Chew DD- 106

Chew

Born in Virginia about 1750 Samuel Chew, a resident of Connecticut, was appointed by the Marine Committee 17 June 1777 to command the Continental Brigantine Resistance with which he had much success against British commerce. The brigantine, carrying ten fourpounders, fell in with a British Letter-of-Marque (20 guns) on 4 March 1778. In the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, Captain Chew, fighting gallantly, was killed but his ship managed to break off the battle with its superior opponent and return safely to Boston.

(DD-106: dp. 1,060; 1. 314'6"; b. 31'9"; dr. 8'6"; s. 35 k.; cpl. 113; a. 4 4", 12 21" tt.; cl. Wickes)

Chew (DD-106) was launched 26 May 1918 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Calif, sponsored by Mrs. F. X. Gygax; and commissioned 12 December 1918, Commander J. H. Klein, Jr., in command.

Chew sailed for the east coast on 21 December 1918 arriving at Newport 10 January 1919. After repairs at New York and refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, she cleared New York 28 April to patrol during the first historic transatlantic seaplane flight, made by Navy craft, then made visits to the Azores, Gibraltar, Malta, and Constantinople before returning to New York 6 June. After repairs, she cleared 17 September for San Diego, which she reached 12 October. From 19 November 1919 she was in reduced commission, operating only infrequently with Reserve Division 10 until placed out of commission i June 1922.

Recommissioned 14 October 1940, Chew was assigned to Defense Force, 14th Naval District, and arrived at Pearl Harbor 17 December 1940. Chew conducted patrols and had training duty from her home port until the outbreak of hostilities. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, she was moored in port and opened fire at the enemy planes, aiding in splashing one and hitting two more. She got underway for patrol immediately, making depth charge attacks on eight different contacts. Two of her crew were killed wbile on board Pennsylvania (BB-38) assisting in rescue work.

Chew remained at Pearl Harbor throughout the war on patrol, inter-island escort, and submarine training duty. She also made occasional voyages as a convoy escort and screening vessel to San Francisco and Seattle. She departed Pearl Harbor 21 August 1945 for the east coast, arriving at Philadelphia 13 September. She was decommissioned there 15 October 1945, and sold 4 October 1946.

Chew received one battle star for World War II service