History
Ballard (DD-267) was launched 7 December 1918 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Squantum, Massachusetts; sponsored by Miss Eloise Ballard, [2] great great granddaughter of the namesake; [3] commissioned 5 June 1919 and reported to the Atlantic Fleet. [2]
Between July 1919 and July 1920 Ballard cruised to various ports in Europe and the Mediterranean. She returned to the United States in July 1920 and served for a time with the Atlantic Fleet. She then proceeded to the Pacific where she carried out type training and participated in fleet maneuvers until placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego 17 June 1922. [2]
On 25 June 1940 Ballard was placed in commission in ordinary and was towed to Union Yard of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, San Francisco, California, for conversion to an auxiliary seaplane tender (reclassified AVD-10, 2 August 1940). She was placed in full commission 2 January 1941 and reported to Aircraft, Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet. [2]
With the entrance of the United States into World War II, Ballard steamed to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 28 January 1942. Ballard performed picket duty during the Battle of Midway, and on 14 June 1942 rescued 35 Japanese seaman from the carrier Hiryū who had been adrift since their ship sank on 5 June. [4] Until November 1943 she was engaged in tending patrol planes, laying aircraft buoys, escorting convoys, and patrolling throughout the Eastern Pacific (Phoenix, Midway, Fiji, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Florida, and New Caledonia). [2]
On 20 November 1942, Ballard recovered two sailors adrift at sea in separate rafts since the sinking of USS Juneau (CL-52) on 13 November. [5] [6] [7] Only 10 survivors were rescued after Juneau sank. [8]
Returning to San Francisco 7 November 1943, she completed repairs 30 December 1943 and then acted as a plane guard during Carrier qualification operations, off San Diego, until May 1944. [2]
Between 15 June and 3 July 1944 she participated in the Saipan operation, laying aircraft buoys, and tending the first patrol squadron to operate from the area. Next, she performed patrol duties during the seizure of the Palau Islands (12 September – 11 December 1944). [2]
USS Juneau (CL-52) was a United States Navy Atlanta-class light cruiser torpedoed and sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. In total, 687 officers and sailors, including the five Sullivan brothers, were killed in action as a result of her sinking. Only 10 survivors were rescued after eight days in the water. To honor the five Sullivan brothers and Juneau, the U.S. Navy has since commissioned two ships named USS The Sullivans and two ships named USS Juneau. On 17 March 2018, Paul Allen's research crew on board RV Petrel located the wreck of Juneau at a depth of about 4,200 m (13,800 ft) off the Solomon Islands.
USS O'Flaherty (DE-340) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Ensign Frank Woodrow O'Flaherty, a pilot who posthumously received the Navy Cross for his actions at the Battle of Midway.
USS Clemson (DD-186/AVP-17/AVD-4/APD-31) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers which served in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Midshipman Henry A. Clemson (1820–1846), who was lost at sea when the brig USS Somers capsized in a sudden squall off Vera Cruz on 8 December 1846 while chasing a blockade runner. Entering service in 1919, the ship had a brief active life before placed in reserve in 1922. Converted to an aircraft tender in 1939, the ship reactivated in 1940. In 1943, Clemson reconverted to a destroyer and served in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. In 1944, the ship was converted into a high speed transport and transferred to the Pacific taking part in several invasions. Following the end of the war, the ship was taken out of service again and sold for scrapping in 1946.
USS Goldsborough (DD-188/AVP-18/AVD-5/APD-32) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Louis M. Goldsborough (1805–1877). Entering service in 1920, the ship had a brief active life before being placed in reserve in 1922. Goldsborough was reactivated for World War II and was used as an aircraft tender, destroyer and high speed transport in both Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Following the war, the ship was sold for scrapping in 1946.
USS Childs (DD-241/AVP-14/AVD-1) was a Clemson-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy from 1920 to 1945. She was scrapped in 1946.
USS Williamson (DD-244/AVP-15/AVD-2/APD-27) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Commander William Price Williamson.
USS Osmond Ingram (DD-255/AVD–9/APD-35) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Gunners Mate First Class Osmond Ingram, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor.
USS Gillis (DD-260/AVD-12) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Commodore John P. Gillis and Rear Admiral James Henry Gillis.
USS Thornton (DD-270/AVD-11) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for James and Ryan Thornton, naval officers during the American Civil War, and was the second ship to bear this name.
USS Hulbert (DD-342/AVD-6) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Henry Hulbert.
The first USS Dewey (DD-349) was a Farragut-class destroyer of the United States Navy, launched in 1934 and named for Admiral George Dewey. Dewey served in the Pacific through World War II. After escaping damage during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Dewey screened the aircraft carrier USS Lexington until the carrier was lost in the Battle of the Coral Sea; then screened USS Saratoga through the Invasion of Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. Following overhaul in San Francisco, Dewey spent 1943 in Alaskan waters supporting the invasions of Attu and Kiska. Dewey spent 1944 supporting raids in the Marshalls, Carolines, and Marianas, including screening carriers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. After being damaged by Typhoon Cobra during the Recapture of the Philippines, Dewey supported the invasion of Iwo Jima and spent the remainder of the war screening replenishment oilers.
USS Oberrender (DE-344) was a John C. Butler–class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Thomas Olin Oberrender Jr., the engineering officer of the light cruiser USS Juneau, who was killed when that ship was torpedoed and sunk during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942.
USS Whitman (DE-24) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. It was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. By the end of the war, when she returned to the United States, she had accumulated four battle stars.
USS Newell was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Post war, she served in various capacities before being finally decommissioned.
USS Jaccard (DE-355) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket. Post-war, she returned home with one battle star to her credit.
USS Oliver Mitchell (DE-417) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. Post-war, after active participation in the Pacific War, her crew returned home with five battle stars to their credit.
USS Yakutat (AVP-32) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946. Yakutat tended seaplanes in combat areas in the Pacific during the latter stages of World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard from 1948 to 1971 as the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Yakutat (WAVP-380), later WHEC-380, seeing service in the Vietnam War during her Coast Guard career. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she was commissioned into the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Trần Nhật Duật (HQ-03). When South Vietnam collapsed in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War, she fled to the Philippines, where the Philippine Navy took custody of her and cannibalized her for spare parts until discarding her in 1982.
The second USS Barnegat (AVP-10), in commission from 1941 to 1946, was the lead ship of her class of small seaplane tenders built for the United States Navy just before and during World War II. She was the second U.S. Navy ship to bear that name.
USS Knudson (APD-101), ex-DE-591, later LPR-101, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946 and from 1953 to 1958.
I-71, later I-171, was a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the KD6 sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the 1930s. She served in World War II, and took part in operations supporting the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, and the Aleutian Islands campaign. She was sunk in February 1944.
United States
