USS Fletcher DD-445, DDE-445, DD-992

USS Fletcher DD-445 (1942-1969) was the lead ship of the most famous class of destroyers in the history of the United States Navy and the birthplace of CIC. USSFletcher SiteNavigation[Skip] Home News History 1942 1943 1944 1945 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Guadalcanal Tarawa Wotje Biak Noemfoor Morotai LeyteGulf OrmocBay Corregidor ElmerC.Bigelow Reunions 2022Reunion PastReunions JointheReunionGroup Rosters 1942 1943 1944 1945 1949 1950 1957 1959 1960 1964 1965 1967 1968 Stories LossofUSSJuneau LuckiestShip Survivor'sThanks WWIIStories AStoryfromKorea TheFlag TonkinGulfYachtClub Desron21Reunion DD-992TigerCruise CruiseonUSSTheSullivans Photos Obituaries Links Contact USSFletcherHomePage USSFletcherDD-445/DDE-445USSFletcherDD-992 NewsHowtoJointheUSSFletcherReunionGroup"THEYTHATGODOWNTOTHESEAINSHIPS,thatdobusinessingreatwaters;TheseseetheworksoftheLORD,andhiswondersinthedeep.”  Psalms,107:23-24,KJVIcanimaginenomorerewardingcareer.Andanymanwhomaybeaskedinthiscenturywhathedidtomakehislifeworthwhile,Ithinkcanrespondwithagooddealofprideandsatisfaction,“IservedintheUnitedStatesNavy." PresidentJohnF.Kennedy USSFletcherDD-445 (1942-1969)wastheleadshipofthemostfamousclassofdestroyersinthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesNavyandthebirthplaceofCIC.NamedafterMedalofHonorwinner FrankFridayFletcher,thesleekhullofaFletcher-classdestroyerslicingthroughtheseawithaboneinherteethisoneofthemostrecognizableimagesofthePacificWar.BaptizedinthefiresoftheviciousnightbattlesaroundGuadalcanalinNovember1942,sheearnedherfirstnickname,Lucky13.FletcherservedwithhonorfortheremainderoftheWarmakinganameforherselfindependentofherstatusas FirstinClass.Whetheritwasthemonotonyofpatrolduty,aflank-speednightbattlesluggingitoutwithenemydestroyers,orapitchedbattlewithshorebatteries,Fletchertookherlicksandgavebackmorethanshegot.EvenwhendeathanddestructionvisitedheronValentine’sDay1945sheremainedonstationforseveralweekscontinuingtoperformherdutiesuntilproperlyrelievedthusearninghernextnickname, TheFightingFletcher.AfterWorldWarTwoFletcherwasretiredtotheinactivefleet.RecommissionedinOctober1949as DDE-445,FletcherwasoneofthefirstAmericandestroyersonthesceneafterhostilitiesbrokeoutinKoreathefollowingsummer.OnceagainherfamiliarandcomfortingprofilegracedthewartornwatersoftheWesternPacific.Home-portedinPearlHarbor,HawaiisheremainedafrequentvisitortotheFarEastandtheSouthPacificlongafterfightingceased.TheColdWarnextoccupiedmuchofFletcher’stimeasshecontinuedtoshowtheAmericanflagthroughoutthePacificOcean.LaterredesignatedasDD-445shesoonfoundherselffightinginVietnamwhereagainsheservedwithdistinctiondoingamyriadoftasksrangingfromaircraftcarrierplane-guarddutytogunfiresupportforourtroopsandalliesashore,andcoastalshippinginterdiction.FletchermadefourseparateWestPacdeploymentstoVietnamfrom1965untilherdecommissioningin1969. Enduringtyphoons,icestorms,atomicbombtests,backtobackdeploymentsandevenoneoftheNavy’sfirstcrewswapswasnormalroutinefortheofficersandmenwhoservedaboardFletcher,thereforeitisnomysterytothoseofuswhohadthathonorthatwealsofondlyrefertoheras MotherFletcher.ThissitewasoriginallydesignedforUSSFletcherDD/DDE-445howeveritisforallFletcherveteransincludingthosefromUSSFletcherDD-992 (1980-2004).Comejoinus!Aspecialthanksto KenGrimes ofOKCBroadbandwhograciouslyhostsourwebsiteonhisserverinOklahomaCity,andtoDavidMcComb(1948-2014)ofdestroyerhistory.org whoprovidedagreatdealofassistanceingettingtheoriginalwebsitestartedin2003. Withoutthehelpofthesetwogentlementhiswebsitewouldnotexist.Thedomainussfletcher.orgisownedbyKenGrimesandoperatedandmaintainedbywebmasterEarlFaubionandtheUSSFletcherReunionGroup. Copyright ©2022USSFletcherReunionGroup [BackToTop]