USS Hull (DD-330)

History
United States
Namesake	Isaac Hull
Builder	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Union Iron Works, San Francisco
Laid down	13 September 1920
Launched	18 February 1921
Commissioned	26 April 1921
Decommissioned	31 March 1930
Stricken	22 July 1930
Fate	Sold for scrap, 10 June 1931
General characteristics
Class and type	Clemson-class destroyer
Displacement	1,190 tons (1,210 t)
Length	314 feet 5 inches (95.83 m)
Beam	31 feet 8 inches (9.65 m)
Draft	9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m)
Propulsion	26,500 shp (20 MW);; geared turbines,; twin propellers;
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h)
Range	4,900 nmi (9,100 km); @ 15 kt;
Complement	122 officers and enlisted
Armament	4 × 4 in (102 mm)/50 guns, 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/25 gun, 12 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

The second USS Hull (DD-330) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Isaac Hull.

History

Hull was launched by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California, 18 February 1921; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Hull; and commissioned 26 April 1921.

Following shakedown along the California coast, Hull engaged in operations and tactical exercises out of San Diego, California for the remainder of the year. During 1922, she took part in charting and sounding operations along the coast of southern California. The sounding operations used the newly developed sonic depth sounder. The Carnegie Institution sponsored this charting and sounding project for the purpose of earthquake research.^[1] Upon completion of winter maneuvers off Panama and training exercises out of San Diego, Hull sailed 28 June 1923 to act as escort vessel on President Warren G. Harding's trip to Alaska. It was on this voyage that the President was taken ill, and he died in San Francisco 2 August. The destroyer returned to San Diego 8 September and resumed operations and exercises in that area.

Hull sailed 2 January 1924, for operations in the Caribbean, which included a visit to Veracruz, Mexico, to protect American lives and property. In April the ship steamed to Seattle, Washington, and operated between that city and Seward, Alaska, taking soundings for the new Alaskan cable. Upon her return in early May Hull resumed operations along the coast.

The destroyer continued to operate out of San Diego with occasional voyages to Panama until 1927. She then sailed in company with the Battle Fleet 17 November for tactical maneuvers in the Caribbean. Hull visited New York before returning to San Diego 26 June to resume her training operations.

Fate

The ship arrived at Mare Island 11 June 1929 for overhaul, and returned to San Diego in October, where she decommissioned 31 March 1930. Hull was sold for scrap 10 June 1931, in accordance with the London Treaty of 1930.

The bell, however, was saved and made its way to Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where it was rung by the band to start football games. Since Marquette no longer has a football team, the bell was decommissioned and now is in storage.

References

^ Nelson, Stewart B. (1971). Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft. Washington, DC: Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy, U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 101.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

Media related to USS Hull (DD-330) at Wikimedia Commons
USS HULL (DD-330). navsource.org

[1] Nelson, Stewart B. (1971). Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft. Washington, DC: Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy, U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 101.

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