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USS DOWNES (DD-45)

CLASS - CASSIN As Built.
Displacement 1,072 Tons, Dimensions, 305' 3" (oa) x 31' 2" x 10' 6" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 8 x 18" tt..
Machinery, 16,000 SHP; Direct Drive Turbines With Triple Expansion Cruising Engines, 2 screws
Speed, 29.5 Knots, Crew 98.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by New York Shipbuilding, Camden on June 27 1912.
Launched November 8 1913 and commissioned February 11 1915.
Downes completed her shakedown and was placed into reserve at
Philadelphia on October 4 1915 until May 26 1917 when she was reactivated.
Downes was decommissioned at Philadelphia June 6 1922 and berthed
with the reserve fleet until loaned to the Coast Guard As CG-4 on
April 28 1924 and was returned May 2 1931.Downes lost her name to
new construction July 1 1933.
Stricken July 5 1934.
Fate Sold August 22 1934 and broken up for scrap.
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Downes 113kJohn Downes was born in 1786 in Canton, Massachusetts. He served as acting midshipman from 9 September 1800 and was appointed midshipman on 1 June 1802. He rendered distinguished service during the War with Tripoli in 1804, in the frigate Congress, and was executive officer for Captain David Porter in Essex during the War of 1812. He commanded Epervier, Guerriere, Ontario and Independence, and the Boston Navy Yard, and was Commodore of the Pacific and Mediterranean Squadrons. Captain Downes died at Charlestown, Massachusetts on 11 August 1854. Photo of John Downes (DD-45, DD-375) - Commandant Boston Navy Yard, Mar. 16, 1835-June 1, 1842; Mar. 19, 1849-May 19, 1852 (Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-7095)Robert M. Cieri/Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Downes 147kUndated, location unknown. Photo from collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Downes 141kUSS Downes (DD-45) underway in 1915 undergoing sea trials. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.Bill Gonyo
Downes 186kWorld War I photo, location unknown, from collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Downes 92kUSS Downes (DD-45), at left, and USS Benham (DD-49) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 5 March 1921. Photograph by Crosby, Portsmouth, Virginia.Robert Hurst
Downes 46k1918 escorting USS Leviathan. USN photo.Joe Radigan
Downes 168kUSS Downes (Destroyer # 45), Moored at Queenstown, Ireland in 1918. She is painted in "Dazzle" type camouflage. USS Stockton (Destroyer # 73) -- with three tall smokestacks -- is moored alongside Downes, with two other destroyers in the nest further to starboard. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo #: NH 54555.Robert Hurst
Downes 23kOn Coast Guard service during the Prohibition Era, from the Official Coast Guard Website. Mike Green
USS DOWNES DD-45 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

LCDR Alfred Wilkinson Johnson    Feb 11 1915 - Jun 1915 (Later VADM)
LCDR Allen Buchanan    Jun 1918 - Aug 1918
LCDR Thomas Shore McCloy    Aug 15 1921 - Jul 1922
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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