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USS GAMBLE (DD-123 / DM-15)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NEZR

CLASS - WICKES (LAMBERTON)
Built to Bath plans, built by Newport News, these Wickes versions were
slightly heavier but had a good cruising radius.
Displacement 1,213 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 2 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 24,900 SHP; Direct Drive Turbines with Geared Cruising Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 101.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding on November 12 1917.
Launched May 11 1918 and commissioned November 29 1918.
Decommissioned at San Diego June 17 1922 and was berthed there until
recommissioning on May 24 1930.
Reclassified Light Minelayer DM-15 June 13 1930.
Fate Gamble was irreparably damaged by Japanese aircraft off Iwo Jima
February 17 1945 and scuttled off Guam July 16 1945.
5 of her crew were lost and remain on duty.

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-USS Gamble (DD 123) was named jointly in honor of two brothers, heroes of the War of 1812. Lt. Peter Gamble, was born in Bordentown, N.J.; appointed midshipman 16 January 1809; served on Macdonough's flagship Saratoga in the Battle of Lake Champlain, being killed in action while in the act of sighting his gun 11 September 1814. Macdonough deplored his loss and commended his gallantry in action. Lt. Col. John M. Gamble, USMC, was born in Brooklyn, N.T., in 1791; appointed 2d Lt. 16 January 1809; and distinguished himself by coolness and bravery in many enterprises, including critical encounters with hostile natives of the Marquesa Islands during the absence of frigate Essex in 1813, and sailing a prize of Essex, with only a four-man crew and without benefit of a chart in a remarkable 17-day voyage to the Hawaiian Islands. He was breveted a Lt. Col. 3 March 1827 and died in New York 11 September 1836.Robert M. Cieri
Gamble 119kUndated in San Diego, Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Gamble 98kUndated, location unknown, USS Ludlow (DD-112), USS Ramsay (DD-124) and USS Gamble (DD-123).Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Gamble 160kUndated, location unknown. As seen from the USS Cuyama (AO-3).Tommy Trampp
Gamble 42kUndated as a unit of Destroyer Division Twelve US Pacific Fleet.Frank Hoak III, Captain US Navy retired
Gamble 183kUSS Gamble (DD-123) launching, at Newport News, Virginia, on May 11, 1918. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo No. NH 53813.Mike Green
Gamble 104kDestroyers at Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. These ships are from left to right: USS Tarbell (DD-142); USS Thatcher (DD-162); USS Rizal (DD-174); USS Hart (DD-110); USS Hogan (DD-178); USS Gamble (DD-123); USS Ramsay (DD-124) and USS Williams (DD-108). Donation of Rear Admiral Ammen Farenholt, USN (Medical Corps). Photo No NH 42538.Robert Hurst
Gamble 106kDestroyers at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 1919. These ships are (from left to right): USS Tarbell (DD-142); USS Thatcher (DD-162); USS Rizal (DD-174); USS Hart (DD-110); USS Hogan (DD-178); USS Gamble (DD-123); USS Ramsay (DD-124) and USS Williams (DD-108). Donation of Rear Admiral Ammon Fahrenholt, USN (Medical Corps). U.S. Navy Historical Centre photo # NH 42537.Robert Hurst
Gamble 73kUSS Gamble (DD-123) at Boston, Massachusetts, 24 February 1919. Photographed by Crosby, "Naval Photographer", 11 Portland Street, Boston. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Crosby Collection (Photo No NH 105190).Robert Hurst
Gamble 168kUSS Gamble (DD-123) at an unknown location on April 23, 1919. USS Breese (DD-122) is in background. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo No. NH 53814.Mike Green
Ganble 230kPost World War I San Diego image including the USS Walker (DD-163), USS Lea (DD-118), USS Gamble (DD-123), USS Montgomery (DD-121), USS Roper (DD-147), USS Ramsay (DD-124), USS Tarbell (DD-142), USS Thatcher (DD-162), USS Evans (DD-78), USS Crosby (DD-164), USS Jacob Jones (DD-130), USS Hazelwood (DD-107), USS Gillis (DD-260), USS McLanahan (DD-264), USS Howard (DD-179), USS Schley (DD-103), USS Dorsey (DD-117), USS Tattnall (DD-125), USS Wickes (DD-75), USS Laub (DD-263), USS Zane (DD-337), USS Perry (DD-340) and USS Alden (DD-211).Mike Mohl
Gamble 184kThe USS Montgomery (DD-121) and USS Gamble (DD-123) along with many others at San Diego on April 4 1939.Jonathan Eno
Gamble 84kThis photo was made in late 1940 at the Golden Gate International Exposition (Worlds Fair) at San Francisco. Grover C. Haynes, Jr.
SM 1/c 1944/45
Gamble 106k This photo was made in December 1944 off San Francisco after an overhaul.Grover C. Haynes, Jr.
SM 1/c 1944/45
Gamble 78kPhoto #: NH 85033 USS Cuyama (Oiler # 3) at Acapulco, Mexico, circa 1919 with several destroyers alongside, from left to center: USS Walker (Destroyer # 163); USS Crosby (Destroyer # 164); and USS Thatcher (Destroyer # 162). USS Gamble (Destroyer # 123) is moored along Cuyama's port side. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1976. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart
Gamble 55kAt anchor and dressed with flags, circa 1921, following the relocation of her after 4"/50 gun to the top of the after deckhouse.Robert Hurst
Gamble 287kNewspaper clipping from the April 26, 1991 edition of Mare Island's newspaper on the pattern for the ship's bell. Following are the photos used in the article.Darryl Baker
Gamble 136kSee above.Darryl Baker

USS GAMBLE DD-123 / DM-15 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


LCDR Harry Jefferson Abbett    Nov 29 1918 - Jan 4 1919

CDR Randall Jacobs    Jan 4 1919 - Apr 23 1919

LCDR Robert King Awtrey    Apr 23 1919 - Jan 9 1920

LCDR Lee Payne Johnston    Jan 9 1920 - Dec 14 1921

LCDR Lewis Wells Comstock    Dec 14 1921 - Jun 17 1922

(Decommissioned June 17 1922 - May 24 1930)

As DM-15

LCDR Linton Herndon    May 24 1930 - Jul 15 1931

LT Jennings Courts    Jul 15 1931 - Aug 10 1931(XOIC)

LCDR Linton Herndon    Aug 10 1931 - Apr 5 1931

LCDR Justin McCarthy Miller    Apr 5 1932 - Jul 15 1933

LCDR George Carroll Dyer    Jul 15 1933 - May 26 1934 (Later VADM)

LCDR Mays Livingstone Lewis    May 26 1934 - Sep 10 1937

LT Ward Bronson    Sep 10 1937 - Dec 22 1937

(Decommissioned December 22 1937 - September 25 1939)

CDR Allan Edward Smith    Sep 25 1939 - Jun 15 1940 (Later VADM)

LCDR Donald Allen Crandell    Jun 15 1940 - Mar 29 1942

LT Elliott Mitchell Brown    Mar 29 1942 - Apr 15 1942

LCDR Stephen Noel Tackney    Apr 15 1942 - Mar 3 1943

LCDR Warren Wilson Armstrong    Mar 3 1943 - Jul 25 1944

CDR Donald Noble Clay    Jul 25 1944 - Feb 25 1945

LT Richard James Peterson    Feb 25 1945 - Jun 1 1945


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Grover C. Haynes, Jr.
Address: 432 Haven Drive, Saluda, NC 28773
Phone: (704) 749-9623
E-mail: GcHaynes@a-o.com (Grover Haynes)


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
NavSource Minesweeper Pages, USS Gamble (DM-15)
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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