USS Hogan (DD-178 / DMS-6) -- (San Diego -- 120 fsw)

[beldridg]

The Hogan is, in my opinion, one of the premiere wrecks in Southern California. Due to the distance to the wreck from dive operations, she isn't dived very often. I recently conducted two dives on the wreck with the goal of building a detailed and complete photogrammetry model.

This post is about the Hogan in general and includes a lot of photos and history of the wreck. It is my 199th post. I will publish the full photogrammetry model on Thanksgiving and it will be the 200th blog post.

Please enjoy the history and photos of this magnificent wreck:

USS Hogan (DD-178/DMS-6) — (San Diego — 120 fsw)

This is my 199th post. This post along with the 200th post will be about the USS Hogan. Background The USS Hogan is one of my favorite wrecks in the Southern California area. Many might not underst…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

Here is a photo of the beautiful stern along with a screenshot of the same area from the upcoming model:

Enjoy and stay tuned for the Thanksgiving day post of the model.

- brett

 

[Eric802]

Amazing that she took part in the battle for Iwo Jima in February 1945 and nine months later, she’s just a target.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @beldridg

Thanks very much for bringing up more good memories. In my 6 visits and 36 dives in San Diego between 2007 and 2012, I was only able to dive the Hogan once. The dive was in Sept 2008 off Marissa with Capt Anita. It was really a gorgeous wreck and held the first two Wolf Eels I had ever seen.

It was a short dive on air, max depth 131 ft, avg depth 74 feet, dive time 36 min with 5 min deco. I'm only sorry I was never able to make it back for another dive on the Hogan.

I look forward to seeing your model, thanks

 

[Bob DBF]

Amazing that she took part in the battle for Iwo Jima in February 1945 and nine months later, she’s just a target.

She faired better than average for the class, 25% were scrapped before WWII, another 25% were converted to other uses, 25% were were transfered as lend lease in 1940, and 10% were sunk during the war(approximate %). They were obsolete before WWII, but did a job when every ship was needed.

Wickes-class destroyer - Wikipedia
A few Wickes class were completed in time for service in World War I, some with the battle fleet, some on convoy escort duty; none were lost. DeLong ran aground in 1921; Woolsey sank after a collision in 1921.

Many Wickes-class destroyers were converted to other uses, starting as early as 1920, when 14 were converted to light minelayers (hull classification symbol DM). Six of these were scrapped in 1932, and replaced by five additional conversions. Another four were converted to auxiliaries or transports at that time. Four Wickes-class DM conversions and four Clemson-class DM conversions survived to serve in World War II.[2] During the 1930s, 23 more were scrapped, sold off, or sunk as targets. This was mostly due to a blanket replacement of 61 Yarrow-boilered destroyers 1930-31, as these boilers wore out quickly in service. Flush-deckers in reserve were commissioned as replacements.

Starting in 1940, many of the remaining ships were also converted. Sixteen were converted to high-speed transports with the designation APD. Eight were converted to destroyer minesweepers (DMS). Most ships remaining in service during World War II were rearmed with dual-purpose 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns for better anti-aircraft protection. The AVD seaplane tender conversions received 2 guns; the APD transport, DM minelayer, and DMS minesweeper conversions received 3 guns, and those retaining destroyer classification received 6. Also, half of the torpedo tubes were removed in those retained as destroyers; all torpedoes were removed from the others. Nearly all had half the boilers removed, for increased fuel and range or to accommodate troops, reducing their speed to 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph).

The low-angle Mark 9 4-inch guns removed from these ships were transferred to defensively equipped merchant ships for anti-submarine protection.

Ward had an eventful career. She was built in record time: her keel was laid on 15 May 1918, launched only 17 days later on 1 June 1918, and commissioned 54 days after that on 24 July 1918. She is credited with firing the first US shots of the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, sinking a Japanese midget submarine with gunfire before the air attack started. The sinking was uncertain until the submarine's wreck was discovered in 2002. As the high-speed transport APD-16, she was damaged beyond repair by a kamikaze attack on 7 December 1944, and was sunk after abandoning ship by gunfire from the destroyer O'Brien, commanded at the time by Ward's former CO from the Pearl Harbor attack.

Thirteen Wickes class were lost during World War II in U.S. service. The remainder were scrapped between 1945 and 1947.

Twenty-three Wickes-class destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy, and four to the Royal Canadian Navy, in 1940 under the Destroyers-for-bases deal. Most of these ships were refitted much like the U.S. destroyers and used as convoy escorts, but some were used very little and were not considered worth refitting.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It was really a gorgeous wreck and held the first two Wolf Eels I had ever seen.

I had no idea wolf eels could be found in SoCal waters. I have long associated them with the PNW. On my bucket list. Wrecks? They're okay.

 

[azstinger11]

Somehow I’ve missed every trip here (and the uribe) or it was paired with something I can’t do like missile towers. It’s on my local bucket list, up there with Cortez banks.

 

[beldridg]

Hi @beldridg

Thanks very much for bringing up more good memories. In my 6 visits and 36 dives in San Diego between 2007 and 2012, I was only able to dive the Hogan once. The dive was in Sept 2008 off Marissa with Capt Anita. It was really a gorgeous wreck and held the first two Wolf Eels I had ever seen.

It was a short dive on air, max depth 131 ft, avg depth 74 feet, dive time 36 min with 5 min deco. I'm only sorry I was never able to make it back for another dive on the Hogan.

I look forward to seeing your model, thanks

So glad I was able to revive some good memories! She is indeed a great wreck.

- brett

 

[beldridg]

I had no idea wolf eels could be found in SoCal waters. I have long associated them with the PNW. On my bucket list. Wrecks? They're okay.

Haha! Interestingly enough, I have seen them on many of the wrecks here.

- brett

 

[beldridg]

Somehow I’ve missed every trip here (and the uribe) or it was paired with something I can’t do like missile towers. It’s on my local bucket list, up there with Cortez banks.

Yeah, you definitely need to do it. Even if they are going to the MT like they did last time, it is honestly worth going on the trip and just doing a really long dive on the Hogan.

If you don't dive the MT (it is usually first because it is deeper), then you can jump in on the Hogan right after they drop the anchor while others are on their SI and get in a good 90+ minute dive.

- brett