From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. A, 1991, Navy 
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History 
Division, Washington, D.C.

Joel Abbot

Joel Abbot was born on 18 January 1793 in Westfort, Mass. He was 
appointed a midshipman on 18 June 1812 and served with distinction 
during the War of 1812.

In 1852, he was chosen by Commodore Matthew C. Perry to command the 
Frigate MACEDONIAN, one of the ships in Perry's expedition to Japan. 
During this journey, Abbot visited the Japanese, Bonin, and Philippine 
Islands, as well as Formosa. Upon Perry's return to the United States, 
Abbot assumed command of the squadron. Commodore Abbot died of malaria 
on 14 December 1855 at Hong Kong.

ABBOT (DD-184)

dp. 1,306;
l. 314' 4 1/2";
b. 30' 11 1/4";
dr. 9' 3";
s. 33.2 k.;
cpl. 122;
a. 4 4", 2 3", 12 21" tt.;
cl. WICKES

ABBOT (DD-184) was laid down on 5 April 1918 by the Newport News 
Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. , Newport News, Va.; launched on 4 July 1918; 
sponsored by Miss Louise Abbot, great granddaughter of Commodore Abbot; 
and commissioned on 19 July 1919, Lt. Comdr. W. N. Richardson, Jr., in 
command.

Based at Norfolk Va., the destroyer operated along the east coast and in 
the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, especially in Cuban waters. The 
destroyer was placed out of commission at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 
5 July 1922.

After being laid up for almost two decades, Abbot was recommissioned on 
17 June 1940 and patrolled along the east coast until going out of 
commission once more at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, on 23 September 1940 to 
be transferred to England under terms of the agreement by which the 
United States exchanged 50 overage destroyers for bases on British 
colonial territory in the Atlantic. ABBOT was struck from the Navy list 
on 8 January 1941.

Renamed CHARLESTOWN, the destroyer was assigned to the 17th Destroyer 
Division and arrived at Belfast, Ireland, on 8 October. She took part in 
several minelaying operations along the west coast of Scotland. In 
September 1943, CHARLESTOWN was allocated to the Rosyth Escort Force to 
escort convoys along the east coast of Great Britain.

CHARLESTOWN was damaged in a collision with steamer FLORIZEL off 
Harwich, England, in December 1944. Due to her age, it was decided not 
to repair her, and the destroyer was placed in reserve at Grangemouth, 
Firth of Forth. CHARLESTOWN was decommissioned on 15 January 1945 and 
was eventually scrapped.