"AD-9" redirects here. For the British Salmson aero-engine, see British Salmson AD.9.
USS Black Hawk (ID # 2140) Moored at Inverness, Scotland, in September 1918, while serving as Mine Force repair ship and flagship, and painted with a camouflage pattern.
USS Black Hawk (AD-9) Anchored in Philippine waters, 19 December 1935. She serviced Destroyer Squadron Five
She returned to New York in November 1919 and served as flagship and tender for the Atlantic Fleetdestroyers in reserve at Philadelphia. After the installation of a torpedo workshop and other equipment she was designated a destroyer tender (AD-9) in November 1920 and reported as flagship of the Operative Squadron, Destroyer Flotillas, Atlantic Fleet. She served mainly in Caribbean and Panamanian waters until June 1922 when she left Newport, Rhode Island, via the Suez Canal, for the Asiatic Fleet. Black Hawk remained in the Far East for twenty years during which she tended Destroyer Squadrons 5 (1922–40) and 29 (1940–42).
World War II
On 7 December 1941 Black Hawk was at Balikpapan, Borneo. She operated as a tender and repair ship at Java until 31 December 1941; at Darwin, Australia (January-3 February 1942); Java (3–20 February); and in Australian waters (26 February-29 May). Leaving Australia she steamed to Pearl Harbor, arriving 15 June 1942. She was assigned tender duty in Alaskan waters and arrived at Kodiak on 29 July 1942. Remaining there until 4 November 1942 she then returned to San Francisco, California, for repairs and overhaul.
Completing her overhaul 16 March 1943, Black Hawk returned to Alaskan waters, arriving 10 April 1943. Except for a short stay at Pearl Harbor (30 September 1943 – 1 February 1944), she remained at Adak until 21 March 1945. Following repairs at Alameda, California, she arrived at Pearl Harbor 30 May 1945; remained there until 11 September; and then proceeded to Okinawa. Black Hawk served in the Far East tending vessels at Okinawa and in China (specifically at Tsingtao)[2] until 20 May 1946 when she headed home for the last time.
Decommissioned on 15 August 1946, she was transferred to Maritime Commission on 4 September 1947.
USS Black Hawk was used in the Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson. In one of the books, the USS Black Hawk was discovered by members of the "Alliance" in the book Distant Thunders where she is found marooned and laden with ammunition.
^My father, Sherwin "Buddy" Eller, served as communications officer aboard the Black Hawk in 1946. I have a picture from an old photo album notated "Aboard the USS Blackhawk at Tsingtao, China in Spring, 1946
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