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USS Downes (DD-375)

1937 WORLD WAR 2

History of the USS Downs (DD-375)

World War II (1939-1945) turned many battleships and their crews into veterans. USS Downes (DD-375) was one such conflict participant and survived the entire war, earning four Battle Stars in the process.

She was (initially) laid by the Norfolk Naval Yard and launched on 22 April 1936 and then commissioned (first) on 15 January 1937. With Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941, the United States formally committed to a full-scale war against the Axis powers.

The USS Downes was built to Mahan class destroyer standards - a group of eighteen ships. The ships have a length of 341.2 feet, a beam of 35.5 feet, a draft of 10.6 feet, and a full-load displacement of 2,100 tons.

As built, armament consisted of a 5 x 5"/38 caliber (127 mm) main gun, 12 x 21" torpedo tubes, a 4.50 caliber heavy machine gun and 2 depth charges (above the stern). Propulsion power comes from 4 boilers feeding 2 GE 46,000 hp steam turbines driving 2 shafts.

The USS Downs completed standard maneuvers in Caribbean waters before passing through the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, which became her home port in April 1940. As such, she was present during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, but was dry docked with the others during the attack.

Despite fires, floods and constant fire from enemy fighter jets, her crew fought the enemy using airborne anti-aircraft weapons. Despite heroic efforts to repel the attackers, the port remained in ruins and the Downs was badly damaged - so much so that it was written off on June 20, 1942.

Her repairable machinery has been reorganized in a new warship laid out as USS Downes from Mare Island Naval Shipyard. This bloodline has clear access to the Pacific theater, where its skills would be greatly appreciated in the war against Imperial Japan, and its first notable operations were escort, blockade, and patrolespecially against enemy submarines . She participated in the Battle of Mariana (again as an escort) and was used on patrol whenever and wherever necessary. During the Tinian landing, her cannons were used angrily, and she then proceeded to shell enemy positions on Marcus.

Then there was support for the Wright (Philippines) amphibious landings, which she overhauled at Pearl by the end of 1944. During this period, the ship was equipped with the Mk 37 artillery fire control system (FCS) and two Mk 51 artillery command systems, while losing a 5-inch unit.

4 x 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns have been added to increase defenses against aircraft, and four K-gun depth shot launchers complement the existing dual depth shot racks.

In March 1945, she was re-commissioned and reassigned to the escort and participated in the Guam initiative before heading to Iwo Jima. This marked her final action in the war, as she was recalled to the United States and used for the last time as transport for service members to return home.

She completed her sailing day in Norfolk, Virginia in November 1945 and was discharged from the U.S. Navy on December 17 of that year. Her dismantled hull was sold as scrap in November 1947, bringing an official, rather unceremonious end to the legendary warship.