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USS BREESE (DD-122 / DM-18)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NESM

CLASS - WICKES (LAMBERTON)
Built to Bath plans, built by Newport News, these Wickes versions were
slightly heavier but had a good cruising radius.
Displacement 1,213 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 2 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 24,900 SHP; Direct Drive Turbines with Geared Cruising Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 101.
Operational and Building Data
Built by Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA (YN 220)
Laid down 10 November 1917
Launched 11 May 1918
Commissioned 23 October 1918
Decommissioned 17 June 1922
Reclassified Light Minelayer DM-18 05 January 1931
Recommissioned 01 June 1931
Decommissioned 12 November 1937
Recommissioned 25 September 1939
Decommissioned 15 January 1946
Stricken 07 February 1946
Fate Sold 16 May 1946 and broken up for scrap.

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Namesake
Breese 57kKidder Randolph Breese was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 14 April 1831. He was appointed a U.S. Navy Midshipman in November 1847 and served in the sloop of war Saratoga during the remainder of the war with Mexico. Sea duty continued until October 1852, when he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Academy to prepare for examination. Warranted a Passed Midshipman in June 1852, Breese took part in the Commodore Matthew C. Perry's expedition to Japan for the next three years. In mid-1855, while serving with the U.S. Coast Survey, he was promoted to the ranks of Master and Lieutenant. He served in the sloop of war Preble in 1858 and 1859, during the Paraguay Expedition and off Panama. Lieutenant Breese's next duties were as an officer of the sloop of war Portsmouth, off Africa, in 1860, and of the steamer San Jacinto from mid-1860 until late 1861. While he was in San Jacinto, the Civil War began. He was present when she stopped the British steamship Trent and removed two Confederate agents, an incident that provoked a brief crisis in U.S. relations with Great Britain. From late 1861 Breese commanded part of the flotilla of mortar schooners that helped capture New Orleans in April 1862. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in mid-1862, he served with Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter on the Mississippi River and off the Atlantic Coast for most of the rest of the conflict, distinguishing himself during the seige of Vicksburg, in the land assault on Fort Fisher, and as Porter's Fleet Captain. Beginning in September 1865, Breese spent a year as Assistant to the Naval Academy's Superintendent, achieving the rank of Commander while in that post. During the later 1860s and into 1870 he served on Navy boards and had ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C.. In 1870-1872 he commanded the steam sloop Plymouth in European waters. He was Inspector of Ordnance at New Orleans for several months in 1872-1873, followed by two years as Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy and as Inspector of Hydrography. Breese was promoted to Captain in 1874. From mid-1875 until early 1879 he commanded the Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island, and had special ordnance duty. He was Commanding Officer of the steam sloop Pensacola, Pacific Station flagship, in 1879 and 1880 and, in 1881, was a member of the Board of Harbor Commissioners. Captain Kidder Breese died at Newport, Rhode Island, on 13 September 1881. Photo #: NH 92565. Lieutenant Kidder R. Breese, USN, "Carte de Visite" photograph, probably taken circa 1861-1862. He was serving in USS San Jacinto during the November 1861 Trent incident. Breese held the rank of Lieutenant between 1855 and 1862. Collection of Captain A.L. Clifton, USN (Medical Corps), 1939. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Bill Gonyo
Breese (DD-122)
Breese 189kPort quarter view of the USS Breese (Destroyer No. 122) photographed circa November 1918, dressed with flags.
Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 42836.
Mike Green
Breese 105kUSS Breese (Destroyer No. 122), Photographed circa 1919. Note that she still wears a small hull number in its World War I position below the bridge, as well as a large number in the post-war location on the bow.
Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 92527, courtesy of Jim Kazalis, 1981
Robert Hurst
Breese
0512211
206kBreese underway, location unknown (possibly Norfolk), circa 1919-20.Dave Wright
Breese 157kReal photo postcard of a destroyer nest, location unknown, circa 1919-1920. The only identifiable destroyer is Breese (Destroyer No. 122), though the boat by Breese's stern appears to be from Montgomery (Destroyer No. 121).Tommy Trampp
Breese 74kLocation unknown, early 1920's.Joe Radigan
Breese 129kDestroyers nested at San Diego, CA circa 1920; from L-R: USS Radford (Destroyer No. 120), USS Sproston (Destroyer No. 173), USS Breese (Destroyer No. 122), USS Badger (Destroyer No. 126) and USS Montgomery (Destroyer No. 121)
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 50241
Daniel Dunham
Breese 22kMoored at San Diego, circa 1920-1921.Paul Rebold
Breese 42kMaking smoke as a unit of Destroyer Division Twelve, US Pacific Fleet, circa 1920-1921.Frank Hoak III, Captain USN (Retired)
Breese 138kDestroyers refitting at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, View taken circa 1921-22. Many of these ships are being modified to place the after 4"/50 gun atop an enlarged after deckhouse. Ships present include (listed from the foreground): USS Lamberton (DD-119); unidentified destroyer; USS Breese (DD-122); USS Radford (DD-120); unidentified destroyer; USS Elliot (DD-146); USS Tarbell (DD-142); USS Yarnall (DD-143); USS Delphy (DD-261); USS McFarland (DD-237); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Kennison (DD-138); USS Lea (DD-118); and two unidentified destroyers. Collection of Rear Admiral Ammen Farenholt, USN (MC), 1932. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Red Lead Row 195kRed Lead Row, San Diego Destroyer Base, California. Photographed at the end of 1922, with at least 65 destroyers tied up there. Ships present are identified as: (left to right, in the right diagonal row): Stansbury (DD-180); MacKenzie (DD-175); Renshaw (DD-176); Howard (DD-179); Gillis (DD-260); Tingey (DD-272); McLanahan (DD-264); Swasey (DD-273); Morris (DD-271); Bailey (DD-269); Tattnall (DD-125); Breese (DD-122); Radford (DD-120); Aaron Ward (DD-132) -- probably; Ramsey (DD-124); Montgomery (DD-121); and Lea (DD-118). (left to right, in the middle diagonal row): Wickes (DD-75); Thornton (DD-270); Meade (DD-274); Crane (DD-109); Evans (DD-78); McCawley (DD-276); Doyen (DD-280); Elliot (DD-146); Henshaw (DD-278); Moody (DD-277); Meyer (DD-279); Sinclair (DD-275); Turner (DD-259); Philip (DD-76); Hamilton (DD-141); Boggs (DD-136); Claxton (DD-140); Ward (DD-139); Hazelwood (DD-107) or Kilty (DD-137); Kennison (DD-138); Jacob Jones (DD-130); Aulick (DD-258); Babbitt (DD-128); Twiggs (DD-127); and Badger (DD-126). (left to right, in the left diagonal row): Shubrick (DD-268); Edwards (DD-265); Palmer (DD-161); Welles (DD-257); Mugford (DD-105); Upshur (DD-144); Greer (DD-145); Wasmuth (DD-338); Hogan (DD-178); O'Bannon (DD-177); and -- possibly -- Decatur (DD-341). (Nested alongside wharf in left center, left to right): Prairie (AD-5); Buffalo (AD-8); Trever (DD-339); and Perry (DD-340). Minesweepers just astern of this group are Partridge (AM-16) and Brant (AM-24). Nearest ship in the group of destroyers at far left is Dent (DD-116). The others with her are unidentified. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 42539 Robert Hurst
Breese 77kThe ship's bell, now in Hampton Roads Naval Museum.Bill Gonyo

USS BREESE DD-122 / DM-18 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


LTJG Joseph McEvers Bayard Smith    Oct 23 1918 - Jan 3 1919

LCDR Henry Gilbert Shonerd    Jan 3 1919 - Jun 14 1919 

CDR Frank Nathaniel Eklund    Jun 14 1919 - Jul 10 1919

LTJG Joseph McEvers Bayard Smith    Jul 10 1919 - May 1921

LCDR Robert Ward Hayler Sr.    May 1921 - Jan 9 1922 (Later ADM)

LCDR Lewis Wells Comstock    Jan 9 1922 - Jun6 1922

(Decommissioned June 17 1922 - June 1 1931)

As DM-18

LCDR Stuart Earl Bray    Jun 1 1931 - Sep 11 1932

LCDR Seabury Cook    Sep 11 1932 - Jun 9 1934

LCDR Pal Lamar Meadows    Jun 9 1934 - Nov 12 1937

(Decommissioned November 12 1937 - September 25 1939)

LCDR William Jenkins Longfellow    Sep 25 1939 - Nov 9 1940

LCDR Herald Franklin Stout    Nov 9 1940 - Sep 30 1942 (Later RADM)

LCDR Alexander Bacon Coxe Jr.    Sep 30 1942 - Mar 31 1944

LCDR David Barney Cohen    Mar 31 1944 - Dec 7 1944

LCDR George W. McKnight    Dec 7 1944 - Aug 1945

LT David James Pikkaart     Aug 1945 - Oct 23 1945

LT Fred Lyman Conger    Oct 23 1945 - Jan 15 1946


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: None
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
NavSource Minesweeper Pages, USS Breese (DM-18)
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright
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Last Updated 14 July 2023