|
Paul Jones (DD-10), the second
ship so named, was laid down 20 April 1899 by the Union Iron
Works, San Francisco Calif.; launched 14 June 1902, sponsored by
Mrs. Elizabeth Goldsborough Adams; and commissioned 19 July 1902,
Lt. R. F. Gross in command.
Originally built as a torpedo boat destroyer, Paul Jones served in
the Pacific Fleet, home ported at San Francisco. A unit of the
Pacific Torpedo Fleet, she was at San Francisco at the beginning
of World War I.
Paul Jones sailed 23 April 1917 for Norfolk, Va. via San Diego,
Acapulco, the Canal Zone and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, arriving 3
August. On 4 August she took station off the York River on patrol
assignment until joining Duncan (No. 46), Henley (No. 39),
Truxtun (No. 14), Stewart (No. 13), Preble (No. 12), Hull (No. 7),
Macdonough (No. 9) and Hopkins (No. 6) as escorts for Battleship
Force Atlantic on 13 August for passage to Bermuda and New York.
Paul Jones departed the Brooklyn Navy Yard 24 August and reported
to Newport where she began a series of convoy patrols up and down
the coast and returning to Newport 24 September. She then
commenced training operations, in conjunction with other duties,
off Norfolk, Lynnhaven Roads and Chesapeake Bay prior to
reporting to Philadelphia 20 December.
On 15 January 1918, in company with Stewart, Hopkins and Worden
(No. 16), Paul Jones sailed for the Azores by way of Bermuda.
After departing Bermuda she had to request permission to turn
back due to a serious leak in her port after bunker. From 23-26
January Paul Jones' crew struggled magnificently against great
odds and succeeded in saving the ship from sinking. Wallowing in
stormy seas with her after fire room flooded, barely able to
maintain headway, losing all drinking and feed water and steaming
under two boilers with salt feed, manning bucket brigades for lack
of operable pumps, and receiving no answers to her distress
signals, she finally sighted a light off David's Head, Bermuda,
signaled the fort for assistance and dropped her anchor.
Paul Jones had an exhausted but very happy crew. She remained at
Bermuda until 22 February for repairs and then sailed for
Philadelphia escorted by Mars (AC-6) arriving 25 February.
Following permanent repair at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Paul
Jones reported to Fortress Monroe, VA 18 April and performed
various duties in and around Chesapeake Bay until 6 August.
The highlight of Paul Jones' career came on 2 July when Henderson
(ID-1) was afire in the Atlantic north of Bermuda and east of
Virginia. Paul Jones made four trips from the burning ship to Von
Steuben (ID-3017) saving 1,250 Marines and officers together with
over 50 tons of luggage. The next day she accompanied Henderson to
Delaware Breakwater.
While in convoy 7 August at sea, Paul Jones with several other
ships in her group mistook the U.S. submarine O-6 (SS-67) for an
enemy submarine and fired upon her. The submarine was struck seven
times in the conning tower before the mistake was apparent. Paul
Jones escorted the damaged submarine to Delaware Bay, and arrived
at the breakwater the following day.
Paul Jones reported at Hampton Roads 9 August and remained in and
around Chesapeake Bay conducting mine patrols, convoy duties and
other services until slated for inactivation 31 January 1919. She
decommissioned 29 July 1919; was struck from the Naval Vessel
Register 15 September 1919; and was sold 3 January 1920 to Joseph
G. Hitner Philadelphia, PA, who subsequently scrapped her.
|
