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USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748)
Encyclopedia
USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748), an Allen M. Sumner-class
destroyer
, is the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Commander
Harry Hubbard
(1903–1942), who was the captain of the Meredith
when it was sunk during the Guadalcanal campaign
.
Harry E. Hubbard was launched on 24 March 1944 by the Bethlehem Steel
Co., Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Miss Jean Hubbard, daughter; and commissioned on 22 July 1944, Commander Leonard W. Bailey in command.
on 16 January 1945. She served as a training ship out of Pearl Harbor
until 17 April, then departed for combat She arrived off Okinawa on 8 May 1945 to serve as a picket destroyer
, guarding against the day and night waves of Japanese aerial raids and suicide runs of kamikaze
s. Although the American fleet suffered losses and damage, it had come to stay. As with all previous Japanese weapons, even the kamikazes were defeated in their attempt to save this last "stepping stone" to Japan
itself. For nearly two months, Hubbard fought off the savage raiders, shooting down four suicide planes that tried to crash her at various times.
When and were badly damaged in their stand against some 50 kamikazes on 11 May 1945, Hubbard, first to arrive on the scene, went alongside Evans to render fire-fighting, damage control and medical aid. She gave similar assistance to on 24–25 May, shooting down two kamikazesas she escorted Barry from picket station into Kerama Retto
. One enemy plane was disintegrated by Hubbards gunners a bare 50 yards from the ship.
Hubbard remained off Okinawa until 24 July 1945, then escorted occupation troops to Jinsen, Korea
, and carried the Commander of Destroyer Squadron 64 (DesRon 64) to Chinkai
, Korea, to oversee the demilitarization of the former Japanese naval base there. She returned to Jin-sen 7 November 1945, then based out of Tsingtao, China
. She performed escort, mail, and communication service for the North China Occupation force until departing 16 March 1946, for the California
seaboard. She arrived at San Francisco
on 28 March 1946, underwent demobilization overhaul at Oakland
, then decommissioned at San Diego
on 15 January 1947. She remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until recommissioned 14 May 1949 but decommissioned 12 December without having gone to sea.
, Harry E. Hubbard recommissioned on 27 October 1950, Commander Burres D. Wood in command. After initial shakedown along the coast of California, she departed San Diego on 2 January 1951 for two months of training in Hawaiian waters. She then steamed to assist the U.N. Forces in Korea. Besides helping guard the fast carrier task force making repeated airstrikes against the enemy, she frequently joined in gunstrike missions to bombard coastal rail and communication centers and performed as sea-going artillery to support the advance of land troops. Her bombardment missions were conducted against targets at Yongdae Gap, Wonsan, Songjin, Chingjin, Kyoto, Ohako, Bokuko, Chuminjin, and other enemy strongholds of supply and reinforcement. When was heavily damaged by an underwater explosion
off Wonson 11 June 1951, Hubbard, with the same skill as off Okinawa in 1945, moved in to render effective medical and damage control assistance. She returned to the California coast in October 1951 for overhaul and completed a similar tour of duty with the 7th Fleet
off Korea July to December 1952. She returned to San Diego in January 1953 but again departed on 11 July to guard fast carrier task groups patrolling after the Armistice Agreement was signed in Korea. Intervened by patrol in the Taiwan Straits, this duty continued until 13 January 1954. She returned to San Diego for overhaul and refresher training along the western seaboard.
Harry E. Hubbard departed San Diego 11 August 1954 on the first of nine additional Far East tours with the 7th Fleet which were completed by the close of 1966. During this service, she joined the roving 7th Fleet 6 to 13 February 1955 in moving in under Chinese Communist artillery defenses to cover the evacuation of Chinese Nationalist
from untenable positions on the Tachen Islands. In May 1955, she participated in "Operation WIGWAM", an underwater nuclear test approximately 500 miles southwest of San Diego, California. In October to November 1956 she diverted from Australia to the "Dewline" in the Northern Pacific to serve on picket patrol during the Suez Crisis
. She next joined in combined warfare exercises with SEATO Treaty nations to improve readiness in defending freedom in that part of the world. From time to time, she patrolled the Taiwan Straits to insure Taiwan was not threatened from the Communist mainland of China. She was off Guam in June 1960, twice guarding the flight of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
's aircraft during his Far East visit.
of August 1964, Harry E. Hubbard was nearby in the South China Sea screening . The carrier task group struck to destroy North Vietnamese torpedo boats and their supporting facilities. In awarding the Navy Unit Commendation
to Ticonderoga and her screen, Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze
stated that they had "demonstrated the firm intent of the United States to maintain freedom of the seas and to take all necessary measures in defense of peace in Southeast Asia."
Hubbard returned to Long Beach on 28 October 1964 for a year of warfare readiness operations along the western seaboard. In October 1965, she departed for the coast of South Vietnam. In company with in November and December 1965, she provided gunfire support for two Marine amphibious landings. In the following months, she acted as escort to and during their strike operations in the South China Sea, acting as Harbor Defense ship at Danang and fired more than 1,000 rounds of exploding 5-inch shells into Viet Cong strongholds along the South Vietnamese coast. She returned to Long Beach, California, on 7 April 1966. The destroyer had drawn nationwide attention on 10 March 1966 when the ABC Television Network included scenes of one of her shore bombardments along the South Vietnamese coast.
Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers...
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...
, is the only 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 Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Harry Hubbard
Harry Hubbard
Harry Enson Hubbard was an officer in the United States Navy.-Biography:Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Hubbard graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1925, served 3 years in battleship , then qualified in submarines at New London, Connecticut...
(1903–1942), who was the captain of the Meredith
USS Meredith (DD-434)
USS Meredith , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jonathan Meredith, a United States Marine Corps Sergeant who served during the First Barbary War....
when it was sunk during the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
.
Harry E. Hubbard was launched on 24 March 1944 by the Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
Co., Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Miss Jean Hubbard, daughter; and commissioned on 22 July 1944, Commander Leonard W. Bailey in command.
World War II
Flagship of Destroyer Squadron 64, Harry E. Hubbard trained precommissioning crews destined for newly constructed warships until sailing for HawaiiHawaii
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...
on 16 January 1945. She served as a training ship out of 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...
until 17 April, then departed for combat She arrived off Okinawa on 8 May 1945 to serve as a picket destroyer
Radar picket
A radar picket is a radar-equipped ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a force to protect it from surprise attack. Often several detached radar units encircle a force to provide increased cover in all directions.-World War II:Radar picket ships...
, guarding against the day and night waves of Japanese aerial raids and suicide runs of 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. Although the American fleet suffered losses and damage, it had come to stay. As with all previous Japanese weapons, even the kamikazes were defeated in their attempt to save this last "stepping stone" to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
itself. For nearly two months, Hubbard fought off the savage raiders, shooting down four suicide planes that tried to crash her at various times.
When and were badly damaged in their stand against some 50 kamikazes on 11 May 1945, Hubbard, first to arrive on the scene, went alongside Evans to render fire-fighting, damage control and medical aid. She gave similar assistance to on 24–25 May, shooting down two kamikazesas she escorted Barry from picket station into 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....
. One enemy plane was disintegrated by Hubbards gunners a bare 50 yards from the ship.
Hubbard remained off Okinawa until 24 July 1945, then escorted occupation troops to Jinsen, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and carried the Commander of Destroyer Squadron 64 (DesRon 64) to Chinkai
Jinhae
Jinhae is a district in Changwon City, South Korea. This region is served by the Korean National Railroad, and is famous for its annual cherry blossom festival every spring....
, Korea, to oversee the demilitarization of the former Japanese naval base there. She returned to Jin-sen 7 November 1945, then based out of Tsingtao, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She performed escort, mail, and communication service for the North China Occupation force until departing 16 March 1946, for the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
seaboard. She arrived at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 28 March 1946, underwent demobilization overhaul at Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, then decommissioned at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 15 January 1947. She remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until recommissioned 14 May 1949 but decommissioned 12 December without having gone to sea.
Korean War
Following the invasion of South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Harry E. Hubbard recommissioned on 27 October 1950, Commander Burres D. Wood in command. After initial shakedown along the coast of California, she departed San Diego on 2 January 1951 for two months of training in Hawaiian waters. She then steamed to assist the U.N. Forces in Korea. Besides helping guard the fast carrier task force making repeated airstrikes against the enemy, she frequently joined in gunstrike missions to bombard coastal rail and communication centers and performed as sea-going artillery to support the advance of land troops. Her bombardment missions were conducted against targets at Yongdae Gap, Wonsan, Songjin, Chingjin, Kyoto, Ohako, Bokuko, Chuminjin, and other enemy strongholds of supply and reinforcement. When was heavily damaged by an underwater explosion
Underwater explosion
An underwater explosion, also known as an UNDEX, is an explosion beneath the surface of water. The type of explosion may be chemical or nuclear...
off Wonson 11 June 1951, Hubbard, with the same skill as off Okinawa in 1945, moved in to render effective medical and damage control assistance. She returned to the California coast in October 1951 for overhaul and completed a similar tour of duty with the 7th Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
off Korea July to December 1952. She returned to San Diego in January 1953 but again departed on 11 July to guard fast carrier task groups patrolling after the Armistice Agreement was signed in Korea. Intervened by patrol in the Taiwan Straits, this duty continued until 13 January 1954. She returned to San Diego for overhaul and refresher training along the western seaboard.
Harry E. Hubbard departed San Diego 11 August 1954 on the first of nine additional Far East tours with the 7th Fleet which were completed by the close of 1966. During this service, she joined the roving 7th Fleet 6 to 13 February 1955 in moving in under Chinese Communist artillery defenses to cover the evacuation of Chinese Nationalist
Chinese nationalist
Chinese nationalist can refer to:* Chinese nationalism* Kuomintang - Chinese Nationalist Party in Taiwan....
from untenable positions on the Tachen Islands. In May 1955, she participated in "Operation WIGWAM", an underwater nuclear test approximately 500 miles southwest of San Diego, California. In October to November 1956 she diverted from Australia to the "Dewline" in the Northern Pacific to serve on picket patrol during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. She next joined in combined warfare exercises with SEATO Treaty nations to improve readiness in defending freedom in that part of the world. From time to time, she patrolled the Taiwan Straits to insure Taiwan was not threatened from the Communist mainland of China. She was off Guam in June 1960, twice guarding the flight of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's aircraft during his Far East visit.
Vietnam War
During the Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, are the names given to two incidents, one fabricated, involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin...
of August 1964, Harry E. Hubbard was nearby in the South China Sea screening . The carrier task group struck to destroy North Vietnamese torpedo boats and their supporting facilities. In awarding the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
to Ticonderoga and her screen, Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze
Paul Nitze
Paul Henry Nitze was a high-ranking United States government official who helped shape Cold War defense policy over the course of numerous presidential administrations.-Early life, education, and family:...
stated that they had "demonstrated the firm intent of the United States to maintain freedom of the seas and to take all necessary measures in defense of peace in Southeast Asia."
Hubbard returned to Long Beach on 28 October 1964 for a year of warfare readiness operations along the western seaboard. In October 1965, she departed for the coast of South Vietnam. In company with in November and December 1965, she provided gunfire support for two Marine amphibious landings. In the following months, she acted as escort to and during their strike operations in the South China Sea, acting as Harbor Defense ship at Danang and fired more than 1,000 rounds of exploding 5-inch shells into Viet Cong strongholds along the South Vietnamese coast. She returned to Long Beach, California, on 7 April 1966. The destroyer had drawn nationwide attention on 10 March 1966 when the ABC Television Network included scenes of one of her shore bombardments along the South Vietnamese coast.