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USS Harding (DD-625)
Encyclopedia
USS Harding (DD-625) (later DMS-28), a Gleaves
-class destroyer
, was the second ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Seth Harding
.
Harding was launched 28 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Washington
, sponsored by Mrs. Sherwood A. Taffinder; and commissioned 25 May 1943, Lieutenant Commander
G. G. Palmer in command.
out of San Diego
, Harding sailed 1 July for Norfolk
, via the Panama Canal
. Arriving Hampton Roads
on 19 July, she trained in Chesapeake Bay
and off the East Coast. She joined a convoy
at Norfolk on 16 August 1943 and for the next eight months was assigned antisubmarine patrol for merchant convoys in the Atlantic. During this period of guarding the sea Harding made three round trips to Casablanca
.
After escorting on training exercises, Harding sailed 18 April with a convoy for Europe
, and began her first great combat operation — the invasion of Normandy. She spent the month of May training with other ships between Plymouth
and Clyde
. Then, early on 6 June 1944, Harding joined other naval units in the historic assault. Harding was assigned fire support station, and delivered close gunfire support to the troops ashore for the first hours of the landing. Her accurate gunfire destroyed pillboxes and machine gun
emplacements, blasting a way for the troops. Harding also sent a boat ashore at Pointe du Hoc
to take supplies to the Rangers and bring out prisoners and wounded. She continued operations in the assault area until 16 July, protecting against air attack and assisting several transports in distress.
Shifting her operations to the Mediterranean, Harding sailed on 1 August for Oran
, Algeria
, and from there proceeded to the southern France assault
area, as a screening ship. She sailed almost immediately to Corsica
, later returning to take up patrol station outside the assault area in southern France
. On the night of 17 August, she detected a downed German
plane, and after recovering bodies, proceeded to investigate an unidentified contact. As Hardings signalman sought to illuminate the stranger, a burst of machine-gun fire extinguished the light and revealed the presence of four E-boat
s.
In company with three other destroyers, Harding began a running, twisting battle with the four boats, illuminated by starshell fire, and despite their superior maneuverability, all four were sunk, three by Harding. She brought survivors ashore and resumed her patrol until 24 August.
Harding joined a convoy of LCI
s en route to Oran, Algeria on 24 August, returned to southern France until 6 September, and sailed for New York
on 25 September 1944. Arriving New York on 3 October, she proceeded to Boston
for conversion to a destroyer minesweeper
; she was reclassified DMS-28 on 15 November. Emerging on 1 December for her trials, Harding underwent training until 30 December and sailed for the Pacific. She arrived San Diego via the Panama Canal Zone
on 15 January 1945, and continued her training in minesweeping techniques.
Sailing on 10 February via Pearl Harbor
, Harding arrived at Ulithi
on 9 March to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa
, the last and largest of the giant Pacific amphibious assaults. She departed for Okinawa on 19 March and began her minesweeping operations in the surrounding areas on 24 March. During the initial landings on 1 April 1945 Harding served as an outer screening ship, and continued this dangerous duty during the savage air attacks which followed. After a near miss by a horizontal bomber during the first heavy raids of 6 April, Harding was assigned to provide fire support to forces ashore the night of 8 April. She returned to screening duties the next day, and on 16 April was attacked with other ships by four kamikaze
s. One was driven off, another shot down, but a third steered directly for Hardings bridge. As gunfire ripped into her, the aircraft splashed close aboard to starboard, tearing a huge gash in Hardings side from keel to main deck when her bomb exploded.
The stricken ship backed toward Kerama Retto
, counting 14 men killed, 8 missing, and 9 wounded. She repaired at Okinawa, and arrived back at Pearl Harbor on 22 August via Saipan
.
From Hawaii
, Harding transited the Panama Canal via San Diego and arrived at Norfolk on 17 September. She decommissioned on 2 November 1945, and was sold for scrap on 16 April 1947 to Luia Brothers Co., Inc., of Philadelphia
.
Gleaves class destroyer
The Gleaves-class destroyers were a class of 66 destroyers of the United States Navy built 1938–1942, and designed by Gibbs & Cox. The first ship of the class was the USS Gleaves . The U.S. Navy customarily names a class of ships after the first ship of the class; hence the Gleaves class...
-class destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, was the second ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for Seth Harding
Seth Harding
Seth Harding was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Revolutionary War.-Biography:Harding was born at Eastham, Massachusetts...
.
Harding was launched 28 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, sponsored by Mrs. Sherwood A. Taffinder; and commissioned 25 May 1943, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
G. G. Palmer in command.
Service history
After shakedownShakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
out of San Diego
Naval Station San Diego
Naval Base San Diego is the largest base of the United States Navy on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of 54 ships and over 120 tenant commands. The base is composed of 13 piers stretched...
, Harding sailed 1 July for Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Arriving Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 19 July, she trained in Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and off the East Coast. She joined a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
at Norfolk on 16 August 1943 and for the next eight months was assigned antisubmarine patrol for merchant convoys in the Atlantic. During this period of guarding the sea Harding made three round trips to Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
.
After escorting on training exercises, Harding sailed 18 April with a convoy for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and began her first great combat operation — the invasion of Normandy. She spent the month of May training with other ships between Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Clyde
HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy...
. Then, early on 6 June 1944, Harding joined other naval units in the historic assault. Harding was assigned fire support station, and delivered close gunfire support to the troops ashore for the first hours of the landing. Her accurate gunfire destroyed pillboxes and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
emplacements, blasting a way for the troops. Harding also sent a boat ashore at Pointe du Hoc
Pointe du Hoc
Pointe du Hoc is a clifftop location on the coast of Normandy in northern France. It lies 4 miles west of Omaha Beach, and stands on 100 ft tall cliffs overlooking the sea...
to take supplies to the Rangers and bring out prisoners and wounded. She continued operations in the assault area until 16 July, protecting against air attack and assisting several transports in distress.
Shifting her operations to the Mediterranean, Harding sailed on 1 August for Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, and from there proceeded to the southern France assault
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
area, as a screening ship. She sailed almost immediately to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, later returning to take up patrol station outside the assault area in southern France
Southern France
Southern France , colloquially known as le Midi is defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy...
. On the night of 17 August, she detected a downed German
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
plane, and after recovering bodies, proceeded to investigate an unidentified contact. As Hardings signalman sought to illuminate the stranger, a burst of machine-gun fire extinguished the light and revealed the presence of four E-boat
E-boat
E-boats was the designation for Motor Torpedo Boats of the German Navy during World War II. It is commonly held that the E stood for Enemy....
s.
In company with three other destroyers, Harding began a running, twisting battle with the four boats, illuminated by starshell fire, and despite their superior maneuverability, all four were sunk, three by Harding. She brought survivors ashore and resumed her patrol until 24 August.
Harding joined a convoy of LCI
Landing Craft Infantry
The Landing craft, Infantry or LCI were several classes of sea-going amphibious assault ships of the Second World War utilized to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches. They were developed in response to a British request for a vessel capable of carrying and landing substantially...
s en route to Oran, Algeria on 24 August, returned to southern France until 6 September, and sailed for New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 25 September 1944. Arriving New York on 3 October, she proceeded to Boston
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
for conversion to a destroyer minesweeper
Destroyer minesweeper
Destroyer minesweeper was a designation given by the United States Navy to a series of destroyers that were converted into high-speed ocean-going minesweepers for service during World War II. The hull number for such a ship began "DMS"...
; she was reclassified DMS-28 on 15 November. Emerging on 1 December for her trials, Harding underwent training until 30 December and sailed for the Pacific. She arrived San Diego via the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
on 15 January 1945, and continued her training in minesweeping techniques.
Sailing on 10 February via Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Harding arrived at Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
on 9 March to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, the last and largest of the giant Pacific amphibious assaults. She departed for Okinawa on 19 March and began her minesweeping operations in the surrounding areas on 24 March. During the initial landings on 1 April 1945 Harding served as an outer screening ship, and continued this dangerous duty during the savage air attacks which followed. After a near miss by a horizontal bomber during the first heavy raids of 6 April, Harding was assigned to provide fire support to forces ashore the night of 8 April. She returned to screening duties the next day, and on 16 April was attacked with other ships by four kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s. One was driven off, another shot down, but a third steered directly for Hardings bridge. As gunfire ripped into her, the aircraft splashed close aboard to starboard, tearing a huge gash in Hardings side from keel to main deck when her bomb exploded.
The stricken ship backed toward Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
, counting 14 men killed, 8 missing, and 9 wounded. She repaired at Okinawa, and arrived back at Pearl Harbor on 22 August via Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
.
From Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Harding transited the Panama Canal via San Diego and arrived at Norfolk on 17 September. She decommissioned on 2 November 1945, and was sold for scrap on 16 April 1947 to Luia Brothers Co., Inc., of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.