USS Maddox ( DD - 168 ) USS " Maddox " ( DD – 168 ) was a " Wickes " class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I . She was later transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS " Georgetown " ( I - 40 ) , to the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS " Georgetown , and then to the Soviet Navy as Doblestny ( or Zhyostky " ; sources vary ) . She was the last " four piper " destroyer to be scrapped . History . Named for William A . T . Maddox , she was laid down 20 July 1918 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company , Quincy , Massachusetts ; launched 27 October 1918 ; sponsored by Mrs . Clarence N . Hinkamp , granddaughter of Captain Maddox ; and commissioned 10 March 1919 , Comdr . Edward C . S . Parker in command . On 17 July 1920 she was designated DD - 168 . Assigned to Division 21 , Atlantic Fleet , " Maddox " departed Boston 3 May 1919 for Trepassey , Newfoundland , en route to the Azores where she became part of a “ bridge of ships ” assigned to guide Navy flying boats NC - 1 and NC - 4 across the ocean on the first transatlantic flight . Returning to Boston on the 22d , the destroyer operated out of there until she sailed for Europe 26 August 1919 . Arriving Brest , France , 19 September , she soon joined an honor escort for " George Washington " , then bound for Ostend , Belgium , to embark the Belgian King and Queen for the United States . Detached on the 25th , " Maddox " commenced cross - channel service . Until 24 October she escorted ships and carried naval and Army passengers from Dover and Harwich to Boulogne , France , and the Hook of Holland . Departing Harwich 25 October , the four stacker proceeded through Kiel Canal to visit various Baltic ports . Returning to the United States 12 February 1920 , " Maddox " operated out of Boston for the next 2 years , off the east coast . Departing Boston 25 February 1922 for Philadelphia , she decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard 14 June 1922 . Inactive for the next 18 years , " Maddox " recommissioned 17 June 1940 . After brief duty on mid - Atlantic Neutrality Patrol , she departed Newport , Rhode Island , 16 September 1940 for Halifax , Nova Scotia , where she decommissioned 23 September 1940 . The same day , under the destroyer - naval base agreement , she was transferred to Great Britain and commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS " Georgetown " . As HMS " Georgetown " and HMCS " Georgetown " . As " Georgetown " , she participated in operation “ Bowery ” , escorting " Wasp " in May 1942 on her second reinforcement of the spitfire strength on the island of Malta . In September 1942 , she transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy for convoy escort duties in the western Atlantic . " Georgetown " was modified for trade convoy escort service by removal of three of the original 4 " / 50 caliber gun s and one of the triple torpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of Hedgehog anti - submarine launcher . Returned to the United Kingdom in December 1943 , she joined the Reserve Fleet . In Soviet service . In August 1944 " Georgetown " was turned over to the Soviet Navy . She was renamed ( sources vary ) either " Doblestny " ( rus . " Glorious or Valiant " ) or " Zhyostky " ( rus . " Rigid " ) . She was returned to the Royal Navy on 9 September 1952 and scrapped on 16 September 1952 .