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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
| Click On Image For Full Size Image |
Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26k | John Ordronaux, born 16 December 1778 at Nantes, Brittany, France, was one of the most successful privateersmen of the War of 1812. At the outbreak of the war, he commanded the French privateer Marengo and on 28 October 181:3, he took command of the American privateer Prince Be Neufchatel, which was fitted out in France. Captain Ordronaux made his first cruises in her in the English and Irish Channels capturing some 30 prizes. His greatest accomplishment took place, in the fall of 1814, off Boston. Prince De Neufchatel, with a prize in tow, was sighted by the British frigate Endymion, which gave chase. Becalmed that night, the British commenced a boat attack. After several attempts, despite fierce defense, they succeeded in boarding the prize, and were driving back the Americans, when Captain Ordronaux seized a lighted match and threatened to blow tip the ship if his men retreated further. The Americans rallied and within 20 minutes the remaining British cried for quarter. With only eight of his men uninjured, Captain Ordronaux returned to Boston, turned over his command and became part owner of Prince De Neufchatel. Captain John Ordronaux died at Cartagena, Colombia in 1841. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 82k | Artist's conception of the Ordronaux as she appeared in World War II 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 | |
| 31k | Undated, location unknown. | Ed Palen, Y1c 1943-1946 | |
| 36k | Our Navy magazine | Chet Morris | |
| 221k | Boston Harbor on February 28 1943. | David Buell | |
| 183k | USS Ordronaux (DD-617) underway off Boston, Massachusetts on 28 February 1943. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107217. | Robert Hurst | |
| 131k | Photo #: 80-G-354884, USS Black Hawk (AD-9) with six destroyers alongside, probably at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in July 1945. The destroyers are (from left to right): USS Hawkins (DD-873); USS Ordronaux (DD-617); USS Boyle (DD-600); USS Champlin (DD-601); USS Swanson (DD-443); and USS Franks (DD-554). Note the personnel boat in the foreground, heading for a landing stage alongside Black Hawk's bow. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Tony Cowart | |
| 122k | USS Black Hawk (AD-9) with six destroyers alongside, probably at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in July 1945. The destroyers are (from left to right): USS Hawkins (DD-873); USS Ordronaux (DD-617); USS Boyle (DD-600); USS Champlin (DD-601); USS Swanson (DD-443); and USS Franks (DD-554). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Tony Cowart | |
| 174k | Left-to-right are USS Parker (DD-604), USS Meade (DD-602), USS Ordronaux (DD-617), and USS Hobby (DD-610) as seen in a 1970 nest at the Orange, Texas Inactive Ship Facility. This is an incidental view to a series of photos of USS Hobby's first reunion, with an uncommon chance of all four wearing the larger bow numerals. Photo is by Joe Buya, courtesy of Ray and Betty Simons. | John Chiquoine | |
| Click here to view the DOD Sealed Bid Offering of March 2 1973 for the Ordronaux. | ||||
| Click here to see additional image(s) of this ship on our Orange, Texas Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (ISMF) Special Feature page | ||||
LCDR Robert A. (Steve) Brodie Jr. Feb 13 1943 - Jan 1944 (Later RADM) CDR Jonathon Leopold Warren Woodville Jr. Jan 1944 - Mar 27 1946 (Later RADM)
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.
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