USS Rhind, DD 404, was laid down 22 September 1937 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 28 July 1938; sponsored by Mrs. Frederick S. Camp; and commissioned 10 November 1939, Comdr. G. R. Cooper in command.

Alexander Colden Rhind, born at New York City 31 October 1821, was appointed midshipman 3 September 1838.    He served with the Home Squadron off the coast of Mexico and with both the South and North Atlantic Blockading Squadrons during the Civil War. He was ordered to command Crusader, 14 December 1961; and, while commanding her, earned the thanks of Congress for the capture and destruction of Confederate works commanding the South Edisto, Dawho, and Pon-Pon Rivers, in April 1862.    A year later, he participated in the attacks on Charleston's defenses as commanding officer of Keokuk. During the attack on 8 April 1863, Keokuk was struck 90 times, suffering 19 holes at or near her waterline. Retiring, she was kept afloat until the following morning, by which time the crew had been taken off. Later, after commanding Paul Jones and Wabash, he assumed command of Agawam, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, 23 October 1863, and earned praise from Rear Adm. Samuel Lee for the "gallantry and endurance displayed" by himself and his crew during an engagement with three batteries at Deep Bottom, 13 August 1864.    In December 1864 he was detailed to command the powder boat Louisiana, which was towed by Wilderness to a point 250 yards off Fort Fisher. There Commander Rhind and his crew set the fuzes and started a fire before escaping to Wilderness. The blast from the explosion, although loud, did little damage and two days later Rhind returned to close proximity to the fort to plant a marker buoy as near to the fort as possible to allow the fleet to bombard Fort Fisher at close range. For his feats he was commended by Admiral Porter and recommended for promotion.    Rear Admiral Rhind died at New York, 8 November 1897.

   Following an extended shakedown cruise to Brazil and post shakedown availability, Rhind steamed south again and from 5 July to 19 December 1940 conducted exercises in the Caribbean and patrolled off Martinique. Employed as carrier escort and engaged in fleet exercises during the first half of 1941, she joined TF 1 in June and through the summer steamed in the North Atlantic shipping lanes on Neutrality Patrol. In August she escorted Augusta, with President Roosevelt embarked, to Newfoundland for the Atlantic Charter conferences. Then, at their conclusion, she escorted HMS Prince of Wales, carrying Prime Minister Churchill, to Iceland. On 17 August she returned to patrol duty off the Newfoundland coast.
   Detached in October, Rhind escorted Yorktown from midocean to Halifax in early November, then joined a Halifax-Capetown convoy as escort. Off Southwest Africa 27 November, she was detailed to escort Ranger to Trinidad. They arrived 3 December. Four days later the United States entered World War II
   Rhind then steamed north to patrol the waters off Bermuda. In February 1942, she shifted further north and through March escorted Icelandic convoys. In April she shepherded a convoy to the Canal Zone and on the 23d, while en route back to New York, conducted her first depth charge attack on a German submarine. (continued)