AH-WR-0842

USS Woodbury

Destroyer · United States · Lost 1923 · Southern California & Catalina

A destroyer wrecked on offshore rocks at Honda Point in 1923 that gave the rock group its lasting name, Woodbury Rocks.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

USS Woodbury wrecked on a cluster of offshore rocks at Honda Point on September 8, 1923, one of seven destroyers lost that night to a navigational error compounded by fog and unusual currents. No crew were lost. The rocks where she struck are still marked on navigational charts today as Woodbury Rocks.

Vessel

Built: 1919
Registry: DD-309
Builder: Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Union Iron Works
Yard: San Francisco, California
Material: Steel
Length: 314.4 ft
Beam: 30.9 ft
Tonnage: 1308
Propulsion: Geared turbines, twin screws
Owners: United States Navy

Loss

Date: September 8, 1923
Cause: Navigational error
Location: Honda Point (Point Pedernales), Santa Barbara County, California
Water: Pacific Ocean
Voyage: San Francisco, California → San Diego, California
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 0
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Broken up by surf over the following months; the offshore rock group is still known today as Woodbury Rocks
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Site lies on active U.S. military property (Vandenberg Space Force Base)

Position

Coordinates: 34.60° N 120.64° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Honda Point, near Lompoc, California
Region: Southern California & Catalina

General position of Honda Point (Point Pedernales) as commonly cited for the disaster site.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (75/100)

Naval History and Heritage Command
Ship specifications, service history, and loss circumstances.