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	HMS Rockingham
History
United States
Name	USS Swasey
Namesake	Charles Swasey
Builder	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum Victory Yard
Laid down	27 August 1918
Launched	7 May 1919
Sponsored by	Ms. Mary L. Swasey
Commissioned	8 August 1919
Decommissioned	10 June 1922
Stricken	8 January 1941
Fate	Transferred to the United Kingdom, 26 November 1940
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Rockingham
Acquired	26 November 1940
Fate	Sank while under tow after striking a mine on 27 September 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Clemson-class destroyer
Displacement	1,215 long tons (1,234 t)
Length	314 ft 4 in (95.81 m)
Beam	31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
Draft	9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
Installed power	26,500 hp (19,800 kW)
Propulsion	2 × geared turbines; 2 × shafts;
Speed	35 kn (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Range	4,900 nmi (5,600 mi; 9,100 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Complement	130 officers and enlisted
Armament	4 × 4 in (102 mm)/50 cal guns,; 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun,; 12 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;

The first USS Swasey (DD-273) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy and transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Rockingham (G58).

Service history

USS Swasey

Named for Charles Swasey, Swasey was laid down on 27 August 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum, Massachusetts; launched on 7 May 1919; sponsored by Ms. Mary L. Swasey; and commissioned on 8 August 1919.

Swasey was assigned to the Pacific Fleet and, after completing fitting out and sailing to the west coast, arrived at Pearl Harbor in the fall of 1919. She served there until the summer of 1922, when she returned to San Diego, California.

Swasey was decommissioned at San Diego on 10 June 1922 and assigned to the reserve fleet for the next 17 years. Swasey was reactivated on 18 December 1939 and – after an overhaul and sea trials – transferred to Britain on 26 November 1940 under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement.

Swasey was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 January 1941.

HMS Rockingham

Rockingham was modified for trade convoy escort service by removal of three of the original 4 in (102 mm)/50 cals and three of the triple torpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of hedgehog.^[1] Rockingham was assigned to Escort Group B-1 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force for convoys ON 96, SC 105, SC 119, ON 171, HX 230 and HX 236 during the winter of 1942–43.^[2]

Rockingham sank on 27 September 1944 while under tow after striking a mine.

Notes

^ Lenton&Colledge (1968) pp.92-94
^ Rohwer&Hummelchen (1992) pp.124,135,139,170,185,194,199,202&209

References

Lenton, H.T. & Colledge J.J. (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.
Rohwer, J. & Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.