Downes (FF 1070) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE MAN . . . USS DOWNES (FF-1070) is the third ship of the fleet to be named in honor of Captain John Downes, USN. JOHN DOWNES, born in 1786 in Canton, Massachusetts, served as acting midshipman from 9 September 1800 and was appointed midshipman 1 June 1802. He rendered distinguished service during the War with Tripoli in 1804 in frigates CONGRESS, and was executive officer for Captain David Porter in ESSEX during the War of 1812. He commanded EPERVIER, GUERRIERE, ONTARIO and INDEPENDENCE, and the Boston Navy Yard and was Commodore of the Pacific and Mediterranean Squadrons. Captain Downes died at Charleston, Massachusetts, 1 1 August 1854.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS DOWNES HISTORY 2 COMMANDING OFFICER 8 EXECUTIVE OFFICER 10 DESRON 23 12 ENGINEERING 14 WEAPONS 24 OPERATIONS 32 NAVIGATION 40 X DIVISION 42 SUPPLY 44 AIR DETACHMENT 48 ESWS QUALIFICATIONS 50 AWARDS AND REENLISTMENTS 53 DOWNES ' OLD TIMERS 56 REPLENISHMENTS AT SEA 58 JAPAN 60 KOREA 68 HONG KONG 72 PHILIPPINES 76 SPORTS OVERSEAS 80 TIGER CRUISE 84 RUSSIAN SUBS 88 SAN DIEGO 90 PRODUCTION STAFF

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THE SHIPS . . . The first DOWNES (DD-45) was built by the New York Shipbuilding Company of Camden, New Jersey. Her keel was laid 27 June 1912, and she was launched 8 November 1913, under the sponsorship of Mrs. M. H. Simons, great grand daughter of Captain Downes. She was commissioned 11 February 1915, Lieutenant Commander A. W. Johnson in command. DOWNES (DD-45) had a length overall of 305 feet, 3 inches; extreme beam of 31 feet, 1 inch; normal displacement of 1,072 tons; mean draft 9 feet, 3 inches; designed speed of 29 knots; and a designed complement of 4 officers and 93 men. Her initial armament was four 4-inch .50 caliber guns, and eight 18-inch torpedo tubes. DOWNES conducted her shakedown off New York and in Chesapeake Bay, then returned to Philadelphia Navy Yard where she was placed in ordinary from 4 October 1915 to 26 May 1917 for the construction and installation of new machinery by the contractor. Fitted out for distant service, she sailed from New York 18 October 1917 for Davenport, England, arriving 7 November. DOWNES was based at Queenstown, Ireland, from 17 November 1917 to 5 December 1918 and operated on convoy escort inbound to British ports, across the channel, and outbound to rendezvous with the ocean escorts. She patrolled against submarines off the Irish coast making numerous attacks with no sure results and with other destroyers aided distressed ships. On two occasions her efficiency won commendations from the British Admiralty, once for her protection of the torpedoed MANLEY (DD-74) and again for the rescue and salvage of the British submarine HMS Z-51.