USS Walker, a 1060-ton Little class destroyer, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts, as part of the massive World War I ship construction program. Commissioned at the end of January 1919, nearly three months after the fighting had ended, she operated in the Atlantic and Caribbean until mid-year and was then transferred to the Pacific. Walker served in West Coast waters until June 1922, when she was decommissioned at San Diego, California.
In March 1938, following nearly sixteen years in reserve, Walker was stricken and prepared for disposal. However, she was reinstated on the Navy list and, in April 1939, redesignated YW-57. While undergoing conversion to a water barge her mission was changed to that of damage control hulk and, in July 1940 she was renamed DCH-1 (later receiving the designation IX-44). The vessel was employed at San Diego until December 1941, when she was scuttled at sea.
This page features all the views we have concerning USS Walker (Destroyer # 163, later DD-163).
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.
In addition to the views referenced above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other photograph of USS Walker (DD-163). The following listing describes 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".
USS Walker (DD-163) underway, circa 1919-1922. Port bow surface view (relatively tight on the bow), showing the ship in essentially "as built" configuration, with open sides on her midships deckhouse and the after 4"/50 gun on the fantail. The extreme tip of her bow has been cropped off the left edge of the image.
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 above 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". |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 10 March 2004