USS Little (DD-803): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Fletcher-class destroyer}} |
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{{other ships|USS Little}} |
{{other ships|USS Little}} |
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|Ship image=[[Image: |
|Ship image=[[Image:USS Little (DD-803) underway, circa in early 1945.jpg|300px|USS Little (DD-803)]] |
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|Ship country=United States |
|Ship country=United States |
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|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}} |
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}} |
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|Ship name= |
|Ship name=''Little'' |
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|Ship namesake=[[George Little (naval officer)|George Little]] |
|Ship namesake=[[George Little (naval officer)|George Little]] |
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|Ship reinstated= |
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|Ship honours= |
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|Ship fate=Sunk by [[Kamikaze]], |
|Ship fate=Sunk by [[Kamikaze]],{{sfnp|Brown|1990|p=149}} 3 May 1945 |
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|Ship notes= |
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|Header caption= |
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|Ship class= |
|Ship class={{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}} |
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|Ship displacement=2,050 tons |
|Ship displacement=2,050 tons |
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|Ship length=376 ft 5 in (114.7 m) |
|Ship length=376 ft 5 in (114.7 m) |
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|Ship armament=*5 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]], |
|Ship armament=*5 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]], |
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*10 × [[Bofors 40 mm |
*10 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] AA guns, |
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*7 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] AA guns, |
*7 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] AA guns, |
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*10 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s, |
*10 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s, |
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'''USS ''Little'' (DD-803)''', a |
'''USS ''Little'' (DD-803)''', a {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}, was the second ship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for Captain [[George Little (naval officer)|George Little]] (1754–1809). |
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''Little'' was laid down by [[ |
''Little'' was laid down by [[Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp.]], [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle, Wash.]], 13 September 1943; [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] 22 May 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Russell F. O'Hara; and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] 19 August 1944. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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After training off the West Coast, ''Little'' departed Seattle 11 November 1944 to escort a [[convoy]] to [[Pearl Harbor]]. She arrived 23 November and participated in gunnery training and battle problems. On 22 January 1945 she got underway with a group of [[Tank landing ship|LST]]s for [[Eniwetok]] and rehearsals for the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|invasion of Iwo Jima]]. Final preparations were made at [[Saipan]], and 15 February ''Little'' sailed for the assault beaches. |
After training off the West Coast, ''Little'' departed Seattle 11 November 1944 to escort a [[convoy]] to [[Pearl Harbor]]. She arrived 23 November and participated in gunnery training and battle problems. On 22 January 1945 she got underway with a group of [[Tank landing ship|LST]]s for [[Eniwetok]] and rehearsals for the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|invasion of Iwo Jima]]. Final preparations were made at [[Saipan]], and 15 February ''Little'' sailed for the assault beaches. |
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Shore bombardment at [[Iwo Jima]] began 19 February. ''Little'' furnished fire support for ground forces until the 24th when she left for Saipan. She returned 4 March for bombardment, screening, and [[radar picket]] duties, and was back at Saipan 14 March to prepare |
Shore bombardment at [[Iwo Jima]] began 19 February. ''Little'' furnished fire support for ground forces until the 24th when she left for Saipan. She returned 4 March for bombardment, screening, and [[radar picket]] duties, and was back at Saipan 14 March to prepare for the [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa invasion]]. |
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''Little'' sailed for [[Okinawa]] 27 March assigned to the demonstration group charged with feigning landings opposite the actual assault beaches. After accomplishing this diversion 1 and 2 April, ''Little'' screened transports and escorted LSTs to the beaches. On 19 April she was ordered to picket duty where she remained until 24 April—unscathed despite relentless enemy suicide attacks. |
''Little'' sailed for [[Okinawa]] 27 March assigned to the demonstration group charged with feigning landings opposite the actual assault beaches. After accomplishing this diversion 1 and 2 April, ''Little'' screened transports and escorted LSTs to the beaches. On 19 April she was ordered to picket duty where she remained until 24 April—unscathed despite relentless enemy suicide attacks. |
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On 3 May ''Little'' and [[USS Aaron Ward (DM-34)|''Aaron Ward'']] (DM-34) were again on picket duty. At 18:13 hours, 18 to 24 aircraft attacked from under cloud cover. ''Aaron Ward'' took the first hit at 18:41. An instant later ''Little'' was hit on the portside. Within |
On 3 May ''Little'' and [[USS Aaron Ward (DM-34)|''Aaron Ward'']] (DM-34) were again on picket duty. At 18:13 hours, 18 to 24 aircraft attacked from under cloud cover. ''Aaron Ward'' took the first hit at 18:41. An instant later ''Little'' was hit on the portside. Within four minutes three more enemy [[kamikaze]]s had hit her, breaking her keel, demolishing the amidship section, and opening all three after machinery spaces. At 19:55 ''Little'' broke up and sank. Thirty-one of the ''Little''{{'}}s approximately 320 crew members perished, while another 49 suffered injuries.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The History of the USS Little DD803 |first=Melvin |last=Fenoglio |magazine=USS Little's 40th Reunion booklet |date=May 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://courantblogs.com/capitol-watch/70-years-later-a-purple-heart/ |title=70 Years Later, A Purple Heart |first=Rick |last=Green |date=5 July 2013 |newspaper=[[Hartford Courant]] |access-date=5 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102015046/http://courantblogs.com/capitol-watch/70-years-later-a-purple-heart/ |archive-date=2 November 2013 }}</ref> |
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''Little'' received two [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service. |
''Little'' received two [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service. |
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== Citations == |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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*Brown, David. ''Warship Losses of World War Two.'' Arms and Armour, London, Great Britain, 1990. {{ISBN|0-85368-802-8}}. |
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==References== |
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*{{cite book |last=Brown |first=David |date=1990 |title=Warship Losses of World War Two |location=London, UK |publisher=Arms and Armour |isbn=0-85368-802-8}} |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/803.htm |
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/803.htm navsource.org: USS ''Little''] |
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*[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd803txt.htm |
*[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd803txt.htm hazegray.org: USS ''Little''] |
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*[http://dd803.org/ |
*[http://dd803.org/ dd803.org: USS '' Little''] |
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{{Fletcher class destroyer}} |
{{Fletcher class destroyer}} |
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{{May 1945 shipwrecks}} |
{{May 1945 shipwrecks}} |
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Latest revision as of 20:13, 7 April 2024
_underway,_circa_in_early_1945.jpg)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Little |
| Namesake | George Little |
| Builder | Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, Seattle |
| Laid down | 13 September 1943 |
| Launched | 22 May 1944 |
| Commissioned | 19 August 1944 |
| Fate | Sunk by Kamikaze,[1] 3 May 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Fletcher-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 2,050 tons |
| Length | 376 ft 5 in (114.7 m) |
| Beam | 39 ft in (12.1 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 9 in (4.2 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range |
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| Complement | 329 |
| Armament |
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USS Little (DD-803), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Captain George Little (1754–1809).
Little was laid down by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Wash., 13 September 1943; launched 22 May 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Russell F. O'Hara; and commissioned 19 August 1944.
History[edit]
After training off the West Coast, Little departed Seattle 11 November 1944 to escort a convoy to Pearl Harbor. She arrived 23 November and participated in gunnery training and battle problems. On 22 January 1945 she got underway with a group of LSTs for Eniwetok and rehearsals for the invasion of Iwo Jima. Final preparations were made at Saipan, and 15 February Little sailed for the assault beaches.
Shore bombardment at Iwo Jima began 19 February. Little furnished fire support for ground forces until the 24th when she left for Saipan. She returned 4 March for bombardment, screening, and radar picket duties, and was back at Saipan 14 March to prepare for the Okinawa invasion.
Little sailed for Okinawa 27 March assigned to the demonstration group charged with feigning landings opposite the actual assault beaches. After accomplishing this diversion 1 and 2 April, Little screened transports and escorted LSTs to the beaches. On 19 April she was ordered to picket duty where she remained until 24 April—unscathed despite relentless enemy suicide attacks.
On 3 May Little and Aaron Ward (DM-34) were again on picket duty. At 18:13 hours, 18 to 24 aircraft attacked from under cloud cover. Aaron Ward took the first hit at 18:41. An instant later Little was hit on the portside. Within four minutes three more enemy kamikazes had hit her, breaking her keel, demolishing the amidship section, and opening all three after machinery spaces. At 19:55 Little broke up and sank. Thirty-one of the Little's approximately 320 crew members perished, while another 49 suffered injuries.[2][3]
Little received two battle stars for World War II service.
Citations[edit]
- ^ Brown (1990), p. 149.
- ^ Fenoglio, Melvin (May 1985). "The History of the USS Little DD803". USS Little's 40th Reunion booklet.
- ^ Green, Rick (5 July 2013). "70 Years Later, A Purple Heart". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
References[edit]
- Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. London, UK: Arms and Armour. ISBN 0-85368-802-8.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links[edit]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1945 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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