Photographic History of the United States Navy
ARCHIVE
| NavSource Main Page | FAQ | Contact us | Search NavSource |
| |
NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
| Click On Image For Full Size Image |
Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20k | Richard Somers was born in 1778 or 1779 at Great Egg Harbor, N.J. and was appointed midshipman on 25 April 1797 and served in the West Indies during the Quasi War with France in frigate United States commanded by Captain John Barry. Promoted to lieutenant on 21 May 1799, Somers was detached from United States on 13 June 1801 and ordered to Boston on 30 July 1801. He served in the latter frigate in the Mediterranean. After Boston return to Washington, Somers was furloughed on 11 November 1802 to await orders. On 5 May 1803, Somers was ordered to Baltimore to man; fit out; and command Nautilus; and when that schooner was ready for sea, to sail her to the Mediterranean. Nautilus got underway on 30 June; reached Gibraltar on 27 July; and sailed four days later to Spain. He then returned to Gibraltar to meet Commodore Edward Preble, in Constitution, who was bringing a new squadron for action against the Barbary pirates. Nautilus sailed with Preble on 6 October to Tangier where the display of American naval strength induced the Europeans of Morocco to renew the treaty of 1786. Thereafter, Tripoli became the focus of Preble's attention. Somers' service as commanding officer of Nautilus during operations against Tripoli won him promotion to master commandant on 18 May 1804. In the summer, he commanded a division of gunboats during five attacks on Tripoli. On 4 September 1804, Somers assumed command of bomb ketch Intrepid which had been fitted out as a "floating volcano" to be sailed into Tripoli harbor and blown up in the midst of the corsair fleet close under the walls of the city. That night, she got underway into the harbor, but she exploded prematurely, killing Somers and his entire crew of volunteers. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 97k | USS Percival (DD-298), USS Somers (DD-301) and USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299) circa early 1920's possibly in Bremerton, WA. From the collection of Aijiro Tashiro. | Stephen Tashiro | |
| 121k | USS Somers (DD 301) escorting USS Langley (CV 1) off San Diego, CA, 1928. Collection of Lieutenant Gustave J. Freret, USN (Retired), 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Joe Radigan | |
| 89k | Photo #: NH 42193: USS Somers (DD-301) underway in harbor, circa 1923-1930. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fabio Peņa | |
| 119k | Photo #: NH 98020: USS Somers (DD-301) underway at very low speed, circa 1923-1930. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fabio Peņa | |
| 60k | Culebra Island, Puerto Rico Destroyers at anchor in Culebra Bay, during the 1920s. Identifiable ships present include: USS Somers (DD-301), at right; USS Reno (DD-303), at left; USS Henshaw (DD-278), left center; USS Flusser (DD-289), beyond Henshaw; USS Sinclair (DD-275), center. Collection of Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fred Weiss | |
| 135k | Destroyers moored together at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa 1925 The ships present include (from right to left): USS Somers (DD-301); USS Farragut (DD-300); USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299); USS Percival (DD-298); and USS Stoddert (DD-302). The outboard destroyer (furthest to the left) can not be identified. Photograph from the Albert Chamberlain photo album, donated by Colonel Carl Mahakian, USMCR, 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fred Weiss | |
| 59k | From the collection of CDR August Billig, USS Decatur (DD-341), USS Somers (DD-301), USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299), USS Farragut (DD-300), USS Percival (DD-298), USS Wiliam Jones (DD-308) and USS Zeilin (DD-313) circa the early 1930's. | Bruce Billig | |
| 83k | Circa 1930s, location unknown. | David Buell | |
| Back To The Main Photo Index | To The Destroyer Index Page |