USS Dent (DD-116) (APD-9)-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

This was the first ship that the World War II veteran I talked to at the Wal-Mart last week served on during his Navy career.

The USS Dent was a Wickes-class destroyer during World War I and later was the APD-9 during World War II.  It was named for Captain John H. Dent (1782-1823) who served in the Navy during the Quasi War, First Barbary War and the War of 1812.

It was launched 23 March 1918 and commissioned 9 September 1919, too late for World War.

Part way through World War II,  it was converted into a High Speed Transport (APD), the AP standing for transport and D for destroyer.  Their main duty was to deliver small fighting units onto hostile shores and they could carry as many as 200 at a time.

--GreGen