View source for USS Dent

{{Short description|Wickes-class destroyer}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
 |image=USSDentDD116.jpg
 |image_caption=USS Dent (DD-116)
 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
 |hide_header=
 |country=United States
 |flag={{USN flag|1945}}
 |name=
 |namesake=[[John H. Dent]]
 |ordered=
 |builder=[[William Cramp & Sons]], [[Philadelphia]]
 |yard_number=453
 |laid_down=30 August 1917
 |launched=23 March 1918
 |acquired=
 |commissioned=9 September 1918
 |decommissioned=7 June 1922
 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/career
 |hide_header=yes
 |recommissioned=15 May 1930
 |decommissioned=4 December 1945
 |reclassified='''APD-9''', 7 March 1943
 |in_service=
 |out_of_service=
 |struck=3 January 1946
 |reinstated=
 |honours=
 |fate=Sold, 13 June 1946
 |notes=
 }}

|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 |hide_header=
 |header_caption=
 |class={{sclass|Wickes|destroyer}}
 |displacement=1,090 tons
 |length=314 ft 5 in (95.83 m)
 |beam=31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
 |draft=8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)
 |propulsion=
 |speed=35 knots (65 km/h)
 |range=
 |complement=100 officers and enlisted
 |sensors=
 |EW=
 |armament=4 × [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/50]] guns, 12 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] tt.
 |armor=
 |aircraft=
 |aircraft_facilities=
 |notes=
 }}
}}

'''USS ''Dent'' (DD–116)''' was a [[Wickes-class destroyer|''Wickes''-class]] [[destroyer]] in the [[United States Navy]] during the [[World War I]] and later served as '''APD-9''' in [[World War II]]. She was named for [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[John H. Dent]].

==Construction and commissioning==
''Dent'' was launched 23 March 1918 by [[William Cramp & Sons]], [[Philadelphia]]; sponsored by Miss A. W. Collins, great-granddaughter of Captain Dent; and commissioned 9 September 1918.

==Service history==
''Dent'' escorted a convoy to [[Ireland]] between 19 September and 8 November 1918, and then carried out training at [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]]. On 1 May 1919 she got underway from [[New York, New York|New York]] to serve on station off [[Trepassey Harbor]], [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland]], during the historic first aerial crossing of the Atlantic, a feat accomplished by a [[NC-4|Navy seaplane]]. She returned to [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] on the 24th, and on 20 June she joined the escort for the yacht ''Imperator'', carrying the President of [[Brazil]] from New York to Newport.

''Dent'' arrived at [[San Pedro, California]], 6 August 1919 to join the [[U.S. Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]]. She cruised to [[Hawaii]] as escort for {{USS|New York|BB-34|2}} with the [[Secretary of the Navy]] embarked in August, then steamed to [[Seattle]] for a [[Naval Review|Fleet Review]] in September. She returned to [[San Diego]] 22 September and went into reserve. She was placed in active commission again 14 December 1920, and operated with 50 percent of her complement on gunnery and torpedo practice, and in fleet maneuvers. She made a cruise to [[South America]] from 7 January to 11 March 1921, visiting [[Valparaíso]], [[Chile]]; [[Costa Rica]]; and various ports in [[Mexico]]. ''Dent'' was placed out of commission in reserve 7 June 1922.

Recommissioned 15 May 1930, ''Dent'' acted as plane guard for carrier operations, trained reservists, and sailed for a fleet problem in the [[Caribbean]] and a visit to the [[United States East Coast]] from April to November 1934. On 18 December, she entered the Rotating Reserve at San Diego and tested ordnance until returning to active commission 10 June 1935. ''Dent'' operated along the [[United States West Coast]] and in the [[Hawaiian Islands]] until the [[United States]] entered World War II. At San Diego on 7 December 1941, she got underway the next day to screen {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}} in her high speed run to [[Pearl Harbor]].

===World War II===
Returning to San Francisco 29 December 1941, Dent had duty with the Sound School at San Diego and operated along the U.S. West Coast on convoy duty until 27 April 1942 when she sailed for [[Alaska]]n waters. From 8 May she operated out of [[Dutch Harbor]] on convoy and patrol duty, escorting transports for the invasion of [[Adak Island|Adak]] 1 September. She returned to Seattle 30 January 1943 for repairs and conversion to a high-speed transport. She was reclassified '''APD-9''', 7 March 1943.

''Dent'' arrived at [[Noumea]], [[New Caledonia]] 20 April 1943. She operated from this base and [[Espiritu Santo]], landing troops in the assaults on [[New Georgia]], [[Rendova]], [[Vella Lavella]], and [[Cape Torokina]], [[Bougainville campaign (1944-45)|Bougainville]]. After overhaul at [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], in November, she returned to [[Milne Bay]], [[New Guinea]] on 17 December. While training at [[Cape Sudest]] 5 days later, she grounded on an uncharted shoal. Serious structural damage necessitated her return to Australia for repairs through January 1944.

''Dent'' arrived at Nouméa 7 February 1944 and landed men of the 4th Marines on [[Emirau Island]] 20 March. From [[Milne Bay]], New Guinea, she carried soldiers to the [[Aitape]] landings 22 April. Sailing from New Guinea 9 May, she returned to the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]] to train an underwater demolition team for the invasion of the [[Marianas]]. She carried her team to Roi where they were transferred for transportation to [[Guam]], then escorted {{USS|Mazama|AE-9|2}} to [[Saipan]] to carry emergency supplies of ammunition to the bombardment ships. ''Dent'' patrolled off Saipan and [[Tinian]] until early July when she escorted transports to [[Eniwetok]] and sailed for overhaul at San Diego, arriving 3 August.

From 8 November 1944 until the end of the war, ''Dent'' served with the Amphibious Training Force, Pacific Fleet, at [[San Diego]]. She sailed 20 October 1945 for the U.S. East Coast, arriving at [[Philadelphia]] 6 November. ''Dent'' was decommissioned there 4 December 1945 and sold 13 June 1946.

==Awards==
''Dent'' received five [[battle star]]s for World War II service.

As of 2012, no other ships of this name have served in the United States Navy.

==References==
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/dent.html}}

==External links==
* {{navsource|05/116}}

{{Wickes-class destroyer}}
{{Flush-decker high speed transport}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dent (Dd-116)}}
[[Category:Wickes-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War I destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built by William Cramp & Sons]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:Dent family]]