USS Palmer, a 1060-ton Little class destroyer built at Quincy, Massachusetts, was commissioned in November 1918, shortly after the Armistice had ended World War I's fighting. She operated in the Atlantic into 1919, then joined the Pacific Fleet. In May 1922, after three and a half years of active service, Palmer was decommissioned. She was laid up at San Diego, California, for nearly two decades until recommissioned in August 1940 as part of the Nation's response to the outbreak of World War II.
Converted to a fast minesweeper and redesignated DMS-5 later in that year, Palmer returned to the Atlantic to begin minesweeping and escort duties that would keep her occupied for the next three years. In November 1942 she participated in the invasion of Morocco. She was transferred back to the Pacific in time to take part in the assault on the Marshall Islands in late January and February 1944. Palmer's assignments also included escorting shipping between Hawaii and the central Pacific. In mid-year she supported the invasions of Saipan and Guam and, during the October 1944 landings on Leyte, she performed minesweeping and escort missions.
In early 1945 Palmer was part of the fleet that brought American ground forces to begin the reconquest of Luzon. On 7 January, while engaged in mine clearance operations in Lingayen Gulf, she was damaged by an explosion. That evening she was attacked by a Japanese aircraft. Hit by two bombs, USS Palmer sank quickly, with the loss of 28 of her crew.
This page features all the views we have related to USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161, later DD-161 and DMS-5).
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 1038 USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161) Underway at high speed, probably during her trials, circa late 1918. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 42994 USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161) Underway, 26 February 1919. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 515 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 50015 USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161) At Boston, Massachusetts, 12 April 1919. The bow of USS Cowell (DD-167) is at right. Panogramic photograph by J. Crosby, Naval Photographer, # 11 Portland Street, Boston. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 900 x 335 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99159 USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161) In a harbor, circa 1919. Courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 450 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 42995 USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161, later DD-161) Photographed from the air while underway, circa 1919-1921. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 95792 Trans-Atlantic Flight of the "NC" Aircraft, May 1919 Diagram of the third leg of the flight of the NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4 aircraft, between Trepassy Bay, Newfoundland, and the Azores, during 16 May to 20 May 1919. It also shows the positions of the 21 U.S. Navy destroyers stationed along the way. Printed by the Matthews-Northrup Works, Buffalo, New York. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 109KB; 900 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 42539 "Red Lead Row", San Diego Destroyer Base, California Photographed at the end of 1922, with at least 65 destroyers tied up there. Many of the ships present are identified in Photo # NH 42539 (complete caption). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 159KB; 740 x 515 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69513 Destroyers laid up in reserve At San Diego, California, probably in 1922 or shortly thereafter. Ships nearest the camera are: USS Palmer (DD-161), in left center; USS Crane (DD-109), in right center; and USS Stansbury (DD-180), at right. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99158 Mrs. Robert B. Hilliard (Grace Powell), Wife of Naval Constructor Robert B. Hilliard, USN, and Sponsor of USS Palmer (Destroyer # 161) With her party during Palmer's launching ceremonies, at the Fore River shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, 18 August 1918. Collection of the Society of Sponsors of the U.S. Navy. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 540 pixels |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Palmer (DMS-5). 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."
USS Palmer (DMS-5) underway at low speed near Norfolk, Virginia, 20 September 1943. Taken from an aircraft based as Naval Air Station Norfolk. Port broadside aerial view. As 80-G-83420, but somewhat more distant and a little more toward the bow. Land is visible a few hundred yards away. As 80-G-83420, but starboard bow aerial view. As 80-G-83420, but port quarter (rather tight on the stern) aerial view, with a tug against Palmer's port side. As 80-G-83420, but starboard bow (rather tight on the bow) high aerial view. A tug is approaching from off Palmer's port quarter. As 80-G-83420, but starboard broadside aerial view (rather toward the stern). As 80-G-83420, but very high aerial view taken from over Palmer's port quarter. View essentially looks down on the ship.
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." |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 10 March 2004