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USS NICHOLAS (DD-311)

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco January 11 1919.
Launched May 1 1919 and commissioned November 23 1920.
Wrecked on Honda Point Calif. September 8 1923.
Stricken November 20 1923.
Fate Wreck sold to Robert H. Smith of Oakland, California for $147.86 on October 29 1925.

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Nicholas 61kSamuel Nicholas was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1744 and received his commission as Captain of Marines from the Continental Congress 28 November 1775, the earliest existing commission issued in the Continental Naval Service. He joined Continental Ship Alfred as Marine Officer at her commissioning 3 December. On 3 March 1776 he commanded the first amphibious landing of American Marines when the Continental Fleet under Esek Hopkins attacked New Providence in the Bahamas. Leading a party of 200 marines and 50 sailors, Nicholas won Fort Montague, Government House, and Nassau. The capture of New Providence brought badly needed cannon and ammunition to the hard-pressed Continental Army. Promoted to Major 6 June 1776, Nicholas trained Marines for duty at sea and in the field with Washington, becoming virtually Commandant of Marines, although such a title did not then exist. He died in Philadelphia 27 August 1790. Photo from USMC History Division.Bill Gonyo
Nicholas 92kPhoto #: NH 44824: USS Nicholas (DD-311) making 27½ knots during builder's trials in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, 10 November 1920. Her forward smokestack has been retouched to eliminate the builder's yard number painted there. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 75kPhoto #: NH 45789: USS Nicholas (DD-311) running builder's trials in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, 10 November 1920. The number "232" on her forward smokestack is her builder's yard number, not the ship's hull number. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 106kUSS Nicholas (DD-311) Underway in San Francisco Bay, California, 1 September 1923. She was wrecked at Honda Point seven days later. Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1981. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Nicholas 144kAerial view of the Honda Point disaster area September 8, 1923, showing all seven destroyers that ran aground on Honda Point during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the upper left; USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas; USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in the left center; USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young; USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center; and USS Fuller (DD-297), in the lower center. The Southern Pacific Railway's Honda Station is in the upper left. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 98kPhoto #: NH 69059: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, USS Delphy (DD-261) capsized and broken in two at Honda Point, California, shortly after she ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. USS Nicholas (DD-311), wrecked at the same time, is in the background. Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, California, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 78kPhoto #: NH 42174: Honda Point disaster, September 1923, USS S.P. Lee (DD-310) and USS Nicholas (DD-311) -- partially visible in upper left -- on the rocks at Honda Point, California, shortly after they ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Note life rafts alongside S.P. Lee. Donation of BMGC Ralph E. Turpin, 1963. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 60kPhoto #: NH 42176: Honda Point disaster, September 1923, wreck of USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), just offshore at Honda Point, California, after being substantially broken up by wave action, circa late 1924. The ship's galley deckhouse is at right, and a boiler is at left. Items marked "Y" and "X" in the background are part of the wreck of USS Nicholas (DD-311). Photograph was received from the Office of Naval Intelligence, May 1930. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 91kPhoto #: NH 44825: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, USS Nicholas (DD-311) wrecked at Honda Point, California, shortly after she ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Note boat at left, possibly conducting salvage operations. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1965. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 85kPhoto #: NH 44825: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, USS Nicholas (DD-311) wrecked at Honda Point, California, shortly after she ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Note boat at left, possibly conducting salvage operations. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1965. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 71kPhoto #: NH 97985: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, USS S.P. Lee (DD-310) and USS Nicholas (DD-311) wrecked at Honda Point. Photographed some time after 8 September 1923, when both ships went aground with five other destroyers during a foggy night. By the time this photo was taken Nicholas' bow had broken away from the rest of her hull. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Washington I. Chambers, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 99kPhoto #: NH 66723: Honda Point Disaster, September 1923, aerial view of the disaster area, showing the seven destroyers that ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Photographed from a plane assigned to USS Aroostook (CM-3). Ships are: USS Nicholas (DD-311), in the left center; USS S.P. Lee (DD-310), astern of Nicholas; USS Delphy (DD-261), capsized in small cove (center); USS Young (DD-312), capsized in the center of the view; USS Chauncey (DD-296), upright ahead of Young; USS Woodbury (DD-309) on the rocks in the center; and USS Fuller (DD-297), closest to the camera. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral William V. Pratt. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fabio Peña
Nicholas 135kHonda Point Disaster, September 1923, top to bottom, the wrecks of the US Nicholas (DD-311) and USS S. P. Lee (DD0310) showing crewman from the Lee being highlined to safety. Copyright Bunnell Photo Shop, San Diego, CA. From the collection of CPO A. F. Meehan USN (Ret.).Pam Mayfield
Nicholas 173kUSS S.P. Lee (DD-310) and USS Nicholas (DD-311) on the rocks at Honda Point, California, shortly after they ran aground in a fog during the night of 8 September 1923. Photo courtesy of the NOAA Photo LibraryBill Gonyo

USS NICHOLAS DD-311 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 Herndon Browning Kelly    Nov 23 1920 - Oct 28 1921
LCDR Herbert Otto Roesch    Aug 3 1922 - Sep 8 1923

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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