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USS CHILDS (DD-241 / AVP-14 / AVD-1)

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Westinghouse Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by New York Shipbuilding on March 19 1919.
Launched September 15 1920 and commissioned October 22 1920.
Reclassified Sea Plane Tender AVP-14 July 1 1938.
Classification changed to AVD-1 August 2 1940.
Decommissioned December 10 1945.
Stricken January 3 1946.
Fate Sold May 23 1946 and broken up for scrap.

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Childs 91kEarle Wayne Freed Childs, born 1 August 1893 in Philadelphia, Pa., was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1915. He was appointed temporary Lieutenant on 15 October, 1917. As a lieutenant, he served in World War I in the submarine L-2. On board HMS H-5 as an observer, Lieutenant Childs was lost on March 2, 1918 when H-5 sank with all hands after a collision with a merchantman SS Rutherglen off the English coast. Lt. Childs was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously. The citation reads: "The Navy Cross is awarded to Lieutenant Earl W. F. Childs, U.S. Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous submarine duty in the war zone".Robert M. Cieri/Bill Gonyo
Childs 131kNew York Shipbuilding Corporation Shipyard, Camden, New Jersey. Eleven destroyers fitting out in the Wet Basin between Piers 3 and 4. Photo is dated 28 September 1920. Ships present are identified as (from left to right): Childs (DD-241), commissioned 22 Oct. 1920; Reuben James (DD-245), commissioned 24 Sept. 1920; McFarland (DD-237), commissioned 30 Sept. 1920; Sturtevant (DD-240), commissioned 21 Sept. 1920; Williamson (DD-244), commissioned 29 Oct. 1920; Sands (DD-243), commissioned 10 Nov. 1920; Lawrence (DD-250), commissioned 18 April 1921; Hopkins (DD-249), commissioned 21 March 1921; Bainbridge (DD-246), commissioned 9 Feb. 1921; Goff (DD-247), commissioned 19 Jan. 1921; and Barry (DD-248), commissioned 28 Dec. 1920.Robert Hurst
Childs 60kWestern Mediterranean circa 1920.Marc Piché
Childs 132kPhoto of the USS Childs (DD-241), USS Strurtevant (DD-249), USS Overton (DD-239) and USS King (DD-242) from the San Diego Photo Shop dated March 20 1925.Ron Hanley
Childs 661kUSS Bainbridge (DD-246) (outboard), and USS Childs (DD-241) backing out of drydock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Hawaii, on 6 June 1925. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Stored in larger than normal size as the detail is exquisite, check out the parking lot!Joe Radigan/Fred Weiss/Ed Zajkowski
Childs 153kUSS Childs (DD-241) with her crew manning the rail during the Presidential Review, 4 June 1927.Joe Radigan/Robert Hurst
Childs 177kUSS Childs (DD 241) place unknown negative dated June 4, 1927.Darryl Baker
Childs 78kMiami, FL April 8 1928.Marc Piché
Childs 193kUSS Childs (DD 241) showing her damaged bow in April 1929.Darryl Baker
Childs 105kThe following 13 photographs are from the colection of H. P. Kreeft who served aboard the Childs Circa 1928-1929. This photo displays the aftermath of a collision with a schoner on April 4 1929.Gene Kreeft
Childs 101kAs above.Gene Kreeft
Childs 149kAs above. The new bow.Gene Kreeft
Childs 109kA portion of the Childs crew.Gene Kreeft
Childs 86kFiring torpedoes.Gene Kreeft
Childs 76kOn a full speed run.Gene Kreeft
Childs 73kChristmas menu 1928.Gene Kreeft
Childs 66kAs above.Gene Kreeft
Childs 89kRoster of the crew.Gene Kreeft
Childs 89kMaking a smoke screen.Gene Kreeft
Childs 51kThree general views.Gene Kreeft
Childs 60kAs above.Gene Kreeft
Childs 107kAs above.Gene Kreeft
Childs 108kCirca 1930's.Marc Piché

USS CHILDS DD-241 / AVP-14 / AVD-1 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

CDR Irving Hall Mayfield    Oct 22 1920 - ?
LCDR Gilbert Jonathan Rowcliffe    Dec 27 1922 - ?
CDR Nelson Henry Goss    Aug 29 1923 - ?
LCDR John Lessie Hall Jr    ? mid 1920s - late 1920's
LCDR Joel William Bunkley    ? 1925 - ? (Later RADM)
CDR William Alden Hall    Oct 1925 - Jan 7 1926
LCDR John Harrison Semmes Dessez    Jan 7 1926 - Feb 1928
LCDR John Lesslie Hall Jr.    Feb 1928 - May 31 1930 (Later ADM)
LCDR Fred Welden    May 31 1930 - ?
LCDR Harold Farnum Fultz    ? 1932 - Jun 28 1933
LCDR Ralph Waldo Hungerford    Jun 28 1933 - ?
LCDR Harold John Walker    ? 1936 - ?
As the AVD-1
LCDR Harold Foster Fick    ? 1939 - ? (Later RADM)
CDR John Lockwood Pratt    ? 1941 - ?

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
NavSource APD High-speed Transport Index
NavSource AVD Seaplane Tender (Destroyer) Index
NavSource AVP Small Seaplane Tender Index
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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