USS O'Hare (DD-889)

History of USS O'Hare (DD-889)

Destroyer surface combatants were a key part of the U.S. Navy's success with Imperial Japan in the Pacific War during World War II (1939-1945).

Naturally agile and fast, these ships can navigate blue water environments while being called upon to support major fleets, escort convoys, deny airspace to enemy fighter jets or hunt down submarines. This type of ship was born in the early 20th century (when they were called "torpedo boat destroyers") and was specially designed to fight against the powerful capital ships of the time.

Soon, their roles and designs changed in response to more modern threats.

Transmission

One destroyer group employed by the United States Navy during World War II was the Killeen class. These succeed the Allen M. Sumner class and are basically slightly modified versions of these surface fighters with longer hulls and longer range. The USS O'Hare was part of the class, and some 152 ships were planned for construction before the war ended, but only 98 were completed by the end of the conflict in 1945. The group continues to see extensive service and does so under the banners of various navies including Greece, South Korea and Taiwan.

During and after World War II, several shipyards participated in the U.S. frigate program.

Origin of name

The aircraft carrier USS O'Hare is named after Lieutenant Edward "Butch" O'Hare, a World War II Navy pilot killed on November 26, 1943. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the first U.S. Navy WWII fighter to receive the award and the service's first flying ace.

O'Hare Airport west of Chicago is named after him.

Structure

The USS O'Hare was laid on January 27, 1945 by Consolidated Steel in Orange, Texas, and launched for testing on June 22 of the same year. She officially entered service on November 29, 1945.

However, by then the war was over (August 1945), but she continued to build her seafaring career - despite the huge postwar losses.

Structure

At the time of construction, the ship had a displacement of 2,465 short tons, an overall length of 390.5 feet, a beam of 41 feet, and a draft of 18.5 feet. Power comes from 4 x boiler units feeding GE gear steam turbines rated 60,000 hp on 2 x shafts below the stern. The warship can travel at speeds of up to 35 knots and has a range of up to 4,500 nautical miles.

There are about 267 crew members on board.

USS O'Hare Armaments

The armor kit consists of a variety of devices designed to combat a variety of threats. Leading the attack was the 6 x 5"/38 caliber main gun, with the turrets deployed in three twin-gun installations (two front, one rear). The air threat was countered by 12 x 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (AA) in two quadruple and two twin gun positions and 11 x 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single gun position.

Surface threats are handled with 10 x 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes (in two quintuple launchers), while submarine threats are handled with 6 x depth charge launchers and 2 depth charge racks.

Vietnam War

The USS O'Hare, which was completed after the war, was not officially completed until early 1946, and made several world tours shortly after the war. In 1953, the warship was reclassified as DDR-889, as her role had been changed to a radar-carrying "sentry" - a specially modified ship equipped with an advanced detection system to increase the main force radar range.

It wasn't until the escalation of America's involvement in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) that the USS O'Hare gained its first combat experience. She arrived at the station on July 15, 1966, and shelled enemy positions inland with her artillery. The warship is also the protector of U.S. aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin, participating in the search and rescue of downed pilots when needed.

Her tour ended in December of that year.

On December 1, 1972, the aircraft carrier USS O'Hare returned to the Vietnam Theater and after multiple overseas stations, where she was actively supported until March of the following year. The war officially ended with a North Vietnamese victory on April 30, 1975. She was discharged on October 31, 1973, and her name was removed from the U.S.

Naval Register on June 2, 1975.

Post U. S. Service and Closure

In her Post-U. S. Service The ship was handed over to the Spanish Navy, where she spent her final days under the name Casto Mendez Nunez (D-63). She retired on October 31, 1973, and finally on April 3, 1992.

Her hull was then dismantled and sold as scrap - a rather unceremonious end to her seafaring career.

Specification

Basic

Roles

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Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing