Assigned to the Pacific Fleet after commissioning, Maury was operating out of Pearl Harbor when the United States entered World War II. She was steaming with the aircraft carrierEnterprise en route to Hawaii from TF8 operations near Wake Island, when word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor reached her soon after 0900, 7 December 1941. The ship went to general quarters as the force began an unsuccessful search for the Japanese Fleet. By the time the force returned to Pearl Harbor only one enemy vessel had been sighted and sunk, by carrier aircraft, the submarine I-70 on 10 December. For the remainder of 1941, Maury, in the screen of Enterprise, stayed in the Hawaiian area to guard against a follow-up attack by the Japanese.
1942–43
With the new year, 1942, the Japanese advanced south and east through the islands of the southwest Pacific and Maury, with Enterprise and Yorktown, headed in that direction for raids on Japanese installations on Maleolap Atoll, Taroa, and Reuters Islands. Striking on 1 February, the carrier forces and bombardment groups completed their missions despite heavy aerial resistance and were back at Pearl Harbor on 5 February. On 15 February, the force, now designated TF16, got underway for Wake and Marcus Islands against which they launched surprise attacks 24 February and 4 March, respectively, returning to Oahu 10 March. There through April she conducted antisubmarine and antiaircraft exercises and served with the offshore patrol.
On 30 April TF16, with Maury in the screen of the heavier ships, sortied from Pearl Harbor to aid Yorktown and Lexington in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Reaching the scene after the battle was over, the force returned to Hawaii, arriving 26 May. Two days later they sortied again, this time for Midway Island to repulse an expected assault on that base. On 2 June, having rendezvoused with Task Force 17 (TF17), they were in position 350miles north east of Midway. On 4 June the Battle of Midway commenced as Japanese carrier aircraft flew against installations on the island. By 7 June the American forces had sunk four Japanese carriers and one cruiser at the cost of destroyer Hammann and carrier Yorktown.
After Midway the force remained at Pearl Harbor for a month before departing once again for the South Pacific. Steaming via the Tonga Islands, the force headed for the Japanese-held Solomon Islands. By 7 August they were 40miles from the target, Guadalcanal. During the ensuing Tulagi-Guadalcanal landing operations, Maury served as plane guard for Enterprise as she carried out continuous flight operations in support of the assault troops. The destroyer remained in the Solomons area through the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 and 25 August. In that battle, which prevented Japanese reinforcements from reaching Guadalcanal, Enterprise, among others, was severely damaged and TF16 was ordered to retire to the Tonga Islands, from which they returned to Pearl Harbor, arriving 10 September. On 26 October the force was back in the South Pacific when an enemy force, including carriers, was sighted. Battle was engaged off Santa Cruz and once again Japanese reinforcements were turned back, with one U.S. carrier damaged, Enterprise, and one lost, Hornet.
Maury underway in 1943.
Maury spent the next 10 months in the Solomons area as part of Destroyer Division 11. Operating from Nouméa and Espiritu Santo, she cruised on antisubmarine patrols and escorted carriers and convoys as American forces dug in on Guadalcanal and moved on against Munda, Rendova, Russell, Vella Lavella, and New Georgia. Maury's most important service during this period came as a unit of Captain Frederick Moosbrugger's Task Group 31.2 at the Battle of Vella Gulf on the night of 6–7 August 1943, where Maury, along with Dunlap and Craven, launched a surprise torpedo attack that sank Japanese destroyers Hagikaze, Arashi, and Kawakaze, the first US Navy victory in a night torpedo engagement. At the end of August 1943, she departed for San Pedro and a 6-week availability period, returning to the combat area with TF52 to support the invasions of Tarawa and Makin in the Gilbert Islands 20 November 1943.
1944
Early in 1944 Maury joined TF58, the fast carrier force, and put out to sea 19 January to screen the carriers as their planes raided Wotje, Taroa, Eniwetok, and the Palaus. In March the force began operating from newly won Majuro and from there Maury guarded the carriers as they went against the Japanese on the Palaus, Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai, 30 March to 1 April; covered the landings at Hollandia, 22 April; and raided Ponape, Satawan, and Truk, 29 April to 1 May 1944.
After brief availability at Pearl Harbor, Maury rejoined TF58, at Majuro 4 June. Two days later the ships sortied to support operations in the Marianas Islands. First, they took part in the preinvasion bombardment of Saipan, raiding Guam and Rota during the same period, and then sailed north to strike at Iwo and Chichi Jimas and prevent Japanese reinforcements from reaching the Marianas from those islands. On 18 June they received word of a Japanese force en route from the Philippines to the Marianas. The following day the Battle of the Philippine Sea began as Japanese carrier planes attacked the 5th Fleet, then covering the Saipan operations. By the end of the two-day battle the Japanese had lost three carriers, 92 percent of its carrier planes and 72 percent of its float planes, a toll which left the Imperial Fleet in poor condition. After pursuing the fleet, the carriers, with Maury in the screen, struck again at the Bonins and then retired to Eniwetok, arriving 27 June 1944.
On 4 July the fast carriers again raided Iwo Jima. Then they retired to the Marianas where they supported the landings on Guam and Tinian, 21 and 24 July, respectively. During the next 9 weeks, with Maury still in the carrier screen, the force struck again at Iwo Jima and then moved on to support offensive operations against Peleliu, Ngesebu, Angaur, Yap, and Ulithi. By 10 October they were off Okinawa, moving from there to Formosa and Luzon and striking at Japanese installations in the Manila Bay area on 15 October. Eight days later, covering the forces in Leyte Gulf, they turned north again to engage a Japanese carrier force, now bereft of planes due to losses sustained in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and off Formosa. On the 25th, the Japanese were engaged off Cape Engaño and by the 27th their losses were increased by three cruisers and several destroyers,
Maury spent most of November cruising the waters east of the Philippines in support of operations on Leyte and Samar. Then, after availability at Manus, joined TG77.4 and sailed 27 December 1944 for Lingayen Gulf to support the Luzon invasion. Attached in mid-January to TG78.12 for an abbreviated tour as convoy escort she rejoined TF77 at the end of the month and until 10 February 1945 guarded Lingayen Gulf and its approaches.
Returning to Ulithi 16 February Maury was assigned to escort the battleshipMississippi back to Hawaii. Departing 22 March, she moored at Pearl Harbor 3 April 1945.
Fate
She spent the next 6 weeks conducting training exercises in Hawaiian waters and then continued on, via San Diego and the Panama Canal, to New York, arriving 14 June. There an inspection team recommended that she be disposed of and on 18 August she proceeded to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she decommissioned 19 October 1945. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 November 1945, she was sold to Hugo Neu, New York, 13 June 1946; resold shortly thereafter to Northern Metal Co., Philadelphia, and scrapped by them at the end of the year.
USS Enterprise (CV-6) was a Yorktown-class carrier built for the United States Navy during the 1930s. She was the seventh U.S. Navy vessel of that name. Colloquially called "The Big E", she was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. Launched in 1936, she was one of only three American carriers commissioned before World War II to survive the war. She participated in more major actions of the war against Japan than any other United States ship. These actions included the attack on Pearl Harbor — 18 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers of her air group arrived over the harbor during the attack; seven were shot down with eight airmen killed and two wounded, making her the only American aircraft carrier with men at Pearl Harbor during the attack and the first to sustain casualties during the Pacific War — the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, various other air-sea engagements during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Enterprise earned 20 battle stars, the most for any U.S. warship in World War II, and was the most decorated U.S. ship of World War II. She was also the first American ship to sink a full-sized enemy warship after the Pacific War had been declared when her aircraft sank the Japanese submarine I-70 on 10 December 1941. On three occasions during the war, the Japanese announced that she had been sunk in battle, inspiring her nickname "The Grey Ghost". By the end of the war, her planes and guns had downed 911 enemy planes, sunk 71 ships, and damaged or destroyed 192 more.
USS Yorktown (CV/CVA/CVS-10) is one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. Initially to have been named Bonhomme Richard, she was renamed Yorktown while still under construction, after the Yorktown-class aircraft carrier USS Yorktown(CV-5), which was sunk at the Battle of Midway. She is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, though the previous ships were named for 1781 Battle of Yorktown. Yorktown was commissioned in April 1943, and participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.
USS Pensacola (CL/CA-24) was a cruiser of the United States Navy that was in service from 1929 to 1945. She was the lead ship of the Pensacola class, which the navy classified from 1931 as heavy cruisers. The third Navy ship to be named after the city of Pensacola, Florida, she was nicknamed the "Grey Ghost" by Tokyo Rose. She received 13 battle stars for her service.
The third USS Farragut (DD-348) was named for Admiral David Glasgow Farragut (1801–1870). She was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy.
USS Miller (DD-535) was a World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Medal of Honor recipient Acting Master's Mate James Miller.
USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was a Bagley-class destroyer in the United States Navy, named for USMC Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot (1897–1918), who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I. Talbot served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, from the attack on Pearl Harbor through the battle of Okinawa, earning 14 battle stars for her service.
USS Ellet (DD-398) was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for five members of the Ellet family of Pennsylvania who rendered service during the American Civil War: Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr.; Brigadier General Alfred W. Ellet; Colonel Charles R. Ellet; Lieutenant Colonel John A. Ellet; and Edward C. Ellet. The first two officers commanded the United States Ram Fleet.
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 Terry (DD-513), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commander Edward A. Terry (1839–1882).
USS Wadsworth (DD-516), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commodore Alexander S. Wadsworth (1790–1851). The ship was commissioned in 1943 during World War II. After seeing extensive action during the war, the ship was placed in reserve following it. In 1959 the destroyer was loaned to the West German Navy and renamed Zerstörer 3. She remained a part of the West German Navy until 1980 when the destroyer was transferred to the Hellenic Navy and renamed Nearchos. Nearchos was active until 1991 when she was sold for scrap.
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 Aylwin (DD-355) was a Farragut-class destroyer, and the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant John Cushing Aylwin (1778–1812).
The second USS Gridley (DD-380) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy. She was the second US Navy ship named for Charles Vernon Gridley. She served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War and shared in the sinking of a Japanese submarine.
USS Patterson (DD-392), a Bagley-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Daniel Todd Patterson, an officer of the US Navy who served in the Quasi-War with France, First Barbary War, and the War of 1812.
USS Dunlap (DD–384) was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy before and during World War II. She was named after Brigadier General Robert H. Dunlap, USMC. In some references, she is listed as a Dunlap-class destroyer. Captain was Clifton Iverson, who earned the Navy Cross during the Battle of Vella Gulf
USS Fanning (DD-385) was a Mahan-class destroyer, in the United States Navy named for Nathaniel Fanning. Her first action was during World War II, immediately following the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Fanning continued to serve in the Pacific Theatre throughout the war, and was decommissioned 14 December 1945. She was one of the last Mahan-class destroyers. Fanning and USS Dunlap were built from the same basic Mahan design but slightly modified. Some sources refer to them as the Dunlap-class destroyers.
USS Healy (DD-672) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy.
The second USS McCall (DD-400) was a Gridley-class destroyer in the United States Navy named after Captain Edward McCall, an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. Launched in 1937, she saw service throughout World War II, including in the Guadalcanal Campaign, Battle of the Philippine Sea, and other battles, earning 9 battle stars for her service. She was struck from the rolls in 1947 scrapped the following year.
Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1) was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy. Originally established as Fighter Squadron 4 (VF-4) on 1 May 1943, it was redesignated VF-1 on 15 July 1943 and disestablished on 25 October 1945. It was the third US Navy squadron to be designated VF-1.
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