USS John Francis Burnes (DD-299) - History

History

John Francis Burnes, formerly Swasey, was laid down 4 July 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California; launched 10 November 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Julius Kahn; and commissioned 1 May 1920, Commander Frank N. Eklund in command.

Following shakedown and training exercises during the summer of 1920, John Francis Burnes engaged in fleet maneuvers during October. For the next 2 years she continued tactical exercises along the California coast, operating out of San Diego, California, her home port. She sailed 6 February 1923 for exercises off Mexico and the Panama Canal Zone.

Following her return in April, John Francis Burnes operated out of California for 2 years with the exception of fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean in early 1924. One year later she participated in joint Army-Navy maneuvers out of San Francisco, California before joining fleet operations in Hawaii 27 April 1925. The destroyer then cruised with a large force in the Pacific, visiting Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand before returning to San Diego in September.

For the next 3 years she engaged in training operations and fleet maneuvers along the West Coast, developing the techniques in naval warfare. During the summers of 1928 and 1929, John Francis Burnes engaged in reserve training cruises. John Francis Burnes arrived in San Diego 28 August 1929 and remained there until she decommissioned 25 February 1930. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 July 1930 and sold as scrap metal 10 June 1931 in accordance with the London Treaty for the limitation of naval armaments.

As of 2005, no other ship in the United States Navy has been named John Francis Burnes.