I served on the USS HENLEY DD 762. TMSN. Sumner class. A great old gal. She was unfram ( no helicopter deck) and carried a depth charge rack , hedge hogs , (2) 3inch 50 open gun mounts and ( 3) 5inch 38 twin mounts. I was transferred off right before her decommissioning in 1973. Sold to Columbia I believe. I spent the rest of my time on the USS Conyngham DDG 17. ADAMS CLASS another great class of destroyer.
I was a Quartermaster 2nd, (navigator not a supply man) on USS Theodore E. Chandler DD 717 in 70's. Great crew. Tuff ship. Nicknamed "Ready Teddy" She never broke down, and was a great watermaker. Wouldn't want to do it at age 72 though.
I served on USS McCaffery (DDE 860) from 1959 ti 1962 as CICO, a great experience with great shipmates. I recently visited the USS Laffey in Charleston, where they show an amazing History Channel video recreating the Kamikaze attacks. The video is available on Dogfights, Season Two from the History Channel. Both the ship and the video are worth a look.
Karl, I served on McCaffery in the '69-'71 timeframe, and left the Navy in late '72. In '96 I visited the Laffey in Charleston and as I crossed the brow, I immediately smelled the paint, diesel fuel, etc. and 5.5 years of arduous sea duty aboard 3 Gearings came flooding back. Although I did note some differences in the layout, it was pleasing to see that it was fully recognizable to us older tin can sailors.
My dad served in the Ramming Sammy - USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) Korea, Formosa Patrol, and throughout the 1950's. He loved that Destroyer more than my mom, me thinks. Haha.
My father served on the USS Benner (DD-807) from shakedown to 1946. A radar picket ship, she joined TF 38 off Japan on 7/26/45, ten days after my dad's 19th birthday. On 8/9/45 (day of the Nagasaki bombing), his squadron, which included John W. Weeks (DD-701), Borie (DD-704) and Hank (DD-702) was attacked by a kamikaze, which struck Borie, killing 48 men and wounding 66. My dad considered his service on the Benner the highlight of his life. He passed away in 2014.
My father was a Lt., jg plank owner ("90-day Wonder") aboard the USS Newman K Perry, DD883, from July 26, 1945 to June 1, 1946. He was trained as a radar-intercept officer and was later made officer-in-charge of gun mount number three (at the stern.) The ship's orders called for them to be off Kyushu by about 60 miles on November 1, 1945, the first day of the invasion, providing anti-aircraft protection and radar protection for our aircraft carriers, which were to be another 40 miles farther out to sea. I was told by one my father's fellow officers that their orders included the phrase "Dogleg and Delouse' our fighters and navy bombers that would be returning from the first ground attacks. That meant give the returning planes a radar vector back to where the carriers were (all moving to avoid attack), and to use the 5-inch guns with their proximity fuses to shoot down enemy fighters and kamikazes that would attempt to follow our aircraft back to our carriers. It was planned by the Navy to have the NK Perry's sister ship (the USS Parks) replace the Newman K Perry during the first couple of hours after the invasion began, because it was assumed that after a couple of hours, the NK Perry would have been rendered 'combat ineffective'. As if that is not hairy enough, I have since read that the Japanese had a few thousand obsolete aircraft made largely of wood, fabric, and light metals that did not show up on radar very well. They had stockpiled more than enough gasoline for them. Right before we dropped the bombs in August, 1945, the Japanese had figured out if their obsolete aircraft were flown at night against our ships, our radar did not pick them up. Wood and fabric don't show up on the radar we had back then. On two consecutive nights two old decrepit aircraft were loaded up with bombs and gasoline and sank two of our destroyers. They were essentially stealth weapons and we could not see or hear them at night because they came along slowly and quietly. Thank God we did not have to invade.
I served on the USS John W. Weeks, DD701 from 1968-69. We took her to Vietnam and upon our return, she was put in the reserve fleet for one year. Then she was sunk as a missile target.
I have a good friend who served on the uss borie DD 704 in Vietnam I’m making a video about the ship and this video is very helpful thank you. He worked on the boilers he told me a story about how the ship hit a Australian freighter. He said he didn’t feel a thing in the engine room
My grandfather served on the USS HARLAN R. DICKSON (DD-708) after the war, out of Newport, RI. He served aboard the John C. Butler class, DE-346 Edwin A. HOWARD, during WW2.
You failed to mention the USS Aaron Ward, DM-34. Her night of terror at Okinawa also rated a book. The crew was unbelievable. I use the picture of her in the Kerama Retto as a wallpaper on my computer. The devastation is just unreal. I know that Laffey was brave, and I have read that book, but it seems no one wants to remember the little mine-layer that could.
Admiral Lee was working on new approaches to dealing with Kamikazes when he died near the end of the war. I've never heard details of what they were planning for the invasion of Japan. Something more robust then the picket destroyers, I would imagine.
Mount 53 could not fire over the mast. The mounts had stops on them that prevented the from training more than 120` either side of the centerline. I served aboard USS Corry DD-817, a Gearing FRAM I Conversion. My 53 was my battle station as the mount captain.
My Father was on DD 726 USS Meredith, sunk Normandy. Then transferred to DM 28 USS Tolman, battle of Okinawa. He was a gunners mate, 5" 38 front mount on both destroyers.
My first time at sea was on the USS MCKEAN (DD-784), in 1978. She was, by then, a reserve destroyer. It was quite an introduction to life at sea in the U.S. Navy. Only was on board for four months, as I got orders to my next school and left MCKEAN behind.
I served on both classes, Sumner USS Bristol DD 857 ( Pacific 45 & 46 , Atlantic 46 & 47).GMSN. Gearing USS Hanson DD/DDR 832 (47 to 49 )' RDRMN to SN to QM3.
My generation learned their Snipe trades on the 692 class steam propulsion system. 600psi. I moved from that to the Garcia and Knox class, which had 950 degree superheat and 1200psi pressure.
My uncle, David Burton Swiney, was lost aboard the Drexler when it sank. There is only one remaining survivor of the crew as far as I know. He may have passed by now. May they all rest with their mates in peace.
USS Basilone DD 824...my first duty station, Norfolk Va. I was on her last Med Cruise Jan-July 1977..decommissioned , Nov. 1977..Good old Gearing class Destroyer. Loved the 5"/.38 twin mount guns....that's why I became a Gunners Mate
I was on Basilone as MM2 from 68-70. She was a steamer! In med 3 times when not taking VIPs out to watch America cup races off of Newport where ported at the time. Met my wife of now 53 yrs when we visited NYC in 70. Raced a 1200# system newer destroyer down West coast of Italy. We won!
One of the Gearing class Destroyers, the USS HERBERT J THOMAS DD-833 was converted into an Atomic Biological and Chemical defense ship. The interior and engineering spaces were under pressure. Air pressure was 17lbs inside and the fireroom and engine rooms were under 23lbs pressure. Air locks were used to get from one space to another and to the outside with revolving doors at the front and rear of the ship
I was on the USS Blue DD 744. The 2nd ship from the bottom of the moored ships shown near the end of this video. Spent 2 years aboard. Traveling to VN. in 1968, and I was transferred in 1970 because of decommissioning .
My grandfather served the same time... if you have photos from anything official my grandfather probably took them, I have the negs from the Imperial Palace, the Budda statue, the signing of the documents by the Japanese rear admiral? If he was an officer he is probably in one of the photos... goo.gl/photos/B3oWhN5DvX67hxZ39
I was a FT1 crew member on the Sumner Class DD 693 (USS Moale) during the Korean Conflict...enlistment expired in 1961...enjoyed the most of the experience. Also had a brief two week crew experience with the DD 777 (USS Zellars) as a Naval Reserve sailor...even before I was sent to boot camp...and yes, I knew a sailor who was crew on the USS Laffey...the ship that would not die...DD 724
I also served on the USS Hardwood DD861 1966 thru 1968. We took a hit while in Viet Nam in '68. I was stationed in the Gun mount for Condition 3 and GQ. We shot over 10,000 Rounds on 5" while on gun-line and sea dragon operation.
my father was a gunners mate on dd788 uss Hollister from 67-69. im desperately looking for actual film footage of the gray ghost from this era. ive been searching for 20 years and have only found 6 seconds of film footage. my dad said that their ship was constantly being filmed. so i know theres still alot of footage out there. i would love to find this footage before its too late.
I served on this ship USS Ingraham DD-694 in 1967-68 however she was FRAM II by that time. She has 4 battle stars was attacked in a coordinated Kamikaze attack of 5 aircraft. Ingraham shot down 4 but one got through hitting the ship killing 57 Sailors.
Guy, you do know that info videos usually include drawings, pics & clips, right? Plural. You are statistically stellar as a lecturer but dig for some more visual aids, please. As they say in the state of Misery, Show Me.
Two problems with your brief history of the USS Laffy DD 459 that you might want to correct. According to the official history of the Navy, the USS Laffey was sunk on November 13 or November 14 by a salvo of 14 inch shells from a battleship that she had just raked as well as being hit by a torpedo in the fantail. No mention is made in the official history of a kamikaze attack nor do I think that kamikaze attacks were being practiced in any great numbers at this point in the war. The story you relate happened to the second USS Laffey DD724 on April 17, 1945 north of the island of Okinawa.
Well, good sir, he just said what you criticise. Quote of navyreviewer: "Probably the most notable of these classes was (USS) Laffey, named in honor of the Benson class destroyer, that had been sunk at the first naval battle (...)", 4:13-4:23. He is referring to the USS Laffey DD-724, which faced the kamikaze attacks, not the USS Laffey DD-459, in order to point out the AA-Mount upgrades of such destroyers in the pacific theatre. The whole video is about the Allen M. Sumner- and Gearing-class destroyers, as well as the fletcher-class, but not the Benson. So, in fact, you are wrong ;)
