USS Herbert (DD-160/ APD-22)

USS Herbert (DD-160/ APD-22) was a Wickes class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic, before becoming a fast transport, taking part in the last phase of the New Guinea campaign, the return to the Philippines and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

The Herbert was named after Hilary Abner Herbert, appointed Secretary of the Navy in 1893.

The Herbert was launched by the New York Shipbuilding Corps on 8 May 1919 and commissioned on 21 November 1919. She joined the Atlantic Fleet destroyer squadron in July 1920, and took part in the normal fleet operations along the east coast, before she was decommissioned on 27 June 1922. One unusual duty was to share in the sinking of the German torpedo boat destroyer S-132, taken as war reparations by the United States and sunk by the Herbert and USS Delaware (BB-28) on 15 July 1921.

USS Herbert (DD-160),
1934

The Herbert was recommissioned on 1 May 1930 and joined the Scouting Fleet, then based on the east coast. Over the next four years she remained with the Scouting Fleet as it moved from the east coast to the west coast, taking part in the annual fleet exercises.

Between 16 January 1935 and August 1939 the Herbert served as a training ship for naval reservists and midshipmen.

Between October 1939 and July 1940 the Herbert was based in Portugal, with the US naval squadron 40-T, sent to support American interests during the Spanish Civil War. She then returned to the United States.

In October 1940 the Herbert began a period working with the sound school at New London. During 1941 she performed a mix of training and anti-submarine patrols.

After the American entry into the war the Herbert served as a convoy escort, covering the area from Key West to Halifax and eventually out to Iceland.

Between April and June 1943 she was based in the Mediterranean, in the period before the invasion of Sicily.

Between 21-31 August she helped escort the carrier USS Block Island (CVE-21) as she ferried P-47 Thunderbolts to Britain from New York.

The Herbert then took part in two hunter-killer anti-submarine patrols, before escorting a final convoy from Bermuda to Casablance, reaching the US on 22 November 1943.

The Herbert was then converted into a high-speed transport, APD-22. After training at San Diego she moved to New Guinea, arriving on 23 March 1944. On 22 April she landed troops during the invasion of Humbolt Bay. She spent the next month on convoy escort duty, and then landed troops during the invasion of Biak Island (27 May 1944). On 30 July she took part in the landings at Warsai at Cape Sanasapor. On 15 September she took part in the invasion of Morotai.

She then moved to the Philippines. On 17 October 1944 she landed US Rangers on Homonhon Island, in the entrance to Leyte Gulf, two days before the main invasion. She landed support troops during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945, when she was part of Transport Division 100 (ComTransDiv 100).

The Herbert performed escorty duties during the fighting at Iwo Jima.

USS Herbert (APD-22) after being stricken, 1946

She reached Okinawa on 31 March, the day before the invasion and performed patrol and escort duties. She also escorted two convoys to Okinawa.

The Herbert was withdraw from the front in the summer of 1945 and reached San Diego on 19 June. She was decommissioned on 25 September 1945 and sold for scrap on 23 May 1946.

The Herbert earned seven battle stars during the Second World War, for Hollandia, Western New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and post-war minesweeping.

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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