USS Yarnall (DD-143)
at sea, 1919-22
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USS Yarnall (DD-143)/ HMS Lincoln was a Wickes class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol then joined the Royal Navy for convoy escort duties, before ending up as a source of spare parts for the Soviet Navy.
The Yarnall was named after John Joliffe Yarnall, a US naval officer during the War of 1812 and the war against the Barbary Pirates.
The Yarnall (DD-143) was laid down on 12 February 1918 at Cramp's of Philadelphia, launched on 19 June 1918 and commissioned on 29 November 1918. Early in her career she was commanded by William Halsey, later a key US Admiral of the Second World War.
The Yarnall joined Division 15 of the Destroyer Force, and spent a short spell operating with United States Naval Forces, France. By 1 January 1920 she had been reassigned to Flotilla 5, Destroyer Squadron 4, Pacific Fleet, and was now based at San Diego. She was then allocated to the Asiatic station, arriving in the autumn of 1920. This was a short-lived assignment and she was back at Puget Sound by the summer of 1921. She then joined Division 11 at San Diego until she was decommissioned on 29 May 1922.
The Yarnall was recommissioned on 19 April 1930 and jouned Division 11, Squadron 10, Battle Fleet Destroyer Squadrons. She was based on the west coast for a short spell, but ended the year based at Charleston, South Carolina. In March 1931 she joined DesDiv 3 of the Scouting Force. In the summer of 1934 she moved to San Diego, still part of the Scouting Force. She remained there until late in 1936 when she was decommissioned at Philadelphia on 30 December 1936.
The Yarnall was recommissioned on 4 October 1939 after the outbreak of war in Europe. She joined DesRon 11 of the Atlantic Squadrons, and served with the Neutrality Patrol from then until the autumn of 1940. She was then selected as part of the Destroyers for Bases deal.
HMS Lincoln
On 23 October 1940 the Yarnall left the US Navy and was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Lincoln (G.42). She arrived at Belfast on 9 November and joined the First Escort Group, Western Approaches Command. She spent the next year escorting convoys from the mid ocean meeting point back to Britain. From September 1941 to February 1942 she underwent a refit at Woolwich.
After the refit the Lincoln was given to a Norwegian crew, and allocated to the Western Local Escort Force, operating on the Newfoundland Coast. In July 1942 she joined the Royal Canadian Navy, although she kept her Norwegian crew. She operating in Canadian waters until the end of 1943.
She then returned to the UK, where she was placed in the reserve on the Tyne. On 26 August 1944 she was transferred to the Soviet Union, where she was used as a source of spare parts for the eight Wickes class destroyers already in Soviet service.
Displacement (standard) |
1,160t (design) |
Displacement (loaded) |
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Top Speed |
35kts (design) |
Engine |
2 shaft Parsons turbines |
Range |
3,800nm at 15kts on trial (Wickes) |
Armour - belt |
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- deck |
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Length |
314ft 4in |
Width |
30ft 11in |
Armaments (as built) |
Four 4in/50 guns |
Crew complement |
114 |
Launched |
19 June 1918 |
Commissioned |
29 November 1918 |
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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.
