USS Dunlap (DD-384)
 USS Dunlap (DD-384) (Peace Painting) |
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Shipyard |
United Dry Docks |
| Keel laying | April 10, 1935 |
| Launch | April 18, 1936 |
| 1. Period of service |
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|
| Commissioning | June 12, 1937 |
| Decommissioning | December 14, 1945 |
| Removed from ship register | January 28, 1947 |
| Whereabouts | Sold for demolition on December 31, 1947 |
| Technical specifications | |
| displacement |
1500 ts |
| length |
104.04 m |
| width |
10.57 m |
| Draft |
5.18 m |
| crew |
8 officers, 150 men. |
| drive |
4 boilers, 2 steam turbines , 2 shafts , 48,000 hp |
| speed |
37 kn (69 km / h) |
| Armament |
Originally |
The USS Dunlap (ID DD-384) was a destroyer of the US Navy during World War II . She was the type ship of the Dunlap class and the only ship that bore that name. It was named after Brigadier General Robert H. Dunlap ( USMC ).
The ship's godmother was Mrs. Robert H. Dunlap, widow of the namesake; The first in command was Commander AE Schrader.
The shipyard was "United Dry Docks Inc." (a subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel ) in Staten Island , New York .
The destroyer initially carried the monochrome paintwork "solid" (Ocean gray 5-O) and from March 1944 the paintwork according to camouflage scheme 31, pattern 9d (Dark Pattern System) with the colors:
- Haze gray (5-H)
- Ocean gray (5-O)
- Dull black (BK)
Mission history
Pre-war period
After commissioning, the Dunlap carried out training trips on the east coast of the USA and was used as an escort ship for the MS Kungsholm in June 1938 when she entered Philadelphia with the Swedish Crown Prince on board . On September 1, 1938, the Dunlap began its journey to the west coast, where it was initially stationed. After a training trip to the Caribbean , she came to the shipyard in Staten Island for an overhaul due to technical problems . Then the ship was used for surveillance and patrol trips on the west coast to call at the new home port Pearl Harbor on April 2, 1940 .
Second World War
On December 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , the Dunlap was at sea. She was escorting TF 8, which had brought planes to Wake and was now on its way back to Pearl Harbor, where the unit arrived the next day.
From December 9, 1941, she went on patrol and security service in Hawaiian waters until she ran out on January 11, 1942 with the TF 8 for air raids against the Marshall Islands . From this company the association returned on February 5, 1942 to expire again on February 24, 1942, this time to a company against Wake. This was followed by patrol trips in the waters around Hawaii until March 22, 1942. Then the Dunlap escorted on the west coast of the USA until it returned to Hawaii on October 22, 1942, and then sailed to Noumea , ( New Caledonia ), where it arrived on December 5, 1942. From this base, the destroyer operated in the area of Fiji , Tonga and the New Hebrides . There were mainly training and patrol trips, but also escorts. On July 30, 1943, the Dunlap moved to Guadalcanal to operate from here in the Solomon Islands .
On the night of August 6th to 7th, 1943, the Dunlap was sent out together with five other destroyers (TG 31.2) to intercept a Japanese convoy that was supposed to bring reinforcements to Kolombangara . In the ensuing battle in the Vella Gulf , the Task Group managed to sink three Japanese destroyers and put the fourth to flight. Despite the fierce battle, the Dunlap suffered no damage.
After a shipyard layover in San Diego , the Dunlap moved to Adak on November 23, 1943 , where it provided patrol services until December 16, 1943. On December 21, 1943, she returned to Pearl Harbor to be assigned to the 5th Fleet. Here she drove around the aircraft carriers in the defense shield during the operations against the Marshall Islands that lasted from January 19 to March 4, 1944. This was followed by a short stay in Espiritu Santo followed by a drive to Fremantle , where the destroyer joined the British Eastern Fleet . After joint training sections that led the fleet to Trincomalee on Ceylon , the Dunlap took part in the action on May 17, 1944 against Soerabaja on Java . Then she drove back to Hawaii, where she entered on June 10, 1944.
The Dunlap arrived in San Francisco on July 7, 1944, where she was assigned to the escort of the cruiser USS Baltimore (CA-68) . On this, President Franklin D. Roosevelt undertook an inspection trip along the west coast of the USA to Alaska and conferred with high-ranking naval commanders.
Released from the escort in Seattle on August 12, 1944 , the Dunlap initially returned to Pearl Harbor and then moved back to the Pacific theater from September 1, 1944. On September 3, 1944, she shot at Wake and then reached Saipan on September 12, 1944 , in order to carry out patrol and escort services from here as part of the "Marianas Patrol".
On October 9, 1944, the Dunlap took part in the bombardment of Marcus Island and was assigned to the "US 3rd Fleet" from October 16, 1944. This shelled Japanese positions on Luzon and supported the landings on Leyte . During the Japanese counterattack on the Philippines , the Dunlap was on the way to Ulithi , but turned back to strengthen the security shield of the TG 38.1. On October 25 and 26, 1944, this pursued the Japanese naval forces, which were in retreat after the battle in the Leyte Gulf . After that, the previously intended relocation to Ulithi followed, followed by patrols from October 29, 1944.
In November and December 1944, as well as in January 1945, the destroyer took part in the bombardments of Iwojima . On March 19, 1945, the Dunlap supported the occupation of the island with subsequent patrol trips to prevent the Japanese evacuation of the Bonin Islands .
On June 19, 1945, the Dunlap succeeded in sinking a Japanese ship attempting to escape from Chichi Jima . 52 castaways were rescued.
On board the Dunlap on August 31, 1945 surrender negotiations of the Japanese forces took place on the Bonin Islands, which were signed on September 3, 1945 on the ship.
On September 19, 1945 she started her journey home via Iwo Jima. With a stopover in San Pedro , she reached Houston for a "Navy Day". After that, the Dunlap moved to Norfolk , where it came in on November 7, 1945 and was decommissioned on December 14. Removed from the shipping list on January 28, 1947, she was sold for demolition on December 31, 1947.
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Armament up to modernization
- 5 × 5 "/ L38 guns M12 (12.7 cm) in two turrets and three M21 mounts. Guns No. 51 and No. 52 on the forecastle, one gun on the deckhouse behind the funnel (No. 53 - this could not be used in the longitudinal direction), as well as the two rear guns No. 54 and 55
- 12 × 21-inch M15 torpedo tubes (4 × 3).
- 4 × 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns. Two on a platform in front of and below the bridge and two on the deckhouse in front of Gun No. 54
- 2 × water bombs -Abrollgestelle at the stern.
modernization
The artillery and anti-aircraft defenses were changed as early as 1942. A 12.7-cm gun and the 12.7-mm machine guns were eliminated, but eight 20-mm machine guns were on board.
In 1943 there was another increase in combat value.
- Equipped with location and fire control radar "Mk 33 Gun Fire Control System"
- Equipment with radar antenna "Mk 4 o"
- additional installation of 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns
Armament
- 2 × 5 "/ L38 guns M12 (12.7 cm) in turrets
- 2 × 5 "/ L38 guns M12 (12.7 cm) in M21 mounts.
- 4 × (2 × 2) Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns
- 5 × Oerlikon 20 mm machine cannons.
- 8 × M15-21 "torpedo tubes (53.3 cm).
- 2 × depth charges at the stern.
- 4 × K-gun depth charge launchers on port and starboard at gun number 53 level
Fleet Allocations
- September 30, 1939
- Destroyer Flotilla 2
- DESRON (Destroyer Squadron) 6
- DESDIV (Destroyer Division) 12
- October 1, 1941
- Destroyer Flotilla 2
- DESRON (Destroyer Squadron) 6
- DESDIV (Destroyer Division) 12 (lead ship)
Honors
The Dunlap were awarded six Battle Stars for their services during the war .
Commanders
- CDR Albert Ernest Schrader Jr. June 12, 1937 -?
- LCDR Rockwell Justus Townsend 1939
- LCDR Carl Hilton Bushnell 1940
- LCDR Virginius Randolph Roane 1941
- CDR Clifton Iverson February 1943 - August 1944
Remarks
literature
- Stefan Terzibaschitsch : Destroyer of the US Navy , ISBN 3-86047-587-8
Web links
- History of dunlap in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (English)
- Pictures of the Dunlap in the Naval Historical Center
- Pictures of the Dunlap at navsource.org (English)
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