Destroyers and Gunboats |
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Destroyers
Allen commissioned 24 January 1917, 1,070 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 torpedo tubes, and escorted the first WWI troop convoy from the U. S. to France. On 23 August 1940 Allen was recommissioned. She was moored at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 without sustaining any casualties. Allen, the lowest numbered DD, saw duty in the Pearl Harbor area until August 1945.
The "Greer Incident" occurred 4 September. Greer, carrying mail and passengers to Argentina, Newfoundland, was signaled by a British plane that a Nazi submarine had crash-dived some 10 miles ahead. Forty minutes later the DD's soundman picked up the undersea marauder, and Greer began to trail the submarine. The plane, running low on fuel, dropped four depth charges before returning to base, while Greer continued to dog the U-boat. Two hours later the German ship fired a torpedo that passed 100 yards astern Greer charged in to attack with depth charges.
When news of the attack against an American ship on the high seas reached the United States, President Roosevelt seized this occasion to make a "fireside chat," declaring that Germany had been guilty of an act of piracy and authorized first strike by American ships and planes "in the waters which we deem necessary for our defense." The period of "undeclared war" in the Atlantic had begun.
Greer spent the war patrolling North Atlantic and Caribbean and escorting convoys to Europe and North Africa until 1944 when the old four-stack destroyer and her sister ships were replaced by newer and faster escorts ; she spent the remainder of her long career performing a variety of tasks in American waters.
She was at sea with Indianapolis off Pearl Harbor Dec 1941 and served all over the Pacific in convention destroyer duties with occasional mine sweeping when required. Long was sunk by two kamikaze hits in Lingayen Gulf, 6 Jan 1945. Long received nine battle stars for World War II service.
Pope was at Manila as the war started and departed 11 December 1941 for Balikpapan.
Pope had a distinguished record in the Netherlands East Indies. During the battle of Makassar Strait she made torpedo and gun attacks to delay Japanese landings at Balikpapan and later in the battle of Badoeng Straits she impeded the invasion of Bali. In the Battle of the Java Sea, Pope and HMS Encounter were directed to escort HMS Exeter away from the action. On the evening of 28 February 1942 the heavy cruiser and two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. Midway between Java and Borneo enemy surface and air forces launched an attack the next morning. The three Allied ships fought four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers. Pope fired all torpedoes and 140 salvoes of ammunition. Shortly before noon the two British ships were destroyed by gunfire, and an hour later Pope was attacked and sunk by 12 dive-bombers and scuttling charges.
Assigned to ABDA force, Pillsbury saw action at Badoeng Strait 4 Feb 1942; again, Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February damaging a Japanese destroyer. About 1Mar42, Pillsbury and Asheville (PG-21) were sunk in a night surface action with three IJN cruisers and two destroyers in Bali Strait.
Pillsbury received two battle stars for World War II service.
Reuben James sailed from Newfoundland with four other destroyers to escort eastbound convoy HX-156 as far as Iceland to deliver war material to Britain. The ship had postured itself between an ammunition ship and the known position of a German U-boat wolf pack. On 31 October 1941, Reuben James was torpedoed by German submarine U-552. She sank quickly. Of the crew, 44 survived, and 100 died. Reuben James was the first U.S. Navy ship sunk by hostile action associated with World War II.
Cassin was in drydock with Downes (DD-375) and Pennsylvania (BB-35) at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. In the Japanese attack, a bomb exploded Downes' fuel tanks, causing uncontrollable fires on board both Downes and Cassin. Cassin tipped over against Downes. Both ships were considered lost, Cassin decommissioned as of 7 December 1941. However, superb salvage saved her. She was towed to Mare Island Navy Yard and a new hull rebuilt around her. Recommissioned 6 February 1944, Cassin fought at Tinian, Marcus, Leyte, Luzon, and Iwo Jima.
Cassin received six battle stars for World War II.
On 7 December, Shaw was drydocked in YFD-2. During the Japanese attack, she took three bomb hits. Fires spread through the ship and the order to abandon ship was given five minutes before the forward magazine blew up. Temporary repairs were made at Pearl Harbor. On 9Feb42, Shaw sailed for San Francisco where she completed repairs, including the installation of a new bow at the end of June. She then fought in the Solomons, New Guinea, Marshalls, and Philippines. Shaw earned eleven battle stars during World War II.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, Downes was in drydock with Cassin (DD-372); and Pennsylvania ( BB-38). The three came under heavy attack starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank causing ammunition and torpedo warheads on board to explode. Later Cassin slipped from her keel blocks and rested against Downes. She was listed as a complete loss and officially decommissioned, but her machinery was salvaged and shipped to Mare Island Navy Yard where a new hull was built and recommissioned at Mare Island on 15Nov43. The rebuilt Downes received four battle stars for World War II service.
On December 7, 1941 the USS Bagley was moored at the Navy Yard Pearl harbor in a position to fire upon torpedo bombers attacking battleship row and knocked down five before they could launch their destruction. She then provided escort in the Eastern Pacific and participated in the raid on Bougainville, 20Feb42, and Salamaua-Lae, 10Mar42, invasion of Guadalcanal, and took part in the disastrous Battle of Savo Island, 9Aug42. She continued to provide convoy escort in the South Pacific and the invasion of New Britain. Overhaul in early 1944 prepared her for bombardment of Marianas, Volcano Islands, Yap, Palau, Formosa, Philippines, Battle of Leyte Gulf, invasions of Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. She received the surrender of Marcus Island.
Bagley received 12 battle stars for her World War II service.
On Pearl Harbor day, she safely made her way to sea with only four officers on board (all Ensigns). She joined the Enterprise (CV-6) task force and made raids on Pacific Islands. She was present at the battle of Savo Island. Later, while patrolling in Ironbottom Sound during the Battle of Eastern Solomons, Blue was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Kawakaze, 22 August 42, killing nine men and wounding 21. After unsuccessful attempts to tow her to Tulagi, she was scuttled on 23 Aug 1942. Blue received five battle stars for her nine months service in World War II.
Helm was underway in West Loch when the Japanese attacked and fired on them. She rescued government workers from Howland and Baker Islands in 31Jan42. She survived the disaster at Savo Island. She participated in invasion in the South and SW Pacific until overhaul Spring 1944. Then sailed with the fast carrier fleet screening in the major battles to the end of the war. Helm received 11 battle stars for World War II service.
She emerged from the attack on Pearl Harbor with only superficial damage and performed ASW and convoy escort duties until participating in the invasion of Guadalcanal. Jarvis was torpedoed 8 Aug 1942 by aircraft while screening transports at the Guadalcanal landing. After receiving emergency repairs she proceeded towards Sydney for permanent repairs. She passed through the Battle of Savo Island, apparently unhit. Reported as a cruiser, Japanese planes for Rabaul found and sank her with all hands on 9 Aug.
An escort with Enterprise (CV-6) when Pearl Harbor was attacked, she also escorted the Doolittle Raid, and fought at Midway, invasion of Guadalcanal, and Battle of Eastern Solomons. During 14-15 Nov42 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Benham took a torpedo from an IJN destroyer and had to be abandoned. She received five battle stars for her 11 months service in World War II.
first of her class, commissioned in 1939, 1,570 tons, 4- 5"/38, 8x4 21" TT, 251 men.
The destroyer operated with the Neutrality Patrol in Caribbean and Atlantic waters.
With the outbreak of war she became part of Task Force 17 formed around Yorktown (CV-5) participating in raids on Marshall Islands and Lae and Salamaua. She was sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7 May 1942, while escorting Niesho (AO-23) to the next refueling station. The oiler and destroyer were mistaken as a carrier and cruiser and subjected to all out attack from planes of two Japanese fleet carriers. Sixteen survivors of Sims were rescued with the survivors of Niesho. Two battle stars.
While picking up 3 boatloads of survivors, detected U-boat and attacked with depth charges. First contact with Germans before WW2 on 10Apr41. Impressive war record in the Atlantic. [It may be interesting to follow up on German radio controlled bombs off Italy that hit Philadelphia and severely damaged Savannah while Niblack was providing air cover.] Niblack earned 5 battle stars.
On Neutrality patrol escorting a convoy before we entered the war, Kearney was depth charging an attacker when torpedoed by U-568. She lost 12 men but returned to service by the Spring of 1942. Later earned 3 battle stars in Africa, Med, France.
Escorted troopships and patrolled to stop the Tokyo Express around Guadalcanal. On 1 February 1943 De Haven screened a beachhead at Marovo on Guadalcanal when sunk by enemy aircraft bombs with 167 killed.