USS Sigsbee (DD-502)
Encyclopedia
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).
Sigsbee was laid down on 22 July 1942 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.; launched
on 7 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. A. O. Fischer; and commissioned
on 23 January 1943, Commander. Benjamin V. Russell in command.
, Maine
, for 10 days of gunnery and torpedo practice before sailing to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
, to complete her shakedown. She returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard
, New York
, for post-shakedown overhaul. Upon completion, the destroyer escorted Birmingham
(CL-62) to Norfolk
. On 4 April, she escorted two tanker
s to Casco Bay and returned. Next was an escort trip with Independence
(CV-22) and Guest
(DD-472) to Trinidad
, B.W.I.
, where the aircraft carrier
trained her air group. Upon her return to Norfolk, Sigsbee refueled and with Guest and Earle
(DD-635) escorted Lexington
(CV-16) to Trinidad arriving on 16 May.
On 8 June, the destroyer was detached from the group and proceeded independently to New York. Sigsbee operated between New York, Casco Bay, and Norfolk until 22 July. On that date, the destroyer, with Harrison
(DD-573), Daly
(DD-519), and Lexington, stood out of Norfolk en route to Pearl Harbor
via the Panama Canal
. The canal was transited on 27 July, and Sigsbee arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 August.
In mid-August, Sigsbee joined the task group built around carriers Yorktown
(CV-10), Essex
(CV-9), and Independence
(CVL-22) commanded by Rear Admiral Charles Alan Pownall
for raids against Marcus Island in which considerable damage was done to enemy installations. Sigsbee returned to Pearl Harbor on 8 September 1943.
Sigsbee was off Wake Island
three weeks later and participated in the bombardment of that island on 5 October.
On 21 October, the destroyer stood out of Pearl Harbor en route to Efate
, New Hebrides
. She arrived on 5 November and spent the next two weeks in training with transports. On 13 November, Sigsbee sortied with Task Unit 53.1.4 (TU 53.1.4) for the Gilbert Islands
. On 22 and 23 November, she bombarded Betio
, at Tarawa Atoll
. She then returned to Pearl Harbor on 14 December for a yard availability period.
, Marshall Islands
. The destroyer bombarded Ennylabegan Island on the morning of 31 January and, that evening, Sigsbee and Ringgold
(DD-500) entered the lagoon to protect American shipping and provide call-fire for troops ashore. The destroyer remained in the Marshall Islands until 1 March when she departed for Efate. Sigsbee sortied from there, on 20 March, with TF 37
to participate in the bombardment of Kavieng
, New Ireland
.
In April, Sigsbee patrolled the entrance to Humboldt Bay
until the 26th when she screened a convoy
to Cape Cretin. After patrolling in the Guadalcanal
area for several weeks, Sigsbee joined TU 53.1.14 to take part in the Marianas campaign
. The destroyer bombarded the Guam
beaches during the period 16 to 18 July as well as covering the underwater demolition team
s (UDTs) on the beaches. She then joined the picket screen and remained off Guam until 3 August. Sigsbee returned to Humboldt Bay for a month and then joined TF 77, proceeded to Morotai
Island, North Moluccas, and provided fire support for the landings on Cape Podangi in mid-September.
Sigsbee returned to Humboldt Bay and was assigned to TF 78. The force sortied on 3 October for the assault and landings on Leyte, P.I.
, on the 20th. After the invasion of Leyte
, the destroyer sailed for San Francisco and an overhaul, arriving there on 15 November 1944. Sigsbee was back in Pearl Harbor on 19 January 1945 and then sailed for Ulithi where she joined TF 58, the Fast Carrier Task Force
.
. On 14 March, the fast carriers and Sigsbee again steamed out of Ulithi
for air strikes against the Japanese home islands to neutralize the airfields in preparation for the forthcoming assault on Okinawa
. The destroyer then joined the radar picket
ships off that island and remained there until 14 April. On that date, the destroyer was struck aft of her number five gun by a kamikaze
suicide plane. The port engine was knocked out of commission, the starboard engine could only be run at five knots, steering control was lost, and much of the main deck was awash.
Twenty-three sailors perished, but
Sigsbees skipper, Cmdr. Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
did not give up the ship, saving it.
Sigsbee was towed south to Guam (out of the battle area) where she was sufficiently repaired for the long tow back to Pearl Harbor (via Eniwetok). The destroyer arrived there on 7 June 1945 and had a complete new 60-foot stern installed. Ready for sea again, the ship sailed out of port on 28 September en route to the east coast of the United States. On 22 October, she arrived at Philadelphia. The following week, the ship moved to Charleston
to prepare for inactivation.
On 1 May 1946, the destroyer was placed in commission, in reserve. On 31 March 1947, Sigsbee was placed in reserve, out of commission, with the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 1 December 1974, she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
, and on 31 July 1975 the ship was sold and broken up for scrap.
Fletcher class destroyer
The Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939 as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types...
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 a 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...
named for Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee
Charles Dwight Sigsbee
Charles Dwight Sigsbee was a Rear Admiral inthe United States Navy. In his earlier career he was a pioneering oceanographer and hydrographer. He is best remembered as the captain of the USS Maine, which exploded in Havana harbor, Cuba, in 1898...
(1845–1923).
Sigsbee was laid down on 22 July 1942 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.; launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 7 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. A. O. Fischer; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 23 January 1943, Commander. Benjamin V. Russell in command.
1943
Sigsbee completed outfitting three weeks later and sailed to Casco BayCasco Bay
Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the southern coast of Maine, New England, United States. Its easternmost approach is Cape Small and its westernmost approach is Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, for 10 days of gunnery and torpedo practice before sailing to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, to complete her shakedown. She returned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Brooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, for post-shakedown overhaul. Upon completion, the destroyer escorted Birmingham
USS Birmingham (CL-62)
USS Birmingham , a light cruiser named for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, the "Steel City", was a Cleveland class light cruiser laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Newport News in Virginia on 17 February 1941 and launched on 20 March 1942 by Mrs. Cooper Green, wife...
(CL-62) to Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
. On 4 April, she escorted two tanker
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
s to Casco Bay and returned. Next was an escort trip with Independence
USS Independence (CVL-22)
The fourth USS Independence was a United States Navy light aircraft carrier, lead ship of her class.-Construction and deployment:...
(CV-22) and Guest
USS Guest (DD-472)
USS Guest , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Commodore John Guest ....
(DD-472) to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, B.W.I.
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
, where the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
trained her air group. Upon her return to Norfolk, Sigsbee refueled and with Guest and Earle
USS Earle (DD-635)
USS Earle , a Gleaves-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Ralph Earle....
(DD-635) escorted Lexington
USS Lexington (CV-16)
USS Lexington , known as "The Blue Ghost", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship, the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name, is named in honor of the Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington...
(CV-16) to Trinidad arriving on 16 May.
On 8 June, the destroyer was detached from the group and proceeded independently to New York. Sigsbee operated between New York, Casco Bay, and Norfolk until 22 July. On that date, the destroyer, with Harrison
USS Harrison (DD-573)
USS Harrison was a of the United States Navy. She was second Navy ship of that name, and the first named in honor of Captain Napoleon Harrison ....
(DD-573), Daly
USS Daly (DD-519)
USS Daly , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Marine Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, , one of the very few people to be twice awarded the Medal of Honor....
(DD-519), and Lexington, stood out of Norfolk en route to 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...
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...
. The canal was transited on 27 July, and Sigsbee arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 August.
In mid-August, Sigsbee joined the task group built around carriers Yorktown
USS Yorktown (CV-10)
USS Yorktown is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She is named after the Battle of Yorktown of the American Revolutionary War, and is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name...
(CV-10), Essex
USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the...
(CV-9), and Independence
USS Independence (CVL-22)
The fourth USS Independence was a United States Navy light aircraft carrier, lead ship of her class.-Construction and deployment:...
(CVL-22) commanded by Rear Admiral Charles Alan Pownall
Charles Alan Pownall
Charles Alan Pownall was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and Governor of Guam . He was the third military Governor and first naval Governor of Guam following the United States recapture of the island from the Japanese...
for raids against Marcus Island in which considerable damage was done to enemy installations. Sigsbee returned to Pearl Harbor on 8 September 1943.
Sigsbee was off Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
three weeks later and participated in the bombardment of that island on 5 October.
On 21 October, the destroyer stood out of Pearl Harbor en route to Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
, New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
. She arrived on 5 November and spent the next two weeks in training with transports. On 13 November, Sigsbee sortied with Task Unit 53.1.4 (TU 53.1.4) for the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
. On 22 and 23 November, she bombarded Betio
Betio
Betio is an island and a town at the extreme southwest of South Tarawa in Kiribati. The main port of Tarawa Atoll is located there.-Overview:...
, at Tarawa Atoll
Tarawa Atoll
Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa...
. She then returned to Pearl Harbor on 14 December for a yard availability period.
1944
On 22 January 1944, Sigsbee sailed out of Pearl Harbor with Task Force 52 (TF 52) to participate in the assault and capture of KwajaleinBattle of Kwajalein
The Battle of Kwajalein was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of...
, Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. The destroyer bombarded Ennylabegan Island on the morning of 31 January and, that evening, Sigsbee and Ringgold
USS Ringgold (DD-500)
USS Ringgold , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Cadwalader Ringgold ....
(DD-500) entered the lagoon to protect American shipping and provide call-fire for troops ashore. The destroyer remained in the Marshall Islands until 1 March when she departed for Efate. Sigsbee sortied from there, on 20 March, with TF 37
Task Force 37
Task Force 37 was a US Navy task force active during World War II. Task Force numbers were in constant use, and there were several incarnations of TF 37 during World War II. The British Pacific Fleet was allocated as TF 37 in 1945....
to participate in the bombardment of Kavieng
Kavieng
Kavieng is the capital of the Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland and the largest town on the island of the same name. The town is located at Balgai Bay, on the northern tip of the island. As of 2000, it had a population of 10,600....
, New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
.
In April, Sigsbee patrolled the entrance to Humboldt Bay
Teluk Yos Sudarso
Yos Sudarso Bay also known earlier as Humboldt Bay is a small bay in Indonesia. It is on the north coast of New Guinea, about 50 kilometers west of the border between Indonesia's province of Papua and the country of Papua New Guinea...
until the 26th when she screened 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...
to Cape Cretin. After patrolling in the Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
area for several weeks, Sigsbee joined TU 53.1.14 to take part in the Marianas campaign
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War...
. The destroyer bombarded the Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
beaches during the period 16 to 18 July as well as covering the underwater demolition team
Underwater Demolition Team
The Underwater Demolition Teams were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
s (UDTs) on the beaches. She then joined the picket screen and remained off Guam until 3 August. Sigsbee returned to Humboldt Bay for a month and then joined TF 77, proceeded to Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
Island, North Moluccas, and provided fire support for the landings on Cape Podangi in mid-September.
Sigsbee returned to Humboldt Bay and was assigned to TF 78. The force sortied on 3 October for the assault and landings on Leyte, P.I.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, on the 20th. After the invasion of Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
, the destroyer sailed for San Francisco and an overhaul, arriving there on 15 November 1944. Sigsbee was back in Pearl Harbor on 19 January 1945 and then sailed for Ulithi where she joined TF 58, the Fast Carrier Task Force
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
.
1945
On 16 February, the task force launched air strikes against Japan and Okinawa in support of the landings on Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
. On 14 March, the fast carriers and Sigsbee again steamed out of 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...
for air strikes against the Japanese home islands to neutralize the airfields in preparation for the forthcoming assault on 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 destroyer then joined the 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...
ships off that island and remained there until 14 April. On that date, the destroyer was struck aft of her number five gun by a 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....
suicide plane. The port engine was knocked out of commission, the starboard engine could only be run at five knots, steering control was lost, and much of the main deck was awash.
Twenty-three sailors perished, but
Sigsbees skipper, Cmdr. Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
Gordon Paiea Chung-Hoon, was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served during World War II, and the first Asian American flag officer. His father, William Chung-Hoon Jr., a Chinese English Hawaiian, was a County Treasurer and his mother Agnes Punana, a Hawaiian, was a member of the...
did not give up the ship, saving it.
Sigsbee was towed south to Guam (out of the battle area) where she was sufficiently repaired for the long tow back to Pearl Harbor (via Eniwetok). The destroyer arrived there on 7 June 1945 and had a complete new 60-foot stern installed. Ready for sea again, the ship sailed out of port on 28 September en route to the east coast of the United States. On 22 October, she arrived at Philadelphia. The following week, the ship moved to Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
to prepare for inactivation.
On 1 May 1946, the destroyer was placed in commission, in reserve. On 31 March 1947, Sigsbee was placed in reserve, out of commission, with the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 1 December 1974, she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
, and on 31 July 1975 the ship was sold and broken up for scrap.
External links
- USS Sigsbee veterans' websites:
- http://uss.sigsbee502.com (Web Master, Billy Roberts GM3c served 23 Jan 1943 to 5 Aug 1945)
- http://sjkids.scottsburg.com (Memorial site including crew list and photos. Web Master, John Mastin)