USS Forrest

Last updated

USS Forrest (DD-461) underway off the Boston Naval Shipyard in April 1942.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameForrest
NamesakeDulany Forrest
Builder Boston Navy Yard
Laid down6 January 1941
Launched14 June 1941
Commissioned13 January 1942
ReclassifiedDMS-24, 15 November 1944
Decommissioned30 November 1945
Stricken19 December 1945
Fate
  • Sold 20 November 1946,
  • broken up for scrap
General characteristics
Class and type Gleaves-class destroyer
Displacement1,630 tons
Length348 ft 3 in (106.15 m)
Beam  36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
Draft  11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
Propulsion
  • 50,000 shp (37,000 kW);
  • 4 boilers;
  • 2 propellers
Speed37.4 knots (69 km/h)
Range6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement16 officers, 260 enlisted
Armament

USS Forrest (DD-461/DMS-24), was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

Contents

Namesake

Dulany Forrest entered the Navy as a midshipman on 22 May 1809. He served on the frigates USS President and USS Essex. Attached to the Lake Erie Station in the War of 1812, Acting Lieutenant Forrest was severely wounded while serving on the flagship USS Lawrence in the Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813. His action won him commendation from Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.

Following the war he served on USS Java and USS John Adams and commanded schooners USS Beagle and USS Porpoise in the campaign against West Indies pirates. Lieutenant Forrest died while in command of the store ship USS Decoy in the Caribbean on 1 October 1825.

Construction and commissioning

Forrest was launched on 14 June 1941 by Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss Eileen F. Thomson, 14, of Chappaqua, New York, a great-grandniece of Lt. Forrest. The ship was commissioned on 13 January 1942. She was reclassified DMS-24 on 15 November 1944.

Service history

1942, including Operation Torch

Forrest sailed from Boston 15 June 1942 for NS Argentia, Newfoundland, to augment the escort of the aircraft carrier Ranger, with whose force she returned to Newport on 22 June. On 1 July she sailed with the Ranger group for the coast of West Africa, where the carrier flew off Army aircraft for the burgeoning base at Accra. Returning to Norfolk on 5 August, Forrest served in training operations, submarine searches, and coastal escort duty until 21 October, when she arrived at Bermuda to join the Ranger group for the invasion of North Africa. She screened air operations covering the landings at Safi, Casablanca, and Fedhala from 8 to 12 November, then served in an antisubmarine patrol in advance of an incoming convoy until 18 November. Forrest escorted a convoy to a point off Norfolk, then turned back to Bermuda to rendezvous with the cruiser Augusta with whom she returned to Norfolk 30 November.

1943

Between 2 December 1942 and 27 March 1943, Forrest twice crossed the Atlantic screening Ranger to an ocean launching point off Casablanca as well as serving on coastal and Gulf of Mexico escort duty. After training in Casco Bay, Maine, she joined the Ranger group for patrol duty out of Argentia, Newfoundland, between 17 May and 24 July, then replenished at Boston for the crossing to Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands. From this base of the British Home Fleet, the Ranger group patrolled in search of German naval forces, and on 4 October struck with great success at the shipping and shore installations at Bodø, Norway. In October she sailed south to join the escort for a British carrier returning from the Mediterranean to Scapa Flow, and in November sortied in a combined task force to patrol the northwest coast of Norway covering the passage of a convoy to Russia.

1944

Returning to Boston for brief overhaul 3 December 1943, Forrest spent the months of January and February 1944 training precommissioning crews for new destroyers, and escorting the aircraft carrier Hornet during her shakedown training off Bermuda. Between 7 March and 2 April, she patrolled the Atlantic with the hunter-killer group headed by the escort carrier Guadalcanal. Forrest sailed from Norfolk 20 April for Northern Ireland, and took up escort duties around the British Isles as men and ships were concentrated for the Normandy invasion. When bad weather postponed the landings, originally intended for 5 June, Forrest was sent out on 4 June to recall convoys which had already sailed, bound for Utah Beach. During the actual invasion of 6 June, she screened transports lying in the Baie de la Seine, and on 12, 16, and 17 June, she bombarded shore targets to aid the troops advancing ashore. After escorting battleships to Plymouth, England, 18 June, Forrest returned to the assault area 21 June to cover sweeping operations off the Cotentin Peninsula. She engaged shore batteries on 22 and 24 June, returning to the Isle of Portland, England, the next day.

Four days later Forrest got underway for Belfast, Oran, and Taranto, from which she sailed 11 August 1944 for the invasion of southern France, arriving in the inner fire support area off St. Tropez on 15 August. For the next two months, she escorted convoys from Palermo, Naples, Ajaccio, and Oran to the southern coast of France, guarding the men and supplies which made the push northward possible. She returned to Norfolk 8 November for conversion to a high speed minesweeper.

1945 and fate

Forrest trained in Chesapeake Bay for Pacific duty, for which she sailed 17 January 1945, calling at San Diego and Pearl Harbor for further training and arriving Ulithi on 9 March 1945. Ten days later she sortied for minesweeping operations to clear Okinawa waters for the assault on 1 April, after which she served in patrol, screened smaller minesweepers, performed local escort missions, and carried put the usual multiplicity of destroyer assignments. Several times she assisted ships stricken by kamikaze attacks, and on 27 May her own turn came. Three enemy aircraft were sighted, two of which she downed. The third, however, crashed her starboard side at the waterline, killing 5 and wounding 13 of her men. As damage control and fire fighting measures were being taken she headed for Kerama Retto and repairs.

Forrest sailed from Okinawa on 25 June 1945 for the east coast, reaching Boston 6 August 1945. There she was decommissioned on 30 November 1945, and sold 20 November 1946.

Forrest received six battle stars for World War II service.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Ellyson</i> (DD-454) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Ellyson (DD-454/DMS-19), a Gleaves-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Theodore Gordon Ellyson, a submariner who became the first officer of the U.S. Navy to be designated a naval aviator.

USS <i>Jacob Jones</i> (DD-130) Wickes-class destroyer

USS Jacob Jones (DD-130), named for Commodore Jacob Jones USN (1768–1850), was a Wickes-class destroyer. Jacob Jones was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden, New Jersey on 21 February 1918, launched on 20 November 1918 by Mrs. Cazenove Doughton, great-granddaughter of Commodore Jones and commissioned on 20 October 1919, Lieutenant Commander Paul H. Bastedo in command. She was sunk by a German submarine in 1942 during World War II.

USS <i>Hogan</i> Wickes-class destroyer

USS Hogan (DD-178/DMS-6) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Greene</i> (DD-266) Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy

USS Greene (DD-266/AVD-13/APD-36) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy in service from 1919 to 1922. She was recommissioned in 1940 and wrecked in a storm in October 1945.

USS <i>Ericsson</i> (DD-440) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Ericsson (DD-440), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after John Ericsson, who is best known for devising and building the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.

USS <i>Eberle</i> (DD-430) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Eberle (DD-430) was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Rear Admiral Edward Walter Eberle, who commanded the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and was Chief of Naval Operations from 1923 to 1927. The destroyer entered service in 1940 and spent the majority of her career in the Atlantic Ocean. Placed in reserve following the war, the ship was transferred to the Hellenic Navy in 1951. Renamed Niki, the destroyer remained in service until 1972 when she was scrapped.

USS <i>Rodman</i> (DD-456) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Rodman (DD-456/DMS-21), a Gleaves-class destroyer, is the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Admiral Hugh Rodman.

USS <i>Emmons</i> (DD-457) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Emmons (DD-457/DMS-22) was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral George F. Emmons (1811–1884).

USS <i>Macomb</i> (DD-458) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Macomb (DD-458/DMS-23) was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Commodore William H. Macomb (1819–1872) and Rear Admiral David B. Macomb (1827–1911).

USS <i>Harding</i> (DD-625) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Harding (DD-625), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Seth Harding.

USS <i>Jeffers</i> (DD-621) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Jeffers (DD-621/DMS-27), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commodore William N. Jeffers.

USS <i>Carmick</i> (DD-493) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Carmick (DD-493/DMS-33), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Major Daniel Carmick (1772–1816), an officer in the United States Marine Corps who served during the Quasi-War with France and during the War of 1812.

USS <i>Fitch</i> Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Fitch (DD-462/DMS-25), was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Hobson</i> (DD-464) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Hobson (DD-464/DMS-26), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Richmond Pearson Hobson, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Spanish–American War. He would later in his career attain the rank of rear admiral and go on to serve as a congressman from the state of Alabama.

USS <i>William T. Powell</i> (DE-213) Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS William T. Powell (DE/DER-213), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Gunner's Mate William T. Powell (1918-1942), who was killed in action, aboard the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco off Guadalcanal on 12 November 1942.

USS <i>Alexander J. Luke</i> Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Alexander J. Luke (DE/DER-577), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Sergeant Alexander J. Luke (1916–1942), who was killed in action during the attack on Tulagi on 6 August 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

USS <i>Robert I. Paine</i> (DE-578) Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Robert I. Paine (DE/DER-578), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Marine Corps Private Robert I. Paine (1923-1942), who was killed in action during the attack on Tulagi on 7 August 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

USS <i>Farquhar</i> (DE-139)

USS Farquhar (DE-139) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in service with the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Fessenden</i> (DE-142)

USS Fessenden (DE-142/DER-142) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.

USS <i>J. Richard Ward</i> (DE-243)

USS J. Richard Ward (DE-243) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She was named in honor of James Richard Ward who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic efforts under fire on the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). She was launched by Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Texas, 6 January 1943; sponsored by Miss Marjorie Ward, sister of Seaman First Class Ward; and commissioned 5 July 1943.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.