USS BALLARD DD-267

A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS BALLARD DD-267

The Tin Can Sailor, July 2013

The USS BALLARD (DD-267) was named for a nineteenth-century midshipman, Edward J. Ballard, killed in the naval battle between the American frigate CHESAPEAKE and the British man of war HMS SHANNON during the War of 1812. He is notable because the U.S. Department of the Navy did not hear of the engagement and Ballard’s death until after it had promoted him to lieutenant.

The CLEMSON-class destroyer was the second to honor the unfortunate lieutenant. She was launched 7 December 1918 by Bethlehem Steel of Squantum, Massachusetts, and joined the Atlantic Fleet. Following her first year of visits to ports in Europe and the Mediterranean, she sailed to the Pacific where she was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego in June 1922.
She was back in service in June 1940 and bound for the Bethlehem Steel’s Union Yard in San Francisco, for conversion to an auxiliary seaplane tender. Reclassified AVD 10 in August 1940 and commission in January 1941, the BALLARD reported to the Pacific Fleet’s aircraft scouting force.

When the United States entered World War II, she got underway for Pearl Harbor. From January l942 until November 1943, she tended patrol planes, laid aircraft buoys, escorted convoys, and patrolled throughout the Eastern Pacific. Following her return to San Francisco for repairs that November, she served as a plane guard for carrier operations off San Diego until May 1944.

Steaming west in June 1944, she participated in the Saipan operation, laying aircraft buoys and tending the first patrol squadron to operate in that area. Patrol duties during the seizure of the Palau Islands took her from 12 September to 11 December 1944 when she prepared for her return to the states. By year’s end, she was undergoing repairs in the yard at Seattle followed by plane guard duties out of San Diego until 1 October 1945. At that time, the BALLARD left for Philadelphia and a pre-inactivation overhaul. She was decommissioned on 5 December 1946 and sold on 23 May 1946.

USS BALLARD DD-267 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Published 1959)

The second Ballard (DD-267) was launched 7 December 1918 by Bethlehem Steel Corp., Squantum, MA.; sponsored by Miss Eloise Ballard; commissioned 5 June 1919, Lieutenant Commander F. M. Collier in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.

Between July 1919 and July 1920 Ballard cruised to various ports in Europe and the Mediterranean. She returned to the United States in July 1920 and served for a time with the Atlantic Fleet. She then proceeded to the Pacific where she carried out type training and participated in fleet maneuvers until placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego 17 June 1922.

On 25 June 1940 Ballard was placed in commission in ordinary and was towed to Union Yard of Bethlehem Steel Corp., San Francisco, for conversion to an auxiliary seaplane tender (reclassified AVD-10, 2 August 1940). She was placed in full commission 2 January 1941 and reported to Aircraft, Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet.

With the entrance of the United States into World War II, Ballard steamed to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 28 January 1942. Until November 1943 she was engaged in tending patrol planes, laying aircraft buoys, escorting convoys, and patrolling throughout the Eastern Pacific (Phoenix, Midway, Fiji, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Florida, and New Caledonia). Returning to San Francisco 7 November, she completed repairs 30 December 1943 and then acted as a plane guard during carrier qualification operations, off San Diego, until May 1944.

Between 15 June and 3 July 1944 she participated in the Saipan operation, laying aircraft buoys, and tending the first patrol squadron to operate from the area. Next, she performed patrol duties during the seizure of the Palau Islands (12 September-11 December 1944).

In late December 1944 she began another stateside yard period at Seattle. Upon completion of repairs, she was once again assigned to plane guard duties, operating out of San Diego until 1 October 1945. Ballard arrived at Philadelphia 26 October 1945 to commence pre-inactivation overhaul. She was decommissioned 5 December 1945 and sold 23 May 1946.

Ballard received two battle stars for her service during World War II.