USS McCormick (DD-223): American Destroyer

USS McCormick (DD-223/AG-118) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Lieutenant, junior grade Alexander McCormick, Jr.

Construction and Commissioning

McCormick was laid down 11 August 1919 by William Cramp & Sons; launched 14 February 1920; sponsored by Miss Katherine McCormick, sister of Lieutenant (jg.) McCormick; and commissioned 30 August 1920.

Service History

Following shakedown, McCormick served a year with Destroyer Squadron 5, Pacific Fleet. She then returned to the east coast for deployment with Destroyer Detachment, U. S. Naval Forces in European Waters. There she served in a quasi-diplomatic capacity in the eastern Mediterranean until the spring of 1924, after successful negotiations for a peace treaty between the Allies and Turkey.

World War II

The following year, she was assigned to the Asiatic Fleet. Operating from Cavite, she served as flagship for DesDiv 39, later 14, in support of the Yangtze River Patrol and South China Patrol until 1932. On 15 March she was ordered back to the United States and home ported at San Diego, where she decommissioned 14 October 1938.

The following year, as hostilities in Europe broke out, McCormick was brought out of the Inactive Reserve. Recommissioned 26 September 1939, she was assigned to Neutrality Patrol in the Atlantic. The entry of the U.S. into the worldwide conflict brought only an increase in antisubmarine activities for the destroyer as she continued her voyages to Iceland and across the Atlantic.

Through the end of 1942, McCormick plied the North Atlantic on runs to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Argentia, and Londonderry Port. Shifting southward, 7 February 1943, she escorted convoys bound for Casablanca. On 12 July, on a return voyage, Santee, providing air cover for the convoy, was relieved by Core. But before Santee departed the area, four U-boats were discovered in the convoy’s vicinity. For the next 4 days, planes from the carriers scouted and destroyed all four: Santee, Hovey U-160 on the 14th and U-509 on the 15th; Core, U-487 on the 13th and U-67 on the 16th. On the last date, McCormick picked up three survivors from U-67 for later transferal.

McCormick returned to New York 24 July and continued to escort convoys until 5 December. She then joined Croatan, TG 27.4, for a quick voyage to Casablanca and back, before overhaul at New York.

The destroyer’s next assignment sent her to Natal, Brazil, and then Casablanca, escorting Albemarle. On 1 April 1944, she was ordered to Boston, Massachusetts to resume escort and antisubmarine patrol duties. In May, McCormick returned to transatlantic convoy duty with a run to North Africa. During the next 4 months, she touched at various ports, including Bizerte, Oran, Cherbourg, Falmouth, Belfast, and Milford Haven. Upon her return to Boston, 1 October, she spent 3 months in convoy and patrol operations off the east coast and in the Caribbean before shifting back to the Casablanca run in January 1945.

Convoys Escorted

Convoy	Escort Group	Dates	Notes
HX 158		5-13 Nov 1941	from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war
ON 37		22-30 Nov 1941	from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war
HX 165		17-24 Dec 1941	from Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 51		2-11 Jan 1942	from Iceland to Newfoundland
HX 172		28 Jan-4 Feb 1942	from Newfoundland to Iceland
ON 65		12-19 Feb 1942	from Iceland to Newfoundland
HX 183	MOEF group A1	6-14 April 1942	from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland
ON 89	MOEF group A1	24-26 April 1942	from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland

Auxiliary Service

On 31 March, McCormick departed Norfolk for temporary duty with SubRon 3 at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. On 30 June 1945, she was reclassified miscellaneous auxiliary, AG-118, while at the Canal Zone. Two weeks later, she got underway for overhaul at Boston, arriving 21 July. Still undergoing repairs when peace came, McCormick decommissioned 4 October 1945. Her name was struck from the Navy list 24 October 1945 and her hulk was sold for scrapping to Boston Metals Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 15 December 1946.

As of 2005, no other U.S. Navy ship has been named McCormick. The USS Lynde McCormick DDG(8), a Charles F. Adams-Class destroyer was commissioned June 3, 1961. It was named after Admiral Lynde D. McCormick.

USS McCormick (DD-223).

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Alexander Agnew McCormick was the son of Chicago Evening Post editor and Chicago city alderman Alexander A. McCormick (better known as “A. A. McCormick”) and his wife Maude Warner. He attended the University of Chicago High School, and entered Yale University with the Class of 1919. He enlisted as a Seaman (2nd Class) in the U.S. Naval Aviation Forces on 16 April 1917 and trained at Buffalo, New York with the Aerial Coast Patrol Unit No. 2, which had been organized at Yale shortly after the United States declared war on Germany. He was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force as an ensign on 2 November 1917 and was stationed at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, until 28 May 1918. He was assigned to Squadron 214 of the Royal Air Force and served in France. On 24 September 1918, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) McCormick received fatal injuries in battle while an aerial gunner with the Northern Bombing Group in a mission near Calais. Buried in the military cemetery at Calais, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. He received the degree of B.A., post obitum, honoris causa, from Yale University in June 1919. He had been selected for membership in Skull and Bones. His remains now lie at the Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France. The Citation reads; “The Navy Cross is awarded to Lieutenant (j.g.) Alexander A. McCormack, U.S. Navy, for distinguished and heroic service in the line of his profession as a pilot of airplanes serving with the U.S. Naval Aviation Forces in Europe and with the Royal Air Force. Lieutenant McCormack took part in raids over enemy lines and was killed in making a forced landing from one of these raids.”

USS McCormick (DD-223) in early 1944.

McCormick refueling at sea, 1944.

USS McCormick, undated, location unknown.

USS McCormick, undated, location  unknown.

USS McCormick, undated, early war image. Prior to modifications. Painted in Measure 2 camouflage.

USS McCormick, undated, location unknown.

Six destroyers nested together during the early 1920s. These ships are (from left to right): USS Edsall (DD-219); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS Bulmer (DD-222); USS Parrott (DD-218); USS Simpson (DD-221); and USS MacLeish (DD-220).

USS McCormick (DD-223), anchored off San Diego, California during the early 1920s.

USS McCormick at anchor in Prinkipo, Turkey, 1922.

USS McCormick, undated, location unknown.

Ships of the 39th Destroyer Division moored together, probably in San Diego Harbor, California, in 1921. These ships are (from left to right): USS Edsall (DD-219); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS Bulmer (DD-222); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS MacLeish (DD-220); and USS Parrott (DD-218).

Balboa Harbor, Panama Canal Zone. Aerial photograph taken 23 April 1934, with U.S. Fleet cruisers and destroyers moored together. Ships present include (left to right in lower left): USS Elliot (DD-146); USS Roper (DD-147); USS Hale (DD-133); USS Dorsey (DD-117); USS Lea (DD-118); USS Rathburne (DD-113); USS Talbot (DD-114); USS Waters (DD-115); USS Dent (DD-116); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Crowninshield (DD-134); USS Preble (DD-345); and USS William B. Preston (DD-344). (left to right in center): USS Yarnall (DD-143); USS Sands (DD-243); USS Lawrence (DD-250); (unidentified destroyer); USS Detroit (CL-8), Flagship, Destroyers Battle Force; USS Fox (DD-234); USS Greer (DD-145); USS Barney (DD-149); USS Tarbell (DD-142); and USS Chicago (CA-29), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. (left to right across the top): USS Southard (DD-207); USS Chandler (DD-206); USS Farenholt (DD-332); USS Perry (DD-340); USS Wasmuth (DD-338); USS Trever (DD-339); USS Melville (AD-2); USS Truxtun (DD-229); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS MacLeish (DD-220); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS Hovey (DD-208); USS Long (DD-209); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Tracy (DD-214); USS Dahlgren (DD-187); USS Medusa (AR-1); USS Raleigh (CL-7), Flagship, Destroyers Scouting Force; USS Pruitt (DD-347); and USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156); USS Dallas (DD-199); (four unidentified destroyers); and USS Indianapolis (CA-35), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force.

USS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS Sicard (DD-346), USS Pruitt (DD-347), USS Decatur (DD-341), USS Preble (DD-345), USS Pope (DD-225), USS Bulmer (DD-222), USS Simpson (DD-221) and USS McCormick (DD-223) in Manila Harbor, 16 November 1928.

USS McCormick showing one of her 3”/50 anti-aircraft guns, New York, 10 April 1943.

USS McCormick, New York, 14 January 1944.

USS McCormick, 19 January 1944.

Another view of McCormick, New York, 10 April 1943.

Another view of McCormick on 19 January 1944, as modified in the typical late-World War II escort flush deck destroyer manner. As was the general pattern, one boiler and its accompanying stack were removed due to increased ammunition loading required and increased crew staffing demands, without sacrificing too much speed. Improved electronics include a HF/DF (high frequency direction finder) mounted to the mainmast for long range submarine detection and a SF microwave radar radome and TBS antenna forward. A hedgehog is seen just aft of her forward 3”/50 caliber gun. In order to compensate for these additions, all but one of her 20mm guns, half of her torpedo battery and two of her six depth charge throwers were landed. The rest of her torpedoes were kept in case enemy surface raiders were encountered.