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'''USS ''Nicholas'' (DD/DDE-449)''' was a [[Fletcher class destroyer|''Fletcher''-class]] [[destroyer]] of the [[United States Navy]], which served through most of [[World War II]], and for 27 years and two more wars after. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Major [[Samuel Nicholas]]. |
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Thornton A. Jenkins was born at Orange Court House. Va., 11 December 1811. He entered the Navy as a midshipman 1 November 1828 and served first in the West Indies in an expedition against pirates and slavers. Examined for a commission as Lieutenant, he placed first among 82 candidates. |
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''Nicholas'' was laid down 3 March 1941 by the [[Bath Iron Works]] Corp., [[Bath, Maine]], [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] 19 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward B. Tryon, descendant of Major Nicholas; and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] 4 June 1942, Lieutenant Commander William D. Brown in command. |
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== 1942 == |
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Prior to the Mexican War, Jenkins served with the Coast Survey and with the Brazilian and Mediterranean Squadrons. During the war with Mexico, as executive officer of Germantown, he led landing parties from his ship at Tuxpan and Tabasco. Later, he commanded hospital ship Relief and the Supply Station at Salmedena Island. In the interval between the wars, he served in the receiving ship at Baltimore, returned to the Coast Survey, and was Secretary of the Lighthouse Board. |
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Destined to serve in the Pacific through three armed conflicts, ''Nicholas'', assigned to [[Destroyer Squadron 21]] (DesRon 21), departed [[New York City]] 23 August 1942, sailing in the screen of [[USS Washington (BB-56)|''Washington'']] (BB-56), transited the [[Panama Canal]], and continued on to the Central Pacific, arriving at [[Espiritu Santo]] 27 September. Three days later she began escorting [[Guadalcanal]]-bound troop and supply [[convoy]]s. Into 1943 she screened the convoys assembled at Espiritu Santo and [[Nouméa]] to "Cactus" area (Guadalcanal and [[Tulagi]]), guarded them as they off-loaded and then returned the vessels to their departure point. Periodically assigned to offensive duties she also conducted antisubmarine hunter-killer missions off [[Allies|Allied]] harbors, sweeps of "[[the Slot]]", bombarded shore targets and performed gunfire support missions for Marine and [[United States Army|Army]] units as they pushed toward the [[Tenamba River]] and total control of the long embattled island. |
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== January 1943 == |
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His Civil War record was distinguished. Serving primarily in the West Gulf Blockading Squadron of David Farragut, he commanded Oneida. He served as chief of staff to Farragut, and was later wounded while commanding a convoy escort group. As Senior Officer Present, in command of Richmond, he received the surrender of Port Hudson 9 July 1863. He later commanded a division of the Squadron. |
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In January 1943, ''Nicholas'' was one of the Tulagi-based "Cactus Striking Force" ([[Task Force 67]]) destroyers which resisted the [[Japan]]ese last counterattack for Guadalcanal by pounding the newly built enemy air facilities at [[Munda (Solomon Islands)|Munda]] (4–5 January); shelling their [[Kokumbona]]-[[Cape Esperance]] escape route (19 January), and blasting their Munda resupply area at [[Vila]] on [[Kolombangara]] (23–24 January). On 26 January, the [[executive officer]], Lt.Comdr. Andrew J. Hill took command of ''Nicholas''. |
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On 1 February, as the Japanese began [[Operation KE]]—the evacuation of Guadalcanal, ''Nicholas'' covered the 2nd Battalion, [[U.S. 132nd Infantry Regiment|132nd Infantry]], landing at [[Verahue]] and supported them as they began their trek inland to seal off the Cape Esperance area to Japanese reinforcements. ''En route'' back to Tulagi ''Nicholas'', in company with [[USS De Haven (DD-469)|''De Haven'']] (DD-469) and 3 [[Landing craft tank|LCT]]s, was attacked by a formation of 14 [[Aichi D3A]] "Val" [[dive bomber]]s. Three bombs hit ''De Haven'' and a fourth, a near miss, holed the hull. As her sister destroyer settled in the waters of [[Ironbottom Sound]], ''Nicholas'' fought off eight planes, receiving only near misses which killed two of her crew and damaged the steering gear. |
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Jenkins was Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, from 1865 to 1869, and he commanded the Asiatic Station from 1870 until his retirement in 1873. Rear Admiral Jenkins was President of the Naval Institute from 1883 to 1885, and died 9 August 1893. |
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Following repairs, ''Nicholas'' resumed her varied duties. Escort assignments and two bombardments of the Munda-Kolombangara area of [[New Georgia]] took up March. In April, she joined [[Task Force 18]] (TF18) for "Slot" patrol and on the 19th turned her bow toward [[Australia]] for an availability at [[Sydney]]. By 11 May she was once again with TF18 en route to Kolombangara. On the 13th, while firing on enemy positions there, her #3 gun jammed and exploded, with no casualties. After repairs at Nouméa, she took up antisubmarine patrol duties and at the end of the month resumed escort duties in the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]]-[[New Hebrides]] area. |
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== July 1943 == |
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On 5 July she participated in another bombardment of Kolombangara. In the early morning hours of the 6th she made contact with enemy surface vessels in [[Kula Gulf]]. In the ensuing battle, [[USS Helena (CL-50)|''Helena'']] (CL-50) was lost. ''Nicholas'', while rescuing 291 survivors, took the Japanese ships under [[torpedo]] and gunfire. ''Nicholas'' and [[USS Radford (DD-446)|''Radford'']] (DD-446) were later awarded [[Presidential Unit Citation (US)|Presidential Unit Citation]]s for their persevering performance during the [[Battle of Kula Gulf]]—a token, Admiral [[Chester Nimitz]] told the crew, of "the respect and esteem which this ship, her officers and men have well earned throughout the Navy." |
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On the 12th and 13th she participated in the [[Battle of Kolombangara]]; on the 15th covered the rescue of remaining ''Helena'' survivors from [[Vella LaVella]]; and on the 16th returned to Tulagi to resume escort duties. In early August, she joined Task Unit 31.5.1 (TU31.5.1) and on the 15th screened the advance transport group during landings on [[Barakoma]], Vella LaVella. Back at Tulagi on the 17th, she, with [[USS O'Bannon (DD-450)|''O'Bannon'']] (DD-450), [[USS Taylor (DD-468)|''Taylor'']] (DD-468), and [[USS Chevalier (DD-451)|''Chevalier'']] (DD-451), was sent out to intercept four [[Rabaul]]-based Japanese destroyers as they headed for Vella LaVella to cover the establishment of a [[barge]] staging area at [[Horaniu]]. |
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(DD-47: displacement 2,100 tons; length 376'4"; beam 39'5"; draft 13'; speed 35.5 knots; complement 273; armament 5 5-inch guns, 10 40mm., 7 20mm., 10 21-inch torpedo tubes; 2 depth charge tracks, 6 depth charge projectors; class Fletcher) |
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Racing up the "Slot", the American destroyers picked up their Japanese counterparts on surface [[radar]] at 00:29, 18 August, 11 miles away. To the west the radar showed a barge group. At 00:50, the American quartet feinted toward the barges. At 00:56, they swung back toward the Imperial Navy's destroyers, now five miles (nine kilometers) to the northwest. The brief engagement off Horaniu, in which the Japanese "[[cross the T|crossed the T]]" of the American forces but failed to press their advantage, was broken off by the Japanese at 01:03. The American force pursued, scored on [[Japanese destroyer Isokaze|''Isokaze'']], and finally dropped behind, engineering problems in ''Chevalier'' limiting them to 30 knots (56 km/h). They then turned their attention to the scattering barge group, destroying two [[subchaser]]s, two [[motor torpedo boat]]s, and a barge. |
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''Nicholas'' returned to Vella LaVella on 19 and 20 August to conduct barge hunts and on the 24th and 25th to cover [[Naval mine|mine]] operations. At the end of the month she steamed to Nouméa thence to [[New Guinea]] and Australia. Back in the Solomons by October, she conducted another search for barge traffic and on the 6th covered the unloading of [[High speed transport|APD]]s at [[Batakoma]]. Then, 22 October, she steamed to [[Efate]] to resume escort duties. |
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Jenkins (DD-447) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J., 27 November 1941; launched 21 June 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Marion Parker Embry; and commissioned 31 July 1942, Lt. Comdr. H. F. Miller in command. |
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On 11 November ''Nicholas'' departed [[Nadi]], [[Fiji Islands]], with Task Group 50.1 (TG50.1) for raids on [[Kwajalein]] and [[Wotje]], after which she headed east, arriving at [[San Francisco]] 15 December for overhaul. Comdr. Robert T. S. Keith took command on 10 December. |
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== 1944 == |
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After a training period during the summer of 1942, Jenkins departed Casco Bay, Maine, 24 October as escort to a convoy headed for the North African campaign. She screened heavy ships during the shore bombardment, as the attack force arrived off Casablanca 8 November. Following the successful assault, the destroyer returned to New York 19 November to prepare for action in the Pacific. |
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On 12 February 1944 she resumed Central and South Pacific escort duties. On 5 April she proceeded, with DesRon 21, to [[Milne Bay]] for temporary duty with the [[U.S. Seventh Fleet]]. On the 22nd, she covered the [[Aitape]] landings, and until 8 May escorted resupply groups there and to [[Teluk Yos Sudarso|Humboldt Bay]]. She then returned to the Solomons and the [[US 3rd Fleet|3rd Fleet]] shelling [[Medina Plantation]], [[New Ireland (island)|New Ireland]], on the 29th. Spending the first part of June on antisubmarine patrol, she again joined the 7th Fleet on the 14th, serving with TG70.8 in the northern Solomons. On 15 August she sailed to [[Manus Island]] to join [[Task Force 74|TF74]] and until the 27th operated along the New Guinea coast. She then returned to [[Seeadler Harbor]] whence she supported the [[Morotai]] operation 15–30 September. |
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On 18 October, the destroyer, now in TG 78.7 escorted reinforcements to [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]], arriving on the 24th. On the 25th and 26th, she patrolled off [[Dinagat Island]] and on the 27th set out again for Manus. On 8 November she sailed for [[Ulithi]], whence she headed for [[Kossol Roads]]. En route to the latter, her three-ship formation, ''Taylor'' and [[USS St. Louis (CL-49)|''St. Louis'']] (CL-49), was closed by a [[submarine]], 12 November. Leaving the formation. ''Nicholas'' pressed home two [[depth charge]] attacks, sinking [[Japanese submarine I-88|''I-88'']]. |
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Arriving at Noumea, New Caldonia 4 January 1943, she immediately began escort and patrol duty among the Solomon Islands and in the Coral Sea. Her first Pacific landing operation began 29 June, when she joined other units in supporting the invasion of New Georgia Island. Jenkins splashed several enemy planes, as the Japanese fought back with considerable air strength. |
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Four days later, ''Nicholas'' joined TG77.1 on continuous patrol of the southern end of [[Leyte Gulf]]. There until 6 December she survived 4 attacks by [[kamikaze]] suicide-plane formations, 27 and 29 November and 2 and 5 December. On 6 December she assisted in a sweep of the [[Camotes Sea]], bombarded [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese Naval]] facilities on [[Ormoc Bay]] and then covered Allied landings there. On the 10th she sailed for [[Manus Island|Manus]], returning to Leyte on the 28th for further escort work. |
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== 1945 == |
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Assigned to Rear Adm. W. L. Ainsworth's Task Group 36.1, Jenkins departed Tulagi 5 July and steamed up the Slot to intercept a Japanese destroyer and transport force carrying reinforcements to Kolombangara. Radar detected the enemy during mid-watch; and during the Battle of Kula Gulf 6 July, American gunfire sank one destroyer and drove another ashore. Enemy torpedoes sank Helena. |
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On the first day of the new year, 1945, the destroyer joined TG77.3, the Close Support Group for the [[Battle of Luzon|Lingayen Gulf assault]]. ''En route'' to [[Luzon]], her group was harassed by enemy [[midget submarine]]s and almost constant air raids. After a two day bombardment, Army troops landed at [[Lingayen Gulf]] 9 January. Until the 18th, ''Nicholas'' provided fire support, then patrolled to the west of Luzon with the covering [[escort aircraft carrier|escort carrier]] group. On the 24th, she captured a motor boat being used by three Japanese to escape from the island and on the 29th provided close cover for the landings in [[Zambales]] Province. |
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During the first part of February she escorted vessels between Leyte and [[Mindoro]], whence she proceeded to [[Manila Bay]] to shell [[Corregidor]], other islands in Manila Bay, and shore installations at [[Mariveles, Bataan|Mariveles]]. Resuming escort work on the 17th, she guarded [[Minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]]s as they cleared [[Basilan Strait]] in mid-March and then supported the occupation of the [[Zamboanga Peninsula (Administrative Region)|Zamboanga]] area. In April. she returned to Luzon to support the [[U.S. Sixth Army|Sixth Army]] as it fought to reoccupy the island and then on the 24th resumed operations in the [[Netherlands East Indies]]. From then until 5 May she supported the [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|Tarakan]] operation after which she steamed north again to Luzon, thence to Leyte where she joined TU30.12.2 and departed for [[Okinawa]], 15 June. Following strikes on [[Sakishima]], she joined TG30.8 at Ulithi and screened that group as it refueled and resuppIied the fast [[aircraft carrier]]s at sea. On 11 August she reported to CTG38.4, a fast carrier task group, and on the 13th screened the carriers during strikes against the [[Tokyo]] area. On the 15th hostilities ceased. |
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Following this operation, Jenkins was dispatched 18 July to a position 100 miles south of Santa Cruz Island to assist damaged seaplane tender Chincoteague. Although under attack from enemy bombers, the destroyer escorted Chincoteague back to Espiritu Santo. |
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Approaching Japan in August 1945, Admiral [[William Halsey]], commander of the [[U.S. Third Fleet]] ordered that ''Nicholas'' and her sisters ''O'Bannon'' and ''Taylor'' be present in [[Tokyo Bay]] for Japan's surrender "because of their valorous fight up the long road from the South Pacific to the very end." Assigned to his Flagship Task Group, the "Nick" disseminated Japanese [[ harbor|pilot]]s and peace emissaries among the fleet, escorted [[battleship]] [[USS Missouri (BB-63)|''Missouri'']] (BB-63) into Tokyo Bay, and transported Allied and U.S. representatives to the formal surrender on ''Missouri'' 2 September. ''Nicholas'' then joined in the repatriation of Allied [[Prisoner of war|POW]]s. Departing the [[Far East]] 5 October, she arrived at [[Seattle]] on the 19th and continued on to [[San Pedro, California|San Pedro]], arriving 1 November to begin inactivation. |
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== 1946 – 1959 == |
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During the next 4 months Jenkins engaged in escort duty, training exercises, and preparations for the Gilbert Islands campaign. She joined the screen of Rear Adm. W. A. Radford's Northern Carrier Group which bombed Makin and Tarawa during the landings 15 November. Then the destroyer sailed with the carrier force to attack Kwajalein and Wotje in the Marshalls on 4 December. During these raids the carrier Lexington was hit by a torpedo, and Jenkins was assigned to escort her back to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 9 December. |
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Decommissioned 12 June 1946, ''Nicholas'' remained in the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet]] until hostilities in [[Korea]] necessitated her recall. Reclassified '''DDE-449''', 26 March 1949, she was brought out of reserve to begin conversion in November 1950. Recommissioned 19 February 1951, she underwent shakedown off the west coast, steamed to Pearl Harbor where she joined [[CortDesDiv 12]], [[CortDesRon 1]]; and continued on to the Western Pacific, arriving at [[U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]] 10 June. In Far Eastern waters until 14 November, she screened the carriers of [[Task Force 77 (U.S. Navy)|TF77]] off the west coast of Korea; conducted [[Antisubmarine warfare|ASW]] exercises between Yokosuka and Okinawa; and patrolled the [[Taiwan Strait]]. On 3 May 1952 she departed Pearl Harbor again for Korea. A temporary replacement vessel in [[Destroyer Division 112|DesDiv 112]], she served first with TF77 and then swung around the peninsula to the gun line off the Korean east coast and operated there, under [[Task Force 95|CTF95]], until sailing for home in July. She returned to Korea with CortDesDiv 12 in November and remained in the Far East until 20 May 1953 performing missions similar to her 1951 deployment. |
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After Korea ''Nicholas'' rotated duty in WestPac with [[US 1st Fleet|1st Fleet]] assignments. Her 7th Fleet deployments took her from Japan to [[Sumatra]], while EastPac assignments ranged primarily from [[Hawaii]] to the west coast. On occasion 1st Fleet duty sent her to the Central Pacific as in 1954 when she assisted in [[Operation Castle]], an atomic test series. |
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Jenkins departed Hawaii 25 January 1944 with a tanker unit to fuel fast carriers and ships covering the Marshall Islands campaign. She operated with the refueling group through February, and conducted shore bombardment on Bougainville during March. She departed Seeadler Harbor 20 April to rendezvous with Task Force 77 for amphibious operations at Hollandia and Aitape. The landings took place 22 April, and their successful conclusion gave American Pacific forces another base from which to unleash further attacks on remaining enemy held islands. After escort duty and ASW patrols, Jenkins made a search in early June to thwart any attempt by the Japanese to reinforce their Biak garrison. She then covered and provided shore bombardment for the invasions of Noemfoor, Sansapor, and Morotai, as well as patrolling and escorting reinforcements for these operations throughout the summer. |
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== 1960 – 1970 == |
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''Nicholas'' underwent a [[Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization]] (FRAM) update between December 1959 and July 1960, emerging from the shipyard in time for her annual rotation to WestPac, which, that year, sent her, for the first time since World War II, to the [[South China Sea]] for extensive operations. Reclassified '''DD-449''' on 1 July 1962, she returned to the South China Sea in March 1965. There she became one of the first ships engaged in [[Operation Market Time]]—patrol of the jagged [[South Vietnam]]ese coastline to prohibit smuggling of men, weapons, and supplies into South Vietnam by [[Viet Cong]] and [[North Vietnam]]ese [[junk (sailing)|junk]]s and [[sampan]]s. |
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Jenkins once again departed Manus, Admiralties, 12 October for the Leyte invasion scheduled 20 October. Upon arrival, the destroyer was assigned to radar picket duty, from which she performed fighter director duties. As other units of the fleet were decisively defeating the enemy fleet in the historic Battle for Leyte Gulf, Jenkins continued her services on the picket station until 27 November. |
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Relieved of duty 15 April, ''Nicholas'' returned to Pearl Harbor only to depart again for Viet Nam in mid-September. Off the embattled coast by 1 October, she carried out surveillance assignments and gunfire support duties until 3 December, when she proceeded to Taiwan for patrol duty in Taiwan Strait. Early in 1966 she returned to Viet Nam for duty on "[[Yankee Station]]" in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]], followed by another tour on "Market Time" patrol. Homeward bound at the end of February, she proceeded to Australia, thence to Hawaii, arriving 17 March. |
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Each WestPac tour since that time has followed a similar employment schedule. Her gunfire support missions during her November 1966–May 1967 tour included participation in [[Operation Deck House V]] in the [[Mekong Delta]] area, as well as missions close to the [[Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone|DMZ]]. Most of her 1968 tour was again spent in Vietnamese waters, this time, however, with a greater portion spent on "Yankee Station" and on gunfire support missions. |
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On 28 December Jenkins sortied from Aitape to provide close cover for the Luzon Attack Force. After receiving some damage from the enemy shore battery, the destroyer returned to Leyte 12 January 1945. Ten days later she departed to assist in hunter-killer operations in the Linga-yen Gulf area. She remained on ASW patrol until proceeding to cover minesweeping and shore bombardment on Corregidor 13 February. She continued to support the landings in the islands, giving valuable fire support and ASW assistance until late April. |
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On her return to EastPac in 1968, ''Nicholas'' was assigned to support [[NASA]]'s [[Project Apollo|Apollo Program]]. From 8 to 23 October and again between 19 and 22 December she operated in the Pacific [[space capsule]] recovery areas; first for the [[Apollo 7]] mission, then for [[Apollo 8]]. After each of these assignments she returned to Pearl Harbor for training exercises in Hawaiian waters in preparation for a return to the Western Pacific. |
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On 30 January 1970, having become the navy's oldest active destroyer eight years earlier, the "Nick" was decommissioned in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor (again side-by-side with ''O'Bannon''), stricken from the [[Navy List]], towed to [[Portland, Oregon]], and then broken up in 1972. At the time she was retired, only seven other ''Fletcher''s remained in service with the US Navy. |
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She departed Subic Bay 24 April-to cover minesweeping and amphibious operations in the Celebes Sea off Borneo. Jenkins struck a mine off Takaran Island 30 April and sailed into Subic Bay for repairs. On 18 June she sailed for the United States to complete repairs, arriving San Pedro 8 July. She remained on the West Coast through the duration of the war. The battle-scarred destroyer decommissioned at San Diego 1 May 1946. |
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== Awards == |
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In addition to her [[Presidential Unit Citation (US)|Presidential Unit Citation]], ''Nicholas'' earned 16 [[battle star]]s in World War II, a total among destroyers exceeded only by her sister, [[USS O'Bannon (DD-450)|''O'Bannon'']]. She earned 5 more in the [[Korean War]] and 9 in the [[Vietnam War]], giving her a total higher than any other ship in the Navy.{{Fact|date=May 2009}} |
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== References == |
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The outbreak of the Korean conflict necessitated additional naval strength to maintain America's worldwide commitments. Jenkins recommissioned as DDE-447 on 2 November 1951 under the command of Comdr. C. F. McGivern. She departed San Diego 25 February 1952 for a training period at Pearl Harbor. Upon completion of training, she arrived Japan 12 June; and during the summer she operated with Task Force 77 which furnished air support for the ground forces in Korea. She also engaged in patrol duties off Korea and Formosa before returning to her home port Pearl Harbor 5 December. |
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*{{DANFS|http://history.navy.mil/danfs/n5/nicholas-ii.htm}} |
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== External links == |
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{{Commons category|USS Nicholas (DD-449)}} |
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*[http://www.ussnicholas.org/index.html USS ''Nicholas'' website] |
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She operated out of Pearl until 10 November 1953 when she sailed for another Far Eastern tour. This cruise was highlighted by Korean and Formosan patrols before returning to Pearl Harbor 15 June. From 1954 through 1963, Jenkins sailed annually to the Far East for peacekeeping operations with the 7th Fleet. In her 1958 deployment the 7th Fleet was on ready alert, as the Chinese Communists commenced harassment of the Chinese Nationalist islands of Quemoy and Matsu. |
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*[http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussnicholas/ USS ''Nicholas'' website] at [http://destroyerhistory.org/ Destroyer History Foundation] |
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*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/449.htm navsource.org: USS ''Nicholas''] |
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During the sixties the 7th Fleet deployments were of greater importance because of the Communist insurgency in Laos and Vietnam. For the greater part of 1964 and 1965, Jenkins operated out of Pearl Harbor. |
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Jenkins sailed for the Far East 9 February 1966 and on the 21st was assigned to gunfire support duty and effectively shelled enemy troop concentrations to assist Marine fighting in Vietnam. But for breathers in the Philippines and Japan, she continued this duty until returning to Pearl Harbor 22 July. |
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Jenkins operated in Hawaiian waters until entering U.S. Naval Shipyard at Pearl Harbor 11 September for a major overhaul which was completed on 6 February 1967. Following a short period of refresher training out of Pearl Harbor, the destroyer sailed for the western Pacific on 18 April. Arriving at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 7 May, Jenkins conducted a two week Taiwan Strait's patrol before moving on to Vietnam. Arriving in I Corps area on 22 May, the destroyer spent the next four months conducting naval gunfore support off the coast, plane guard duty with aircraft carriers and ASW and other readiness exercises with 7th Fleet units. The warship sailed for home on 4 October, arriving at Pearl Harbor via Yokosuka on the 23d. |
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Following a post-deployment stand down, Jenkins conducted local operations out of Pearl Harbor until 5 August 1968, when the warship sailed for the western Pacific. The destroyer arrived off Vietnam, via Yokosuka and Subic Bay, on 4 September and relieved Rich (DD-820) of Search and Rescue (SAR) duties in the Tonkin Gulf that same day. She remained on SAR duty, except for occassional ASW exercises and maintenance stops at Subic Bay and Da Nang, until 26 December when the warship began gunfire support missions. She remained on the gunline until 18 January 1969 when Jenkins sailed for home, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 28 February via Subic Bay; Newcastle and Hobart, Australia; Lyttleton, New Zealand; and Pago Pago, American Samoa. |
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Tapped for inactivation on 7 April, Jenkins decommissioned at San Diego on 2 July 1969 and was struck from the Navy list that same day. Initially retained for possible foreign sale, the hulk was ultimately sold to Campbell Machine Corp., San Diego, on 26 February 1971 for scrapping. |
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Jenkins (DD-447) earned fourteen battle stars during World War II, one battle star in the Korean conflict, and five battle stars for Vietnam service. |
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Version vom 18. Juli 2011, 09:17 Uhr
USS Nicholas (DD/DDE-449) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, which served through most of World War II, and for 27 years and two more wars after. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas.
Nicholas was laid down 3 March 1941 by the Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine, launched 19 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward B. Tryon, descendant of Major Nicholas; and commissioned 4 June 1942, Lieutenant Commander William D. Brown in command.
1942
Destined to serve in the Pacific through three armed conflicts, Nicholas, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 21 (DesRon 21), departed New York City 23 August 1942, sailing in the screen of Washington (BB-56), transited the Panama Canal, and continued on to the Central Pacific, arriving at Espiritu Santo 27 September. Three days later she began escorting Guadalcanal-bound troop and supply convoys. Into 1943 she screened the convoys assembled at Espiritu Santo and Nouméa to "Cactus" area (Guadalcanal and Tulagi), guarded them as they off-loaded and then returned the vessels to their departure point. Periodically assigned to offensive duties she also conducted antisubmarine hunter-killer missions off Allied harbors, sweeps of "the Slot", bombarded shore targets and performed gunfire support missions for Marine and Army units as they pushed toward the Tenamba River and total control of the long embattled island.
January 1943
In January 1943, Nicholas was one of the Tulagi-based "Cactus Striking Force" (Task Force 67) destroyers which resisted the Japanese last counterattack for Guadalcanal by pounding the newly built enemy air facilities at Munda (4–5 January); shelling their Kokumbona-Cape Esperance escape route (19 January), and blasting their Munda resupply area at Vila on Kolombangara (23–24 January). On 26 January, the executive officer, Lt.Comdr. Andrew J. Hill took command of Nicholas.
On 1 February, as the Japanese began Operation KE—the evacuation of Guadalcanal, Nicholas covered the 2nd Battalion, 132nd Infantry, landing at Verahue and supported them as they began their trek inland to seal off the Cape Esperance area to Japanese reinforcements. En route back to Tulagi Nicholas, in company with De Haven (DD-469) and 3 LCTs, was attacked by a formation of 14 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers. Three bombs hit De Haven and a fourth, a near miss, holed the hull. As her sister destroyer settled in the waters of Ironbottom Sound, Nicholas fought off eight planes, receiving only near misses which killed two of her crew and damaged the steering gear.
Following repairs, Nicholas resumed her varied duties. Escort assignments and two bombardments of the Munda-Kolombangara area of New Georgia took up March. In April, she joined Task Force 18 (TF18) for "Slot" patrol and on the 19th turned her bow toward Australia for an availability at Sydney. By 11 May she was once again with TF18 en route to Kolombangara. On the 13th, while firing on enemy positions there, her #3 gun jammed and exploded, with no casualties. After repairs at Nouméa, she took up antisubmarine patrol duties and at the end of the month resumed escort duties in the Solomons-New Hebrides area.
July 1943
On 5 July she participated in another bombardment of Kolombangara. In the early morning hours of the 6th she made contact with enemy surface vessels in Kula Gulf. In the ensuing battle, Helena (CL-50) was lost. Nicholas, while rescuing 291 survivors, took the Japanese ships under torpedo and gunfire. Nicholas and Radford (DD-446) were later awarded Presidential Unit Citations for their persevering performance during the Battle of Kula Gulf—a token, Admiral Chester Nimitz told the crew, of "the respect and esteem which this ship, her officers and men have well earned throughout the Navy."
On the 12th and 13th she participated in the Battle of Kolombangara; on the 15th covered the rescue of remaining Helena survivors from Vella LaVella; and on the 16th returned to Tulagi to resume escort duties. In early August, she joined Task Unit 31.5.1 (TU31.5.1) and on the 15th screened the advance transport group during landings on Barakoma, Vella LaVella. Back at Tulagi on the 17th, she, with O'Bannon (DD-450), Taylor (DD-468), and Chevalier (DD-451), was sent out to intercept four Rabaul-based Japanese destroyers as they headed for Vella LaVella to cover the establishment of a barge staging area at Horaniu.
Racing up the "Slot", the American destroyers picked up their Japanese counterparts on surface radar at 00:29, 18 August, 11 miles away. To the west the radar showed a barge group. At 00:50, the American quartet feinted toward the barges. At 00:56, they swung back toward the Imperial Navy's destroyers, now five miles (nine kilometers) to the northwest. The brief engagement off Horaniu, in which the Japanese "crossed the T" of the American forces but failed to press their advantage, was broken off by the Japanese at 01:03. The American force pursued, scored on Isokaze, and finally dropped behind, engineering problems in Chevalier limiting them to 30 knots (56 km/h). They then turned their attention to the scattering barge group, destroying two subchasers, two motor torpedo boats, and a barge.
Nicholas returned to Vella LaVella on 19 and 20 August to conduct barge hunts and on the 24th and 25th to cover mine operations. At the end of the month she steamed to Nouméa thence to New Guinea and Australia. Back in the Solomons by October, she conducted another search for barge traffic and on the 6th covered the unloading of APDs at Batakoma. Then, 22 October, she steamed to Efate to resume escort duties.
On 11 November Nicholas departed Nadi, Fiji Islands, with Task Group 50.1 (TG50.1) for raids on Kwajalein and Wotje, after which she headed east, arriving at San Francisco 15 December for overhaul. Comdr. Robert T. S. Keith took command on 10 December.
1944
On 12 February 1944 she resumed Central and South Pacific escort duties. On 5 April she proceeded, with DesRon 21, to Milne Bay for temporary duty with the U.S. Seventh Fleet. On the 22nd, she covered the Aitape landings, and until 8 May escorted resupply groups there and to Humboldt Bay. She then returned to the Solomons and the 3rd Fleet shelling Medina Plantation, New Ireland, on the 29th. Spending the first part of June on antisubmarine patrol, she again joined the 7th Fleet on the 14th, serving with TG70.8 in the northern Solomons. On 15 August she sailed to Manus Island to join TF74 and until the 27th operated along the New Guinea coast. She then returned to Seeadler Harbor whence she supported the Morotai operation 15–30 September.
On 18 October, the destroyer, now in TG 78.7 escorted reinforcements to Leyte, arriving on the 24th. On the 25th and 26th, she patrolled off Dinagat Island and on the 27th set out again for Manus. On 8 November she sailed for Ulithi, whence she headed for Kossol Roads. En route to the latter, her three-ship formation, Taylor and St. Louis (CL-49), was closed by a submarine, 12 November. Leaving the formation. Nicholas pressed home two depth charge attacks, sinking I-88.
Four days later, Nicholas joined TG77.1 on continuous patrol of the southern end of Leyte Gulf. There until 6 December she survived 4 attacks by kamikaze suicide-plane formations, 27 and 29 November and 2 and 5 December. On 6 December she assisted in a sweep of the Camotes Sea, bombarded Japanese Naval facilities on Ormoc Bay and then covered Allied landings there. On the 10th she sailed for Manus, returning to Leyte on the 28th for further escort work.
1945
On the first day of the new year, 1945, the destroyer joined TG77.3, the Close Support Group for the Lingayen Gulf assault. En route to Luzon, her group was harassed by enemy midget submarines and almost constant air raids. After a two day bombardment, Army troops landed at Lingayen Gulf 9 January. Until the 18th, Nicholas provided fire support, then patrolled to the west of Luzon with the covering escort carrier group. On the 24th, she captured a motor boat being used by three Japanese to escape from the island and on the 29th provided close cover for the landings in Zambales Province.
During the first part of February she escorted vessels between Leyte and Mindoro, whence she proceeded to Manila Bay to shell Corregidor, other islands in Manila Bay, and shore installations at Mariveles. Resuming escort work on the 17th, she guarded minesweepers as they cleared Basilan Strait in mid-March and then supported the occupation of the Zamboanga area. In April. she returned to Luzon to support the Sixth Army as it fought to reoccupy the island and then on the 24th resumed operations in the Netherlands East Indies. From then until 5 May she supported the Tarakan operation after which she steamed north again to Luzon, thence to Leyte where she joined TU30.12.2 and departed for Okinawa, 15 June. Following strikes on Sakishima, she joined TG30.8 at Ulithi and screened that group as it refueled and resuppIied the fast aircraft carriers at sea. On 11 August she reported to CTG38.4, a fast carrier task group, and on the 13th screened the carriers during strikes against the Tokyo area. On the 15th hostilities ceased.
Approaching Japan in August 1945, Admiral William Halsey, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet ordered that Nicholas and her sisters O'Bannon and Taylor be present in Tokyo Bay for Japan's surrender "because of their valorous fight up the long road from the South Pacific to the very end." Assigned to his Flagship Task Group, the "Nick" disseminated Japanese pilots and peace emissaries among the fleet, escorted battleship Missouri (BB-63) into Tokyo Bay, and transported Allied and U.S. representatives to the formal surrender on Missouri 2 September. Nicholas then joined in the repatriation of Allied POWs. Departing the Far East 5 October, she arrived at Seattle on the 19th and continued on to San Pedro, arriving 1 November to begin inactivation.
1946 – 1959
Decommissioned 12 June 1946, Nicholas remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until hostilities in Korea necessitated her recall. Reclassified DDE-449, 26 March 1949, she was brought out of reserve to begin conversion in November 1950. Recommissioned 19 February 1951, she underwent shakedown off the west coast, steamed to Pearl Harbor where she joined CortDesDiv 12, CortDesRon 1; and continued on to the Western Pacific, arriving at Yokosuka 10 June. In Far Eastern waters until 14 November, she screened the carriers of TF77 off the west coast of Korea; conducted ASW exercises between Yokosuka and Okinawa; and patrolled the Taiwan Strait. On 3 May 1952 she departed Pearl Harbor again for Korea. A temporary replacement vessel in DesDiv 112, she served first with TF77 and then swung around the peninsula to the gun line off the Korean east coast and operated there, under CTF95, until sailing for home in July. She returned to Korea with CortDesDiv 12 in November and remained in the Far East until 20 May 1953 performing missions similar to her 1951 deployment.
After Korea Nicholas rotated duty in WestPac with 1st Fleet assignments. Her 7th Fleet deployments took her from Japan to Sumatra, while EastPac assignments ranged primarily from Hawaii to the west coast. On occasion 1st Fleet duty sent her to the Central Pacific as in 1954 when she assisted in Operation Castle, an atomic test series.
1960 – 1970
Nicholas underwent a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) update between December 1959 and July 1960, emerging from the shipyard in time for her annual rotation to WestPac, which, that year, sent her, for the first time since World War II, to the South China Sea for extensive operations. Reclassified DD-449 on 1 July 1962, she returned to the South China Sea in March 1965. There she became one of the first ships engaged in Operation Market Time—patrol of the jagged South Vietnamese coastline to prohibit smuggling of men, weapons, and supplies into South Vietnam by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese junks and sampans.
Relieved of duty 15 April, Nicholas returned to Pearl Harbor only to depart again for Viet Nam in mid-September. Off the embattled coast by 1 October, she carried out surveillance assignments and gunfire support duties until 3 December, when she proceeded to Taiwan for patrol duty in Taiwan Strait. Early in 1966 she returned to Viet Nam for duty on "Yankee Station" in the Gulf of Tonkin, followed by another tour on "Market Time" patrol. Homeward bound at the end of February, she proceeded to Australia, thence to Hawaii, arriving 17 March.
Each WestPac tour since that time has followed a similar employment schedule. Her gunfire support missions during her November 1966–May 1967 tour included participation in Operation Deck House V in the Mekong Delta area, as well as missions close to the DMZ. Most of her 1968 tour was again spent in Vietnamese waters, this time, however, with a greater portion spent on "Yankee Station" and on gunfire support missions.
On her return to EastPac in 1968, Nicholas was assigned to support NASA's Apollo Program. From 8 to 23 October and again between 19 and 22 December she operated in the Pacific space capsule recovery areas; first for the Apollo 7 mission, then for Apollo 8. After each of these assignments she returned to Pearl Harbor for training exercises in Hawaiian waters in preparation for a return to the Western Pacific.
On 30 January 1970, having become the navy's oldest active destroyer eight years earlier, the "Nick" was decommissioned in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor (again side-by-side with O'Bannon), stricken from the Navy List, towed to Portland, Oregon, and then broken up in 1972. At the time she was retired, only seven other Fletchers remained in service with the US Navy.
Awards
In addition to her Presidential Unit Citation, Nicholas earned 16 battle stars in World War II, a total among destroyers exceeded only by her sister, O'Bannon. She earned 5 more in the Korean War and 9 in the Vietnam War, giving her a total higher than any other ship in the Navy.Vorlage:Fact
References
- Geschichte der TMX-Mike/Baustelle/Zwischenlager im Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (englisch)