Decatur II DD- 5

Decatur II

(DD-5: dp. 420, 1. 250'; b. 23'7", dr. 6'6"; s. 28 k.;
cpl. 73; a. 2 3", 2 18" tt.; cl. Bainbridge)

The second Decatur (DD-5) was launched 26 September 1900 by William R. Trigg Co., Richmond, Va.; sponsored by Miss M. D. Mayo, great-grandniece of Commodore Decatur, and commissioned 19 May 1902, Lieutenant L. H. Chandler in command.

Decatur was designated lead vessel of the 1st Torpedo Flotilla with whom she conducted drills and maneuvers along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean until December 1903 when the flotilla departed Norfolk for the Asiatic Station, sailing by way of the Suez Canal. Arriving at Cavite, P.I., 14 April 1904, Decatur exercised along the China coast and cruised in Philippine waters until placed in reserve at Cavite 6 December 1905. For the next 3 years she made infrequent cruises, including one to the southern Philippines in January and February 1908 and Saigon in May 1908.

Placed out of commission 18 February 1909, Decatur was placed in commission in reserve 22 April 1910 and in full commission 22 December 1910. She resumed operations with the Torpedo Flotilla, cruising in the southern Philippines and between ports of China and Japan until 1 August 1917 when she departed for the Mediterranean. Assigned to U.S. Patrol Squadrons she arrived at Gibraltar 20 October 1917 for patrol and convoy duty in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean until 8 December 1918. Decatur arrived at Philadelphia 6 February 1919 and was decommissioned there 20 June 1919. She was sold 3 January 1920.