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USS Chauncey (DD-296)

Please see below for item leve images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Chauncey (DD-296)

USS Chauncey (DD-296) was launched 29 September 1918 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Calif.; sponsored by Miss D. M. Todd; commissioned 25 June 1919, Commander W. A. Glassford, Jr., in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

From the time of her commissioning, USS Chauncey (DD-296) sailed from San Diego and Mare Island to Hawaii and along the Pacific coast taking part in fleet exercises, gunnery practice, and other training activities. On the evening of 8 September 1923, USS Chauncey (DD-296) in company with a large group of destroyers was sailing through a heavy fog from San Francisco to San Diego, when a navigational error on board the first ship in her column turned that destroyer and the six that followed toward the rocky California coast rather than on a reach down Santa Barbara Channel. All seven destroyers, including USS Chauncey (DD-296), went aground on the jagged rocks off Point Pedernales.

USS Chauncey (DD-296) stranded upright, high on the rocks, near Young (DD-312), which had capsized. With none of her men lost, USS Chauncey (DD-296) at once went to the aid of her stricken sister, passing a line by which 70 of Young's crew clambered hand-over-hand to USS Chauncey (DD-296). Swimmers from USS Chauncey (DD-296) then rigged a network of lifelines to the coastal cliffs, and both her men and Young's reached safety by this means. The abandoned USS Chauncey (DD-296) was wrecked by the pounding surf, and was decommissioned 26 October 1923.

For a complete history of USS Chauncey (DD-296) please see its DANFS page.