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USS John D. Ford (DD-228)

1920 WORLD WAR 2

History of the USS John D. Ford (DD-228)

The United States Navy (USN) large Clemson-class destroyer fleet was built during World War I (1914-1918), which began in 1918, and by 1922, approximately 156 of the 162 ships planned for construction Ship has been completed. The ships served until 1948, covered combat operations during World War II (1939-1945), and fought under the flags of several countries including the Royal Navy, Canadian Navy and Soviet Navy.

In the end, 20 classes were lost, and 6 classes were canceled before they could be realized.

USS John D. Ford (DD-228) became one of the Clemson-class ships, built on November 11, 1919 by William Cramp & Sons. By this time, World War I had ended with the armistice in November 1918, but Clemson-class ships were still built. Introduced on September 2, 1920, the Ford officially entered service with the U.S.

Navy on December 30 of that year.

The shape of the Ford corresponds to the American destroyer design of the late 1910s. She carried several (four) funnels in a row amidships, keeping the bridge superstructure forward. Her hull is sleek and sleek, designed for blue water service. The two main masts make up the tallest part of her profile. Primary armament consisted of 12 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes supported by 4 x 4 in (102 mm) deck guns.

Carry a 3" (76 mm) gun for anti-aircraft, as well as two medium .30 caliber machine guns. With her heavy torpedo armament, Ford can "spread" surface targets, reducing the chance of the target being hit and dodging all torpedoes.

Internally, the Ford is powered by 4 boiler units to 2 geared steam turbines producing 27,600 hp on 2 axles. Performance specifications include a top speed of 35.5 knots and a range of up to 4,900 nautical miles. The crew usually consists of eight officers, eight corporals and up to 106 soldiers.

Her trials took place in New England waters, and crew training followed in the Caribbean. From there, she served in the Asian Fleet and traveled to the Far East via the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal, mainly from Manila in the Philippines.

Some of the ship's initial operations focused on helping Americans in China, where civil unrest threatened civilization.

The December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii sparked the U.S. commitment to World War II. Ford survived the first Japanese air raid on Manila and became part of her wartime career at the Far East Theater.

She participated in a destroyer-led torpedo attack on Japanese ships in Balikpapan, sinking four enemies.

On February 27, 1942, the Naval Battle of the Java Sea was fought between the combined fleets of the United States, Britain, Australia, and the Netherlands against the Japanese Empire. Ford survived the operation, but the battle was a victory for the Japanese.

Three Allied destroyers, two light cruisers, and one heavy cruiser were killed along with 2,300 men. The Japanese reduced one destroyer and 36 men.

After arriving in Australian waters, the Ford was part of the destroyer force, tasked with patrolling and escort escort missions. After a few months in the role, she assumed escort missions from the coast of California to Pearl Harbor, returning to California in May 1943 for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises.

From there, Ford was sent to the Atlantic, where she would build the second half of her career. In January 1944, her patrol took her across the Atlantic, where the warship helped sink the German submarine U-544 near the Azores.

Her next trip took her to Mediterranean waters, where she acted as a deterrent to looting German U-boats. However, a collision with a British vessel in March (near Gibraltar) forced her to return to Norfolk, Virginia. After the repairs, she continued her business in the Atlantic.

In July 1945, the Ford was renamed "AG-119" and was classified as a miscellaneous auxiliary warship. After the war, the warship returned to Norfolk in September and was decommissioned on 2 November 1945. After losing its wartime use, its hull was sold in October 1947.

The USS John D. Ford was awarded four Battle Stars for her service in World War II. Her namesake is Rear Admiral John Donaldson Ford (1840-1918), a veteran of the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War.