USS Lindsey

Last updated
USS Lindsey (DM-32) off San Pedro, California, 5 September 1944.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameLindsey
Namesake Eugene E. Lindsey
Builder Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California
Laid down12 September 1943
Launched5 March 1944
Commissioned20 August 1944
Decommissioned25 May 1946
Stricken1 October 1970
FateSunk as a target 9 May 1972
General characteristics
Class and type Robert H. Smith-class destroyer
Displacement2,380 tons
Length376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft18 ft 10 in (5.74 m)
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Complement363 officers and enlisted
Armament

USS Lindsey (DD-771/DM-32/MMD-32) was a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Eugene E. Lindsey.

Contents

Lindsey was laid down as DD-771 as an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer on 12 September 1943 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California and launched on 5 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Eugene E. Lindsey, widow of Lt. Comdr. Lindsey. The ship was reclassified DM-32 on 19 July 1944 and commissioned on 20 August 1944.

Service history

After shakedown off southern California, the new destroyer minelayer sailed from San Francisco on 25 November 1944 via Pearl Harbor for Ulithi, arriving on 3 February 1945. Underway from Ulithi on the morning of 8 February, Lindsey steamed toward Iwo Jima. Operating off Iwo Jima from 17 to 19 February, Lindsey knocked out six guns ashore and provided covering fire as minesweepers cleared the harbor. On 23 February, she returned to Ulithi to prepare for landings on Okinawa.

View of extensive damage to the ship's forward hull and superstructure, received when she was struck by two kamikaze planes off Okinawa on 12 April 1945. Damaged forward hull and superstructure of USS Lindsey (DM-32) at Kerama Retto, 14 April 1945 (80-G-330108).jpg
View of extensive damage to the ship's forward hull and superstructure, received when she was struck by two kamikaze planes off Okinawa on 12 April 1945.

Underway 19 March, Lindsey arrived off Okinawa on 24 March and swept the harbor for the inbound transports. Then, as the Marines gained a foothold, the ship bombarded Japanese gun installations and transferred wounded soldiers to hospital ships. On the afternoon of 12 April, Lindsey experienced a mass kamikaze attack. Her gunners scored repeated hits on seven onrushing dive bombers, but two Aichi D3A "Val" bombers, damaged and out of control, crashed into Lindsey killing 57 sailors and wounding 57 more. [1] The explosion from the second "Val" ripped some 60 feet (18 m) off her bow. Only the “all back full” ordered by Commander Chambers prevented the pressure of inrushing water from collapsing the fireroom bulkhead and sinking the ship. [1]

Towed to Kerama Retto the same night, Lindsey remained in the lagoon for two weeks repairing battle damage. On 28 April she departed under tow for Guam, where, after arrival 6 May, she received a temporary bow. She sailed under her own power 8 July for the east coast via Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal, arriving in Norfolk, Virginia on 19 August 1945.

After extensive repairs at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Lindsey steamed 6 March 1946 for Charleston, South Carolina, and arrived the next day. Lindsey decommissioned 25 May 1946 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1970.

Lindsey was sunk as a target on 9 May 1972.

Lindsey received two battle stars for World War II.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Leutze</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Leutze (DD-481) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Admiral Eugene H. C. Leutze (1847–1931).

USS <i>Howorth</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Howorth (DD-592) was a Fletcher-class destroyer built for the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Halligan</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Halligan (DD-584) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral John Halligan, Jr. (1876–1934).

USS <i>Evans</i> (DD-552) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Evans (DD-552), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans (1846–1912).

USS <i>Twiggs</i> (DD-591) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Twiggs (DD-591), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Marine Major Levi Twiggs (1793–1847).

USS <i>Stanly</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Stanly (DD-478) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy from 1942 to 1947. She was scrapped in 1972.

USS <i>Sigsbee</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Sigsbee (DD-502), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee (1845–1923).

USS <i>Laffey</i> (DD-724) Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

USS Laffey (DD-724) is an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, which was constructed during World War II, laid down and launched in 1943, and commissioned in February 1944. The ship earned the nickname "The Ship That Would Not Die" for her exploits during the D-Day invasion and the Battle of Okinawa when she successfully withstood a determined assault by conventional bombers and the most unrelenting kamikaze air attack in history. Today, Laffey is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and is preserved as a museum ship at Patriots Point, outside Charleston, South Carolina.

USS <i>Anthony</i> (DD-515) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Anthony (DD-515), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Marine Sergeant Major William Anthony (1853–1899).

USS <i>Longshaw</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Longshaw (DD-559), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Dr. William Longshaw, Jr. (1836–1865), who served in the Navy and was killed during the Civil War.

USS <i>Porterfield</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Porterfield (DD-682) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1943, she served in several Pacific campaigns during World War II, earning ten battle stars. She was decommissioned immediately after the end of the war but reactivated in 1951 for the Korean War, earning four more battle stars, and then served continuously until 1969. She was sunk as a target in 1982.

USS <i>Sims</i> (DE-154) Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Sims (DE-154/APD-50) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1961.

USS <i>Robert H. Smith</i> Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer

USS Robert H. Smith (DD-735/DM-23) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer minelayers in the United States Navy.

USS <i>Thomas E. Fraser</i> Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer

USS Thomas E. Fraser (DD-736/DM-24) was a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy.

USS <i>Harry F. Bauer</i> Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer

USS Harry F. Bauer (DD-738/DM-26/MMD-26) was a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Harry F. Bauer (1904–1942).

USS <i>Tolman</i> Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer

USS Tolman (DD-740/DM-28/MMD-28) was a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy.

USS <i>J. William Ditter</i> Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer

USS J. William Ditter (DD-751/DM-31) was a Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy. She was named for Congressman J. William Ditter. J. William Ditter was launched as DD-751 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Staten Island, New York, 4 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. William Ditter, widow of Congressman Ditter. The ship was reclassified DM-31 19 July 1944; and commissioned at New York Navy Yard 28 October 1944.

USS <i>Swearer</i> Cannon-class destroyer escort

USS Swearer (DE-186) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later transferred to the French Navy as Bambara.

USS <i>Wesson</i> Cannon-class destroyer escort

USS Wesson (DE-184) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She returned home at war's end with a very respectable seven battle stars to her credit.

USS Winterberry (AN-56/YN-75) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. Despite being attacked near Okinawa by enemy suicide planes, she managed to return safely home after the war with the ship bearing one battle star.

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Peter C (2014). Kamikaze To Die For The Emperor. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. pp. 109–110. ISBN   9781781593134.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.