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USS MADDOX (DD-168)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NETX

CLASS - WICKES (LITTLE)
Built to a different set of plans (Bethlehem) than the Wickes (Bath) the Little versions were
considered less successful than the Bath designed ships, with few remaining in service past 1936.
Displacement 1,154 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 2 x 1pdr AA (1 x 3"/23AA In Some Ships), 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 24,200 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 103.
Operational and Building Data
Built by Bethlehem Steel, Quincy, MA (YN 328)
Laid down 20 July 1918
Launched 27 October 1918
Commissioned 10 March 1919
Decommissioned 14 June 1922
Recommissioned 17 June 1940
Decommissioned 23 September 1940
To Great Britain 23 September 1940, renamed HMS Georgetown (I40)
Stricken 08 January 1941
To Soviet Union 10 August 1944, renamed Жесткий [Zhestkiy] (Russian for "Rigid").
Returned to Great Britain 04 February 1949
Fate Broken up for scrap in 1952.

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Namesake
Maddox
0516823
41

William Alfred Truman Maddox was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1814. In 1836 he commanded a company of militia volunteers during the Creek and Seminole Indian Wars. On 14 October 1837 he was appointed Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

During the war with Mexico Lieutenant Maddox was serving on board the USS Cayne off the coast of California and on 07 July 1846 landed at Monterey with forces under Commodore John Sloat. After a brief skirmish the Mexican garrison surrendered and the Stars and Stripes were raised in the town's plaza thus officially proclaiming California an American territory. Later that month Lieutenant Maddox himself raised the American flag in San Diego after that town surrendered to his forces. Soon afterwards he led his mounted riflemen on a 500 miles march to San Luis Obispo where his troops fought successfully against General Alvarado, capturing 15 officers and a large number of soldiers. On 18 September he was appointed military commandant of the middle district of California at Monterey. While serving in this capacity he subdued a Mexican uprising at Monterey and later was brevetted Captain for his gallant and meritorious conduct during the Battle of Santa Clara.

In 1848 Captain Maddox was assigned to duty at the United States Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, where in June 1857 he suppressed the "Plug Ugly" riots that were running out of control through the streets of the Capital. In 1857, Maddox was appointed assistant quartermaster on the Marine Corps General Staff, a position he served in through the Civil War. In 1880 Captain Maddox retired from the Marine Corps and resided on his farm near Georgetown, where he died on New Year's Day, 1889.
Robert M. Cieri / Dave Wright
USS Maddox (DD-168)
Maddox 78kUndated postcard of Maddox in drydock, location unknown, 1919-1920.© Richard Leonhardt
Maddox 59kUSS Maddox (Destroyer No. 168) underway at sea in 1919, seen from USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044).
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 82968, collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association, 1974
Paul Rebold
Maddox 157kTied up to a mooring buoy in port, circa 1920. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker/Robert Hurst
Maddox
0516822
78kMoored outboard of a British destroyer at an unknown European location, 1919-1920.Dave Wright
Maddox
0516824
206kUSS Thornton (Destroyer No. 270) and USS Maddox (Destroyer No. 168) moored at Boston Navy Yard, having just returned from overseas, 14 February 1920.Dave Wright
HMS Georgetown (I 40)
HMS Georgetown (ex-USS Maddox, DD-168) transferred at Halifax on 23 September 1940 and sailed for Britain six days later, but a collision with HMS Hamilton at St John's, NF returned her to Halifax for repair and she did not finally arrive at Devonport until 13 November 1940. Completing a brief refit there, she worked up at Scapa Flow until 17 December 1940, and then joined 4th Escort Group. A collision with an unknown ship on 26 February 1941 sent her to the Tyne for repair in early June 1941, followed by more work on Clydeside until mid-July 1941. On completion she transferred to 3rd Escort Group and returned to North Atlantic escort work. Georgetown transferred again to 27th Escort Group in September 1941, and commenced her Stage 2 refit on the Clyde in mid-November 1941. Completion was delayed by a boiler room fire on 13 December 1941 and it was mid-April 1942 before she was ready for service. Her first escort duty was to escort convoy WS18, and then the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and USS Wasp en-route to Gibralter for Operation BOWERY (the transfer of RAF Spitfires to Malta) after which she returned to the Clyde for a further four weeks repair. In June 1942 Georgetown joined the Special Escort Division of the Greenock force, covering two WS troop convoys, a homeward bound HG convoy and a minelaying sortie. She was then allocated to support the RCN and sailed to join the Western Local Escort Force based at Halifax where she saw the balance of her active service in British hands. She refitted at Charleston, SC between March and May 1943, and in November 1943 returned to Britain via the Azores to lay up in reserve at Hartlepool. Selected for loan to Russia and, after refit at Middle Docks, Tyneside, was transferred as Zhostki during August 1944, to join the Northern Fleet. She was returned in tow from Murmansk to Rosyth and handed over on 9 September 1952, passing at once to the shipbreakers and arriving at Inverkeithing on 16 September 1952 to be broken up by T W Ward. (History thanks to Robert Hurst.)
Maddox 72kThe 'Town' class destroyer HMS Georgetown (ex-USS Maddox, DD-168) in Stage 2 condition, complete with Hedgehog but prior to bridge alterations, date and location unknown (Admiralty Official).Robert Hurst
Maddox 65kStarboard side view of the HMS Georgetown (I 40) moored at Greenock, Scotland on April 15, 1942. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 8330).Robert Hurst/Mike Green
Maddox 55kBow view of the HMS Georgetown (I 40) moored at Greenock, Scotland on April 15, 1942. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 8332).Mike Green
Maddox 72kStarboard quarter view of the HMS Georgetown (I 40) moored at Greenock, Scotland on April 15, 1942. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 8333).Mike Green
Maddox 62kMay 1943, Seen here as HMS Georgetown as modified by the Royal Navy.-
Maddox

Maddox   Maddox   Maddox   Maddox
Charleston, May 12 1943.
Mike Mohl
Maddox 60kHMS Georgetown after her 1943 Charlestown, SC refit (USN). Robert Hurst
Maddox 87kHMS Georgetown after her 1943 Charlestown, SC refit (USN). Robert Hurst
Maddox 49kHMS Georgetown taken after her May 1943 American refit at Charleston, SC.Robert Hurst
Maddox 121kHMS Georgetown taken after her May 1943 American refit at Charleston, SC.Robert Hurst
Maddox 110kHMS Georgetown taken after her May 1943 American refit at Charleston, SC. Photo # FL 3224 from the collections of the Imperial War Museum.Robert Hurst
Maddox 95kMid 1943, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Maddox 91kThe 'Town' class destroyers HMS Georgetown (ex-USS Maddox, DD-168) and HMS Roxburgh (ex-USS Foote, DD-169) together in drydock for refitting shortly before their transfer to the Soviet Union.Robert Hurst
Жесткий [Zhestkiy]
Maddox 80kAs the Zhestkiy. Undated, location unknown.Igor Ageev

USS MADDOX DD-168 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR Edward Constant Southword Parker    Mar 10 1919 - Aug 21 1920

LTJG John Danner    Aug 21 1920 - Aug 9 1921

LCDR Arthur Schuyler Carpender    Aug 9 1921 - Jun 14 1922

(Decommissioned June 14 1922 - June 17 1940)

LT Charles Malaher Lyons Jr.    Jun 17 1940 - Sep 23 1940 (Later RADM)


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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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 12 July 2024