USS Shubrick (DD-639)
Encyclopedia
USS Shubrick (DD-639), a Gleaves
-class destroyer
, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Rear Admiral
William B. Shubrick.
Shubrick was laid down on 17 February 1942 by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
, Norfolk, Virginia
, launched on 18 April 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Grosvenor Bemis, great-great-granddaughter of R.Adm. Shubrick; and commissioned on 7 February 1943, Lieutenant Commander
Louis A. Bryan in command.
, Shubrick sailed for North Africa
with a large convoy
on 8 June 1943. Reaching her destination, she prepared for Operation Husky and, on 10 July, provided fire support for the landings at Gela
, Sicily
. She engaged enemy shore batteries and broke up an enemy tank
concentration, then retired to protect the transports offshore. On 11 and 12 July, she shot down two aircraft. After two trips to Bizerte
and another period of shore bombardment, she escorted the cruiser
Savannah
(CL-42) to Palermo
. There, during a night air raid on 4 August, Shubrick was hit amidships by a 500-pound bomb which caused flooding of two main machinery spaces and left the ship without power. Nine were killed and 20 wounded in the attack. The damaged destroyer was towed by Nauset
(AT-89) into the inner harbor for emergency repairs and then to Malta
for drydocking. Using one screw, the ship returned to the United States, arriving in New York on 9 October for permanent repairs.
bombardment group in Belfast. After escorting battleship
Nevada
(BB-36) and five cruisers to the Normandy beaches Shubrick took her own fire support station and, at 05:50 on 6 June, opened fire on her preassigned targets. She continued her fire as the troops landed, then checked her fire at 06:30 to avoid hitting friendly forces. She remained off the Normandy beaches for over a month, performing escort duties, fire support missions and anti-motor-torpedo-boat
and antisubmarine patrols, with trips to England
for replenishment. On 27 June, she escorted six American PT boat
s to Cherbourg. There, the patrol craft reconnoitered enemy defenses by drawing their fire. Shubrick herself came under fire before the mission was completed. She left Normandy for the last time on 11 July and, five days later, joined a task group bound for the Mediterranean.
on 15 August. Aside from float lights dropped on the evening after the landings, the force encountered no enemy opposition and was disbanded on 30 August. On 6 September, Shubrick sailed from Oran
for overhaul in the United States.
, Italy
, and then conducted training along the east coast of the United States. On 1 February 1945, she transited the Panama Canal
to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet. After additional training, she departed from Pearl Harbor
on 21 April escorting the battleship Mississippi
(BB-41) to Okinawa. On 12 May, she and one other destroyer supported the landings at Tori Shima and shot down two attacking aircraft. Shubrick completed one radar picket
patrol in mid-May, but, on her way to her second, she was attacked at 00:10, 29 May 1945, by two kamikaze
aircraft, one of which crashed into the ship. The bomb carried by the plane blew a 30-foot (10 m) hole in the starboard side, and further damage was done when one of the ship's depth charges exploded. At first the situation looked grim. Van Valkenburg (DD-656) came alongside at 01:13 and removed classified material and all wounded and unnecessary personnel. However, the crew finally controlled the flooding, and Shubrick was towed to Kerama Retto
by ATR-9. The ship lost 35 men killed and missing, and 25 wounded in the attack.
decided not to repair the damage. The destroyer was decommissioned on 16 November 1945 and struck from the Navy list
on 28 November. Later sold to the National Metal and Steel Corporation, Terminal Island
, Los Angeles, California
, for scrapping, her hulk was removed on 28 September 1947.
Shubrick received 4 battle stars for her World War II
service.
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 fourth 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 Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
William B. Shubrick.
Shubrick was laid down on 17 February 1942 by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
, Norfolk, Virginia
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....
, launched on 18 April 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Grosvenor Bemis, great-great-granddaughter of R.Adm. Shubrick; and commissioned on 7 February 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...
Louis A. Bryan in command.
Operation Husky
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...
, Shubrick sailed for North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
with a large 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...
on 8 June 1943. Reaching her destination, she prepared for Operation Husky and, on 10 July, provided fire support for the landings at Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. She engaged enemy shore batteries and broke up an enemy tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
concentration, then retired to protect the transports offshore. On 11 and 12 July, she shot down two aircraft. After two trips to Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
and another period of shore bombardment, she escorted the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Savannah
USS Savannah (CL-42)
USS Savannah was a light cruiser of the Brooklyn-class. She was laid down on 31 May 1934 by the New York Shipbuilding Association in Camden, New Jersey; launched on 8 May 1937; sponsored by Miss Jayne Maye Bowden, the niece of Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr., of Georgia; and commissioned in the...
(CL-42) to Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
. There, during a night air raid on 4 August, Shubrick was hit amidships by a 500-pound bomb which caused flooding of two main machinery spaces and left the ship without power. Nine were killed and 20 wounded in the attack. The damaged destroyer was towed by Nauset
USS Nauset (AT-89)
USS Nauset was a Navajo-class tug in the United States NavyNauset was laid down 10 August 1942 by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; launched 7 September 1942; and commissioned 2 March 1943; Lt. H. K...
(AT-89) into the inner harbor for emergency repairs and then to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
for drydocking. Using one screw, the ship returned to the United States, arriving in New York on 9 October for permanent repairs.
Operation Overlord
After completion of repairs and refresher training in January 1944, Shubrick made two convoy runs to Europe and back before joining the NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
bombardment group in Belfast. After escorting battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Nevada
USS Nevada (BB-36)
USS Nevada , the second United States Navy ship to be named after the 36th state, was the lead ship of the two Nevada-class battleships; her sister ship was...
(BB-36) and five cruisers to the Normandy beaches Shubrick took her own fire support station and, at 05:50 on 6 June, opened fire on her preassigned targets. She continued her fire as the troops landed, then checked her fire at 06:30 to avoid hitting friendly forces. She remained off the Normandy beaches for over a month, performing escort duties, fire support missions and anti-motor-torpedo-boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
and antisubmarine patrols, with trips to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for replenishment. On 27 June, she escorted six American PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
s to Cherbourg. There, the patrol craft reconnoitered enemy defenses by drawing their fire. Shubrick herself came under fire before the mission was completed. She left Normandy for the last time on 11 July and, five days later, joined a task group bound for the Mediterranean.
Operation Dragoon
On 12 August, Shubrick sailed from Malta with four escort carriers and five other destroyer to provide air cover for the landings in southern FranceOperation 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...
on 15 August. Aside from float lights dropped on the evening after the landings, the force encountered no enemy opposition and was disbanded on 30 August. On 6 September, Shubrick sailed from 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...
for overhaul in the United States.
Transfer to Pacific
After overhaul, Shubrick made a convoy trip to TarantoTaranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and then conducted training along the east coast of the United States. On 1 February 1945, she transited 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...
to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet. After additional training, she departed from 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...
on 21 April escorting the battleship Mississippi
USS Mississippi (BB-41)
USS Mississippi , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state, and the second battleship to carry the name. Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I, she served extensively in the Pacific in World War II, for which she earned eight battle stars...
(BB-41) to Okinawa. On 12 May, she and one other destroyer supported the landings at Tori Shima and shot down two attacking aircraft. Shubrick completed one radar picket
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...
patrol in mid-May, but, on her way to her second, she was attacked at 00:10, 29 May 1945, by two 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....
aircraft, one of which crashed into the ship. The bomb carried by the plane blew a 30-foot (10 m) hole in the starboard side, and further damage was done when one of the ship's depth charges exploded. At first the situation looked grim. Van Valkenburg (DD-656) came alongside at 01:13 and removed classified material and all wounded and unnecessary personnel. However, the crew finally controlled the flooding, and Shubrick was towed to 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....
by ATR-9. The ship lost 35 men killed and missing, and 25 wounded in the attack.
Post World War II and fate
Shubrick underwent emergency repairs until 15 July, when she began the trip back to the United States on one engine, arriving at Puget Sound Navy Yard on 10 August. On 17 August, due to the end of the war, the Bureau of ShipsBureau of Ships
The United States Navy's Bureau of Ships was established by Congress on June 20, 1940, by a law which consolidated the functions of the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Engineering. The new Bureau was to be headed by a Chief and Deputy-Chief, one selected from the engineering...
decided not to repair the damage. The destroyer was decommissioned on 16 November 1945 and struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 28 November. Later sold to the National Metal and Steel Corporation, Terminal Island
Terminal Island
Terminal Island is an island located in Los Angeles County, California between Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach Harbor. Originally a mudflat known to the Spanish as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, and later called Rattlesnake Island, it has officially been Terminal Island since 1918...
, Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, for scrapping, her hulk was removed on 28 September 1947.
Shubrick received 4 battle stars for her World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.