USS REID DD-21

Reid docked at the Boston Navy Yard  on 10 December 1909; undocking on the 15th. She got underway on 29 December and arrived at Newport, R.I., on the 31st. She departed the next day, 1 January 1910 bound for Charleston, S.C. Upon her arrival on 3 January, she received orders assigning her to the Seventh Torpedo Division, Atlantic Torpedo Fleet. The destroyer got underway on 11 March, but leaky boilers forced her to return to port almost immediately. Going into the yard that same day, she underwent repairs until 19 March. She then departed Charleston on 21 March and headed to Key West, Fla., arriving the next day. She then cleared Key West on the 24th and reached Pensacola, Fla., the next day. Remaining until 21 April, she returned to Charleston via Key West (22 April) on 24 April. The next day, Reid docked until 28 April.

Clearing Charleston on 29 April 1910, Reid steamed north to the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y. Arriving on 1 May, she entered the yard until 9 May, when she cleared bound for Newport and arriving the next day. Two days later, she departed and went to Bath (12-14 May), Rockland, Maine (14-20 May), and Boston (22-23 May). Through the end of June she cruised along the eastern seaboard to conduct shakedown and training cruises and making visits to Provincetown, Mass. (23-27 May), the Delaware Breakwater (28 May-4 June), Newport (5-7 June; 13-16 June; 22-27 June), Norfolk, Va. (8-12 June), New York (17-21 June), and Rockland (28 June-1 July), Portland, Maine (1-6 July), and back to Bath on 6 July. While at Bath, she was finally accepted for full service on 12 July.

Reid steamed from Bath on 14 July bound for New London, Conn., and arriving the same day. Over the next five weeks she operated from New London conducting training along the New England coast with occasional visits to the Torpedo Station at Newport. She departed New London bound for Yorktown, Va. on 22 August and arrived on the 24th. She then operated in the Chesapeake Bay until docking at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., on 16 September. She remained there undergoing maintenance until undocking on the 22nd. She then continued to operate in the Chesapeake visiting Solomons Island, Md., Annapolis, Md., and Baltimore, Md., during this period. She departed Baltimore on 29 October, passed through the Virginia capes into the Atlantic and steamed to the New York Navy Yard, where she arrived on the 30th. Departing the yard on 9 November, she set course for the Caribbean and reached San Juan, P.R. on 12 November. Departing on 17 November and operating in Caribbean waters, she called at Port of Spain, Trinidad (18-28 November), Grenada (28-30 November); Port de France, Martinique (1-3 December); Dominica (3-6 December); St. Kitts (7-10 December); St. Thomas (10-11 December); Culebra Island (11-12 December) before returning to San Juan where she remained for most of the remainder of the year.

Reid was still at San Juan on 1 January 1911. Getting underway again on 4 January, she spent most of the next two months continuing to operate in the waters around Puerto Rico and Cuba to conduct fleet training. Departing Guantanamo Bay. Cuba, on 18 February, the destroyer returned to Norfolk on 24 February. While there, she docked three times at the Norfolk Navy Yard (20-21 April, 6-13 May, and 7-8 June). Clearing the navy yard on 8 June, Reid steamed north and arrived at Newport the next day. Through the summer months the destroyer conducted training and port visits along the New England coast until departing Newport on 13 September bound for the Southern Drill Grounds off the Virginia capes.  Reid operated in the waters around Norfolk until 28 October, when she steamed north to New York. Arriving the next day, she remained until 2 November and then returned to Norfolk. Mooring on 3 November, she remained at Norfolk through the end of the year.

Clearing Norfolk on 19 January 1912, Reid steamed south to Guantanamo Bay for annual winter fleet training and exercises and arrived on 22 January. While deployed in the Caribbean, Reid received orders on 4 March detaching her from the disbanding Atlantic Torpedo Fleet and re-assigning her to the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet. Departing Guantanamo Bay on 16 March, Reid returned to Norfolk via Key West (19-20 March; 9-13 April) and Pensacola (26 March-8 April) on 16 April. Heading to Baltimore on 18 April, she remained until 29 April and returned to Norfolk the next day. Steaming out of Norfolk on 10 may, she was forced to return that same day after an accident. She did not get underway again until 7 June, when she steamed north to New York. Arriving at the New York Navy Yard the next day. She remained until the 10th, when she departed for Newport and reached later that same day. Reid remained at Newport into July.

Departing for exercises on 9 July 1912, Reid returned to Newport on the 13th before moving on to New London that same day. She stood in port on the Thames River until 5 August, when she got underway bound for Newport, conducting exercises enroute. Arriving on the 9th, she would again clear Newport on the 17th for the conduct of flotilla exercises. She returned two days later and remained until 30 August, when she shifted to Provincetown, Mass.. Departing on the 7 September, she shifted back to Newport (7-13 September) before departing for Lynnhaven Bay, Va., where she arrived on the 14th. After four days back in the Chesapeake, she returned to Newport (19 September-10 October). She then moved on to New York, where she anchored in the North River (10-16 October), before returning to Norfolk on 17 October. Departing the Hampton Roads, Va. area the next day, Reid arrived at the Charleston Navy Yard on 19 October and was placed into first reserve on the 21st.

Reid remained in port at Charleston for six months, getting underway again on 23 April 1913 and steaming for Hampton Roads. Arriving at Norfolk, the next day, she remained until 8 May, when she went to sea in order to return to Charleston on the 9th. From Charleston, she would visit Port Royal, S.C. (11 May) and Savannah, Ga. (12-13 May), before arriving back at Charleston on the 14th. Returning to Norfolk on 15 May, she conducted a trial run (19-20 May) enroute to Annapolis (20-26 May) and then returned to Charleston on 27 May. After two months inactivity, she stood out of Charleston on 30 July and steamed to Newport, reaching on 1 August. Over the next two months she conducted flotilla training in the waters around Newport and Gardiners Bay until 27 September. Returning to Charleston on 2 October, she remained in port through the new year.

Reid raised steam and headed to sea again on 10 February 1914, bound for Key West. via Mayport, Fla. (11-12 February) and Miami, Fla. (13-14 February). Reaching on 14 February, she remained until the 17th when she stood out bound for Tampa, Fla. Standing at Tampa until 26 February, Reid transited the Gulf of Mexico with stops at St. Joseph’s Bay (26-27 February); Pensacola (1-2 March); and New Orleans, La. (2-14 March). While at New Orleans on 3 March, Reid received an assignment to the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet, which was established that day. Departing New Orleans on 14 March, the destroyer cruised the waters around Florida until 20 April, when she steamed out of Pensacola, bound for Port Arthur, Texas. Arriving that same day, she shifted to Galveston, Texas, where she remained until the 24th. Getting underway, she steamed to Vera Cruz, Mexico. With the strained U.S.-Mexican relations stemming from the Mexican Revolution and in response to the Tampico Incident of 9 April, units of the Atlantic Fleet landed at Vera Cruz, seizing the harbor and occupying the city. She arrived on 28 April and spent the week cruising along Mexico’s eastern coast and shuttling to Galveston. Departing Galveston on 7 May via Key West (10-12 May), she returned to Charleston on the 14th.

Reid remained in port at Charleston through 11 November 1914, when she got underway bound for Norfolk. Arriving on 14 November, she operated a few days around Hampton roads and then steamed up the Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis, arriving on the 17th. She remained there until 10 December when she departed bound for Newport. Arriving on 11 December, she then shifted to Boston on the 13th and remained in port there into 1915.

On New Year’s Day 1915, Reid cleared Boston bound for Charleston, where she reached on the 3rd. From 22 January through 14 March, the destroyer operated from Charleston and in the waters around Florida. In port at Charleston since 14 March, she got underway again on 11 June and steamed to Boston. Arriving two days later, she spent the next month operating and conducting training in the waters of New England. Departing Boston on 19 July, Reid returned to Charleston on the 22nd. Having entered the yard at Charleston (23-25 July), she spent the next several weeks, operating into the Gulf of Mexico and visiting Mobile, Ala. (31 July-2 August). Returning to Charleston on 11 August, she stood out again on the 14th and steamed to Norfolk. At the Navy Yard (16-19 August), she then operated in the Chesapeake Bay until passing through the Virginia capes to cruise on 27 August. Standing into Charleston on 28 August, she cleared the South Carolina port on 6 September bound for Newport. Reaching on the 9th, she shifted to Boston on the 14th. She remained until 1 October and spent the next month training off New England before standing into the New York Navy Yard on 30 October. Standing at the yard for two days, she shifted to Tompkinsville [Staten Island], N.Y. on 1 November before departing for Charleston the next day. Arriving on 4 November, the ship would remain in port for the remainder of 1915. During this time, Reid was re-assigned to the First Reserve Flotilla on 13 December 1915.

Shortly after the new year, on 5 January 1916, Reid was designated by the Navy Department as a “destroyer operating with a reduced complement.” She was subsequently assigned to the Texas Naval Militia on 4 February. Reid raised steam and cleared the Charleston Navy Yard on 11 March. She steamed southward and touched at Key West (15 March-7 May), Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic (9 May-17 June), Key West (20-24 June), and Vera Cruz (28 June). She returned to Hampton roads via Key West on 21 July. Over the next 10 weeks, the destroyer operated in the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River with multiple visits to Washington, D.C., and Piney Point, Md. On 1 October, she returned to Hampton Roads and operated in the vicinity of the Virginia capes until 9 October, when she got underway and steamed north for Boston via Buzzards Bay, Mass. (10 October). Arriving at Boston on the 11th, she remained until the 20th, when she shifted to Newport. She remained in New England waters until 21 November, when she went to sea in order to return to Charleston via Hampton Roads. She stood into Charleston on 25 November and spent the remainder the year in port.

Amidst the increasing tensions between the U.S. and Imperial Germany, in the wake of the latter’s resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare on 1 February 1917, Reid resumed operations underway, steaming out of Charleston to Brunswick, Ga., on 4 March. From there, she steamed the next day to Key West (12-14 March), then on to Galveston (16-22 March) and Houston, Texas (23-25 March). Clearing Houston, she returned to Key West  whence she operated into April.

With the U.S. declaration of war against Germany on 6 April 1917, Reid received orders attaching her to the Southern Patrol Force, operating out of Key West. On the 14th, she moved north and, on the 18th, joined Squadron 1, Patrol Force at Boston. Transferred to Squadron 2 in early May, she patrolled the northeast coast of the United States until detached from the Patrol Force on 15 May and assigned to the Destroyer Force. Reporting on the 17th, she escorted coastal traffic and patrolled the approaches to New York City. Reid arrived at the New York Navy Yard in the morning on 7 June, remaining until 10 July, she shifted to Tompkinsville (Base No. 21), where the U.S. Army Transport (USAT) Finland stood by, loaded with a contingent of the first American troops bound for France, Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) and St. Louis (Cruiser No. 20) were also present when she arrived. The next day she departed for Yorktown, Va. (Base No. 2), convoying Illinois (Battleship No. 7). Having lost Illinois in heavy fog, she searched for a day before arriving at Yorktown on the 13th, almost simultaneously with Illinois. Reid then embarked Rear Adm. DeWitt Coffman and carried him to Norfolk. Remaining until the 16th, the destroyer re-embarked Rear Adm. Coffman and returned to Yorktown. The next day Reid set targets for Aylwin (Destroyer No. 47) at Tangier Sound, Va. (Base No. 1), and then the following day she steamed through the anti-submarine nets for maneuvers with the Atlantic Fleet. Having returned previously, Reid departed Yorktown on 27 June, bound for a return to the New York Navy Yard. Arriving the next day, she coaled at the yard and then shifted to Tompkinsville on the 30th. Initially awaiting orders, she departed, in company with Preston (Destroyer No. 19), to convoy the French steamer La Touraine, with Prince of Udine and Italian Commission to United States embarked. The next day, 300 miles out, the destroyers left La Touraine and, despite rough weather, raced each other back toward New York, arriving back in Brooklyn on 2 July. Reid secured alongside Terry (Destroyer No. 25). Flusser (Destroyer No. 20) and Worden (Destroyer No. 16) were also present.

The Navy Department ordered Reid to prepare for distant service on 5 July 1918. The other ships receiving similar orders were Flusser, Lamson (Destroyer No. 18), Preston (Destroyer No. 19), and Smith (Destroyer No. 17). Preceded by Flusser, Preston, and Worden, Reid cleared the New York Navy Yard bound for the Charleston Navy Yard, that same day. The destroyers arrived the next day and as part of her preparation for deployment, entered drydock on 17 July. Undocking on the 20th, Reid sortied bound for Bermuda, in company with Preston, at midnight on 21 July. The destroyers stood into St. George’s, Bermuda (Base No. 24), on 23 June and coaled for almost two days in preparation for the next leg of their transit to Europe. Still in company with Preston, Reid cleared St. George’s for Ponta Delgada, Azores, on 26 July. The destroyers anchored at Ponta Delgada, St. Michael’s Island, Azores (Base No.13), where they joined Smith and Lamson, on 31 July.

Both Reid and Preston weighed anchor and got underway on 3 August 1917 to conduct anti-submarine patrolling in the Portuguese archipelago. The ships continued their operations the next day steaming into the harbors of Angra do Heroismo, Terceira Island, and Horta, Fayal Island before returning to Ponta Delgada on the 5th. After coaling on 6 August, Preston received a radio message on the 7th saying the French steamer Marthe was being shelled by a submarine (U-155; Kapitänleutnant Karl Meusel commanding). Reid and Preston stood by awaiting further information. At 12:05 a.m. on 8 August both ships got underway to assist Marthe. At 1:00 a.m. joined they were joined by Lamson and discovered a smashed Marthe lifeboat and other wreckage. Continuing their patrol into 13 August,  Reid and Preston maneuvered in a loop toward Madeira and set their depth charges. The next day, the crew went to general quarters on sighting an Italian steamer, with exchanged recognition signals, the destroyers convoyed her until 8:30 p.m. Lookout reported rising moon as light. Having rendezvoused with Castine (Gunboat No. 6) Reid and Preston escorted her into Ponta Delgada.  On 19 August, U.S. Navy units in the Azores were bolstered when the converted yachts Alcedo (S. P. 166), Guinevere (S. P. 512), Carola IV (S. P. 166), Corona (S. P. 812), Wanderer (S. P. 132), Remlik (S. P. 157),  and Emeline (S. P. 175) stood in to the harbor from the United States. The yachts stood out en route to France on 23 August. Two days later, Reid and Flusser convoyed the Italian steamer Dante Alighieri 300 miles toward Gibraltar. After parting with the steamer the destroyers hit rough weather between the Azores and Spain. Having rendezvoused with the Italian steamer Pediladia, they escorted her into Ponta Delgada on 29 August.

Reid returned to patrolling Azorean waters on 6 September 1917. Meeting the Coast Guard cutter Manning on 8 September, she escorted her until relieved by Flusser and returned to Base No. 13 on the 9th. While in port the ship’s baseball team competed against that of Flusser on 16 September, defeating them 12-11. A week later, the destroyer tender Panther’s squad turned the tables on the Reid’s nine, besting them 8-7. Returning to her wartime duties on 28 September, Reid patrolled around St. Mary’s Island with Preston. The next day they picked up the British White Star liner Canopic, and convoyed her west for five hours, then turned her over to Whipple (Destroyer No. 15) and Truxtun. With their escort mission complete Reid and Preston returned to Ponta Delgada on 1 October. During their time in port Reid and Flusser laid in a six-day supply of provisions on 6 October. The next day both destroyers stood out of Ponta Delgada bound for Queenstown, Ireland (Base No. 6) convoying Nero (Collier No. 17). Having passed through a storm while enroute which slowed their passage, the ships stood into  Queenstown Harbor in the morning on 13 October. Later, that same day, Reid and Flusser were again underway, bound for Cardiff, Wales (Base No. 29), through the Bristol Channel. They arrived at Cardiff the next afternoon. The ships remained overnight. Departing during the evening of the 15th, they again passed through a storm which saw Reid’s motorboat carried away. Both arrived at Queenstown the next afternoon. At 4:00 p.m. on 21 October, Reid and Flusser raised steam and got underway for their new base at Brest, France (Base No. 7). Arriving the next day, Reid tied up beside Panther. On 23 October, she was rammed, and damaged above the waterline by the minesweeper James (S. P.  429). The next day Reid received a tow into the French Navy yard for repairs. She would not be placed into drydock until 29 October, entering along with the tug Cahill (S. P. 493).

Reid undocked along with the trawler Bauman (S. P. 377) on 15 November 1917. Five days later, on 20 November, she was towed out of the Navy Yard. The destroyer departed on 23 November for St. Nazaire, France, to convoy the freighter Santa Rosa (Id. No. 2169) and two merchant ships to Brest. They arrived at Brest the following afternoon. On 27 November, troop transports Agamemnon (Id. No. 3004) and Mount Vernon (Id. No. 4508) stood out of Brest, accompanied by Reid, Lamson, O’Brien (Destroyer No. 51), McDougal (Destroyer No. 54), Patterson (Destroyer No. 36), Paulding (Destroyer No. 22), Jarvis (Destroyer No. 38), Monaghan  (Destroyer No. 32) and Rowan (Destroyer No. 64). Reid and Rowan soon returned to base. Reid did get underway again on 30 November with Preston, the converted yacht Corsair (S. P. 159), and French destroyers convoying 20 merchant vessels southward to points along the French coast. While enroute on 1 December a submarine was reported in the convoy and the destroyers dropped seven depth charges with no reported results. Reid retuned to and anchored at Brest on 2 December. Getting underway again the next day, she picked up a Morgan liner and eight other vessels with Warrington, Smith, Lamson, and Preston, arriving at Quiberon, France, later that day. After a commanding officers’ conference on board San Diego (Armored Cruiser No. 6) in the morning of the 4th, the destroyers got underway in the afternoon and returned to Brest. During the morning of 7 December, Vice Adm. Sims, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in European Waters, visited Reid and spent five minutes on board her.

Getting underway during the afternoon on 7 December 1917, Reid, Roe (Destroyer No. 24), Smith, Preston, Warrington (Destroyer No. 30), and Flusser convoyed San Diego and Mount Vernon 800 miles westward. While underway on the 9th, Preston fired a shot near Reid, but nothing was seen. Afterward, the destroyers parted with San Diego and Mount Vernon and made 15 knots in column formation for a return to base. All stood into Brest on the morning of 11 December. Clearing Brest on 14 December, Reid convoyed merchantmen to Quiberon in company with Preston, Flusser, Lamson, and Smith and arrived early in the morning the next day. She then got underway again in the afternoon with other destroyers of the First Division convoying Powhatan (Id. No. 3013) — flagship carrying the Senior Officer Present (SOP) — and Madawaska (Id. No. 3011). Zigzagging on a base course of 263º, they convoy empty ships back toward the United States. With the approach of a storm on 16 December, Reid nearly rammed Powhatan, Lamson, and Smith while maneuvering. Continuing in heavy seas, Reid was battered. Her torpedo truck was carried away, she lost her machine lathe and her wherry, and her whaleboat was smashed and ice box, life preserver locker and vegetable locker shaken loose by waves breaking on board. She also suffered main engine bearing trouble, due to salt water in lubrication system. At 9:00 a.m. she passed Corsair close aboard and asked her to stand by in order to assist her back to Brest. At 10:30 a.m., however, she lost contact with the yacht.  At 2:05 p.m. she changed course to 202º and the commanding officer decided to seek port of refuge along coast of Portugal, as seas and weather grew worse, with no sign of moderation. Enroute to the Portuguese coast  her wireless was put out of operation by salt water flooding and by the entanglement of the aerial. She finally stood into Port Leixoes, Portugal, at 3:20 p.m. on the afternoon of the 18th. Having taken on supplies, Reid got underway in the morning on 20 December bound for Brest. Arriving the next morning, she moored alongside Warrington and took on coal from two lighters. Having coaled through the 22nd, the ship’s crew spent the better part of the next week enjoying holiday festivities, including playing a football game.

Weighing anchor again on 28 December 1917, Reid steamed to Quiberon. Arriving at 4:00 p.m., she linked up with the transports Aeolus (Id. No. 186) (flagship), Susquehanna (Id. No. 3016), Edward Luckenbach (Id. No. 1662), Huron (Id. No. 1408), Pennsylvanian (Id. No. 3511), and one other ship. Accompanied by Lamson and Flusser, they started out 700 miles westward. Having made the run to the west, the escorts stood amidst another storm awaiting a rendezvous with a twenty-ship eastbound convoy that included Bridge (Supply Ship No. 1). Unable to link up with the inward bound convoy, Reid and five other destroyers formed column at 1:00 a.m. on 2 January 1918 and steamed for Brest. All put into the harbor at noon on the 3rd. Two days later, Reid shifted to and anchored in the outer harbor. She got underway early on 6 January and rendezvoused with Bridge and her convoy and escorted them into Brest. In company with Warrington, Lamson, Roe, and Smith, Reid departed Brest on 9 January convoying Nansemond (Id. No. 1395), Artemis (Id. No. 2187) and four others. At 9:15 Nansemond hoisted the submarine signal eight miles off Pen March. Artemis fired her after gun and Nansemond her forecastle gun eight times. Reid, Lamson, Smith, and Roe deployed a smoke screen. Known as ”Battle of Pen March.” Nothing but porpoises were seen. The convoy arrived at Quiberon Bay at 5:00 p.m. and Reid went alongside DeKalb (Id. No. 3010) and Guinevere. McNeal (S. P. 333) alongside. Departing the next morning, 10 January, with other destroyers, she convoyed DeKalb, Huron, and eight other vessels westward. Leaving the convoy the next day, Reid headed for a rendezvous. Having  missed the convoy in a storm, she headed back to base. While enroute home on 12 January, she nearly ran into a lighthouse in fog and signaled Flusser to change course. Having just avoided the collision, she entered the harbor and tied up alongside Roe.

Reid sortied again on 17 January 1918. Departing in the afternoon, in company with Flusser, Smith, and Lamson, she escorted the troop transports President Lincoln, Covington (Id. No. 1409), and Pocahontas (Id. No. 2267) toward the U.S. Departing the westbound convoy at 2:30 a.m., they joined an eastbound convoy at 8:00 a.m. and escorted it toward Brest where they arrived on the 19th. Steaming out of the harbor on 22 January, the destroyer escorted President Grant (Id. No. 3014), Praetorius, and two others toward the U.S. She parted company with the convoy the next afternoon and set a course for a return to Base No. 7. Encountering a storm, she changed course to ride easier. While underway on the 24th, she dropped two depth charges, both of which failed to detonate and made good her return later that day. After coaling, Reid got underway with Lamson, Preston, and Flusser on 27 January. Preston, however, broke down and returned to base. The three destroyers pressed on and steamed into the harbor at Plymouth, England, the next morning. Upon arrival they picked up the heavily-loaded steamers Montanan and Amphion (Id. No. 1888) and convoyed southward. Early on the 29th, Montanan fired two shots to port, astern of Reid. The destroyer went to general quarters, but saw nothing and came back to course. At 3:24 a.m. Montanan and Amphion each fired three shots, but again found nothing. Reaching Quiberon at 1:47 p.m., Reid was underway again with another convoy at 3:02 p.m. Escorting the convoy into the evening on 30 January. She then set a course for Brest and arrived late the next morning.

After refueling and stocking her provisions, Reid got underway again on 6 February 1918 with Monaghan and Lamson. Headed to Quiberon, they arrived that evening. The three then departed together with Nyanza (Id. No. 1821) and Kentuckian (Id. No. 1544) on the 7th. Parting with the transports on the 8th, the escorts stood into Brest at 11:00 a.m. on 9 February. After three days in port, Reid, Lamson and Monaghan departed to convoy Tenadores and Huron westward. The destroyers parted with the convoy on 14 February and headed for Brest. While underway, Reid dropped two Sperry depth charges to test if they would explode; only one did. During their return transit the destroyers passed two convoys. The second was Sampson (Destroyer No. 63) and several other oil-burning destroyers. They were returning to Queenstown after convoying Wilhelmina (Id. No. 2168) and other transports into France. Reid and her cohorts reached Brest later that day. On 19 February, she stood out of Brest, along with Smith, Warrington, Nicholson, Lamson, Preston, and Flusser, to convoy Powhatan, Ohioan (Id. No. 3280), Aeolus (Id. No. 3005), and Calamares (Id. No. 3662) toward the U.S. The next evening, Reid (flagship), Lamson, Flusser, and Preston left the convoy, turned south to rendezvous with an east-bound convoy. At daylight on the 21st, they joined Roe and Mexican (Id. No. 1655) and seven other ships and escorted them into Quiberon on the 23rd. Departing the next day the division shifted to Brest where Reid conducted gunnery practice for the first time since her deployment to European waters.

Reid got underway again in the afternoon of 1 March 1918. In company with Roe, Monaghan, Lamson, and Preston, she convoyed Agamemnon, Von Steuben (Id. No. 3017), Tiger (Id. No. 1640), and Martha Washington (Id. No. 3019) west toward the U.S. The convoy separated, Roe and Monaghan took Von Steuben and Agamemnon southward and the others continued on the westward course with Reid at the head. At 5:00 p.m. on 2 March, Lamson left the convoy for drydock at Chatham, England. At 7:30 p.m., Reid and Preston left Tiger and Martha Washington and steamed southward toward a  rendezvous. At daylight on 3 March, Reid and Preston joined Wilkes (Destroyer No. 67; flagship). Roe, Monaghan, O’Brien (Destroyer No. 51), and eleven other destroyers with eight American ships, some with troops, some munitions. She exchanged signals with Wilkes and Covington. At 6:30 a.m. convoy separated, part going toward England, and Wilkes, O’Brien, Reid, and Preston taking President Lincoln, George Washington (Id. No. 3018), and Covington (Id. No. 1409), with 10,000 troops, in direction of Brest. Reid stood five miles ahead of the convoy. The next morning, 4 March, they were joined by Smith prior to their arrival at Brest. During her time in port Reid took on coal and fresh water. At 4:00 p.m. on 9 March, Smith and Reid left Brest and at 6:00 p.m. anchored at Anse de Camaret, France, to spend the night. Leaving Camaret at 7:00 a.m. on the 10th with Smith, they convoyed President Grant and President Lincoln toward U.S. At 10:10 a.m. they met the cruiser Seattle (Armored Cruiser No. 11), with Secretary of War Newton D. Baker embarked, accompanied by troopships and destroyers; joining the Seattle convoy, all arrived at Brest at 11:35 a.m. Reid remained just a short time as she got underway with Smith, Isabel (S. P. 521), and Warrington, convoying Covington and George Washington. At dark on the 11th, Reid left the convoy for a return to Brest while Isabel left the column to pick up 18-ship convoy bound for England. Reid arrived back at Brest in the afternoon on 12 March.

Reid sortied with Warrington, Isabel, and Flusser at 4:00 p.m. on 16 March 1918, to escort Seattle, Rappahannock (Id. No. 1854), and President Grant westward. The convoy separated, Warrington and Flusser taking Seattle southwest and Reid and Isabel remaining with Rappahannock and President Grant. The two remained with the transports until noon on the 17th, when both went after an eastbound convoy. Underway in rough weather, Reid had turbine trouble and was forced to  “lay to” for 40 minutes. At 3:45 p.m., they sighted the convoy and exchanged signals with Chester (Armored Cruiser No. 2). At 9:00 p.m., the destroyers parted with the for Brest.

While enroute on the morning of 18 March 1918, Reid and Isabel  passed the British Tramp Steamer Roath, steaming alone at 8:30 a.m. Just over two hours later, at 10:54 a.m., Lt. Cmdr. Slayton, the ship’s commanding officer, sighted a submarine, UC-48 (Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Lorenz commanding),  from his position on the bridge. He ordered full speed and called all hands to general quarters. A signal had been sent to Isabel, which held position on Reid’s port quarter, not less than a mile distant.. On putting on extra speed, Reid tooted her whistle six times, as a submarine warning. After Reid and Isabel had covered about a mile, the U-boat commander folded his wireless masts and submerged in two minutes. Lt. Cmdr. Slayton had held gunfire in the hope of getting into a better position for placing depth charges. He had also changed course to avoid steaming between the sun and the submarine, where Reid would have been more outlined against the sky. On arriving near the spot of submergence one depth charge was exploded. The second was fired over the spot of submergence, and the third on a perceptible oil slick, intended to follow up his course ahead. Isabel dropped one depth charge and signaled over to ask Reid for information. After hunting for an hour without seeing anything further, , Reid and Isabel put on 20 knots for Brest at 1:03 p.m., arriving at 3:40 p.m. Two hours later, the French tramp stood in. The position where the submarine was attacked was approximately 40 miles west of Brest. Several days after her encounter with Reid and Isabel, UC-48 was also attacked on 20 March by the British L-class destroyer HMS Loyal. On 25 March, she had been reported at Ferrol, Spain. Unable to leave port and return to her base at Ostend, Belgium, she was interned by the Spaniards. Credit for the damaging of this U-boat would later be adjudicated  and would prove a matter of some contention.

Reid got underway again on 21 March 1918 to meet an incoming 23-vessel convoy. She was accompanied in column by Isabel, Flusser, Jarvis, and the French destroyer Somme. At 9:45 a.m. the next morning, they joined convoy and shepherded them inbound. At 9:00 a.m. on 23 March, the convoy separated, British vessels went southeast and Americans continuing on their eastward course. Warrington, Monaghan, and Roe joined from east. Smith and Flusser went back to pick up a French aviator who had crashed at sea. Reid moored at Brest at 1:10 p.m. alongside Flusser and Panther. Standing out of Brest on 28 March, she arrived with Preston, Flusser, and Jarvis at Quiberon later that same day. At 2 P.M. the commanding officers of Reid, Madawaska, Kroonland (Id. No. 1541), Manchuria (Id. No. 1633), and Neches conferred on board Madawaska. Afterward, all got underway in rough weather at 4:30 p.m. convoying above ships. At 8:00 p.m. on 29 March, the destroyers left the convoy and headed north; Preston, Jarvis and, Flusser fell into column on Reid. At 6:30 a.m.. they made contact with an eastbound convoy of 20 ships, mostly British, escorted by ten destroyers—French, British, and American. At 10:15 a.m., the British division went toward England. Reid‘s radio power gave out as a result of rain and high winds. She pressed on and stood into Brest on the 31st and moored to port of Preston and Panther. That same day, Rear Adm. Henry B. Wilson, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in France, wrote Lt. Cmdr. Slayton a letter commending his vessel for her successful attack on UC-48. Back in port Reid underwent inspections and refueled.

Reid left Brest on 3 April 1918, and anchored at Anse de Camaret. Departing the next day with Isabel (flagship), Jarvis, Smith, and Preston, and O’Brien, they located the inbound White Star liner RMS Olympic with about 8,000 American troops embarked, and escorted her into Brest. At daylight on 5 April, Wadsworth (flagship), Macdonough, Reid, Drayton, Nicholson, Jarvis, and Preston left in column to meet Northern Pacific, Von Steuben, and Mount Vernon 350 miles at sea. They met the convoy at daylight on the 6th and shepherded into Brest the next day. At 4:00 p.m. on 10 April, Reid, Preston, and Drayton left Brest for La Verdon, Gironde River, near Bordeaux, France. Reid arrived at La Verdon at 1:00 a.m. the next day and was met by two balloons. She then joined Powhatan (flagship) and Martha Washington and at 6:00 p.m., escorted them to sea. While underway on the 12th, Martha Washington hoisted the submarine warning flag to port and changed course to starboard. Destroyers stopped zigzagging and steered north. Reid sighted an oil slick running northwest and southeast. Drayton, on port wing of escort, stood toward slick, but failed to find anything. At 11:30 a.m., Drayton left the convoy to escort a steamer off  the port bow and headed east. The next day Reid left Powhatan and Martha Washington at 8:00 a.m. and headed north to join Northern Pacific (flagship), Agamemnon and America (Id. No. 2181) with troops. Preston dropped out and held target practice, then rejoined. Reid affected that linkup at 8:00 a.m. on the 14th , joining Northern Pacific, Agamemnon, and America; Wadsworth, as flag, led in column. They were also joined by Nicholson and Smith. While underway on the morning of the 15th, Reid’s steering gear jammed and she steered by hand from the after station. At 9:00 a.m. she was nearly rammed by Agamemnon. Despite her mechanical difficulties, Reid stood into Brest at 1:00 p.m. and underwent some needed maintenance over the next few days.

Reid stood out on 22 April 1918, with Drayton, Smith, and convoying America toward the U.S. At 4:00 a.m. the next day, they left America 200 miles out and headed north. At 7:00 a.m. the destroyers made contact with 30 merchant vessels, escorted by British destroyers. The convoy then separated at 1:10 p.m., with Reid, Warrington, Drayton, Smith, and Lamson continuing with those ships bound for Brest. They arrived in the morning on 24 April. While coaling the next day, Reid was gently rammed by Belgol, a British oil steamer with no damage. Reid got underway again on 29 April. In company with Isabel and Lamson, she escorted Pocahontas westward. Joined by Smith and Drayton early the next morning, all would depart Pocahontas at 8:00 p.m., and speed northward for rendezvous in order to meet an eastbound convoy. At 3:00 p.m. on 1 May, they rendezvoused with 34-vessel convoy. Breaking up the convoy on 2 May, twelve vessels proceeded with the destroyers into Brest that same day. On 5 May, Reid stood out of Brest with Isabel, Smith, Lamson, and Drayton, convoying Leviathan homeward. Reid, however, dropped out at Camaret and anchored, while the other destroyers continued with Leviathan. At 3:00 a.m. the next day, she got underway to meet an eastbound convoy. At 6:00 a.m. she picked up Mercury (Id. No. 3012), Henderson (Transport No. 1), Siboney (Id. No. 2999), escorted by Allen (Destroyer No. 66), Ammen (Destroyer No. 35), Wilkes, and Terry (Destroyer No. 25), and four airplanes and a dirigible. Tied up at Brest at 8:00 p.m. She returned to escort duty two days later, 7 May, with Isabel and Preston convoying the British steamer Czaritza. The next day they left the steamer and headed northward to meet a new convoy of 34 vessels. They picked up the convoy on the 9th, and after escorting it into Brest on the 10th, she tied up to Lamson. The next day she shifted to the coal dock to refuel.

Reid got underway again at 6:00 a.m. on 15 May 1918. Departing Brest with Lamson, Preston, and five other destroyers, they convoyed HMS Czar toward Quiberon where they arrived that evening. After a short time in port she was underway again with Czar and the U.S. Army Transport Contracted (USATC) ship City of Atlanta. Parting with the convoy on 16 May, Reid steamed in column on Lamson (flag), with Preston trailing on to her next escort assignment. They made contact with the convoy at 7:00 a.m. on the 17th and took position well ahead. At 1:00 p.m. part of convoy headed toward England, the remainder stood into Brest early on the 18th. Two days later, Reid was again underway with Flusser and Jarvis bound for Quiberon. From there they escorted Finland, Kroonland, and Ohioan out toward the U.S. She left the convoy with Isabel and picked up an eastbound convoy of twelve vessels, including Nokomis (S. P. 609) with the converted yacht Noma (S. P. 131) in charge. The next day, 22 May, the convoy stood into LaPallice, France, and the escorts then brought some ships out. Reid left the convoy at 5:00 a.m. bound for Brest. Enroute she conducted gunnery practice and then raised Brest, where she anchored at 5:30 p.m. On 30 May, Reid was towed into drydock where she underwent maintenance until 8 June. She was then towed out of the Navy Yard on 11 June and would remain in port through the end of June.

At 11:00 a.m. 1 July 1918, the destroyers Little (flagship), Reid, Conner (Destroyer No. 72), Porter (Destroyer No. 59), Cummings (Destroyer No. 44), Jarvis, and Smith left Brest convoying the transports DeKalb (flagship of convoy), Covington, George Washington, Dante Alighieri, Lenape (Id. No. 2700), Rijndam (Id. No. 2505), Wilhelmina and Princess Matoika (Id. No. 2290), westward toward the United States, these vessels having just landed a fresh contingent of U.S. troops. DeKalb was in the center leading the five columns and Covington to port of her and abreast as No. 2 from left. Smith‘s position was port flank and quarter of convoy, Porter‘s flank and bow, 1,000 yards ahead; Conner‘s port bow, Little‘s 1,500 yards ahead, Cummings‘ 1,000 yards ahead on starboard bow, Jarvis‘ 600-1,000 yards off the starboard flank, and finally Reid‘s 600-1000 yards off starboard flank and quarter. At 5:20 p.m., the ships received a submarine warning from the Flag Office at Brest, as follows: “Enemy submarine active Lat. 47-50 N., Long. 07-50 W. Convoy change course; acknowledge.” At 7:30 p.m., Little wired Brest: “Verified position submarine.” At 9:10 p.m. Reid heard depth charges fired on the opposite side of convoy, in the vicinity of Smith and Porter; she also saw flashes from guns. She then went to general quarters and at 9:15 p.m. received a radio message saying “Covington torpedoed [by U-86; Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Patzig]. Position 47-24 N., 07-44 W.” Little issued instructions to steer west. Reid proceeded with convoy. Little repeated Covington message to Brest. At 9:43 p.m., Covington commander radioed Little: “Covington apparently not sinking. Possibly can be towed to Brest.” At 10:40 Little wired base: “Covington floating well. Will leave Smith and Reid with her at 11:00 tonight. Little will proceed to join convoy.” At 10:40 p.m., Little answered O’Brien: “Yes, come and stand by.” Then about 1:00 a.m. on July 2, Little wired Reid, “Join Covington; expedite.” Smith was later joined by Wadsworth, Shaw, and Nicholson and the French gunboats Conquerante and Engageante. At 5:00 a.m. the next morning, 3 July, Covington was taken in tow by the tug Concord (Id. No.773) and the British tugs Revenger and Woonda.

The following messages were exchanged:

Little to Smith: “Keep Brest informed on situation.”

Smith to Shaw and Brest: “Survivors aboard. Standing by Covington. When Reid joins, commanding officer recommends Smith proceed Brest with survivors, Reid remain Covington. Commanding officer standing by.”

From Brest: “Concord ordered to assistance Covington.”

Smith to Reid at 4:30 a.m. “Commanding officer Covington aboard.”

Ships intercepted wireless message saying a French sloop had been torpedoed.

Tug Revenger to Brest: “Covington in tow three tugs. Believed none lost. Captain on board Revenger.”

British warship message (intercepted) said: “Convoy five hours late. Request extra escort in view submarine activity. Give location 47-50 N., 06-52 W., at 0302 today Tuesday a wide berth.

Sixty miles away, Reid put on all speed and joined Covington at daybreak. Everybody was up on deck to see the helpless vessel as she stood listing to port. Smith‘s deck was filled with Covington survivors and she pulled out presently for Brest at 20 knots. Due to the unusually heavy load her draft had been increased about three feet. The British tugs Woonda and Revenger steamed up; at 7:00 a.m., Wadsworth joined, at 7:30 with Shaw and at 8:50, Nicholson. Reid had sent a working party of seven men aboard the Covington under Ens. John A. Wilson, USNRF, to handle lines, and these men remained on board. He signaled Lt. Cmdr. Slayton (now in command of Wadsworth) that he was “pro tempore captain” of the sinking Covington. The men had raised a large new flag aft on Covington. At first it floated a few feet above the water, then as Covington began to settle, and after a while it disappeared from sight. At 2:32 p.m., Covington sank astern.

Reid was steaming west at 15 knots, looking for eastbound convoy on 4 July 1918 when she spotted Jarvis. At 6:40 p.m., she took position on the starboard quarter of Pocahontas; Manhattan (Id. No. 3421); Susquehanna (Id. No. 3016); the Italian ships Re D’Italia and Due D’Aosta; and the French transports Patria and Nopatin, filled with troops. At 8:00 p.m., a lookout reported a submarine, and a submarine warning was received via wireless. At 8:30 p.m. Benham (Destroyer No. 49) reported seeing a periscope seven miles ahead of convoy and dropped 18 depth charges. At 10:25 p.m., while patrolling on the convoy’s starboard quarter, Reid sighted a suspicious wake running towards convoy. She went to general quarters and at 18 knots crossed wake to get between it and convoy. The destroyer followed the wake to what appeared as its head where was large patch of smooth, unrippled water. Lt Cmdr. Davidson, now Reid’s commanding officer, laid a barrage of 8 depth charges, circling around, and across the wake. She came back to the direction of the wake towards the convoy and proceeded about 1,000 yards ahead and laid line of three more depth charges. All the depth charges functioned well, but a search of the vicinity found nothing. With the result having proved doubtful, Reid rejoined the convoy at midnight and stood into Brest with it at noon on 5 July.

Remaining in port until 8 July 1918, Reid, Warrington, Sigourney (Destroyer No. 81) [flag], Nicholson, Benham, Tucker, Jarvis, and Cummings  convoyed Pocahontas (flag), Gold Shell (Id. No. 3021), Susquehanna, Czaritza, Re D’Italia and Due D’Aosta. On 9 July Reid stood astern of the homeward-bound convoy until exchanging positions with Cummings, taking the port beam. Sigourney, Tucker, Cummings, and Benham circled on the starboard quarter, dropping depth charges. The ships continued their escort into 10 July, when the parted company at 9:20 p.m. Forming column on Sigourney, they maneuvered and joined an eastbound convoy, that included President Grant, Calamares, and others, at the rendezvous point on the 11th.  The convoy and its accompanying escorts entered Brest Harbor the next evening. On the 14th, Reid tugged to the British collier Warfish to refuel. Coaling continued into the 15th. She was underway again the next day convoying George Washington, HMS Czar,  HMS Roepat, Vauban, Ohioan and Mercury, in company with Nicholson (flag), Flusser, Smith and Lamson. On 17 July Lamson joined convoy of 36 vessels, including destroyers; 9 knots. At 6:05 a.m. Nicholson hoisted submarine warning flag and opened fire with 4-inch guns on her starboard bow. Reid went to general quarters and put on 21 knots; gave right rudder and dropped depth charges at intervals of 1 seconds. At 6:10 a.m. observed torpedo broaching on surface (or submarine) approaching spot on which Nicholson‘s gunfire was centered. Gave hard right rudder to avoid object and circled spot, dropping 18 depth charges; last charge set off sympathetic explosion that was thought to have come from spent torpedo of  submarine. At 9:15 p.m., Reid, Nicholson, Lamson, and Flusser left the convoy. The next morning at the destroyers sighted British destroyers and at 5:45 a.m., they joined an eastbound convoy and took position on the starboard beam. Reid heard two shots fired on left of convoy at 10:30 a.m., but nothing definite was seen. All ships entered Brest on 19 July. Two days later, Reid was towed by Concord to the British collier Milly to coal.

Reid stood out Brest on 23 July 1918, with Fanning, Burrows, Cummings, and Nicholson, convoying President Grant. While underway on 25 July, she received an S.O.S. saying Tippecanoe was torpedoed 40-60 miles away and raced to the scene, Fanning and Conner searched from other directions. At 2:00 p.m., she sighted an empty  lifeboat and tin cask; off course. At 3:00 p.m. Conner picked up 60-70 survivors of Tippecanoe and turned toward Brest. Conner and Reid then put on speed chasing after the submarine (UC-63; Oberleutnant zur See Karsten von Heydebreck) reported shelling the British ship Zamora in course, 60 miles away. Nothing, however, was seen. Low on coal, Reid arrived back at Brest on 26 July. Back in port she spent several days refueling and was set to get underway again on 1 August. Later that day, Reid, Cushing, and other destroyers departed at 7:00 p.m. with a convoy headed west. Cushing carried the first captive observation balloon to be used to spot submarines off the French coast. Continuing with the convoy until 3 August, Reid steamed with Wadsworth and Monaghan to meet a convoy outbound from New York at the rendezvous. The next day, Wadsworth sighted convoy and all joined at 9 a.m., including Drayton, Winslow, Nicholson, Warrington, Conner, Susquehanna (flag), Finland, Kroonland, Dante Alighieri, and three others. On 6 August a wireless message from Brest warned the escorts to look out for a submarine operating in one of the channels close to land, so convoy and escort went out of the way; no trace of submarine was found, however. At 11:00 a.m., Monaghan reported sighting floating mine; shot it with one of her guns. Reid arrived in the outer harbor at 5:00 p.m. steamed around for two hours. After mooring, Reid coaled from HMS Warfish.

Underway again on 9 August 1918, Reid departed at 3:00 p.m. with Little (flag). Wadsworth, Flusser, Preston, and Monaghan convoying Dante Alighieri and four other vessels. At 9:00 a.m. on 10 August, her condensers started leaking and salt was going into the boilers, so Reid got permission to return to base. She arrived at Brest at midnight and tied up to Prometheus. Undertaking repairs and coaling for a couple of days, Reid got underway with Lamson toward Bordeaux. There they met a convoy of 30 tramp steamers bound for the United States, with the yacht Aphrodite (S. P. 135) as the senior escort; Noma and Corsair were also present. At 7:00 p.m. on 14 August, Montanan, of an eastbound convoy of 17 ships, was torpedoed (U-90; Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Patzig). Her 81 survivors were picked up by Noma. The next day, at 1:00 a.m., West Bridge was torpedoed (U-90; Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Patzig); five lost and her 99 survivors, including two American girls dressed in dungarees and watch caps, picked up by Burrows after spending twelve hours in small boats. Aphrodite reported having seen a large submarine submerge; Drayton dropped depth charges on an oil slick with uncertain results. At 9:00 p.m. Reid left the convoy to join incoming ships. Early on the 16th, she made contact with eastbound convoy of 14 vessels, two French destroyers and two others. The next day Reid received a message saying that the British steamer Idaho was being shelled by a submarine (U-107; Kapitänleutnant Kurt Siewert). French vessels sped to her aid. Receiving orders from Lamson (flag), Reid anchored at Royan, near Bordeaux, at noon on the 18th. The next day both Reid and Lamson shifted to Brest. She resumed operations underway when she departed Brest with Smith at 4:30 p.m. on 25 August. Both escorted the ships War Python and Manchester Castle westward until the 27th, when she departed War Python and Manchester Castle, and at 4:30 a.m. made contact with 18 ships, that included Middlesex. Flusser (flagship), Smith, Preston, Yser (French destroyer) and six British destroyers. The convoy separated in the afternoon, 11 vessels bound for England and six toward Brest. The ships stood into Brest late in the afternoon on the 28th. After coaling on the 29th, Reid, in company with Roe and others, escorted Von Steuben, America and Martha Washington westward on the 30th. Leaving the convoy the next day at 9:00 p.m., the escorts maneuvered to rendezvous with an eastbound convoy, affecting linkup at 7:50 a.m. on 1 September. Reid made base at 10:30 a.m. with twelve ships on 3 September. The destroyer was subsequently towed to a commercial dock where she coaled.

Reid, with Sigourney (flag), and four others left Brest with homeward-bound convoy at 6:00 p.m. on 6 September 1918. Reid left the convoy two days later due to poor coal. She, however, did not receive authorization form Sigourney to return to port due to inferior coal until the 9th, which she did the next day. Back in port Reid coaled from the collier Astoria into the 12th. Departing at 6:30 a.m. on that day, she steamed with Warrington, Little (flag), and Lamson toward England. At 7:00 a.m. on the 13th, they picked up a large eastbound convoy. At 8:00 a.m., the convoy separated and the American destroyers proceeded with five vessels, including Osage, toward Brest; Reid arrived during the afternoon. Underway again with Lamson at 4:00 p.m. on 17 September, along with another destroyer they met an incoming convoy. Three days later, on 20 September, Taylor (Destroyer No. 94) fired her guns and depth charges at a suspected submarine. Reid went to general quarters, fired six depth charges, but saw nothing. The convoy reached Brest the next morning. On the 22nd, as the ship was coaling, Reid received word from Washington that she was authorized a star on her forward smoke stack for damaging submarine UC-48 on 18 March 1918, and Clarence M. Stanley, fireman, painted the star on in 30 minutes.

Reid, Lamson, Flusser, and Monaghan at 4:00 p.m. on 23 September 1918, left Brest convoying the troop transports Harrisburg and Plattsburg westward. Cushing, Burrows and Reid the left convoy two days later and formed scouting line the conducted the linkup with the incoming convoy around 5:45 p.m. Carrying nearly 40,000 American troops, the ships included Pocahontas (flag), Finland, Patria (French), Henderson, Konigin der Nederlanden, Martha Washington, Calamares, and three others, along with the destroyers Sigourney (flag), Harding (Destroyer No. 91), Wadsworth, Benham, Porter, Reid and five others. New Hampshire (Battleship No. 25) and a cruiser were also present, but they separated at 11:30 p.m. and returned to the United States. While underway the next day, Reid held target practice, with a good score, she then rejoined the convoy. At 2:00 a.m. on the 27th, Finland and Henderson collided. Finland lit up and the destroyers flashed red lights. The convoy sped up for fear of torpedoing. Damage, however, was small and Finland and Henderson were soon underway and rejoined the convoy after daylight. Porter, ahead, shot several depth charges at suspicious wake, but nothing was seen. The convoy stood into Brest the morning of 28 September. Reid began to coal from the collier Blanchette later that night and finished the next day.

Clearing Brest early on 2 October 1918, Reid was underway with Lamson (flag). They picked up their convoy early the next day. They all entered Brest on the 5th and Reid started coaling from the British collier Ellind the next day. After coaling, she was underway again with Lamson (flag), steaming southwest on 9 October. The destroyers were joined by Flusser on 11 October. At 6:00 a.m., they picked up a convoy of 16 ships from the U.S., mostly bound for Bordeaux; Espiegle (French) was the senior ship, and the yacht May was also present. Later in the day, Reid left the ships bound for Bordeaux and with Lamson proceeded at 11 knots toward Brest with the tanker Maumee (Fuel Ship No. 14). On 13 October at 2:25 p.m., Aphrodite, Noma, Corsair, and seven vessels of the convoy turned astern and Lamson rejoined Reid. The destroyer entered Brest the next morning at 9:00 a.m. The next day she started coaling from the collier Throstle. She cleared Brest on 20 October with Tucker (flagship), Roe, Monaghan, and one other destroyer convoying Maumee westward. At 9:00 p.m., the next evening, Reid left Maumee, her position astern that of Santore. She joined a 22-ship convoy at 5:00 a.m. on 22 October. Conner also joined later. Just before dark seven British destroyers appeared and took 14 ships toward England, the remaining eight continued with the American destroyers. The next day Reid dropped back with a ship lagging behind. Both arrived at Brest in the afternoon of 23 October. On the 27th, a diving party from Prometheus came on board and examined Reid‘s propellers. Late the next day, she began coaling and refueled into the next day. At 9:30 a.m., Sigourney (flag), Reid, and six other destroyers left Brest with a convoy of 10 ships and headed west. Reid zigzagged five miles ahead. Leaving the convoy at noon on 31 October, she later made contact with eastbound convoy, escorted by New Hampshire and others, and turned back toward Brest. The battleship departed the convoy the next day and returned to the U.S. Continuing on the convoy contained Pocahontas (flag), Comfort (Hospital Ship No. 3), the Brazilian ship Due D’Aosta, and four others, all with troops except Comfort, which had Red Cross nurses. They were escorted by Little, Lamson, Monaghan, O’Brien and Reid. Hitting rough seas on 2-3 November, Reid stood into Brest the afternoon of the 3rd. Towed with Lamson, both coaled from Throstle.

That same day, 3 November 1918, Reid was ordered to haul down the submarine star awarded on 22 September 1918 for damaging UC-48 on 18 March 1918.  The Admiralty had adjudicated that HMS Loyal, on 20 March 1918, was the ship that dealt the German U-boat the damage. Getting underway on 7 November, Reid left Brest at 7:00 a.m. for Quiberon Bay and arrived at noon. She then picked up the steamer Euripides and steamed out to sea. The next day at 1:00 p.m., she left Euripides and turned back toward Quiberon where she arrived at 2:30 a.m. on the 9th. That same day at 1:00 p.m., she was underway again, this time bound for L’Orient; arrived at 2:30 p.m. The next day she shifted to Quiberon and got underway at 4:00 p.m., convoying Freedom (Id. No. 3024) and the British steamer Ulysses. While underway on 11 November, Reid received a submarine warning in the morning, then at noon a wireless message from Brest in French: “Hostilities cease 11 November beginning 11:00 a.m. Bretagne patrols continue with convoys in progress.” This message was repeated to the American destroyers. Reid, Truxtun, Taylor, Cummings, Bell, and Drayton, all of which were proceeding on their assigned duty. As it was read below deck, the sailors cheered. At 3:00 p.m. Reid sent farewell signals to Freedom and Ulysses and turned back toward Brest. At 1:30 a.m. on 12 November, a wire to Truxtun from Devonport [England] Station said: “Armistice is signed. Hostilities to cease forthwith. Submarines on surface are not to be attacked unless their hostile intentions are obvious.” Reid arrived at Brest at 8:30 a.m. The next day Reid coaled from Ellind. With a French pilot on board, Reid got under way at 11:00 a.m. on 22 November for Quiberon Bay; she arrived at 6:15 p.m. at Quiberon. The next day she was underway again piloting Comfort out of harbor, afterward she left Comfort and headed for Brest. When off Pen March, 40 miles of Brest, a signal sent the ship back to Quiberon to pick up Stewart‘s motorboat. After picking up the boat, she got underway at 7:00 a.m. on 24 November for Brest and arrived that same day. The ship coaled from the collier Nancy on the 26th. She departed with Lamson and Preston on a recreation trip at Bordeaux on 29 November. They arrived the next day. After a three day visit, the destroyers weighed anchor and steamed for Brest. While en route, they pulled into Pauillac, France. At daylight on 4 December, Reid, shoved off down Gironde River with Preston and Lamson toward Royan, where they anchored. Departing at 3:00 a.m. on 6 December, the three destroyers arrived at Brest at 4:30 p.m. Reid coaled into 8 December in preparation for going home.

Reid, with Lamson and Preston, sortied at 7:45 a.m. for Ponta Delgada on 11 December 1918. Smith was also scheduled to depart, but was rammed by a tug and the  condition of her bow kept her at Brest for repairs. Encountering some storms en route, the destroyers reached their destination on 14 December. Unable to complete coaling until 19 December, she departed that same day bound for Bermuda following Preston, Lamson, and Flusser. Steaming astern of Flusser, and on the starboard beam of Whipple. Reid stood by Whipple in case her coal gave out. On the 21st, Whipple had condenser trouble and Reid slowed down to stand by her. Battered by heavy weather, the destroyers pressed on. Reid then took Whipple under tow on 27 December, finally, both ships arrived at Grassy Bay on the 28th. Upon their arrival Reid took to refilling her coal bunkers. Having taken on 178 tons of coal, Reid, with Flusser and Lamson, departed early on the 29th, bound for New York. Shortly after departure, she received new orders dispatching her to Charleston instead. At 1:00 p.m. on 31 December, Reid sighted Cape Romain Light, With Lamson in the lead, Reid next, and Flusser behind, the destroyers entered the Cooper River. Arriving at the Navy Yard and mooring near Savannah (Submarine Tender No. 8) at 6:00 p.m., Reid had finally returned home.

Reid departed Charleston on 5 February 1919, bound for the Philadelphia [Pa.] Navy Yard, arriving on 7 February where she was to be prepared for decommissioning. Placed out of commission on 3 July, Reid was stricken from the Navy list on 15 September 1919 and was sold to T.A. Scott & Co., New London, Conn., on 21 November.