Guided Missile Cruiser

DLG 34 / CG 34 - USS Biddle

USS Biddle (CG 34)

US Navy photo

Type, Class:

Guided Missile Cruiser; Belknap - class;

built as DLG 34; redesignated to CG 34: June 30, 1975;

Builder:

Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, USA

STATUS:

Awarded: January 16, 1962

Laid down: December 9, 1963 (as DLG 34)

Launched: July 2, 1965 (as DLG 34)

Commissioned: January 21, 1967 (as DLG 34)

Redesignated CG 34: June 30, 1975

Decommissioned: November 30, 1993;

Fate: Sold for scrap. Scrapping completed January 2, 2002.

Homeport:

-

Namesake:

Captain Nicholas Biddle (1750 – 1778)

Ship’s Motto:

> DEUS CLYPEUS MEUS <

Technical Data:

(Measures, Propulsion,

Armament, Aviation, etc.)

see: INFO >> Guided Missile Cruiser / Belknap – Class

Pictures, photos & more ...

Nicholas Biddle

Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center

Namesake & History:

Captain Nicholas Biddle (September 10, 1750 – March 7, 1778):

Captain Nicholas Biddle was born 10 September 1750 in Philadelphia. At the age of 13 he went to sea in the merchant service, and in 1772 entered the British Navy as a midshipman. As tension mounted between the Colonies and the Crown, Biddle resigned his commission and returned to America, volunteering his services to his home state of Pennsylvania. On 1 August, 1775 he became Commanding Officer of the armed galley FRANKLIN, which had been fitted out by the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to defend the Delaware.

In December 1775, Captain Biddle took command of the 14-gun brig ANDREW DORIA and joined the fleet commanded by Esek Hopkins in the expedition against New Providence. In this action ANDREW DORIA captured numerous armed merchantmen, including two armed transports carrying 400 reinforcements for the British Army in North America.

Later, Captain Biddle assumed command of RANDOLPH, which was manned in part by paroled British prisoners of war. These prisoners mutinied shortly after the ship sailed, but the superb leadership of the 27 year old captain ended the trouble quickly.

Violent storms dismasted his ship off the Delaware Capes, but Captain Biddle's superb seamanship brought RANDOLPH into Charleston for repairs. He sailed again for the West Indies on 4 September, 1777 and enroute captured HMS TRUE BRITON, along with her three ship convoy. Captain Biddle took his fourth prize back to Charleston and blockaded there until late February 1778, when he successfully eluded the British patrol and escaped to the open sea.

On 7 March, 1778 RANDOLPH, 32 guns, engaged HMS YARMOUTH, 64 guns. Despite his firepower disadvantage and a severe wound received early in action, Captain Biddle brilliantly directed the cannon fire of his ship, and YARMOUTH's commanding officer later reported that RANDOLPH fired three accurate broadsides to YARMOUTH's one. Tragically, however, fire penetrated RANDOLPH's powder magazines, and the ship exploded and sank instantly. Captain Biddle perished, and his 315 man crew had only four survivors.

USS Biddle (DLG 34 / CG 34):

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