DD-101


Lansdale I

(DD-101: dp. 1060, L 314'5", b. 31'9"; dr. 8'6", s. 35 k.; cpl. 113; a. 4 4"; 2 1 pdrs., 12 21" tt., 1 dcp.; cl.Wickes )

The first Lansdale (DD-101) was laid down 20.April 1918 by Fore River Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Mass.; Launched 21 July 1918; sponsored by Mrs Ethel S. Lansdale, widow of Lieutenant Lansdale; and commissioned 28 October 1918 at Boston, Comdr. C. W. Margruder in command.

Assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force, Lansdale steamed to Norfolk 4 to 7 November and joined a European bound convoy as escort 12 November. Sailing via the Azores, she reached Gibraltar 26 November for patrol duty in the Mediterranean. Operating out of Gibraltar until January 1919, she made three voyages to Tangier, Morocco, and one to Algiers, Algeria. Steaming to Venice, 4 to 13 January, she joined the U.S. Naval Force operating the eastern Mediterranean. She performed dispatch duty in the Adriatic Sea, principally between Venice and the ports of Austria and Dalmatia. Departing Spalato, Dalmatia, 10 June, she steamed to Gibraltar and the Azores and reached New York 22 June.

During the next year Lansdale operated along the Atlantic coast with Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet. Arriving Philadelphia 11 July 1920, she was converted to a light minelayer and reclassified DM-6. She steamed to Newport R I., 2 to 3 June 1921; joined the Mine Force, Atlantic Fleet 5 July to Gloucester, Mass., and until late October practiced laying mines of the New England and Virginia coast. After overhaul at Boston, she steamed to Guantanamo Bay 4 to 9 January 1922 for maneuvers, mining exercises, and war games in the West Indies with Mine Squadron 1. Departing Culebra island 19 April, she arrived Philadelphia 25 April and decommissioned 25 June.

Lansdale recommissioned 1 May 1930 at Philadelphia, Comdr. Frank R. Berg in command. She joined Mine Squadron 1 at Yorktown 17 May; engaged in mining and tactical exercises along the eastern seaboard; then arrived New London, Conn., 30 September to serve as target ship tor submarines. She departed 12 November, and after visiting Boston, she arrived Philadelphia 22 December Remaining there, Lansdale decommissioned 24 March 1931. On 28 December 193ff she was reduced to a hulk for disposal in accordance with the London Treaty for limitation and reduction of naval armaments. Her name was struck from the Naval Register 25 January 1937, and she was sold off March 1939 to Union Shipbuilding Co., Baltimore, Md.