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Photo # NH 53956:  USS Fuller, photographed circa 1920-1921

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

USS Fuller (DD-297), 1920-1923

USS Fuller was a 1190-ton Clemson class destroyer built at San Francisco, California. Following commissioning in February 1920, she made a cruise to Hawaii and was thereafter based at San Diego, California. She deployed to Panama in February and March 1923 to participate in major U.S. Fleet maneuvers, but her other operations took place along the U.S. West Coast.

On the night of 8 September 1923, Fuller was one of a column of fourteen destroyers steaming from San Francisco, California, south towards San Diego when an error in navigation caused them to turn prematurely eastward. In the resulting Honda Point disaster, seven of the destroyers ran aground on the rugged California coast. Fuller struck a rocky islet just offshore and was a total loss. With great difficulty, her crew abandoned ship to seek shelter on the small island, from which they were subsequently rescued by boats from other Navy and civilian ships.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Fuller (DD-297).

For more pictures of USS Fuller's wreck, see:

  • USS Fuller (DD-297) -- Wrecked at Point Honda, September 1923 (additional views).


    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 53956

    USS Fuller
    (DD-297)

    Photographed circa 1920-1921.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67740

    USS Fuller
    (DD-297)

    Underway, circa the early 1920s.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66724

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view taken from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3), soon after seven ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven ran aground on Honda Point, California, during the night of 8 September 1923.
    Point Arguello and its lighthouse are in the foreground. Some of the stranded ships are visible in the distance. Those identifiable are:
    USS Fuller (DD-297) in the upper right, just to left of a small rock island;
    and USS Young (DD-312), capsized between Fuller and the mainland, in upper right.
    Two salvage ships are standing by, to the left of Fuller.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69587

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking northward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Visible are six of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. They are:
    USS Fuller (DD-297), at left;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309), just ahead of Fuller;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright just ahead of Young;
    USS Nicholas (DD-311), beyond the rocks in the center;
    and USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the small cove between Chauncey and Nicholas.
    The remaining ship, USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), is out of sight behind the rocky point, astern of Nicholas.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 560 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66723

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, showing the seven destroyers that ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3).
    Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the left center;
    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas;
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in small cove (center);
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297), closest to the camera.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66721

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, showing all seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3).
    Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the upper left;
    USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas;
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the left center;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297), in the lower center.
    The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper left.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 113KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 66722

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the southern part of the disaster area, showing five of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships visible are:
    USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the small cove at left;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized in left center;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the right center;
    and USS Fuller (DD-297) on the rocks at right.
    The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper middle.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69585

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking westward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Visible are five of the seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. They are:
    USS Fuller (DD-297), beyond the small rock island in the center;
    USS Woodbury (DD-309), just ahead of Fuller;
    USS Chauncey (DD-296), closest to the camera;
    USS Young (DD-312), capsized astern of Chauncey;
    and USS Delphy (DD-261), barely visible, capsized just beyond the coast at right.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69586

    Honda Point Disaster, September 1923


    Aerial view of the disaster area, looking westward, seen from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). USS Fuller (DD-297) is in the center, with her bow toward the camera.
    Nearer, and listing to port, is USS Woodbury (DD-309).
    Note the oil in the water from these two ships, and from others that were wrecked at the same time.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of USS Fuller (DD-297). The following list features this image:

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



  • Photo #: 80-G-1038544
    USS Fuller (DD-297) underway at very low speed during the early 1920s.
    Port bow surface view.


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

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

  • For more pictures of USS Fuller's wreck, see:

  • USS Fuller (DD-297) -- Wrecked at Point Honda, September 1923 (additional views).


    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 12 July 2002
    New images added 20 March 2004