USS Ludlow has been the name of two United States Navy destroyers, both named in honor of Augustus C. Ludlow, a naval officer who served during the War of 1812 and died of wounds received in the engagement between USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon in 1813.
USS Ludlow (DD-112) The first Ludlow was a Wickes-class destroyer. Built by the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California, she was launched on June 28, 1918, and commissioned on December 23, 1918. Following commissioning, she operated along the West Coast and in Hawaiian waters. She was decommissioned at San Diego on June 28, 1922, and remained in reserve until struck from the Naval Vessel Register on January 19, 1936. She was subsequently sold for scrap.
USS Ludlow (DD-438) The second Ludlow was a Gleaves-class destroyer. Built by the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, she was launched on November 11, 1940, and commissioned on March 5, 1941. During World War II, she served primarily in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters. Her wartime operations included:
- Neutrality Patrols and Convoy Escort: Prior to and immediately following U.S. entry into the war, she conducted patrols and escorted convoys in the North Atlantic.
- Operation Torch (November 1942): She provided fire support and screening during the Allied landings in North Africa (Fedhala, French Morocco).
- Mediterranean Operations (1943–1944): She participated in the invasions of Sicily (Operation Husky), Salerno (Operation Avalanche), and Anzio (Operation Shingle), providing gunfire support and anti-submarine screening. She also supported the invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon) in August 1944.
- Pacific Theater (1945): Transferred to the Pacific in early 1945, she participated in the bombardment of Japanese home islands and supported carrier operations.
She was decommissioned on May 20, 1946, and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Charleston, South Carolina. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on January 1, 1971, and sold for scrapping in 1973. Ludlow (DD-438) earned six battle stars for World War II service.
