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USS Hovey (DD-208/DMS-11)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Hovey (DD-208/DMS-11)

USS Hovey (DD-208) was launched 26 April 1919 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia ; sponsored by Mrs, Louise F. Kautz, sister of Ensign Hovey; and commissioned 2 October 1919, Comdr. Stephen B. McKinney in command.

After shakedown off the coast of Florida and in the Caribbean USS Hovey (DD-208) sailed from Newport 19 December 1919 in company with USS Chandler for the Azores and Brest, France, for duty as station ship. She sailed from Dalmatia, Italy 10 July 1920 for the Adriatic to deliver important papers and claims. Arriving Constantinople 12 July she later visited various Russian ports as station ship until 17 December when she sailed for Port Said, Egypt, and duty with the Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines. USS Hovey (DD-208) remained on the Asiatic station until she returned to San Francisco 2 October 1922, decommissioning at San Diego, 1 February 1923.

USS Hovey (DD-208) recommissioned 20 February 1930 at San Diego. After training and fleet exercises out of New England and off the Florida coast, USS Hovey (DD-208) returned to San Diego 9 November. After overhaul at Mare Island, she resumed her operations along the West Coast with additional exercises and fleet problems in the Canal Zone and Hawaiian waters. USS Hovey (DD-208) converted to a high speed minesweeper and was reclassifled DMS-11 19 November 1940. After intensive training she sailed 4 February 1941 for duty at Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 USS Hovey (DMS-11) was steaming in company with USS Chandler as antisubmarine screen for USS Minneapolis, engaged in gunnery practice some 2C miles off Pearl Harbor.

USS Hovey (DMS-11) continued screening and escort duties in the Solomons until 5 April 1944 when she escorted Linden-wald from Tulagi to Majuro, Marshall Islands. As flagship for Commander Loud's Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group, USS Hovey (DMS-11) departed Manus 23 December, arriving Leyte Gulf the 30th. She sortied 2 January 1945, proceeded south through Suriago Strait and passed into the Mindanao Sea en route to the landings on Lingayen, Luzon. At 0450, one plane flying low to the water came in from the starboard quarter passing ahead of USS Hovey (DMS-11). A few moments later another plane coming from the port beam was put on fire by Chandler. This plane passed very low over USS Hovey (DMS-11) and crashed on the starboard beam. At 0455, the instant the burning plane crashed, Hovey was struck by a torpedo on her starboard side in the after engineroom. Lights and power were lost instantly. The stern remained nearly level and sinking to the top of the after deck house, the bow listed 40 degrees to starboard and rose out of the water, the ship breaking in half.

For a complete history of USS Hovey (DMS-11) please see its DANFS page.