The USS Somers (DD-301) was a Clemson-class destroyer constructed for the United States Navy, with her keel laid on July 4, 1918, by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco. Launched on December 28, 1918, and commissioned on June 23, 1920, she was named after Richard Somers. The vessel measured approximately 314 feet in length, with a beam of about 30 feet, and a draft of around 9 feet. Her displacement was roughly 1,290 tons standard, with a top speed of approximately 35 knots, powered by geared steam turbines and twin screw propellers. Throughout her peacetime service with the Pacific Fleet, from 1920 until her decommissioning in 1930, USS Somers participated in a variety of operations including tactical exercises, fleet problems, and goodwill cruises. She operated along the West Coast, in the Caribbean, and across the Pacific, including visits to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and American Samoa. Notably, she transported staff officers for President Warren G. Harding during his Alaskan trip in July 1923. A significant event in her history occurred on September 8, 1923, when she was involved in the Honda Point Disaster. In dense fog, navigation errors caused Somers and eight other ships of her squadron to run aground at Point Honda. She narrowly escaped a catastrophic collision, suffering only moderate damage to her bow after an emergency maneuver. Survivors were rescued with the help of a passing fishing vessel, and she subsequently underwent repairs at Mare Island. After over a decade of active service, USS Somers was decommissioned on April 10, 1930, and struck from the Navy list later that year. She was scrapped at Mare Island in 1930–1931, with her materials sold in March 1931. Her service exemplifies the operational patterns of early 20th-century U.S. destroyers and her involvement in the Honda Point Disaster remains a notable episode in naval history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.