Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War

United States Navy — Destroyer

USS Clemson (DD-186) — service history

This is the full service history. For the vessel's particulars, photograph and specifications, see the entry.

In the words of the US Navy. The account below is reproduced verbatim from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command — a work of the United States Government, in the public domain, and the only text on this site not written here.

Before commissioning

USS Clemson (DD-186)
Lot 5423-3: Launching of USS Clemson (DD 186) at Newport News, Virginia, September 5, 1918. This ship was sponsored by Miss M.C. Daniels. A veteran of World War II, she was decommissioned in October 1945 and sold a year later. Collection of Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels. (7/24/2015). National Museum of the U.S. Navy — Lot 5423-3 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Henry A. Clemson was born in New Jersey in 1820 and was appointed a midshipman in 1836. He served in St. Mary's and Somers during the Mexican War. Passed Midshipman Clemson was drowned 8 December 1846 when Somers capsized off Vera Cruz.

Great War and before

1918

Clemson (Destroyer No. 186) was launched 5 September 1918 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va.; sponsored by Miss M. C. Daniels; and commissioned 29 December 1919, Lieutenant Commander G. C. Dichman in command.

Interwar 1919–1938

1920

Clemson cruised in east coast and Cuban waters until placed in reserve with 50 percent complement at Norfolk Navy Yard 13 June 1920. She lay there and later at Charleston and Boston Navy Yards until she sailed to Philadelphia Navy Yard where she was decommissioned 30 June 1922.

Second World War 1939–1945

1939

Reclassified AVP-17, 15 November 1939, and converted into a small aircraft tender, Clemson was recommissioned 12 July 1940. On 6 August she was again reclassified, becoming AVD-4, and on 18 August reported to Commander, Aircraft, Scouting Force, Atlantic Fleet at Norfolk. From 29 August 1940 to 28 November 1941 she tended patrol planes in the Caribbean and at the Galapagos Islands. Clemson then sailed south arriving at Recife, Brazil, 6 December. She remained on the coast of Brazil until 22 January 1942 when she returned to the Galapagos Islands. For the next year the tender shuttled between there and the Caribbean as her services were required. She returned to Norfolk, Va., 2 March 1943 and then moved to Charleston, S.C., for reconversion to a destroyer (although not reclassified DD-186 until 1 December 1943).

1943 Atlantic

On 30 May 1943 she joined the pioneer American hunter-killer group built around Bogue (CVE-9). Clemson made eight patrols with the group during which it sank eight German submarines, a major contribution to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. Clemson shared in the credit for the sinking of U-17S on 13 December in 26- 19' N., 29- 58' W. After an overhaul at New York early in 1944, she escorted a convoy to Casablanca and back between 25 January and 9 March. Once more Clemson underwent conversion, this time to a high speed transport at Charleston Navy Yard (reclassified APD-31, 7 March 1944).

1944

USS Clemson (DD-186)
The U.S. Navy high speed transport USS Clemson (APD-31) off the Charleston Navy Yard, South Carolina (USA), on 21 April 1944, following conversion from a destroyer (DD-186, ex-AVD-4). The circles mark recent alterations. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 91794 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Clearing Charleston 1 May 1944 the transport reached Pearl Harbor 24 May and embarked Underwater Demolition Team 6. She then sailed westward to act as a mother ship for the UDT as it prepared beaches immediately before the invasions of Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Leyte and Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. While entering the Gulf 5 January 1945, she drove off a Japanese air attack. Clemson escorted convoys to Ulithi, Saipan, and Okinawa before returning to San Pedro, Calif., 6 July. Re-designated DD-186, 17 July, she was still undergoing reconversion when World War II ended. She was decommissioned 12 October 1945 and sold 21 November 1946.

Clemson shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Hague hunter-killer group, and received nine battle stars for World War II service.

Other photographs

Held for this vessel, and not tied to any part of the account above.

USS Clemson (DD-186)
Ten U.S. Navy destroyers fitting out, and other ships awaiting repairs, at the docks of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia (USA), in April 1919. The destroyers are probably USS Haraden (DD-183), USS Abbot (DD-184), USS Bagley (DD-185), USS Clemson (DD-186), USS Dahlgren (DD-187), USS Goldsborough (DD-188), USS Semmes (DD-189), USS Satterlee (DD-190), USS Mason ( Unknown author — U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 42534 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
The U.S. Navy high speed transport USS Clemson (APD-31) off the Charleston Navy Yard, South Carolina (USA), on 21 April 1944, following conversion from a destroyer (DD-186, ex-AVD-4). The circles mark recent alterations. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 91795 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
The U.S. Navy seaplane tender USS Clemson (AVD-4) underway on 20 November 1942. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107289 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Clemson (DD-186) steaming at high speed, probably while running trials in 1919. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 55169 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Clemson (DD-186)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

References

Every work this entry draws on. There are no numbered markers in the text above: what we hold is the provenance of the page — this history, this article, these photographs.

  1. History Clemson (Destroyer No. 186) Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History and Heritage Command. A work of the United States Government, in the public domain — the only text on this site reproduced verbatim.
  2. Facts USS Clemson (DD-186) Structured facts only — dates, dimensions, armament and fate. No wording is taken from it. Harvested 1 August 2026.
  3. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186), circa in 1919 U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo [1] from Navsource.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  4. Photograph USS Clemson (DD 186) launching at Newport News, Virginia, September 5, 1918 (19985028121) National Museum of the U.S. Navy — Lot 5423-3 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  5. Photograph USS Clemson (APD-31) off the Charleston Navy Yard on 21 April 1944 U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 91794 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  6. Photograph Ten U.S. Navy destroyers fitting out at Newport News Shipbuilding, in April 1919 (NH 42534) Unknown author — U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 42534 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  7. Photograph USS Clemson (APD-31) underway on 21 April 1944 U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 91795 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  8. Photograph USS Clemson (AVD-4) underway on 20 November 1942 U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107289 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  9. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186) steaming at high speed c1919 U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 55169 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  10. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 1 - NARA - 109188671 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  11. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 10 - NARA - 109188689 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  12. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 11 - NARA - 109188691 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  13. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 12 - NARA - 109188693 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  14. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 13 - NARA - 109188695 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  15. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 14 - NARA - 109188697 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  16. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 15 - NARA - 109188699 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  17. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 16 - NARA - 109188701 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  18. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 17 - NARA - 109188703 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  19. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 2 - NARA - 109188673 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  20. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 3 - NARA - 109188675 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  21. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 4 - NARA - 109188677 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  22. Photograph USS Clemson (DD-186)- No. 1 Steam Vertical Windlass., Sheet 5 - NARA - 109188679 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons