Pre-World War II
Dale made a southern cruise from 13 February to 6 March 1936, visiting Norfolk, Dry Tortugas, Florida, and Galveston, Texas, and acted as escort for President F. D. Roosevelt's cruise in the Bahamas before departing for the west coast. She took part in fleet problems, made a good will visit to Callao, Peru, served as training ship for the gunnery school at San Diego, and cruised to Hawaii, Alaska, and the Caribbean on exercises.
On 5 October 1939, Dale departed San Diego to join the Hawaiian Detachment for training and patrol. She was moored at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked 7 December 1941. The duty officer (an ensign) got her underway immediately to establish a patrol off the harbor entrance. She opened fire on the enemy planes, splashing at least one.
Read more about this topic: USS Dale (DD-353)
Famous quotes containing the word war:
“The contention that a standing army and navy is the best security of peace is about as logical as the claim that the most peaceful citizen is he who goes about heavily armed. The experience of every-day life fully proves that the armed individual is invariably anxious to try his strength. The same is historically true of governments. Really peaceful countries do not waste life and energy in war preparations, with the result that peace is maintained.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)