USS Satterlee (DD-190)
in Port, c.1920-22
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USS Satterlee (DD-190) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a short US career before being transferred to the Royal Navy, where she served as USS Belmont before being sunk by U-81.
The Satterlee was named at Charles Satterlee, the commander of a US Coast Guard Cutter that was lost with all hands when torpedoed while escorting a convoy in the Bristol Channel on 26 September 1918.
The Satterlee was laid down at Newport News on 10 July 1918, launched on 21 December 1918 and commissioned on 23 December 1919. She joined her flotilla at Cuba on 27 January 1920 and joined the normal US Navy winter training programme in the Caribbean. She then returned to the US East Coast for the standard summer training exercises of 1920. She took part in the Caribbean training programme early in 1921 then spent the rest of her first commission operating along the US East Coast. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia on 11 July 1922.
The Satterlee was recommissioned on 18 December 1939 after the outbreak of war in Europe. She joined the Neutrality Patrol, and operated in the Caribbean from February 1940. She underwent a refit at Norfolk in April-July 1940, before serving with the Neutrality Patrol on the east coast. She was then chosen as one of the fifty destroyers to go to Britain under the ‘Destroyers for Bases’, and on 8 October 1940 she was transferred to British control.
HMS Belmont
The Satterlee was renamed as HMS Belmont. She reached Belfast on 24 October, and after the standard refit for these destroyers was allocated to the 3rd Escort Group of Western Approaches Command. She helped escort Atlantic convoys, with a break from March-July 1941 to repair damage suffered in a collision. During her time with the group she briefly escorted Convoys SC-42, SC-44, ON-12 and ON-17, all in September 1941.
On 31 January 1942 the Belmont was part of the escort for a Canadian troop convoy. She was torpedoed by U-81 and sank with the loss of all hands.
Displacement (standard) |
1,190t |
Displacement (loaded) |
1,308t |
Top Speed |
35kts |
Engine |
2-shaft Westinghouse geared tubines |
Range |
2,500nm at 20kts (design) |
Armour - belt |
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- deck |
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Length |
314ft 4in |
Width |
30ft 10.5in |
Armaments |
Four 4in/ 50 guns |
Crew complement |
114 |
Launched |
21 December 1918 |
Commissioned |
23 December 1919 |
Sunk by U-boat |
31 January 1942 |