USS Melvin (DD-335)

USS Melvin (DD-335) was a Clemson-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy from 1921 to 1930. She was scrapped in 1931.

Description
The Clemson class was a repeat of the preceding Wickes-class destroyer although more fuel capacity was added. The ships displaced 1290 LT at standard load and 1389 LT at deep load. They had an overall length of 314 ft, a beam of 30 ft and a draught of 10 ft. They had a crew of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.

Performance differed radically between the ships of the class, often due to poor workmanship. The Clemson class was powered by two steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27000 shp intended to reach a speed of 35 kn. The ships carried a maximum of 371 LT of fuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2500 nmi at 20 kn.

The ships were armed with four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts and were fitted with two 1-pounder guns for anti-aircraft defense. In many ships a shortage of 1-pounders caused them to be replaced by 3-inch (76 mm) guns. Their primary weapon, though, was their torpedo battery of a dozen 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. They also carried a pair of depth charge rails. A "Y-gun" depth charge thrower was added to many ships.

Construction and career
Melvin, named for Lieutenant (junior grade) John T. Melvin, was laid down 15 September 1920 at the Union Plant, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California; launched 11 April 1921; sponsored by Miss Laura L. McKinistry; and commissioned 31 May 1921. Following a brief shakedown, Melvin began operations off the west coast, which was to be her primary cruising area for her entire career, with a round-trip voyage to San Diego, California. During her 9 years in commission Melvin thrice transited the Panama Canal for Caribbean-based fleet problems, 1923, 1924, and 1927. Following such operations in the latter year, she cruised north to New York City and Newport, Rhode Island before sailing for Nicaragua. Arriving in the Bluefields area 25 June, she remained until 6 July to lend support, if needed, to marines then charged with supervising the establishment of the Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional and maintaining an uneasy truce. Exercises and type training in Hawaiian waters also interrupted her west coast operations and, subsequent to such maneuvers in the spring of 1925, she completed her only roundtrip cruise across the Pacific, a good will tour which took her to Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand.

On 17 July 1929, Melvin entered the Navy yard at Mare Island, San Francisco, to begin inactivation. On 7 October, in tow of USS Tern (AM-31), she headed south on her last voyage to San Diego. Arriving on the 11th, she decommissioned 8 May 1930 and on the 10th was towed back to Mare Island for scrapping. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register 3 November 1930, her materials were sold in the course of the next 2 years.