DD-275 USS Sinclair

[Plumpett@aol.com]

Some weeks ago , someone on the list inquired about the history of the 
destroyer DD-275 USS Sinclair . I was able to find the below listed info 
which should provide the necessary background if anyone wishes to explore 
this ships history further .

Regards , Joe Greigg

(DD-275: dp. 1,215; 1. 314'41/2; b. 30'11 1/'2''; dr. 9'4"; s. 34.5 k.; cpl. 
122; a. 4 4", 1 3", 12 21" tt.; cl. Clemson)

Sinclair (DD-275) was laid down on 15 October by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding 
Corp., Squantum, Mass. launched on 2 June 1919; sponsored by Mrs. George 
Barnett, granddaughter of Capt.Sinclair, and commissioned on 8 October 1919, 
Lt. Comdr. C. S. Roberts in command.

After shakedown, Sinclair departed Newport on 17 January 1920 for the 
Caribbean. Between 7 and 25 February 1920, she patrolled off the coasts of 
Honduras and Guatemala during political unrest in those countries From 13 to 
18 March, she assisted in efforts to salvage submarine H-l, aground off Santa 
Margarita Island, Calif. She then joined the Pacific Fleet for operations off 
San Diego.

On 9 July 1920, Sinclair embarked the Secretary of the Navy and Commander in 
Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, at Seattle, and carried them on a tour of 
ports in Alaska and British Columbia. The Secretary of the Navy transferred 
to Idaho (BB 42) on 18 July and the Commander in Chief to New Mexico (BB-40) 
upon returning to Puget Sound on 12 August. Sinclair then resumed operations 
off San Diego until decommissioned and placed in reserve there on 25 May 1920.

On 27 September 1923, Sinclair was recommissioned as a replacement for one of 
the seven destroyers wrecked on Point Honda on 8 September 1923. After 
shakedown at San Diego, she sailed south with the Battle Fleet in January 
1924, transited the Panama Canal on the 17th, and participated in exercises 
during the fleet concentration in the Caribbean from 25 January to 5 April.

After returning to San Diego on 22 April, she underwent overhaul at Puget 
Sound from 3 May to 13 June and, after a brief visit to San Diego, rejoined 
the fleet in the Puget Sound area for summer exercises. She operated at San 
Diego from 1 October 1924 to l April 1925, was overhauled at Puget Sound from 
12 April to 19 June, and rejoined the fleet at Pearl Harbor on 27 June.

On 1 July 1925, Sinclair sailed from Hawaii with the Battle Fleet on a 
goodwill visit to the Southwest Pacific and visited Melbourne, Australia, 
Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand; and American Samoa before returning to 
San Diego on 26 September. She departed San Diego on 1 February 1926 for 
fleet exercises off the Canal Zone, returning on 6 March. From 15 March to 30 
April, she received repairs at Bremerton, and on 21 June, departed San Diego 
with the Battle Fleet for summer exercises off Puget Sound, which lasted 
until 1 September.

Again departing San Diego with the Battle Fleet on 17 February 1927, Sinclair 
transited the Panama Canal on 4 March and participated in exercises in the 
Caribbean until 13 April. On 24 April, she returned to San Diego and then 
proceeded to Bremerton for repairs which lasted from 4 May to 28 June 1927. 
She spent the summer training reserves in the Puget Sound area and returned 
to San Diego on 9 September.

Sinclair underwent overhaul at Puget Sound from 26 March to 9 May 1928 and 
rejoined the fleet at Pearl Harbor on 16 May for exercises. Returning to San 
Diego on 23 June, she sailed on 5 July for summer exercises in the north, 
lasting to 18 August. From 1 September 1928 to 15 January 1929, she operated 
off San Diego and, from 27 January to 21 February, she participated in Fleet 
Problem IX off Panama. She commenced overhaul at Puget Sound on 17 March 1929 
but was ordered decommissioned instead. After returning to San Diego on 8 
April 1929, she was decommissioned there on 1 June 1929.

On 22 November 1930, Sinclair was renamed Light Target (IX-37). Due to faulty 
boilers, however, her conversion to a target ship was can celled, and she was 
replaced by Kilty (DD-137).

She recovered her original name on 24 April 1931 and her destroyer 
designation on 11 August 1931. Sinclair was struck from the Navy list on 5 
June 1935 and sold on 30 August 1935 to Learner and Rosenthal, Oakland, 
Calif., for scrapping.
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