Ringgold I DD-89

Ringgold I (DD-89: dp. 1,060; 1. 315'5"; b. 31'8"; dr. 9'10"; s. 35 k.; cpl. 134; a. 4 4", 2 1-par, 12 21" tt.; cl. Wiekes) The first Ringgold, a twin-screw, flush-deck type destroyer was launched 14 April 1918 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Calif. sponsored by Mrs. David W. Farquhar; and commissioned li November 1918 at Mare Island Navy Yard Comdr. Louis P. Davis in command. Ringgold departed Mare Island Navy Yard 18 November 1918 to join the Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet. After transiting the Panama Canal, Ringgold called at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before arriving Hampton Roads, Va., 5 December 1918. She cruised along the U.S. east coast into 1922, operating generally out of Newport, R.I., Ringgold put into Philadelphia Navy Yard 5 April 1922 where she was decommissioned 17 June 1922 and placed in reserve. After remaining inactive for almost two decades, Ringgold recommissioned 23 August 1940 oreDaratory to transfer to Great Britain along with 49 other old flush-deekers desperately needed to fight German submarine attacks. Ringgold was formally transferred to Great Britain 26 November 1940 at Halifax, Nova Seotia, and renamed Newark in honor of towns in both Great Britain and the United States. She was struck from the U.S. Navy list 8 January 1941. Although manned initially by a Roval Canadian Navy eare and maintenance party, Newark was commissioned for Royal Navy service 5 December 1940, Lt. Comdr. R. H. W. Atkins, RN, in command. Newark was damaged in collision with her sister Newmarket 9 December 1940, necessitating repairs that delayed her departure for British waters. Standing out of Halifax 4 February 1941 in company with H.M.S. Wells, she encountered a heavy gale and subsequently developed engine trouble. Towed back to Halifax, Newark again departed 26 February 1941 and arrived at Belfast 5 March and Plymouth, England 9 March 1941. Assigned to the 17th Destroyer Division, Newark participated in escort duty for the ist Minelayinv Division operating in the Irish Sea and for the Ieeland ferry service. She suffered minor bomb damage in an air attack at Belfast on the night of 4-5 May 1941 but resumed active duty that August. While in company with H.M.S. Southern Prince 25 August 1941, Newark was hit by a torpedo forward and had to be escorted into Belfast. Following completion of repairs in May 1942, Newark rejoined the 17th Destroyer Division. She probahly damaged a German suhmarine 31 May 1942 while cruising south of Iceland and assisted H.M.S. Castelton in rescuing survivors of the German submarine U-464 on 20 August 1942. Newark was transferred to the Rosyth Escort Force during 1944, operating in the North Sea and in waters north of the British Isles on antisubmarine duty. In January 1945 she became an aircraft target ship under orders of the Rear Admiral, Northern Air Stations. Nework was scrapped at Botness on 18 February 1947.