| The ten ships of Destroyer Squadron 45—listed in order of commissioning—are as follows: USS GUEST, DD 472 — Built at Boston Navy Yard and commissioned 15 December 1942, the 26th Fletcher-class destroyer. Earned 8 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NFAK. USS TERRY, DD 513 — Built at Bath Iron Works and commissioned 26 January 1943, the 35th ship of the Fletcher class. Earned 7 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NETK. USS BENNETT, DD 473 — Built at Boston Navy Yard and commissioned 9 February 1943, with John Rodgers the 39th ship of the class. In addition to her Navy Unit Commendation, earned 9 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NAZV. USS ANTHONY, DD 515 — Built at Bath Iron Works. and commissioned 26 February 1943, the 43rd ship of the class. In addition to her Navy Unit Commendation, earned 7 battle stars during World War II. Crew’s nickname: “Mad Anthony.” Radio call letters NAHJ. USS FULLAM, DD 474 (flagship) — Built at Boston Navy Yard and commissioned 2 March 1943, the 43rd ship of the class. Collided with Noa, (APD 24) off Palau, 12 September 1944, sinking her. Earned 7 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NUJJ. USS WADSWORTH, DD 516 — Built at Bath Iron Works and commissioned 16 March 1943, the 58th ship of the class. In addition to her Presidential Unit Citation, earned 7 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NWFQ. Sold to Germany, operated as destroyer Z3. USS HALFORD, DD 480 — Built at Puget Sound Navy Yard and commissioned 10 April 1943, the 54th ship of the class. Initially fitted with seaplane catapult. Operated with DesRon 56 at the Battle of Surigao Strait. Earned 13 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NAGV. USS HUDSON, DD 475 — Built at Boston Navy Yard and commissioned 13 April 1943, 56th ship of the class. In addition to her Navy Unit Commendation, earned 8 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NBAV. USS BRAINE, DD 630 — Built at Bath Iron Works. and first commissioned 11 May 1943, 63rd ship of the class. First attached to DesRon 45, then to DesRon 23 as a replacement ship. Sustained more casualties at Okinawa than any other surviving ship. Earned 9 battle stars during World War II. Radio call letters NIZF. Served as flagship of DesRon 21 in the fifties and sixties; sold to Argentina as Domecq Garcia, August 1971. See also http://www.ussbrainedd630.com/.
USS HOWORTH, DD 592 — Built at Puget Sound Navy Yard and commissioned 3 April 1944, the 161st ship of the class. Attached to DesRon 21 as a replacement ship in August and operated in the New Guinea campaign at Hollandia, Wakde, Biak, Sansapor, and Morotai followed by Peleliu, Leyte and Ormoc Bay. Reassigned to DesRon 45 in December and sustained slight damage from a suicide plane off Mindoro. Participated in invasions of Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, where a suicide plane crashed her gun director, killing seven. After repairs at Mare Island, Howorth returned to the western Pacific via Alaska. She decommissioned 30 April 1946 at San Diego and was sunk offshore 8 March 1962 in torpedo tests. Earned seven battle stars during World War II. Crew’s nickname: “Mighty H.” Radio call letters NAZN. | |
