Navy | The US Navy |
Type | Destroyer |
Class | Clemson |
Pennant | DD 217 |
Built by | William Cramp and Sons (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) |
Ordered | |
Laid down | 12 Jun 1919 |
Launched | 6 Nov 1919 |
Commissioned | 23 Apr 1920 |
End service | 9 Nov 1945 |
History | Reclassified as Auxiliary AG-117 on 30 June 1945 |
Commands listed for USS Whipple (DD 217)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
Commander | From | To | |
1 | Lt.Cdr. James Powell Clay, USN | 11 Jun 1939 | 5 Oct 1939 |
2 | Lt.Cdr. Rupert Meyrick Zimmerli, USN | 5 Oct 1939 | late 1940 |
3 | Lt.Cdr. Charles Stillman Weeks, USN | late 1940 | Mar 1941 |
4 | Lt.Cdr. Eugene Simon Karpe, USN | Mar 1941 | 29 Jun 1942 |
5 | T/Lt.Cdr. Vincent James Meola, USN | 29 Jun 1942 | 5 Sep 1943 |
6 | T/Lt.Cdr. Sanford Elza Woodard, USN | 5 Sep 1943 | 30 Oct 1944 |
7 | Richard Norman Reeves, USNR | 30 Oct 1944 | 3 Sep 1945 |
8 | Joseph William Leimert, USNR | 3 Sep 1945 | 9 Nov 1945 |
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Notable events involving Whipple include:
9 Feb 1942
Around 0800 hours, HrMs De Ruyter (Cdr. E.E.B. Lacomblé, RNN and flagship of Rear-Admiral K.W.F.M. Doorman, RNN) and HrMs Tromp (Cdr. J.B. de Meester, RNN), were joined by eight US destroyers USS Whipple (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Pillsbury (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Pound, USN), USS Edsall (Lt.Cdr. J.J. Nix, USN), USS Alden (Lt.Cdr. L.E. Coley, USN), USS Stewart (Lt.Cdr. H.P. Smith, USN), USS John D. Edwards (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Eccles, USN), USS Barker (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Miller, USN) and USS Bulmer (Lt.Cdr. D.A. Harris, USN).
At 1700 hours the Dutch destroyers HrMs Piet Hein (Lt.Cdr. J.M.L.I. Chompff, RNN), HrMs Banckert (Lt.Cdr. L.J. Goslings, RNN) and HrMs Van Ghent (Lt.Cdr. P. Schotel, RNN) also joined. Van Ghent developed engine trouble and was later replaced by HrMs Kortenaer (Lt.Cdr. A. Kroese, RNN). (After repairs Van Ghent re-joined the task force on the 11th.)
Around 2130 hours the US destroyers USS Edsall and USS Alden were detached and sent to Tjilatjap. (1)
12 Feb 1942
At 0200 hours, HrMs Tromp (Cdr. J.B. de Meester, RNN), departed the Prigi Bay on the south coast of Java. Outside the bay she waited for HrMs De Ruyter (Cdr. E.E.B. Lacomblé, RNN and flagship of Rear-Admiral K.W.F.M. Doorman, RNN) which had also fuelled there. While leaving the bay De Ruyter collided with the US destroyer USS Whipple (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN) (or it was the other way round, Whipple colliding with De Ruyter, depending on what sources one reads, Dutch or American, sic.).
At sea the Dutch cruisers made rendes-vous with the Dutch destroyers HrMs Piet Hein (Lt.Cdr. J.M.L.I. Chompff, RNN), HrMs Banckert (Lt.Cdr. L.J. Goslings, RNN), HrMs Van Ghent (Lt.Cdr. P. Schotel, RNN) and HrMs Kortenaer (Lt.Cdr. A. Kroese, RNN). The task force then set course towards the Sunda Strait.
At 1600 hours, HrMS Van Ghent and HrMs Kortenaer departed the formation and at 1830 hours HrMs Piet Hein and HrMs Bankert also left.
Both cruisers then continued their passage towards the Sunda Strait unescorted. (1)
2 May 1942
Around 1545K/2, HMAS Australia (Capt. H.B. Farncomb, RAN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J.G. Crace, CB, RN) and HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, CBE, RAN) arrived at Hervey Bay and immediately commenced fuelling.
Around 2100K/2, HMAS Australia, HMAS Hobart and USS Whipple (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN) departed Hervey Bay to make rendezvous with Task Force 11 which was effected around 0805KL/4. USS Whipple did not join Task Force 11 but was released and proceeded to Port Vila, New Hebrides. (2)
Media links
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Sources
- Files 2.12.03.6849 and 2.12.27.121 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Hobart for April 1942
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