The USS Stewart (DD-224), a Clemson-class destroyer of the United States Navy, faced a remarkable and unusual fate during World War II. After sustaining damage in battle, the vessel was abandoned by American forces, only to be later captured and repurposed by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its story is one of adversity, secrecy, and eventual rediscovery.
The Stewart was damaged during the early months of the war while defending the Dutch East Indies against the advancing Japanese forces. Following an engagement in February 1942, the destroyer was taken to a drydock in Surabaya, but due to hasty repairs and worsening conditions, the ship was declared unsalvageable. U.S. forces scuttled the vessel to prevent its use by the enemy, believing it was effectively destroyed. However, the Japanese later raised the ship, repaired it, and integrated it into their own navy under the name Patrol Boat No. 102.
One of the major challenges the Stewart faced under Japanese control was its new role in an unfamiliar fleet. The vessel had to be modified for Japanese use, which included changes to its armament and operational tactics. It was primarily used for escort duties and patrolling the waters near the Japanese home islands. Despite these adaptations, the ship’s American design made it somewhat of an oddity among the Japanese fleet, which may have presented logistical challenges in terms of maintenance and supply.
Another significant issue was the secrecy surrounding its existence. The Japanese did not publicize their acquisition of the Stewart, likely to avoid giving the impression that they had salvaged and repurposed an enemy warship. As a result, the ship operated with little fanfare, and its true identity remained largely unknown to Allied forces until the war's final stages.
In 1945, as Japan faced imminent defeat, the Stewart was located in port and recaptured by American forces. Upon its rediscovery, U.S. sailors were stunned to find one of their own destroyers serving under a Japanese flag. The ship was returned to U.S. control, decommissioned, and ultimately scrapped in 1946.
The Stewart’s journey from American warship to captured enemy asset and back again highlights the unpredictable nature of naval warfare. Despite being written off as lost, it survived under foreign command, only to be rediscovered when the tides of war shifted once more.
