-79), Kimberly (DD-80), Sigourney (DD-81), Gregory (DD-82), Colhoun (DD-85) and Stevens (DD-86), which had builder's hull numbers 274-277 and 280-281 respectively.
The freighter at right is Katrina Luckenbach, yard hull # 267, which served as USS Katrina Luckenbach in 1918-19. Most of the equipment on the pier is for her.
Note the large submarine being built in the background, under the revolving crane.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 146KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 


In addition to the above images, the following photograph shows what is probably USS Colhoun in the background of a view of another subject:

Photo #: NH 67707

USS Comfort
(hospital ship, later AH-3)

Unloading wounded soldiers in a U.S. port upon returning from France, December 1918.
Note ambulances and railroad car.
Camouflage pattern indicates that the ship partially visible in the background is USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85).

Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 565 pixels

 


Additional image, possibly related to this ship:

Photo # NH 103218 is a drawing of World War I Camouflage Type N-12, Design K which, based on Photo # NH 60479 (shown above), was applied to the starboard side of USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85). Note that, based on Photo #s NH 95200 and NH 67715 (also shown above), Colhoun's port side camouflage pattern differs from that used on USS Robinson (Destroyer # 88), whose starboard side was also painted in Camouflage Type N-12, Design K.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 21 November 2001
New image added 6 December 2006