USS Broome (DD-210)

USS Broome (DD-210) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War operating on convoy escort and other duties off the US East Coast, with rare trips across the Atlantic.

Commissioning Party for
USS Broome

The Broome was named after John Lloyd Broome, the senior Marine officer during the capture of New Orleans and during operations on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. He was killed at Vicksburg.

The Broome was launched by Cramp’s of Philadelphia on 14 May 1919 and commissioned on 31 October 1919. After her shakedown cruise she departed for European waters in May 1920, where she spent most of her time in British and French ports. She also visited Germany, and was photographed passing under the Levensau Bridge on the Kiel Canal in 1920, the site of many similar photographs of Imperial German warships, as well as visiting the Baltic and Mediterranean.

At the end of 1920 the Broome moved east via the Suez canal to join the Asiatic Fleet. She spent two years there before returning to the US late in 1922 where she was decommissioned on 30 December 1922.

The Broome was recommissioned on 5 February 1930, and was posted to the Pacific, where she remained in active service apart from a brief period in reduced commission in 1934. In May 1939 she moved east, and reached Norfolk Navy Yard to begin a prolonged period in the Atlantic.

USS Broome (DD-210), Levensau Bridge, Kiel Canal, 1920

In the immediate aftermath of the outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 the Broome formed part of a nearly created Caribbean Patrol (along with the cruisers Wichita(CA-45) and Vincennes (CA-44)) and the destroyers Borie (DD-215), Lawrence (DD-250), King (DD-242) and Truxtun (DD-229). The patrol spent some time training from Guantanamo Bay. In 1941 she joined Destroyer Division 63 of the Patrol Force, and served with the Neutrality Patrol off the Atlantic Coast. Later in the year she also began to escort convoys between Iceland, which had been taken over by the United States, and the East Coast.

In August 1941 she escorted the Albemarle (AV-5)from Norfolk, Virginia to Argentia, arriving on 16 August.

In October 1941 she was part of the escort of a convoy moving west from the mid-ocean meeting point to Reykjavik (along with the Badger (DD-126), Mayo (DD-422), Babbitt (DD-128) Leary (DD-158) and Schenck (DD-159).

Anyone who served on her between 29 July-13 September 1941 or 28 September-28 October 1941 qualified for the American Defense Service Medal.

One of her commanding officers in 1940-41 was Thomas E. Fraser, lost with the USS Walke (DD-416) on the night of 14-15 November 1942 (Naval battle of Guadalcanal).

From January 1942 until the end of the fighting in Europe in May 1945 the Broome operated in the Atlantic and Caribbean. She carried out a mix of convoy escort duties along the east coast, to Iceland and in Canadian and Carribean waters, as well as patrol and training duties. She also escorted a number of convoys across the Atlantic to North Africa and Britain.

In February 1942 she escorted the carrier USS Wasp (CV-7), along with the Madison (DD-425). The Madison detected an underwater contact, and carried out a depth charge attack before unsuccessfully attempting to regain the target for a day.

On 19 April 1942 she rescued 27 survivors from the Alcoa Guide, which had been sunk by gunfire from U-123 on 16 April. She then took the survivors to Norfolk, Virginia, landing them on 20 April.

At the start of 1942 she was part of Destroyer Division Sixty Three (with the McCormick (DD-223), Simpson (DD-221) and Truxtun (DD-229), part of Destroyer Squadron Thirty One.

In August 1944 she and the Simpson (DD-221) escorted the new cruiser USS Alaska (CB-1) on her was from Philadelphia to Hampton Roads for her shakedown cruiser. In September the same destroyers escorted the new cruiser USS Cheyenne (CL-86) as she returned to Hampton Roads after completing short bombardment exercises off Puetro Rico.

USS Broome (DD-210), c.1919-20

On 4 May 1945 she reached Charleston Navy Yard, where she underwent an overhaul to convert her into an auxiliary ship. On 23 May her designation was changed to AG-96. During this overhall her guns were removed.

On 10 June 1945 the Broome arrived at Guantanomo Bay, where she served with Operational Training Command. She operated from Cuba until December 1945, when she departed for Philadelphia. She was decommissioned on 20 May 1946 and sold on 20 November 1946.

U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann . The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.

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