USS Satterlee (DD-190)

USS Satterlee (DD-190) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Belmont.

As USS Satterlee
The first Navy ship named for Captain Charles Satterlee USCG (1875–1918), Satterlee was laid down on 10 July 1918 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia; launched on 21 December 1918; sponsored by Ms. Rebecca E. Satterlee, niece of Captain Satterlee; and commissioned on 23 December 1919, Commander Reed M. Fawell in command.

Satterlee joined her destroyer flotilla at Manzanillo, Cuba on 27 January 1920 and conducted training in the Caribbean until 26 April. After repairs and trials, she rejoined the flotilla at Newport, Rhode Island on 11 June. She was present at the America's Cup races off New York City from 9-26 July, and visited Miami from 2-28 August before resuming training off Newport. The destroyer joined the Atlantic Fleet at Guantanamo Bay on 10 January 1921 and participated in fleet maneuvers until 24 April. She then resumed training and upkeep along the Atlantic coast until she was decommissioned on 11 July 1922 and placed in reserve at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

With war breaking out in both Europe and the Far East, Satterlee was recommissioned at Philadelphia on 18 December 1939, Lieutenant Commander H. R. Demarest in command, and assigned to duty on Neutrality Patrol. She arrived in the Caribbean on 2 February 1940 for patrol duty and training. The ship departed the Caribbean on 15 April, and underwent overhaul at Norfolk, Virginia from 19 April-5 July. She then operated along the east coast until decommissioned on 8 October.

As HMS Belmont
Satterlee was transferred to the United Kingdom on the same day and served the Royal Navy as HMS Belmont, one of 50 old American destroyers exchanged for bases in British Colonies in the western Atlantic.

HMS Belmont was commissioned on 8 October 1940 and arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 24 October. She joined the 3d Escort Group in the Western Approaches Command and conducted escorting duty for Atlantic convoys, broken only for repairs of collision damage between March and July 1941. While under the command of Lt. Cdr. G. B. O. Harding RN on 31 January 1942, she was struck by a single torpedo south of Newfoundland in position 42º02'N, 57º18'W, and sunk with the loss of all 138 hands by a U-boat (U-82 - Lt. Cdr. Rollmann) while escorting a convoy (NA.2) of British and Canadian airmen to the United Kingdom.

The names of her crew are commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial at Southsea Common, Southsea, Hampshire, UK