List of ship decommissionings in 1940 explained

The list of ship decommissionings in 1940 includes a chronological list of ships decommissioned in 1940. In cases where no official decommissioning ceremony was held, the date of withdrawal from service may be used instead. Notably, several destroyers were decommissioned by the United States Navy during 1940 for immediate transfer to the Royal Navy under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the two nations.

Date	Operator	Ship	Class and type	Fate and other notes	Ref
9 September				decommissioned at Halifax and transferred to the Royal Navy	^[1]
9 September				decommissioned at Halifax and transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Clare	^[2]
23 September				decommissioned at Halifax and transferred to the Royal Navy	^[3]
11 October				transferred to the Royal Navy
11 October				transferred to the Royal Navy
11 October				transferred to the Royal Navy
26 November				transferred to the Royal Navy
26 November				transferred to the Royal Navy

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aaron Ward I (Destroyer No. 132) . Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Naval History and Heritage Command . 13 June 2019 . 1 September 2016 . On 9 September 1940, Aaron Ward was decommissioned at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Transferred to Great Britain as one of the overage destroyers traded to that nation in return for the right to establish American bases on British possessions in the western hemisphere.
2. Web site: Abel P. Upshur (Destroyer No. 193) . Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Naval History and Heritage Command . 11 September 2019 . 23 February 2016 . .
3. Web site: Parsons . Luann . Abbot I (Destroyer No. 184) . Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Naval History and Heritage Command . 19 August 2019 . 9 April 1981. "going out of commission once more at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, on 23 September 1940 to be transferred to England".