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USS PICKING (DD-685)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NKMN

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - ROUGH SHOD

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 10 x 40 mm, 7 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island NY November 24 1942.
Launched June 1 1943 and commissioned September 21 1943.
Decommissioned December 20 1945, recommissioned January 26 1951.
Decommissioned at Long Beach September 6 1969.
Stricken March 1 1975.
Fate Designated as a target in June 1976, sunk February 27 1997.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Picking 122kSherwood Picking, born in Baltimore, Md., 21 February 1890, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1911. During World War I, he was cited for his heroism as a submarine commander. During the inter-war period, he commanded the Submarine Base at Coco Solo, C.Z. In the course of duty, he died 1 September 1941 in a plane crash in Scotland. Photo courtesy of the United States Naval Academy.Bill Gonyo
Picking 77kArtist's conception of the Picking 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
Picking 43kUndated war time image-
Picking 43kUndated, location unknown.Phil Finkle, FT3 (1958-1961)
Picking 109kUndated, location unknown.Ray Sorrell, STG2
Picking 68kUndated World War II image. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 3d.Captain Jerry Mason USN
Picking 51kUndated postcard Copyright © Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.Mike Smolinski
Picking 48kUndated, USS Picking (DD-685) off Mariveles Harbor, P.I. Photo "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe.Robert Hurst
Picking 180kUndated, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Picking 149kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Picking 120kNew York Navy Yard, October 4 1943.Ed Zajkowski
Picking 45kNew York Navy Yard, October 4 1943.Pieter Bakels
Picking 59kNew York Navy Yard, October 4 1943.Pieter Bakels
Picking 181kUSS Picking (DD 685) in San Francisco Bay with Oakland Bay Bridge in the background (no it is not the Golden Gate Bridge) on August 31, 1945. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Picking 123kAmidships looking aft plan view of USS Picking (DD 685) at Mare Island on 5 September 1945. She was in overhaul at the yard from 14 July to 7 Sep 1945.Darryl Baker
Picking 187kAmidships looking forward plan view of USS Picking (DD 685) at Mare Island on 5 September 1945.Darryl Baker
Picking 102kMare Island, CA, September 5 1945.Pieter Bakels
Picking 123kFollowing World War II, most of the Navy’s Fletcher-class destroyers, which had seen heavy service, were placed in reserve. The Korean War resulted in a decision to activate them, and the SCB-74A project was instituted to modernize them. USS Picking (DD-685) was selected as the prototype SCB-74A modernization, entering the Boston Naval Shipyard in June 1951. The completed vessel is seen here in October 1951. U.S. Navy photo NY2-1619-10/51, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-13964.Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Picking 17kSasebo in August, 1953 during a squardon (DesRon 24) awards ceremony. USS Picking (DD-685), USS Irwin (DD-794) and USS Preston (DD-795).Bud Healy
Picking 88kPhoto #: NH 55816. Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN, Chief of Naval Operations (at left) with a Third Class Quartermaster on bridge of USS Picking (DD-685), circa 1955-1961. He is holding a Tennessee coffee cup marked with the Confederate battle flag. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Bill Gonyo
Picking 207kCRUDESPAC photo released by the 12 Naval District PIO on June 4, 1957. The photo is from the files of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Picking 112kSan Francisco June 13 1957.Robert M. Cieri
Picking 227kOctober 18 1966, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Picking 225kUSS Picking (DD-685) underway at sea off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 19 February 1968. Photographer: PHCM/AC Louis P. Bodine. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107185.Robert Hurst
Picking 170kPicking had two decommissioning ceremonies one in Long Beach on September 6 1969 and the other at Reserve Fleet at Mare Island on June 1 1970. From the files of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Picking 174kAs above.Darryl Baker
Picking 80kJuly 1992, Mare Island Naval Shipyard.Larry Backus
Picking 153kCirca 1993-1994, Mare Island Naval Shipyard.Ron Reeves
Picking 176kCirca 1993-1994, Mare Island Naval Shipyard. USS Richard S. Edwards (DD-950), USS Falgout (DER-324) and USS Picking (DD-685).Ron Reeves
Picking 104kShip's patchMike Smolinski
Picking 153kShip's patchMike Smolinski

USS PICKING DD-685 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 Raymond Starr Lamb    Sep 21 1943 - Aug 12 1944
LCDR Benedict Joseph Semmes Jr.    Aug 12 1944 - Aug 1945 (Later VADM)
CDR Charles Thomas Mauro Jr.    Aug 1945 - Dec 20 1945
(Decommissioned Dec 20 1945 - Jan 26 1951)
CDR Alfred Carter (Ace) Edwards    Jan 26 1951 - Oct 1952
CDR George Rodney Warren Jr.    Oct 1952 - ?
CDR Michael Phalen Smith    ? 1955 - ?
CDR Alan Dougall    ? 1957 - ?
CDR John Joseph Reidy Jr.    ? 1958 - Aug 26 1960
CDR James Moody Mason    Aug 26 1960 - Aug 1962
CDR Ernest Clyde Connelley Jr.    Aug 1962 - Jun 1964
CDR Raymond Francis Keough    ? 1965 - ?
CDR John H. McAlroy    ? 1967 - Oct 22 1969
CDR Jack Herbert Mosman    Oct 22 1969 - Dec 4 1969

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Jerry Reinhold
Address: 302 Sycamore Road, West Reading, PA 19611
Phone: (610)373-2475
E-mail: None


Note About Contacts.

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.


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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