 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Namesake | Henry H. Bell |
| Builder | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,Fore River Shipyard,Quincy, Massachusetts |
| Cost | $1,369,775.92 (hull and machinery)[1] |
| Laid down | 16 November 1917 |
| Launched | 20 April 1918 |
| Commissioned | 31 July 1918 |
| Decommissioned | 21 June 1922 |
| Stricken | 25 January 1937 |
| Fate | Sold, 18 April 1939 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Wickes-classdestroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 314 ft 4 in (95.8 m) |
| Beam | 30 ft 11 in (9.42 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 10 in (3.0 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2steam turbines |
| Speed | 35knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) (design) |
| Range | 2,500nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (design) |
| Complement | 6 officers, 108 enlisted men |
| Armament |
|
USSBell (DD-95) was aWickes-classdestroyer built for theUnited States Navy during World War I.
TheWickes class was an improved and faster version of the precedingCaldwell-class. Two different designs were prepared to the same specification that mainly differed in the turbines and boilers used. The ships built to theBethlehem Steel design, built in the Fore River and Union Iron Worksshipyards, mostly usedYarrow boilers that deteriorated badly during service and were mostly scrapped during the 1930s.[2] The ships displaced 1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) atstandard load and 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) atdeep load. They had anoverall length of 314 feet 4 inches (95.8 m), abeam of 30 feet 11 inches (9.4 m) and adraught of 9 feet 10 inches (3.0 m). They had a crew of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.[3]
Performance differed radically between the ships of the class, often due to poor workmanship. TheWickes class was powered by twosteam turbines, each driving onepropeller shaft, using steam provided by fourwater-tube boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35knots (65 km/h; 40 mph). The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) offuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2,500nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[4]
The ships were armed with four4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts and were fitted with two1-pounder guns for anti-aircraft defense. Their primary weapon, though, was their torpedobattery of a dozen21 inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. In many ships a shortage of 1-pounders caused them to be replaced by 3-inch (76 mm)anti-aircraft (AA) guns.[2] They also carried a pair ofdepth charge rails. A "Y-gun" depth charge thrower was added to many ships.[5]
Bell, named for Rear AdmiralHenry H. Bell, was launched 20 April 1918 byBethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,Fore River Shipyard,Quincy, Massachusetts; sponsored by Mrs. Josephus Daniels, wife of theSecretary of the Navy,Josephus Daniels, and commissioned 31 July 1918.
On 5 August 1918 she damaged the steamlighterCornelia in a collision.Cornelia had to be beached on Deer Island, in the harbor atBoston, Massachusetts.[6]From August to November 1918Bell convoyed troop ships across the NorthAtlantic and in December formed part of the escort forGeorge Washington carrying PresidentWoodrow Wilson fromNew York toBrest,France.Bell continued serving with theAtlantic Fleet until placed in reserve in June 1920. She was decommissioned atPortsmouth Navy Yard 21 June 1922.Bell remained out of commission until August 1936 when she was declared in excess of the limits imposed by theLondon Naval Treaty of 1930 and reduced to a hulk. She was subsequently sold.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
