USS Fletcher (DD-445) - Wikipedia

USS Fletcher (DD/DDE-445), named for Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, was the lead Fletcher-class destroyer, and served in the Pacific during World War II. USSFletcher(DD-445) FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch Fletcher-classdestroyeroftheUnitedStatesNavy Forothershipswiththesamename,seeUSSFletcher. Fletcherunderwayinthe1960s History UnitedStates NameFletcher NamesakeAdmiralFrankF.Fletcher BuilderFederalShipbuilding,Kearny,NewJersey Laiddown2October1941 Launched3May1942 Commissioned30June1942 Decommissioned15January1947 ReclassifiedDDE-445on26March1949 Recommissioned3October1949 Decommissioned1October1969 ReclassifiedDD-445on30June1962 Stricken1October1969 Identification Hullsymbol:DD-445 Hullsymbol:DDE-445 Codeletters:NEBG Honorsandawards 15×battlestarsWWII 5×battlestarsKoreanWar FateSold22February1972andscrapped Generalcharacteristics ClassandtypeFletcher-classdestroyer Displacement 2,100longtons(2,100 t)(standard) 2,924longtons(2,971 t)(max) Length376 ft5 in(114.73 m)oa Beam39 ft08 in(12.09 m) Draft13 ft9 in(4.19 m)(max) Installedpower60,000 shp(45,000 kW) Propulsion gearedturbines 2×screws Speed36knots(67 km/h;41 mph) Range6,500 nmi(12,000 km)at15 kn(17 mph;28 km/h) Complement273officersandenlisted Armament 5×single(127mm)/38caliberDual-purposeguns 2×40 mm(1.6 in)Boforsanti-aircraftguns 6×20 mm(0.79 in)Oerlikonanti-aircraftcannons 10×21-inch(533mm)torpedotubes, 6xK-guns, 2xdepthchargeracks Generalcharacteristics Armament 2 × 5in/38caliber 2xtwin3in/50caliber 1xWeaponAlpha 2xdepthchargeracks USSFletcher(DD/DDE-445),namedforAdmiralFrankFridayFletcher,wastheleadFletcher-classdestroyer,andservedinthePacificduringWorldWarII.ShereceivedfifteenbattlestarsforWorldWarIIservice,andfiveforKoreanWarservice. FletcherwaslaiddownbytheFederalShipbuildingandDryDockCompany,Kearny,NewJersey,on2October1941.Shewaslaunchedon3May1942;sponsoredbyMrs.F.F.Fletcher,widowofAdmiralFletcher;andcommissionedon30June1942.[1] Contents 1Servicehistory 1.1WorldWarII 1.1.11942 1.1.21943 1.1.31944 1.1.41945 1.21949–1969 2Awards 3Onfilm 4References 5Externallinks Servicehistory[edit] WorldWarII[edit] 1942[edit] FletcherarrivedatNouméa,NewCaledoniaon5October1942fromtheeastcoast,andatoncebeganescortandpatroldutyintheGuadalcanaloperation,bombardingLungaPointon30October.SailingfromEspirituSanto9Novembertocoverthelandingofreinforcementsontheisland,shejoinedindrivingoffanenemyairattackonthetransports12November,claimingseveralenemyaircraftshotdown.ThiswastheopeningphaseoftheNavalBattleofGuadalcanal,a3-dayairandsurfaceaction.FletcherplayedanimportantpartinthesurfaceactionoffGuadalcanal13November,firinggunsandtorpedoesinthegeneralmeleewhichsanktwoJapanesedestroyersanddamagedthefastbattleshipHiei,latersunkbycarrierandMarineaircraft.[1] FletcherretiredtoreplenishatEspirituSanto,arrivingthedayafterthebattle,andafterpatrollingagainstsubmarinesoffNouméa,sortiedon30November1942,withaforceofcruisersanddestroyers,tointerceptaforceofenemytransportsanddestroyersexpectedtoattemptareinforcementofGuadalcanalthatnight.FletcherledtheforcethroughLengoChannel,andmadethefirstradarcontactwiththeenemyoffTassafarongaPointjustbeforemidnight.TheresultingBattleofTassafarongasawoneJapanesedestroyersunk,andoneslightlydamaged,andfourAmericancruisersbadlydamaged,thoughallbutoneweresavedbypromptdamagecontrol.FletcherrescuedsurvivorsofNorthampton,usingcork-floatedcargonetstotakegreatgroupsofthemfromthewater.[1] 1943[edit] USSFletcherThedestroyercontinuedtooperateintheSolomonIslands,patrolling,shellingshoretargets,drivingoffJapaneseairattacks,rescuingdownedaviators,sinkingJapaneselandingbarges,andcoveringnewlandingsonthenortherncoastofGuadalcanal.Outonpatrolon11February1943,FletcherwasalertedbyasmokefloatdroppedbyaplanefromHelena,andspedtoattackandsinkI-18.ShesupportedthelandingsontheRussellIslandson21February,bombardedMundaairfieldonNewGeorgiaduringthenightof5/6March,andthencontinuedtoguardthemovementoftransportsintheSolomons.[1] From23Aprilto4May1943,FletcherwasinSydney,Australia,forarefitbeforeanothermonthofgeneraldutyintheSolomons.SheleftEspirituSantoon19JuneforaStatesideoverhaul,returningtoNouméaon27Septembertoresumeherformeractivitiesuntil31October.ThenshesortiedwithanaircraftcarriertaskforcetoprovideairsupportfortheinvasionoftheGilbertIslands,fightingoffaJapanesecounterattackfromtheair26November.Again,FletcherfiredonJapaneseaircrafton4December,whenthetaskforcecameunderanairattackafterithadmadeastrikeonKwajaleinisland.[1] 1944[edit] ThebridgeofFletcherattheU.S.NavyMuseum FletcherreturnedtoPearlHarboron9December1943,andafterabriefoverhaulandtrainingonthewestcoast,wasreadyfortheattackontheMarshallIslands.ShescreenedaforceoftrooptransportsfromSanDiegotoLahainaRoadsfrom13to21January1944,thenjoinedabombardmentgrouptofireonWotjeAtoll30January.Thenextday,sherendezvousedwiththemainattackforceforthelandingsonKwajalein,screeningthetransportsandpatrollingofftheatolluntil4February.AfterescortingemptytransportstoFunafuti,FletcherreportedatMajuro15FebruaryfordutyscreeningbattleshipsinbombardmentsofTaroaandWotjeon20Februaryand21February,thenpatrolledoffEniwetok.[1] AfterjoiningintrainingexercisesoffPortPurvisonFloridaIsland,intheSolomons,FletcherarrivedatCapeSudest,NewGuinea,18April1944.ThiswasherbaseduringthenextmonthasshesupportedtheHumboldtBaylandings,andbycoveringreinforcementlandingson30April.AfterescortingaconvoytoNouméa,outofwhichshepatrolledagainstsubmarinesinlateMay,FletcherarrivedatHumboldtBayon5June.ShemadeonepatrolagainstanyattemptoftheJapanesetoreinforcetheirBiakgarrison,thencoveredandprovidedshorebombardmentfortheinvasionsofNoemfoor,Sansapor,andMorotai,aswellaspatrollingandescortingreinforcementsforthesevariousoperationsthroughthesummer.[1] FletcherreachedManuson9October1944fromHumboldtBaytopreparefortheinvasionofLeyte,forwhichshesortied12Octoberscreeningtransports.Shecoveredthemwhiletheysenttheirboatsashoreintheinitiallandings20October,andnextdaydepartedforNewGuinea,thusclearingLeyteGulfbeforethegreatbattleforitscontrolbrokeout.ShereturnedtoLeytewithtransportscarryingreinforcements23November,andthroughthenextmonth,continuedhersupportofthefirstphaseoftheliberationofthePhilippines,escortingconvoys,firingprelandingbombardmentsatOrmocBayandMindoro,andfiringonJapaneseaircraftinseveralattacks.[1] 1945[edit] On4January1945,FletchersortiedfromSanPedroBaytoprovideclosecoverfortheLuzonAttackForceasitsailedtowarditsobjective.ShesplashedatleastoneofthemanyJapaneseaircraftwhichattackedon8January,andduringthelandingsinLingayenGulfthenextday,patrolledtheGulf.AftersupportingthelandingsonSanAntonioBeach,Luzon,on29January,sheenteredSubicBaytocoverminesweeping,thenon31JanuaryprovidedfiresupporttothelandingsinNasugbuBay.FletcherbeganfourdaysofoperationsintheoccupationofBataanandCorregidoron13February,firingapreliminarybombardment,givingfiresupportoncall,andcoveringminesweepersopeningManilaBay.On14February,whilefiringonJapanesebatteriesatLosCochinosPoint,Fletchertookahitwhichkilledeightandwoundedthreeofhercrew.Shecontinuedtofireasshecontrolleddamage,andahalf-hourlateraddedrescueoperationstoheractivitiesasshetookthesurvivorsoffYMS-48,alsohitbyJapanesefire.WaterTenderSecondClassElmerC.BigelowwasposthumouslyawardedtheMedalofHonorforhis"conspicuousgallantryandintrepidity"whilefightingthefireonboardthedestroyer.Fletcher'sfiringinManilaBaycontinueduntilthe17th.[1] FletchertookpartinthelandingsatPuertoPrincesa,Palawan,andZamboanga,coveredminesweepingandlandingsatTarakan,andgavelocalpatrolandescortserviceinthePhilippinesuntil13May1945,whenshesailedforaWestCoastoverhaul.AfterexercisesoffSanDiegoandinHawaii,shewasdockedatSanDiegountilplacedincommissioninreserve7August1946,andoutofcommissioninreserve15January1947.[1] 1949–1969[edit] Recommissioned3October1949asaspecialistinantisubmarinewarfare(ASW)afterconversiontoanescortdestroyer(DDE-445),FletchersailedforSanDiego1May1950foratourofdutywiththe7thFleetinthewesternPacific.AttheoutbreakoftheKoreanWar,shelayatHongKongwithValleyForge,andon3JulyarrivedoffKoreawiththeValleyForgegroup,augmentedbyTriumph,tobeginlaunchingairstrikesonNorthKorea.Throughthesummer,shesailedoffKoreaonthisduty,replenishingwhennecessaryatBucknerBay,Okinawa,orSasebo,Japan.ShealsoparticipatedintheBattleofInchonfrom13to17September,andreturnedtoPearlHarbor,herhomeport,on11November.[1] On19November1951,FletcherclearedPearlHarborforanothertourofdutyscreeningthecarriersofthe7thFleetinKoreanoperations.Shealsofiredshorebombardmentontwooccasions,participatedinantisubmarinetrainingoffOkinawa,andpatrolledintheTaiwanStraits.ReturningtoPearlHarboron20June1952,shewasatseaagainfrom5Septemberto24NovemberforOperationIvy,thencompletedanothertourofFarEasterndutyfrom14Mayto30November1953.[1] Annuallyfrom1954to1962,FletchersailedtotheFarEastfordutywiththe7thFleet,in1955providingantisubmarinescreeningfortheevacuationoftheTachenIslands.Inboth1957and1958,shemadeheroutwardboundpassagebywayofSamoaandAustralia.Intensiveantisubmarinetrainingwashermajoroccupationduringperiodsbetweendeployment.[1] FletcherwasdecommissionedandstrickenfromtheNavalVesselRegisteron1August1969,andsoldforscrapon22February1972. Awards[edit] FletcherreceivedfifteenbattlestarsforWorldWarIIservice,andfiveforKoreanWarservice,makingheroneofthemostdecoratedUSshipsofWorldWarII. Asiatic-PacificCampaignMedalwithfifteenbattlestars WorldWarIIVictoryMedal ChinaServiceMedal NationalDefenseServiceMedalwithstar KoreanServiceMedalwithfivebattlestars PhilippinePresidentialUnitCitation KoreanPresidentialUnitCitation PhilippineLiberationMedalwithtwostars UnitedNationsServiceMedal KoreanWarServiceMedal[1] Onfilm[edit] Fletcherappearsinthe1960comedyfilmTheWackiestShipintheArmy,starringJackLemmon(appearsintheharborwhentheUSSEchoisfirstvisited),andalsointhefilmDownPeriscopeinstockfootageastheshipthatistargetedandsunktoendthefilm'swargames. References[edit] ThisarticleincorporatestextfromthepublicdomainDictionaryofAmericanNavalFightingShips.Theentrycanbefoundhere. ^abcdefghijklmn"Fletcher(DD-445)".NavalHistoryandHeritageCommand.30March2016.Retrieved3May2016. Externallinks[edit] WikimediaCommonshasmediarelatedto: USSFletcher(DD-445)(category) USSFletcher'sentryintheDictionaryofAmericanNavalFightingShipsatNavalHistoryandHeritageCommand USSFletcherReunionPage USSFletcherwebsiteatDestroyerHistoryFoundation PhotosofUSSFletcher DestroyersOnlinepageforUSSFletcher vteFletcher-classdestroyersCompleted Abbot AbnerRead AlbertW.Grant Ammen Anthony Aulick Bache Beale Bearss Bell Benham Bennett Bennion Black Boyd Bradford Braine Brown Brownson Bryant Bullard Burns Bush Callaghan Caperton Capps CassinYoung CharlesAusburne CharlesJ.Badger Charrette Chauncey Chevalier ClarenceK.Bronson Claxton Cogswell Colahan Colhoun Conner Converse Conway Cony Cotten Cowell Cushing Daly Dashiell DavidW.Taylor DeHaven Dortch Dyson Eaton Erben Evans Fletcher Foote Franks Fullam Gatling Gregory Guest Haggard Hailey Hale Halford Hall Halligan HalseyPowell Haraden Harrison Hart(ex-Mansfield) Hazelwood Healy Heermann HeywoodL.Edwards Hickox Hoel Hopewell Howorth Hudson Hunt Hutchins Ingersoll Irwin Isherwood Izard Jarvis Jenkins JohnD.Henley JohnHood JohnRodgers Johnston Kidd Killen Kimberly Knapp LaVallette Laws Leutze LewisHancock Little Longshaw Luce Marshall McCord McDermut McGowan McKee McNair Melvin Mertz Metcalf Miller Monssen Morrison Mullany(ex-Beatty) Murray Newcomb Nicholas NormanScott O'Bannon Owen PaulHamilton Philip Picking Porter Porterfield Preston Prichett Pringle Radford Remey Renshaw RichardP.Leary Ringgold Robinson Rooks Ross Rowe Saufley Schroeder Shields Sigourney Sigsbee Smalley Spence Sproston Stanly Stembel StephenPotter Stevens Stockham Stoddard Strong Taylor Terry Thatcher TheSullivans(ex-Putnam,Sullivan) Tingey Trathen Twiggs Twining Uhlmann VanValkenburgh Wadleigh Wadsworth Walker Waller Watts Wedderburn Wickes Wiley WilliamD.Porter Wren Yarnall Young Cancelled Percival Watson Stevenson Stockton Thorn Turner DD-523(Unnamed)–DD-525(Unnamed) DD-542(Unnamed) DD-543(Unnamed) DD-548(Unnamed) DD-549(Unnamed) Otheroperators ArgentineNavyBrownclass AlmiranteBrown(ex-Heermann) Espora(ex-Dortch) Rosales(ex-Stembel) AlmiranteDomecqGarcía(ex-Braine) AlmiranteStorni(ex-Cowell)  BrazilianNavyParáclass Pará(ex-Guest) Paraíba(ex-Bennett) Paraná(ex-Cushing) Pernambuco(ex-Hailey) Piauí(ex-LewisHancock) SantaCatarina(ex-Irwin) Maranhão(ex-Shields)  ChileanNavy BlancoEncalada(ex-Wadleigh) Cochrane(ex-Rooks) (CharlesJ.BadgerwaspurchasedbytheChileanNavyforspareparts)  RepublicofChinaNavyHengYangclass KweiYang(ex-Twining) ChiangYang(ex-Mullany) AnYang(ex-Kimberly) KunYang(ex-Yarnall)  ColombianNationalNavy Antioquia(ex-Hale)  GermanNavyZerstörer1class Zerstörer1(ex-Anthony) Zerstörer2(ex-Ringgold) Zerstörer3(ex-Wadsworth) Zerstörer4(ex-Claxton) Zerstörer5(ex-Dyson) Zerstörer6(ex-CharlesAusburne)  HellenicNavy Aspis(ex-Conner) Kimon(ex-Zerstörer2) Lonchi(ex-Hall) Navarinon(ex-Brown) Nearchos(ex-Zerstörer3) Sfendoni(ex-Aulick) Thyella(ex-Bradford) Velos(ex-Charrette) (ClaxtonandDysonwerepurchasedbytheHellenicNavyforspareparts)  MarinaMilitareFanteclass Geniere(ex-Pritchett) Lanciere(ex-Taylor) Fante(ex-Walker)  JapanMaritimeSelf-DefenseForceAriakeclass Ariake(ex-HeywoodL.Edwards) Yūgure(ex-RichardP.Leary)  RepublicofKoreaNavyChungmuclass ChungMu(ex-Erben) Seoul(ex-HalseyPowell) Pusan(ex-Hickox)  MexicanNavy Cuauhtémoc(ex-Harrison) Cuitláhuac(ex-JohnRodgers)  PeruvianNavy Villar(ex-Benham) AlmiranteGuise(ex-Isherwood) (LaValletteandTerrywerepurchasedbythePeruvianNavyforspareparts)  SpanishNavy Lepanto(ex-Capps) AlmiranteFerrandíz(ex-DavidW.Taylor) AlmiranteValdés(ex-Converse) AlcaláGaliano(ex-Jarvis) JorgeJuan(ex-McGowan)  TurkishNavy İstanbul(ex-ClarenceK.Bronson) İzmir(ex-VanValkenburgh) İzmit(ex-Cogswell) İskenderun(ex-Boyd) İçel(ex-Preston) Precededby:Gleavesclass Followedby:AllenM.Sumnerclass ListofdestroyersoftheUnitedStatesNavy Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Fletcher_(DD-445)&oldid=1104371906" Categories:WorldWarIIdestroyersoftheUnitedStatesColdWardestroyersoftheUnitedStatesKoreanWardestroyersoftheUnitedStatesShipsbuiltinKearny,NewJersey1942shipsFletcher-classdestroyersoftheUnitedStatesNavyHiddencategories:ArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionisdifferentfromWikidataUsedmydatesfromOctober2021WikipediaarticlesincorporatingtextfromtheDictionaryofAmericanNavalFightingShips Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English Views ReadEditViewhistory More Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Inotherprojects WikimediaCommons Languages BasaBaliDeutschEspañolفارسیJawa日本語PolskiРусскийTiếngViệt中文 Editlinks