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77k | Presley Neville O’Bannon (1776 - 12 September 1850) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, famous for his exploits in the First Barbary War. He received a sword for his role in restoring Prince Hamet Karamali to his throne at Tripoli in recognition of his bravery. That sword became the model for the Mameluke Sword adopted in 1825 as the Marine officers' sword that is still part of the dress uniform today. Born in Fauquier County, Virginia, O'Bannon entered the Marine Corps 18 January 1801. As a First Lieutenant, he commanded a detachment of seven Marines in General William Eaton’s little force in the War with Tripoli. During the combined operations with the U.S. Navy, he led the successful attack in the Battle of Derna 27 April 1805, giving the Marines' Hymn its immortal “to the shores of Tripoli”. Although some sources maintain that at this battle Presley O'Bannon became the first man to raise the American flag over foreign soil, his superior William Eaton had done so a few months earlier while traveling on the Nile from Alexandria to Cairo. According to tradition, Hamet Karamanli was so impressed with O'Bannon's bravery, that following the attack, he presented Lt. O'Bannon with his personal Mameluke sword as a gesture of gratitude. Upon his return to the states, the state of Virginia presented him with a silver-hilted sword featuring an eaglehead hilt and a curved blade modeled after the original Mameluke given him by Hamet. Its blade is inscribed with his name and a commemoration of the battle of Tripoli. After resigning from the Marine Corps 6 March 1807, O’Bannon moved to Logan County, Kentucky, where he built a home in Russellville. He served in the Kentucky state legislature 1812, 1817, 1820-21 and in the Kentucky state senate 1824-1826. He died 12 September 1850 in Franklin County, Kentucky. His remains were moved to the Frankfort Cemetery in 1919. Perhaps due to the Marines' distinguished record during this campaign, including the capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna after a long and dangerous desert march, Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson adopted the Mameluke sword in 1825 for wear by Marine officers. After initial distribution in 1826, Mameluke swords have been worn except for the years 1859-75 (when Marine officers were required to wear Army M1850 foot officers' swords), and a brief period when swords were suspended during World War II. Since that time, Mameluke swords have been worn by Marine officers in a continuing tradition to the present day as of 2007. | Bill Gonyo |
| 82k | Artist's conception of the O'Bannon as she appeared after original construction by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource. | Navy Yard Associates |
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| 120k | Undated, location unknown. | David Buell |
| 61k | Undated, location unknown. | David Buell |
| 145k | Undated, Bath Iron Works photo. | David Buell |
| 137k | Undated, Bath Iron Works photo. | David Buell |
| 34k | Inclining test at Bath Iron Works, June 21 1942. | Pieter Bakels |
| 52k | Inclining test at Bath Iron Works, June 21 1942. | Pieter Bakels |
| 110k | Inclining test at Bath Iron Works, June 21 1942. | David Buell |
| 122k | Inclining test at Bath Iron Works, June 21 1942. | David Buell |
| 128k | Inclining test at Bath Iron Works, June 21 1942. | David Buell |
| 89k | Destroyer Squadron Twenty-One. Three of the squadron's ships underway in the Solomon Islands, 15 August 1943. The ships are (from front to rear): USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Chevalier (DD-451) and USS Taylor (DD-468). Photographed from USS Nicholas (DD-449), while the ships were enroute to the landings at Vella Lavella, which took place on the same day. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss |
| 106k | Destroyer Squadron Twenty-One. Three of the squadron's ships steaming in column, while en route to Guadalcanal and Tulagi on 15 August 1943, following the Vella Lavella landings. Photographed from USS Nicholas (DD-449). The ships seen are(from right to left): USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Chevalier (DD-451) and USS Taylor (DD-468). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss |
| 142k | Navy Photo 149-44, midships looking aft plan view of the USS O'Bannon (DD 450) at Mare Island on 6 Jan 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 19 Nov 43 until 11 Jan 44. | Darryl Baker |
| 93k | Navy Photo 150-44, forward plan view of the USS O'Bannon (DD 450) at Mare Island on 6 Jan 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 19 Nov 43 until 11 Jan 44. | Darryl Baker |
| 142k | January 6 1944 at Mare Island after overhaul and weapons upgrades. | David Buell |
| 93k | Navy Photo 217-44, stern view of the USS O'Bannon (DD 450) off Mare Island on 8 Jan 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 19 Nov 43 until 11 Jan 44. | Darryl Baker |
| 73k | Navy Photo 219-44, broadside view of the USS O'Bannon (DD 450) off Mare Island on 8 Jan 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 19 Nov 43 until 11 Jan 44. | Darryl Baker |
| 70k | Navy Photo 221-44, bow on view of the USS O'Bannon (DD 450) off Mare Island on 8 Jan 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 19 Nov 43 until 11 Jan 44. | Darryl Baker |
| 88k | USS O'Bannon (DD 450) off Mare Island on 8 Jan 1944. | David Buell |
| 130k | The USS O'Bannon (DD-450) being removed from mothballs for conversion to the DDE configuration at Long Beach NY, 17 January 1949. Note the man standing on the radar on the Mk-37 Fire Control Director. | Rick E. Davis |
| 116k | A June 1950 photo at San Diego NY shows the USS Nicholas (DDE-449), USS O'Bannon (DDE-450), USS Walker (DDE-517) and USS Sproston (DDE-577), returned to Mothballs after being converted to the DDE ASW configuration. All four of these DDE's were armed with of 2-5"/38cal, 5 Torpedo Tubes, Mk-15 ASW Projector, and provisions for 4x2-20mm guns. Also, seen is the USS Killen (DD-593) and several DE's, including USS Raymond (DE-341) and USS Dennis (DE-405) and an APD. Cropped from an USN Photo from the NARA photo files, 80-G-428265. | Rick E. Davis |
| 97k | Navy Photo 8423-3-51, bow on view of USS O'Bannon (DDE 450) departing Mare Island on 1 March 1951. | Darryl Baker |
| 80k | Navy Photo 8425-3-51, broadside view of USS O'Bannon (DDE 450) off Mare Island on 1 March 1951. She was in overhaul at the yard from 19 Feb. to 24 March 1951. | Darryl Baker |
| 99k | Navy Photo 8427-3-51, stern view of USS O'Bannon (DDE 450) off Mare Island on 1 March 1951. | Darryl Baker |
| 78k | Image of the USS O'Bannon (DD-450) and USS Carpenter (DD-825) from ALL HANDS magazine dated April 1960. | Stanley Svec |
| 37k | Circa 1963, location unknown. | Robert Hurst |
| 65k | May 1966 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. | Larry Backus |
| 122k | Subic Bay Philippine Islands, July 1966 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 78k | Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, July 5 1966 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 189k | Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, July 6 1966 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 71k | Off Oahu Hawaii, October 1968 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 184k | Pearl Harbor, December 1968 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 82k | Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 1968 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 81k | Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 1968 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 83k | Mid- Pacific, April 16 1969 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 84k | Mid- Pacific, April 16 1969 | © Richard Leonhardt |
| 56k | Ship's patch | Mike Smolinski |
