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Career
Ordered:
Laid down:	11 January 1919
Launched:	1 May 1919
Commissioned:	23 November 1920
Decommissioned:	26 October 1923
Fate:	wrecked, 8 September 1923
Struck:
General characteristics
Displacement:	1,190 tons
Length:	314 feet 5 inches (95.83 m)
Beam:	31 feet 8 inches (9.65 m)
Draught:	9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m)
Propulsion:	geared turbines
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h)
Complement:	95 officers and enlisted
Armament:	4 x 4" (102 mm), 1 x 3" (76 mm), 12 x 21" (533 mm) tt.

The first USS Nicholas (DD-311) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Samuel Nicholas.

Nicholas was laid down 11 January 1919 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California; launched 1 May 1919; sponsored by Miss Edith Barry; and commissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard 23 November 1920, Lieutenant Commander H. B. Kelly in command.

Assigned to Reserve Destroyer Divisions, Pacific Fleet, Nicholas departed Mare Island 17 December 1920 for San Diego, California, arriving on the 20th and remaining principally in that area with a reduced complement through 1922. The destroyer sailed 6 February 1923 as part of Destroyer Squadron 11 for combined fleet operations in the Panama Canal Zone. Arriving Balboa twenty days later following exercises en route, the warship engaged in tactical and strategic maneuvers through the end of March and returned to San Diego 11 April. From 25 June to 31 August, Nicholas and DesRon 11 cruised the coast of Washington, putting in to Tacoma, Port Angeles, and Seattle and serving as escort to President Warren G. Harding in Henderson on his arrival at Seattle 27 July. She then participated in squadron maneuvers through the end of August with Battleship Division 3, putting in to San Francisco on the 31st.

Nicholas sailed for her homeport at 0830, 8 September, in company with most of DesRon 11 under Captain E. H. Waton, Delphy leading the way. Engaged in a high speed engineering run down the Pacific Coast, the squadron changed course at 2100 as inaccurate navigation indicated this was the approach to Santa Barbara Channel. At 2105, Delphy stranded on the rocks of Point Pedernales, known to sailors as Honda, or the Devil’s Jaw. Though warning signals were sent up by the flagship, the sheltering configuration of the coast line prevented their recognition by the remaining ships of DesRon 11 and in the ensuing confusion, six other destroyers including Nicholas ran aground also. Nicholas’ skipper, Lt. Cmdr. Herbert Roesch, did his utmost to prevent the loss of the destroyer as the heavy seas broke over her and Honda’s rocks pushed into her hull, but the ship was taken by currents and drifted slowly astern, coming to a stop stern high on a clump of rocks with a 25’ list to starboard.

Throughout the night, the crew attempted to save Nicholas but in the morning as the waves mounted and Nicholas’ situation became critical, the Captain ordered “Abandon Ship”. The order was accomplished and brought the entire crew ashore safely. Of the seven destroyers' crews, only 23 lives were lost. Considered out of commission 26 October 1923, Nicholas was struck from the Navy List with her six squadron mates 20 November. After a number of abortive bids, the destroyer was finally sold 19 October 1925 to Robert J. Smith of Oakland, California. Though some equipment was salvaged from the wrecked ship her hull was left to the mercy of the sea in the “graveyard of the Pacific.” The event came to be known as the Honda Point Disaster.

See USS Nicholas for other ships of this name.

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.