USS Biddle (DD-151) was a in the United States Navy during World War II, later reclassified AG-114. She was the second ship named for Captain Nicholas Biddle.
Design
The Wickes class was an improved derivative of the previous s, with a higher speed of specified in order to match the s and s authorized under the Naval Act of 1916. Fifty Wickes-class destroyers were authorized under the 1916 act, but with World War I demonstrating the need for large numbers of destroyers for anti-submarine operations, further orders were placed, with a total of 111 Wickes and 156 of the very similar s finally built. Two different designs to meet the specifications were drawn up by Bethlehem Steel (used by the Fore River and Union Iron Works subsidiary shipyards of Bethlehem) and by Bath Iron Works (used by all other shipyards and unofficially known as the 'Liberty' design). The two designs differed mainly in the machinery used.
The ships were long overall and at the waterline, with a beam of and a draft of at full load, with a similar flush-decked hull form to that used in the Caldwell class. Displacement of the Cramp-built Wickes-class ships was normal and full load. Four White-Forster water-tube boilers fed steam to geared sets of Parsons steam turbines, and drove two propeller shafts. The machinery had a designed power of . Performance of the Cramp-built ships exceeded contractual requirements for range and speed. Biddle reached a speed of on sea trials.
Biddle had a main gun armament of four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts, with it being planned to mount two 1-pounder autocannon for anti-aircraft defense, but there was a shortage of these guns, and many ships of the class were fitted with two 3-inch/23-caliber gun instead. Biddle only had a single 3-inch gun in 1935. Torpedo armament consisted of twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. The ship had a crew of 122 officers and other ranks in 1920. This had increased to 149 by 1945.
During World War II, the ship was re-armed to improve abilities as an escort. Two banks of torpedo tubes were removed to allow six 20 mm Oerlikon cannon and a heavier depth charge armament (six depth charge throwers) to be fitted. In addition, a boiler was removed to allow more fuel to be carried, increasing range, although reducing speed to about .
Construction and commissioning
Biddle was authorised on 4 March 1917 with the contract for her construction signed on 8 September 1917. The ship was laid down at William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company, Philadelphia shipyard on 22 April 1918, and was launched on 3 October 1918, sponsored by Miss Elise B. Robinson, a great-great-grandniece of Captain Biddle. In February 1920, she assisted in the evacuation of Odessa, which was on the point of capture by the Red Army in the Russian Civil War. Biddle returned to New York on 1 July 1920. After assignment to Division 48, Atlantic Fleet, she carried out cruises along the east coast until decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 20 June 1922.