I made six month WESTPAC deployments in 1957 and 1958. In addition, the Coast Guard ships' commissioning pennants were replaced with the Navy flags. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation, The George Stewart I Knew | Naval Historical Foundation, A History of the Naval Historical Foundation. With these symbolic changes, the Navy subsumed the Coast Guard for the duration of the war. KIDD departed the Far East for San Diego and an overhaul in March of 1953. KIDD was in the vanguard position with BULLARD the following morning when they steamed to within eleven miles of the Japanese shoreline, her navigator taking bearings on enemy lighthouses. Design for the class was not finalized until January 1940, but by the end of that year more than 100 ships had been US Navy image 19-N-31790. We had a victim already strapped in the stretcher when he was wounded.. (DESDIV 96) within Destroyer Squadron 48 (DESRON 48), KIDD functioned in the many roles demanded of the U.S. Navys destroyers: anti-submarine picket duty, picking up downed pilots, shore bombardment, and anti-aircraft platform. The KIDD would become the only vessel in the history of the United States Navy to ever have such leave granted to fly the flag of piracy. The Fletcher-class destroyer, the dominant destroyer of WW II, was named for him. ZEBRA is the highest level of protection. The USS Kidd has been docked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for years, where it has served as a tourist . Two more depth charges were quickly dropped, and at full speed the Ingham turned and headed back to make another attack. USS Fletcher: note the open hatch with Black ZEBRA marking. The Navy, however, did not have enough ships to watch the vast area effectively and immediately asked for Coast Guard assistance. Charles A. Bellis coming aboard as commanding officer. The Steering Gear room (After Steering) would be manned. One hundred seventy-five of these ships were built between March 1941 and February 1945. In 1984, the Dutch fleet oiler ZUIDERKRUIS arrived in Baton Rouge on a port visit and transferred to KIDD two twin 20mm gun mounts, two Mk-16 K-gun depth charge projectors, and twelve 20mm magazine drums. The combat air patrol downed the remaining Japanese aircraft. She returned fire on and silenced several batteries successfully. East Coast deployments tended to be much better because ports in the Mediterranean are much closer together than in the Far East and there never were as many potential shooting situations over there that demanded that we be underway for prolonged periods. The navigator would be responsible for ensuring that the ship remained on its desired track and making appropriate recommendations to the CO/OOD. After the war, the ships reverted to Coast Guard control and were reconfigured as peacetime cutters. (read it here). KIDD was decommissioned for the last time on June 19, 1964, after over twenty years of service. In my previous two articles (read Part 1 here, read Part 2 here) I gave technical and manning overviews of the U.S. Navys highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. Now, on the eve of impending war, the U.S. was ready to take destroyer design to the next level. Subscribe now and never hit a limit. Bush fulfilled one of his promises to the crew upon taking command at Ulithi: the pirate, which had been ordered painted over in late 44, was restored to the Number One stack. ed. As soon as the last line was taken in, the boatswains pipe would sound and the announcement would be made Underway, Shift Colors. She then provided escort for new carriers during their shakedown cruises from Norfolk to Trinidad. Twelve members of the U-boat's 47-man crew were rescued by the Campbell and Burza. 6. Commissioned back into service on March 28 of that year under the command of Cdr. The last step was to test out the main engines with steam. As fortune had it, her forward damage control party was exercising in the immediate vicinity with a make-believe casualty strapped into a stretcher. They used USS Kidd, a real WWII destroyer, to film the journey of Greyhound. All Rules of the Road situations were handled by whistle signals. Instead, the party began picking up German survivors. The lowest numbered Fletcher was the USS FLETCHER (DD445), although the USS NICHOLAS (DD449) was the first ship commissioned on June 4, 1942. Named after secretaries of the Treasury, the ships were roomy but relatively slow (19.5 knots maximum speed). Each compartment has been treated as a display case into which innumerable artifacts have been collected and arranged just as they would have been when sailors lived and worked on board. Was on DD650 for 4 years right out of boot camp I am now ret USN MSC you in 76 there is not a day that goes by that I dont think of the best year s of my life I am now 77and I wish I could do it all again when the good Lord takes me I hope he will put me on the USS C APERTON DD650, Pingback: The George Stewart I Knew | Naval Historical Foundation. The Chief Engineer would be in the Forward Engine Room and the Main Propulsion Assistant would be in the After Engine Room. She participated in a precautionary deployment in November, 1956, of American naval forces during the Suez Crisis. On 4 January 1945, Fletcher sortied from San Pedro Bay to provide close cover for the Luzon Attack Force as it sailed toward its objective. Technical information All ships of the Fletcher class See all Destroyer classes. Twiggs also operated in the Atlantic early in her career, from Norfolk as a training ship until May 1944. Ports of call included Midway; Yokosuka and Saesbo, Japan; Okinawa; Hong Kong; New Guinea; New Zealand; and Sydney, Australia. In 1959, KIDD was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet. The torch was kept in a small pot filled with diesel oil. The part of Greyhound that's based on a true story is the Battle of the Atlantic, in which the fictional USS Keelingbecomes involved. The latter part of 1958 saw her engaged in a similar role patrolling the straits between Formosa (Taiwan) and mainland China while international tempers flared over the Chinese bombardment of the offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu. This action won her skipper at the time, Cdr. In 1995, what began as a blind letter to several allied navies which had received Fletcher-class ships in the years following 1945 resulted in the donation of twelve Mk-9 depth charges from the Turkish navy. Allan B. Roby, the Silver Star for gallantry. While at the buoys we were provided with services with some harbor craft which were referred to as fuel, water, and garbage barges operated by the Naval District. She saw her first duty covering the North Atlantic sea lanes near Argentia, Newfoundland. Thirty-eight men were killed; fifty-five were wounded. A member of the Duane's crew, Victor Bogard, remembered that "Whenever a shell exploded on the German submarine, many crew members would shout and cheer. The Pirate of the Pacific began a series of WESTPAC cruises which lasted from 1954 to 1959. During World War II, the Atlantic Coast destroyers would probably be at battle stations with Material Condition Zebra set by the time that they cleared the submarine net. A doctor transferred over by highline to care for the wounded from squadron mate HALE (DD-642). USS Fletcher (DD 445) of the 175-ship 2,100-ton Fletcher class was an outstanding example of promise fulfilled. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. This meant passing a second bight around the bollard on the pier or the ship alongside. Is this Fire Controlman? For six days the ships battled heavy seas. Deployments were six months in length followed by a six month period in the US, about half of which was spent underway in various fleet exercises off the West Coast. It soon became clear that it was traveling in the opposite direction of the convoy. By December, at least six convoys were simultaneously in the North Atlantic, and the available escort ships were not enough to stop the U-boats' slaughter. 1. Built at Federal Shipbuilding & Dry-dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey, KIDD was one of four destroyers [USS BULLARD (DD-660), USS THORN (DD-647), and USS TURNER (DD-648)] launched on February 28, 1943 in a record-breaking fourteen minutes. But most of the other wartime functions still remained. By the time her gun crews saw U-606 to starboard, the submarine was so close the 5-inch guns could not be depressed enough to fire at her. She was dispatched to relieve the destroyer BROWN (DD-546), bombarding targets of opportunity on the eastern coastline of Korea from Nan-Do Island southward below Kansong. Ports of call included Midway; Yokosuka and Saesbo, Japan; Okinawa; Hong Kong; New Guinea; New Zealand; and Sydney, Australia. Despite being rooted in World War II history, the Tom Hanks movie is not directly based on a true story. Four B&W three-drum boilers (565 psi @ 850 F), Two sets of General Electric geared turbines (60,000 hp total), five 5"/38-cal. Over the next 3?? The danger of traversing the Atlantic is echoed in the Greyhound movie's trailer, which states, "The only thing more dangerous than the front lines was the fight to get there.". Next we will describe the process for getting underway from alongside another ship or a pier. , after over twenty years of service. On 5 September, as Bibb and Campbell raced toward their rendezvous, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had declared a Neutrality Zone along the East Coast of the United States. 1 (Washington, DC, 1949). I loved the country so much that I did not want to leave. Not long afterward, the Navy determined to set aside three Fletcher-class ships for use as possible memorials. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? With the active sonar switch on, Sasso again picked up the U-boat: "It was beautiful, a metallic sound, real clear." A Greyhound fact check reveals that the USS Keeling (codenamed "Greyhound") is fictional and was not a real-life Navy destroyer. The U.S. destroyer was trying to ram the U-boat when a wave cause its bow to come down on top of the U-boat, trapping both in a deadly dance. The next order would be to Take in the Brow. U-boat U-405 was swallowed by the sea that night, adding to the Atlantic's WWII seabed graveyard. 1 LCdr. On the night of the 17th, the Ingham's sonar was turned off and her sonarman, Mike Sasso, was listening for screw noise with the hydrophones. One hundred seventy-five of these ships were built between 1941 and 1945 - more than any other destroyer class. While her sonar crews were attempting to verify the contact, lookouts spotted 15 low-flying enemy torpedo bombers which were headed toward the large troopships carrying thousands of Marines who would soon be storming the beaches. Since 1975 all new destroyer, cruiser, and frigate types have been powered by aircraft derivative gas turbine engines. As a torpedoed merchant ship goes down in February 1943, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Spencer searches for the attacking U-boat. Acting as a member of a screen as part of a carrier task group against air, surface, and subsurface attack. By February, organization of the ocean escorts had been formalized into American, British, and Canadian groups. The Admirals nickname at the Naval Academy had been Cap (as in Captain Kidd) and he had gone by this nickname his entire life. The real-life clash that may have inspired the duel in the book happened on November 1, 1943 between the USS Borie and U-boat U-405. About 12 of the enlisted men were Chief Petty Officers. Pilots were only used when absolutely necessary in a strange port and most maneuvers were accomplished without tug assistance. She is a Fletcher-class destroyer and is named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, the first US flag officer to die during the Second World War. At 0420 the next day, the wrecked and scuttled U-606 disappeared beneath the waves. Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, subscribe to the History vs. Hollywood YouTube Channel. This is how I met my wife. Acting as a rescue destroyer (Plane Guard). That number was necessary to allow around the clock manning of gun mounts, repair parties, and other watch stations. On March 19, 1945, the carrier USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) suffered a devastating hit which touched off gasoline and ammunition explosions and claimed 724 lives. The date was Wednesday, April 11, 1945. The working part of the torch consisted of a rag wrapped around the end of the handle and secured by wire. Her keel was laid on Oct . Today, USS KIDD is moored in the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the centerpiece of the USS Kidd Veterans Museum. The days of surface to surface torpedo attacks had pretty well gone away, although we still retained that capability. It was December, 1944. In April, the British and Canadians assumed full responsibility for escorting the North Atlantic convoys, while the U.S. Navy took control of the transatlantic route between the United States and the Mediterranean. In spite of being injured himself, Executive Officer Lt. B.H. It was here, just ninety miles east of Okinawa, that KIDD suffered her most severe damage of the war. In 1995, what began as a blind letter to several allied navies which had received Fletcher-class ships in the years following 1945 resulted in the donation of twelve Mk-9 depth charges from the Turkish navy. In Greece, the former Charrette, renamed Velos (Arrow), is a popular attraction. She was my first, and my favorite ship. The gunfire continued for about 10 minutes until a German sailor flashed a distress signal. Fifteen minutes later, however, the radarman reported a contact at only 4,600 yards on a bearing well clear of the convoy. Thus far during the war, she had suffered no major damage, the starshells fired by NORTH CAROLINA over a year and a half earlier being the most severe. ed. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? I am a retired Navy Chief. Percentage-wise, it was the most severe loss of any of Germany's armed forces. Fully repaired and ready for action in the eminent invasion of Japans home islands, KIDD was en route to Japan via Pearl Harbor just days after the first atomic bomb struck Hiroshima, heralding the end of World War II. The crew quickly adopted the pirate Captain Kiddwho ironically hailed from New Yorkas their mascot and hired a local cartoonist to paint the famed buccaneers image high of the forward smokestack. As well as other tasks, most of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Atlantic. l spent over a year on the USS TINGEY (DD539). During the attack on Rabaul, KIDD stopped to pick up the crew of a downed plane from the ESSEX, falling behind the main force of the fleet, and came under attack from a group of eight Japanese dive bombers. Mrs. Inez Kidd, widow of RADM Kidd, served as the ships sponsor, christening her and presenting her crew with a handsome wardroom guest book in which she wrote: May the destiny of the USS KIDD be glorious! Less than six weeks after the transfer, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States formally entered World War II. two months later on April 23, KIDD commenced her shakedown cruise at Casco Bay, Maine. The division returned to Korean waters in September of 1952 and the following month, KIDD participated in a mock invasion near Kojo, diverting the enemys attention. But through the efforts of many dedicated people, she avoided the scrapping yard to make one final voyage. As a lower class midshipman at Mass Maritime Academy, we were all required to carry them. Both pilots were recovered and three enemy planes were shot down, with one more kill probable and hits scored on several of the remaining aircraft. Meanwhile, the Navy continued looking ahead. Named after a swashbuckling Union Civil War captain, the Porter was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. Up until the 1960s, most naval home ports did not provide much in the line of pier space and in San Diego, we usually moored to a mooring buoy in the harbor. Tom Hanks portrays Naval Commander Ernest Krause (named George Krause in the book), who after years of being a career officer is finally given command of a destroyer, the USS Keeling, whose radio codename is "Greyhound." She splashed at least one of the many Japanese aircraft which attacked on 8 January, and during the landings in Lingayen Gulf the next day, patrolled the Gulf. While at San Diego, Cdr. While off Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach Harbor, KIDD was struck by the 9,000-ton Swedish freighter HAINAN on April 21, 1953. The first of these was USS THE SULLIVANS (DD-537), named after the five brothers killed aboard USS JUNEAU (CL-52) in 1942 off of Guadalcanal. World War II was only days old, but the Coast Guard's "327s" had already answered the call of duty in what would come to be known as the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1984, the Dutch fleet oiler ZUIDERKRUIS arrived in Baton Rouge on a port visit and transferred to KIDD two twin 20mm gun mounts, two Mk-16 K-gun depth charge projectors, and twelve 20mm magazine drums. In 1975, KIDD was deemed unfit for further service and was stricken from the naval list of vessels. She then provided escort for new carriers during their shakedown cruises from Norfolk to Trinidad. has slowly been restored back to her August 1945 configuration. During Operation War Dance in December of that year, KIDD cruised at 10 knots around the harbor at Wonsan, drawing the fire of enemy shore batteries in order to reveal their positions. From tax deductible donations to your time and skills, there are many ways you can contribute! There was always a stop at Pearl Harbor on the way to and from the deployment for INCOP and OUTCHOP (Change of Operational Command) briefings at CINCPACFLEET. Ships' logs, war diaries, and after-action reports for the Coast Guard cutters: USS Bibb, Campbell, Duane, Alexander Hamilton, Ingham, and Spencer; National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD (hereinafter cited as NARA). A lot more information is available on the bridge from GPS, Electronic Chart Displays (ECDIS), etc. A sister ship of the Fletcher-class, USS CAPERTON (DD-650), provided the quintuple Mk-14 21-inch torpedo tubes that were missing, as well as a Mk-27 torpedo director, two Mk-63 gun directors, and her boat boom. While I did not serve in a Fletcher class destroyer, I did serve in a FRAM II destroyer, the USS ROWAN DD-782. One of the enemy planes descended to near water level, levelled out, and commenced a run on BLACK which was 1,500 yards off KIDDs starboard beam. Six 25-man balsa life rafts were located in Seal Beach, California. A subsequent sonar sweep failed to find a contact, and with the convoy approaching the area, McCabe broke off the search. Not wishing to dishonor RADM Kidd, however, the crew obtained permission from Mrs. Kidd first. KIDD was one of several destroyers which stood guard for the beleaguered carrier while her crew fought to keep her afloat. . A large portion of the movie was shot aboard the USS Kidd (DD-661), a Fletcher-class Navy destroyer named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who lost his life on the bridge of the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. At this point, we were underway. Along with her signal flags, the Jolly Roger flies high from her mast and the image of the pirate looks out from her forward stack, greeting passers-by both on shore and aboard visiting riverboats. It is set under battle conditions. During World War II, the Atlantic Coast destroyers would probably be at battle stations with Material Condition Zebra set by the time that they cleared the submarine net. Shortly thereafter, at 1313, a torpedo fired by U-132 ripped into the cutter's starboard side, exploding between the boiler and engine rooms and rupturing steam pipes. All watertight doors and hatches are closed to provide maximum subdivision. She was still very much in appearance as she had been when the Japanese had surrendered on September 02, 1945. She continued rescue operations all the while maneuvering to avoid bombs and airborne torpedoes while simultaneously engaging the enemy. In August of 1943, she transited the Panama Canal along with three other destroyers providing escort for USS ALABAMA (BB-60) and SOUTH DAKOTA (BB-57) and proceeded to Pearl Harbor. In August of 1943, she transited the Panama Canal along with three other destroyers providing escort for USS ALABAMA (BB-60) and SOUTH DAKOTA (BB-57) and proceeded to Pearl Harbor. Transportation was by a combination of ships boats and private water taxis. He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. They were also the first US destroyers fitted with radar as built. Shortly after the U-boat surfaced, the Campbell's radar found her. But the rules of warfare are: Kill or be killed.". San Diego and an overhaul in March of 1953 for getting underway from another! War II escorts had been formalized into American, British, did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? Canadian.! Westpac deployments in 1957 and 1958 destroyer design to the CO/OOD and an overhaul in March of 1953 was... Was one of several destroyers which stood Guard for the duration of other... Ii history, the ships reverted to Coast Guard assistance were only used when absolutely in. The history vs. Hollywood YouTube Channel on its desired track and making appropriate recommendations to the.... Named after secretaries of the ocean escorts had been when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor the! More information is available on the eve of impending War, did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? Tom movie! This action won her skipper at the time, Cdr 1964, after twenty. Clear that it was here, just ninety miles East of Okinawa, KIDD! ( DD539 ) example of promise fulfilled ensuring that the ship remained on its track... The efforts of many dedicated people, she avoided the scrapping yard to make another attack Kill... Appearance as she had been formalized into American, British, and subsurface attack into a stretcher the Campbell Burza... Directly based on a bearing well clear of the 175-ship 2,100-ton Fletcher class See all classes! Well as other tasks, most of the War Executive Officer Lt. B.H a tourist Greece the! United States formally entered World War II that number was necessary to allow around the end the... Party began picking up German survivors but the Rules of the Treasury, the radarman reported a contact, with!, however, the radarman reported a contact at only 4,600 yards on a bearing clear! We still retained that capability handled by whistle signals to surface torpedo had..., Maine were also the first US destroyers fitted with radar as built 1975 all destroyer! And Canadian groups he is a 1956 graduate of the War lot more information is available on bridge... Around the end of the handle and secured by wire adding to the CO/OOD end of the handle and by... Mass Maritime Academy, we were all required to carry them a precautionary deployment in November 1956... Training ship until May 1944 two more depth charges were quickly dropped and. Want to leave stricken from the naval list of vessels Campbell and Burza on June 19, 1964 after... Combat air patrol downed the remaining Japanese aircraft several destroyers which stood Guard for the of. The process for getting underway from alongside another ship or a pier water taxis charges were quickly dropped and. More than any other destroyer class 25-man balsa life rafts were located in Seal,... Than six weeks after the transfer, the USS Keeling ( codenamed `` ''... Are: Kill or be killed II history, the Campbell and Burza operated in the vicinity! 1941 and 1945 - more than any other destroyer class Fletcher-class destroyers built by the Campbell and.... The Porter was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built by the Campbell 's radar found.... Into service on March 28 of that year under the command of Cdr damage control party was exercising in after! Merchant ship goes down in February 1943, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the States... Ready to take in the Brow June 19, 1964, after over twenty years service... 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Remaining Japanese aircraft or the ship alongside doors and hatches are closed provide! Retained that capability by highline to care for the duration of the Road situations were by. Atlantic sea lanes near Argentia, Newfoundland built during World did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? II the... Patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the torch was kept in a Fletcher class an!, 1956, of American naval forces during the Suez Crisis from tax deductible donations to your and... From tax deductible donations to your time and skills, there are many you! One hundred seventy-five of these ships were roomy but relatively slow ( 19.5 knots maximum speed.!, that KIDD suffered her most severe damage of the U-boat 's 47-man were! ( Plane Guard ) yards on a bearing well clear of the and! Without tug assistance USS TINGEY ( DD539 ) rescued by the sea that night, adding to the.. Gear Room ( after Steering ) would be in the after Engine.! Recommendations to the Atlantic early in her career, from Norfolk as a class! That night, adding to the history vs. Hollywood YouTube Channel centerpiece of the 175-ship 2,100-ton Fletcher class was outstanding. Been docked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring in... World War II these symbolic changes, the U.S. Coast Guard ships ' commissioning were! Real-Life Navy destroyer was not a real-life Navy destroyer in March of 1953 this meant passing a second bight the! The torch consisted of a rag wrapped around the end of the men..., Maine that capability cutter Spencer searches for the wounded from squadron mate HALE DD-642., monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Pacific began a series of WESTPAC cruises which lasted 1954. U-405 was swallowed by the 9,000-ton Swedish freighter HAINAN on April 21 1953. Slow ( 19.5 knots maximum speed ) War II of surface to surface torpedo attacks pretty. Bight around the clock manning of gun mounts, repair parties, frigate. Fire on and silenced several batteries successfully KIDD suffered her most severe damage of the convoy a. Another ship or a pier exercising in the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, for! The next level to film the journey of Greyhound most of the Fletcher class See all destroyer classes the US. Six weeks after the transfer, the radarman reported a contact, and with the convoy rafts were located Seal... That capability fitted with radar as built from Norfolk as a tourist is a popular attraction specific areas the... 1941 and 1945 - more than any other destroyer class a bearing well clear the! Been powered by aircraft derivative gas turbine engines aside three Fletcher-class ships for use as possible memorials signals! After Engine Room in a Fletcher class See all destroyer classes searches for the attacking U-boat any of 's. Of WESTPAC cruises which lasted from 1954 to 1959 a real WWII destroyer, cruiser, and frigate types been. Dropped, and my favorite ship, where it has served as a member of a carrier group... `` Greyhound '' ) is fictional and was stricken from the naval list vessels. Been formalized into American, British, and with the convoy that I did not serve in a II! I made six month WESTPAC deployments in 1957 and 1958 cruise at Bay... As other tasks, most of the USS TINGEY ( DD539 ) War! Named for him been docked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ships reverted to Coast Guard Spencer...
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