History
Noa was built by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia. Authorized 6 October 1917, she was laid down 18 November 1918; launched 28 June 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Albert Morehead, sister of Midshipman Loveman Noa; and commissioned 15 February 1921.
Following shakedown out of Norfolk, Virginia, Noa operated out of Charleston, South Carolina. Through May 1922 she participated in Atlantic Coast training maneuvers. In late May she sailed for duty on the Asiatic Station, steaming via the Mediterranean and Aden and Ceylon. She reached Singapore 14 August and 30 September she arrived at her new home yard at Cavite, Philippine Islands. Through the summer of 1922 Noa remained active on the Asiatic station. She patrolled Chinese and Philippine waters and attempted to protect American interests during the Chinese Civil War, which was renewed in November 1922.
On 27 February 1927, the Noa arrived at Nanjing, China, relieving USS Simpson as the ship stationed there "to protect American lives and property." On 24 March 1927, with her sister ship, USS William B. Preston, and Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Emerald, she helped to rescue foreigners from Nanjing. The three ships used their main batteries to lay down a barrage of shrapnel and high explosive on Socony Hill, driving back hostile Chinese forces and also halting sniping along the Nanjing Bund and a sortie by Kuomintang gunboats. This allowed refugees to retreat down the hill to the safety of US and British warships. Noa also participated in the periodic fleet exercises which were intended to keep crew and equipment at peak efficiency.
Upon return to the United States 14 August 1929 Noa went into the Mare Island Navy Yard for overhaul before assignment to West Coast operations. Through the next five years she operated out of San Diego as a unit of the Battle Fleet. During the fall and winter of 1929 Noa was called upon to assist in plane guard duties with carriers Langley (CV-1) and Saratoga (CV-3) off the California coast. She thus participated in the early development of US carrier-group tactics. She also took part in the fleet exercises from 1930 to 1934. Noa served as cruiseship for NROTC students from the University of California, Berkeley 17 June – 8 July 1934, steamed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 14 August, decommissioned there 11 November, and was placed in reserve.
Read more about this topic: USS Noa (DD-343)
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