Ships of the California Naval Militia

USS Hull

 

The first HULL was launched by Harlan & Hollingsworth of Wilmington, Del., 21 June 1902, sponsored by Miss Mabel Hull, a descendant of Commodore Hull; and commissioned 20 May 1903, Lt. S. S. Robinson in command.

 

During her first 2 years of service, HULL engaged in patrol and training maneuvers off Newport and in Chesapeake Bay. After a cruise to the Caribbean January April 1905 she returned to League Island, Pa., where she decommissioned 30 September 1905.

 

The HULL was recommissioned 14 November 1906 at Philadelphia and took part in winter exercises with fleet units in Cuban waters. After operations off Newport the ship returned to Norfolk in October 1907 to prepare for the voyage of the Great White Fleet. HULL sailed as an escort vessel 2 December and after stopping at many South American and Central American ports on the voyage around South America with the great battleships, arrived San Diego 28 April 1907. HULL was detached on the west coast, and the Great White Fleet continued on its cruise, showing the flag around the world. The destroyer remained in the vicinity of San Francisco until departing 24 August 1908 for a cruise to the South Pacific. She took part in various exercises in Hawaiian and Samoan waters before returning to San Diego in November.

 

HULL spent the years before World War I on patrol and training exercises off the California coast. She decommissioned 30 October 1912 and Joined the Reserve Torpedo Division at Mare Island, with which she made occasional training cruises to California ports. It was during this time the she served as a training vessel for the California Naval Militia When America entered the war in April 1917 HULL was being refitted at Mare Island. She sailed with other destroyers for the Canal Zone 25 April 1917 and for the next 3 months was engaged in defensive patrol off the western approaches to that vital waterway. She sailed to Norfolk 26 July for escort and patrol duty along the East Coast. In the months that followed HULL escorted ships to Bermuda and engaged in training maneuvers with other ships of the fleet as well. In June 1918 she broke up an attack by German submarine U-151 on a merchant ship, and often rescued sailors from sinking ships. She continued this vital ocean patrol duty until the end of the war.

 

HULL arrived Philadelphia 29 January 1919, and decommissioned 7 July 1919. She was sold 5 January 1921 to Joseph G. Hitner of Philadelphia.

Specifications

Type	Torpedo Boat Destroyer
Class	Hopkins
Displacement.	408 tons
Length	248 feet, 8 inches
Beam	24 feet, 6 inches
Draft	6 feet
Speed	29 knots
Complement	73
Armament	2 x 3 inch guns 5 x 6-pound guns 2 x 18 inch torpedo tubes

 

 

 

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Updated 8 February 2016