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 54693:  USS Dent at anchor, 27 December 1918

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

USS Dent (Destroyer # 116, later DD-116, and APD-9), 1918-1946

USS Dent, a 1090-ton Wickes class destroyer, was built at Camden, New Jersey. She was commissioned in September 1918, and escorted a convoy to Ireland before World War I ended two months later. In May 1919 she was one of a large number of destroyers that were stationed in a line across the Atlantic to support the trans-oceanic flight of the Navy's NC flying boats. Dent went to the Pacific in July 1919 and operated there for nearly three years before decommissioning at San Diego, California, in June 1922. Recommissioned in May 1930, Dent operated with the U.S. Fleet and carried out training missions from then until the beginning of the Pacific War in December 1941. During this time she was primarily active along the West Coast and in Hawaiian waters, but served briefly in the Atlantic and Caribbean in 1934.

During the first month of the war against Japan Dent escorted the aircraft carrier Saratoga to Hawaii. She then operated on convoy and anti-submarine training duty off the West Coast until late April 1942, when she went to the North Pacific to assist in the defense of Alaska. The destroyer steamed to Seattle, Washington, in January 1943 and was there converted to a high-speed transport, receiving the new designation APD-9.

The newly reconfigured Dent arrived in the south Pacific war zone in April 1943 and was soon involved in the campaign to seize bases in the Central Solomons. Between June and December 1943 she participated in landings at New Georgia, Rendova, Vella Lavella and Bougainville. Amphibious operations against Emirau Island and Aitape, New Guinea, followed in March and April 1944. During the Marianas invasion of June and July 1944 Dent supported an underwater demolition team and escorted shipping. In November 1944 she became part of the Pacific Fleet's Amphibious Training Force, remaining in that assignment until after the war's end. USS Dent was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1945 and was decommissioned there in December. She was sold for scrapping in June 1946.

USS Dent was named in honor of Captain John H. Dent (1782-1823), an officer of the early United States Navy.

This page features, or provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Dent (Destroyer # 116, later DD-116, and APD-9).

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Dent (Destroyer # 116, later DD-116) -- Actions and Activities.


    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 54693

    USS Dent
    (Destroyer # 116)

    At anchor, probably in New York Harbor, 27 December 1918.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 54694

    USS Dent
    (Destroyer # 116)

    In harbor, probably at New York, 27 December 1918.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 54695

    USS Dent
    (Destroyer # 116)

    In harbor, probably at New York, 27 December 1918.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69329

    USS Dent (DD-116)


    Off San Diego, California, circa the early 1920s.
    Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego.

    Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 515 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 54696

    USS Dent (DD-116)


    Underway in February 1921.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 133KB; 740 x 595 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 52485

    USS Dent (DD-116)


    Underway at sea, 1934.
    Taken by Chief Photographer's Mate Carl August Stahl, USN.

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

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-258922

    USS Dent (APD-9)


    Underway in Tulagi harbor, Solomon Islands, on 25 July 1943.
    In the left background is USS Honolulu (CL-48), which was damaged by Japanese torpedoes during the Battle of Kolombangara on 13 July 1943.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 590 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     


    USS Dent (DD-116) is seen in the background of the following view of the radio-controlled target ship Stoddert:

    Photo #: NH 42017

    USS Stoddert (DD-302)
    (left)

    Operating under radio command, circa 1931, following conversion to a target ship. Her control ship, USS Dent (DD-116), is steaming astern.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Dent (Destroyer # 116, later DD-116 and APD-9). The following list features some of these images:

    The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."



  • Photo #: 80-G-1035050
    USS Dent (DD-116) off Madeira, 1934. Photographed by Stahl.
    Port quarter surface view, with the ship at rest or underway at very low speed. She is rolling slightly to starboard.

  • Photo #: 80-G-20643
    USS Dent (DD-116) backing away from dock at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, 14 May 1942.
    Surface view, seen from nearly directly ahead (slightly to starboard), with snow-covered mountains in the background.

  • Photo #: 80-G-455187
    USS Dent (APD-9) underway at 22 knots off Partridge Point, Puget Sound, Washington, 10 March 1943. Photographed by Naval Air Station, Seattle.
    Starboard broadside low aerial view, showing the ship in pattern camouflage.

  • Photo #: 80-G-455188
    As 80-G-455187, but starboard bow low aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-455189
    As 80-G-455187, but starboard quarter low aerial view. Land is visible in the distance.

  • Photo #: 80-G-455190
    As 80-G-455187, but aerial view taken from directly astern.

  • Photo #: 80-G-455191
    As 80-G-455187, but low aerial view taken from almost directly ahead (slightly to starboard).

    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


  • For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Dent (Destroyer # 116, later DD-116) -- Actions and Activities.


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


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 10 September 2002
    New image added 17 September 2002