Tin Can Titans
Page 39
“World War II in Quotes.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=4210&pid=4213. Accessed June 30, 2015.
USS Chevalier (DD-451)
Gorsline, MM1/c Burt. “Loss of Chevalier.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45111&pid=45131. Accessed March 20, 2015.
. “Loss of Strong.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45111&pid=45130. Accessed March 20, 2015.
Gowen, Lt. George. “Reminiscences of George Gowen.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/usschevalier/index.asp?r=45100&pid=45109. Accessed May 6, 2016.
. “Various Reminiscences.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/usschevalier/index.asp?r=45109&pid=45110. Accessed March 20, 2015.
Kley, “Doc.” “Personal Recollection of Events Prior to and after the Sinking of the USS Chevalier, October 6–7, 1943, 2300 Hours.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45109&pid=45112. Accessed March 20, 2015.
Roupe, Yeoman R. H. “A Chevalier Memoir.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45100&pid=45114. Accessed March 20, 2015.
. “Hell and High Water.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45109&pid=45113. Accessed March 20, 2015.
USS De Haven (DD-469)
Breining, Al. “Bye-bye DD!” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46905&pid=46910. Accessed March 23, 2015.
Elam, Leonard. “Loss of De Haven.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46905&pid=46911. Accessed March 23, 2015.
Herr, Ernest A. “Horror at Guadalcanal.” Destroyer History Foundation website. Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45007&pid=45018. Accessed February 22, 2015.
. “The Last Day of the De Haven.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46900&pid=46906. Accessed March 23, 2015.
USS Fletcher (DD-445)
Gressard, Fred. “Reminiscences.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussfletcher/index.asp?r=44500&pid=44504. Accessed December 4, 2014.
USS Jenkins (DD-447)
Mahan, TM3/c Paul E. “Saving Jenkins.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussjenkins/index.asp?r=44700&pid=44704. Accessed March 12, 2015.
USS La Vallette (DD-448)
Bell, Jack. “Introduction to ‘Doc’ Ransom’s Diary.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44805&pid=44816. Accessed March 4, 2016.
Eisenberg, George. “Sinking the Chevalier.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44805&pid=44817. Accessed March 13, 2015.
“War Record of the U.S.S. La Vallette DD-448.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/usslavallette/index.asp?r=44800&pid=44802. Accessed April 21, 2015.
Wilkes, Jack. “The Battle of Rennell Island.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44805&pid=44815. Accessed March 13, 2015.
Witten, Chuck. “The Battle of Rennell Island.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44805&pid=44814. Accessed March 13, 2015.
USS Nicholas (DD-449)
Gabelman, Warren H. “She Was My Yacht.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44935. Accessed March 10, 2015.
Keith, Robert Taylor Scott. “I Had A Wonderful Crew on There.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44936. Accessed March 10, 2015.
Moll, Joe. “Rescue at Kula Gulf.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44934. Accessed March 10, 2015.
“Presentation of Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Nicholas by Admiral Nimitz.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44904&pid=44923. Accessed February 2, 2015.
Starr, Douglas Perret. “I Would Not Have Missed It for the World.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44937. Accessed March 10, 2015.
. “Taking Corregidor, Manila Bay, 13–16 February 1945.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44937&pid=44974. Accessed March 10, 2015.
Turpen, Doug. “Navigating the ‘Nick.’” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44938. Accessed March 10, 2015.
Wing, Virgil. “Destroyer Sailor.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44932. Accessed July 7, 2015.
Young, Ralph. “Letter from Tokyo Bay.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=44905&pid=44939. Accessed March 10, 2015.
USS O’Bannon (DD-450)
Herr, Ernest A. “Horror at Guadalcanal.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45007&pid=45018. Accessed June 21, 2016.
USS Strong (DD-467)
Grimes, Al. “Recollection of Al Grimes.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/desron21/index.asp?r=4210&pid=4213. Accessed May 6, 2016.
. “Stories of USS Strong.” June 1, 1989. Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussstrong/index.asp?r=46703&pid=46706. Accessed March 21, 2015.
“Lt. Frederick Warren Purdy.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/sumner-gearingclass/ns_purdy. Accessed March 21, 2015.
USS Taylor (DD-468)
DeLaureal, Henry. “From Guadalcanal to Tokyo.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46804&pid=46817. Accessed March 22, 2015.
Katz, Benjamin. “Highlights of Events and Interesting Occurrences.” July 1981. Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46804&pid=46816. Accessed March 22, 2015.
McCarthy, John C. “The Handshake.” April 9, 2004. Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46804&pid=46823. Accessed March 23, 2015.
. “Pearl Harbor Epilogue.” Found at http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=46804&pid=46818. Accessed March 22, 2015.
WEBSITES
http://destroyerhistory.org
The website of the Destroyer History Foundation, assembled by the late Dave McComb
http://www.projectuss-strongdd467.com/index.html
The website of the USS Strong (DD-467), assembled by Tammi Hedrick Johnson
INDEX
Aaron Ward, 45, 56
Abe, Koki, 48–50, 51–53, 54, 57, 61, 68
Achilles, 88
Ainsworth, Walden L. (“Pug”)
advance of, 98–99
battle tactics of, 145, 154
crew trained by, 86
Halsey on, 129
open fire by, 100
reports by, 114–115
rescue ordered by, 147
shelter sought by, 101
on Tokyo Express, 85–89
aircraft carriers, 12, 25, 28, 31–32, 159, 185
Akiyama, Teruo, 145
Albemarle, USS (AV-5), 19
Amatsukaze, 39, 48, 50, 52
crew of, 77
damage to, 68
as out of action, 61
torpedoes launched by, 59
American Magazine, 171–172
Andrews, R. C., 113
Artesani, John H., 142
Asahi Shimbun, 24
Atlanta, 36, 41, 45, 50, 52, 57
Aulick, 187–188
Baldwin, Hanson
on Ghormley, 30
on Guadalcanal, 23–24, 27
on lulls, 83
on Philippine landings, 190
on Solomons, 42
Bartlett, Josiah, 7
Barton, 45, 58, 59, 60
Bates, Douglas P., 56–57
Bates, John H., 108
Bath, Maine, shipbuilding, 14–15
battles
Ainsworth’s tactics for, 145, 154
Calhoun on, 95
Fletcher-class destroyers in, 90
MacDonald on, 45, 52, 154
O’Bannon in, 52–57
Vandegrift on, 54
Se
e also Guadalcanal; Guadalcanal, initiation at; Guadalcanal, naval slugfest at; Kula Gulf confrontations; Philippine landings; Slot, struggle for; Tokyo Express; specific battles
Beemus, Dale W., 111
Bell, Frederick J., 13, 122
Bell, Jack, 202
Biegel, Charles N., 110
Bigelow, Elmer C., 197
Black Gang, 43–44, 52
Blitz, 10, 126
Bloody Tarawa, 160
bombardments
air and naval, 4
Chesnutt on, 174
Fahey on, 128–129
by Fletcher and O’Bannon, 87–88
Guadalcanal, 27–28, 35, 92
Hailey on, 100, 128
MacDonald on, 99
McInerney staging, 118
nighttime, 87–89, 98, 155
Radford in, 130
Ransom on, 194
in Slot, 84
Starr on, 203
Bramble, Russell, 208, 210–211, 215, 218–220, 236
Breining, Albert L., 109–110
Briscoe, R. P., 87, 94, 100, 114
Brodie, Bernard, 13–14
Brooks, Alvin, 239–240
Brown, Julian P., 31, 35–36, 94
Brown, W. D., 16, 25–26
Burke, Arleigh A., 137, 155–156, 238
Burns, Edward S., 207–209, 211, 217
Bush, USS (DD-529), 216
bushido, 214
Cactus code name, 28, 69, 74
Cactus Striking Force
end of De Haven in, 107–115
Hailey on, 95–98
Halsey on, 101
holding the line, 96
against Japanese, 98–107
job for, 93–98
open fire of, 100
overview, 92–93
ships in, 94, 97
Calhoun, Raymond C., 51, 95
California, USS (BB-44), 8
Callaghan, Daniel J., 30, 40–42
death of, 62–64
destroyers split by, 67
force of, 45–47
giving firing orders, 51
Vandegrift on, 69
Cant, Gilbert, 32
Catalina Amphibious planes (“Black Cats”), 86, 128
Celmer, Lilian, 171
Chesnutt, Jacob Thomas, Jr.
on air raids, 130
on beauty of nature, 121–122
on being Navy man, 240
on bombardment, 174
on carnage, 197–198
depending upon, 93
on doing job, 58–59
on explosions, 196
on Foster, 179–180
on getting killed by Tokyo Express, 82–85
hearing loss of, 235–236
on hell breaking loose, 79
on kamikaze attacks, 187
on living through war, 67
on Lord’s protection, 63
on McGinnis, 126
on mines, 203–204
on paratroopers, 203
on radar, 58
on rescue, 80
on seeing action, 182
on supplies, 74
on Tokyo Rose, 185
Chevalier, USS (DD-451), 90–91, 103, 125, 239
batteries from, 140
division of, 117
in Kula Gulf confrontations, 138
on leave, 168
rescue by, 144
sinking of, 158, 238
tangling with enemy, 102
torpedoes launched by, 157
Chicago, 103, 104, 106
Christmas celebrations, 192–193
Christofferson, Edward A., Jr., 201
Churchill, Winston, 10–11, 239
Cianca, Louis F., 53
CIC. See combat information center
CIC Handbook for Destroyers Pacific Fleet, 89
Cleveland, 103
Cloward, Jr. R., 179
Cole, William M., 17, 80
in chart house, 62
Halsey replacing, 81
issuing orders, 57–58
maneuvers by, 59
navigation skills of, 74–75
as pleased with men, 44
radar and, 238
as skipper, 20
timing of, 27
torpedoes launched by, 60, 79
transfer arrangements by, 63
on Wylie, 66
Colhoun, USS (DD-801), 216
Columbia, 103
column formation
Fletcher in, 41–42, 45–47, 182
Jenkins in, 145
Nicholas in, 145
O’Bannon in, 41–42, 45–47, 51, 145
Radford in, 145
La Vallette in, 182
combat information center (CIC), 57, 89, 238
comradeship, 134
Constantino, Hector, 112
Conte, Albert V., 106
Cooper, USS (DD-695), 190
Copahee, 27
Coral Sea, Battle of, 24, 83
Corregidor assault, 195–198, 202–203
crews
Ainsworth training, 86
of Amatsukaze, 77
breaking down, 124–125
of De Haven, 108
of Desron 21, 5, 117, 239
of Fletcher, 17–18, 126
of Howorth, 215
MacDonald and, 16, 47, 65, 73, 99, 127, 170, 239
of Missouri, 4
of O’Bannon, 15, 16, 73, 91, 96
of Sterett, 95
superstitions of, 125
of La Vallette, 126
Wilkinson on, 66
Crowley, Dennis, 87–88
Curran, James A., 140
Current Tactical Orders and Doctrine, 137
Cushing, 45, 50–52
Dahlke, D. H., 44
Davis, Ralph O., 104
De Haven, USS (DD-469), 83, 90, 93
in Cactus Striking Force, 94
in Condition One or Two, 97
crew of, 108
end of, 107–115
as escort, 99
Hailey on, 113
on leave, 168
sinking of, 111, 238
DeLaureal, Henry, 123, 221–222, 228, 233
Denver, 201–202
depth charges, 5, 75
on early destroyers, 12
Fletcher-class destroyers and, 13, 95
of Laffey, 56
O’Bannon dropping, 132–133
Wilkes on, 105
Destroyer Squadron 21 (Desron 21)
accomplishments of, 95
citations, 5
clashes with, 4
in Corregidor assault, 196–198
crews of, 5, 117, 239
as escorts, 133
food supply, 224
formation of, 127
Halsey and, 4–5, 148, 162
heroes of, 33
in Kula Gulf confrontations, 159–162
under MacArthur, 175–176
MacDonald on, 118
Nimitz on, 148, 160
O’Bannon on roster of, 116
at Okinawa, 213
in Philippine landings, 184, 188–189
protective screen of, 194
ships of, 20
in Solomon Islands, 158–159
submarines threatening, 131–132
Time magazine on, 135
at Tokyo plains attack, 225–226
U-boats sought by, 122
war record of, 237–238
way paved for, 19
destroyers
Bell on, 122
Callaghan splitting, 67
at Caribbean Sea trials, 14
depth charges on early, 12
as fightingest thing afloat, 119–127
Halsey using, 34
Halsey’s fondness for, 12
Hara, T., loving, 119
MacDonald on role of, 26
multiple-duty vessels, 13–14
Nimitz on, 147–148
offensive action preferred, 26
shortage of, 73
in Slot, 93
See also Fletcher-class destroyers
Disputed Passage (movie), 82
dive bombers, 131, 177, 187
See also kamikaze attacks
Doolittle, James H., 108, 231
dropping potatoes story, 132–133
Duke of York, HMS, 227
Dungaree Navy, 122
Dunham, Malcolm M., 66–67, 124
Dunkirk rescue, 10
Eastern Solomons, Battle of, 39
Elam, Leonard, 110
English Channel gun emplacements, 11
Enterprise, 31, 41
escorts
De Haven as, 99
Desron 21 as, 133
Fletcher as, 34–37, 74, 76, 83, 86, 89–91
Nicholas as, 34–37, 74, 76, 83, 86, 89–91, 99
O’Bannon as, 34–37, 74, 76, 83, 86, 89–91, 99
in Pearl Harbor attack, 39
Radford as, 99
in Slot, 84
Wing on, 25
Essick, Joseph P., 105
Everett, John, 27
Everett, Johnny, Jr., 130
explosions
Chesnutt on, 196
in Kula Gulf confrontations, 154–159
on Radford, 199–200
on La Vallette, 198–199
Fahey, James J., 104, 128–129, 179, 200
Fanning, Ernest G., 228
Fanshaw Bay, USS (CVE-70), 187
Fields, Archie R., 109–111
The First Line (radio program), 148
Fletcher, USS (DD-445), 29
bombardments by, 87–88
in Cactus Striking Force, 94
in column formation, 41–42, 45–47, 182
crew of, 17–18, 126
damages to, 238
desperate situation for, 24
division of, 117
elimination of gun batteries by, 196
embarking for Pacific, 19–20
as escort, 34–37, 74, 76, 83, 86, 89–91
exercises on, 20
fire of, 185
at Gilbert Islands landing, 167
in Guadalcanal naval slugfest, 57–61
gunners of, 44
at home, 234
inexperience of, 40
as “Lucky 13,” 66
in Marshall Islands assault, 174
meeting enemy, 38
minesweeping by, 203–204
officers of, 15
operating off Cuba, 18
overhaul of, 222
radar of, 79
rescues by, 79–80, 197, 239–240
size of, 18
squadron led by, 114
as target, 43
tossed into action, 25
total miles traveled by, 238