Ringgold  I

(DD-89: dp. 1,060; 1. 315'5"; b. 31'8"; dr. 9'10"; s. 35 k.; cpl. 134; a. 4 4", 2 1-par, 12 21" tt.; cl. Wickes)


	The first Ringgold, a twin-screw, flush-deck type destroyer was launched 14 April 1918 by Union Iron 
Works, San Francisco, Calif. sponsored by Mrs. David W. Farquhar; and commissioned li November 1918 at 
Mare Island Navy Yard Comdr. Louis P. Davis in command.


	Ringgold departed Mare Island Navy Yard 18 November 1918 to join the Destroyer Force, Atlantic 
Fleet. After transiting the Panama Canal, Ringgold called at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before arriving Hampton 
Roads, Va., 5 December 1918. She cruised along the U.S. east coast into 1922, operating generally out of 
Newport, R.I., Ringgold put into Philadelphia Navy Yard 5 April 1922 where she was decommissioned 17 June 
1922 and placed in reserve.


	After remaining inactive for almost two decades, Ringgold recommissioned 23 August 1940 
preparatory to transfer to Great Britain along with 49 other old flush-deckers desperately needed to fight 
German submarine attacks. Ringgold was formally transferred to Great Britain 26 November 1940 at Halifax, 
Nova Scotia, and renamed Newark in honor of towns in both Great Britain and the United States. She was struck 
from the U.S. Navy list 8 January 1941. Although manned initially by a Royal Canadian Navy care and 
maintenance party, Newark was commissioned for Royal Navy service 5 December 1940, Lt. Comdr. R. H. W. 
Atkins, RN, in command.


	Newark was damaged in collision with her sister Newmarket 9 December 1940, necessitating repairs 
that delayed her departure for British waters. Standing out of Halifax 4 February 1941 in company with H.M.S. 
Wells, she encountered a heavy gale and subsequently developed engine trouble. Towed back to Halifax, 
Newark again departed 26 February 1941 and arrived at Belfast 5 March and Plymouth, England 9 March 1941.


	Assigned to the 17th Destroyer Division, Newark participated in escort duty for the 1 st Minelaying 
Division operating in the Irish Sea and for the Ieeland ferry service. She suffered minor bomb damage in an air 
attack at Belfast on the night of 4-5 May 1941 but resumed active duty that August. While in company with 
H.M.S. Southern Prince 25 August 1941, Newark was hit by a torpedo forward and had to be escorted into 
Belfast. Following completion of repairs in May 1942, Newark rejoined the 17th Destroyer Division. She 
probably damaged a German submarine 31 May 1942 while cruising south of Iceland and assisted H.M.S. 
Castelton in rescuing survivors of the German submarine U-464 on 20 August 1942.


	Newark was transferred to the Rosyth Escort Force during 1944, operating in the North Sea and in 
waters north of the British Isles on antisubmarine duty. In January 1945 she became an aircraft target ship under 
orders of the Rear Admiral, Northern Air Stations. Newark was scrapped at Botness on 18 February 1947.