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USS Brooks (DD-232)
Encyclopedia
USS Brooks (DD-232/APD-10) was a Clemson-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during World War II
. She was named for Lieutenant
John Brooks, Jr.
.
Brooks was launched 24 April 1919 by New York Shipbuilding Company; sponsored by Mrs. George S. Keyes, grandniece of Lieutenant Brooks; and commissioned 18 June 1920, Lieutenant D. M. Dalton in command.
for European waters 26 August 1920. She was first assigned to the Baltic Patrol for a short time and then the Naval Forces in the Adriatic Sea
. She joined the United States Naval Forces in Turkish waters in June 1921. Brooks departed for the United States 26 September 1921 and arrived at New York City 19 October. She was then assigned to the Scouting Fleet
, U. S. Fleet
, and participated in Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean
, Atlantic, and Pacific until placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia Navy Yard 20 January 1931.
Brooks was recommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 18 June 1932, and assigned to the Scouting Force, participating in fleet operations on both coasts until going out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia 2 September 1938. She was recommissioned 25 April 1939 and assigned to the Neutrality Patrol
on the Atlantic coast where she remained until she joined the Local Defense Force, 13th Naval District, in November 1940. Brooks was operating with this force when the United States entered World War II
.
, Washington, and Alaska
during the first year of World War II. On 20 September 1942, she arrived at Seattle, Washington
, to commence conversion to a high speed transport. On 1 December 1942 her classification was changed to APD-10 and she was assigned to the South Pacific.
She served as a transport and minesweeper during the Lae, New Guinea
, landings (4–14 September 1943); Finschhafen
, New Guinea, landings (22 and 29–30 September); Cape Gloucester
, New Britain
, assault (26 and 28–29 December); Saidor, New Guinea, landings (2 January-17 February 1944); Admiralty Islands
landings (29 February-5 March and 19 March); Hollandia
, New Guinea, assault (22–28 April); capture of Saipan
(14–22 June); Leyte
occupation (18 November-4 December); Mindoro
invasion (12–18 December); and the Lingayen Gulf
, Luzon
, landings (3–6 January 1945).
crashed into Brookss port side starting a fire amidships. The main and auxiliary steam lines were severed; the fire main broken; and the sea valve to the condenser was pierced, causing the forward engine room to flood. Three of Brookss crew were killed and 11 wounded. She was towed to San Pedro, California, and decommissioned there 2 August 1945. Brooks was sold 30 January 1946.
and six battle stars for her World War II service.
As of 2005, no other U.S. Navy ships have been named Brooks.
Clemson class destroyer
The Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II.The Clemson-class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, New York Shipbuilding...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was named for Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
John Brooks, Jr.
John Brooks Jr.
John Brooks, Jr. was an officer in the United States Marine Corps during the War of 1812.-Biography:Born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, Brooks was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant, October 1, 1807...
.
Brooks was launched 24 April 1919 by New York Shipbuilding Company; sponsored by Mrs. George S. Keyes, grandniece of Lieutenant Brooks; and commissioned 18 June 1920, Lieutenant D. M. Dalton in command.
Service history
Brooks left Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
for European waters 26 August 1920. She was first assigned to the Baltic Patrol for a short time and then the Naval Forces in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. She joined the United States Naval Forces in Turkish waters in June 1921. Brooks departed for the United States 26 September 1921 and arrived at New York City 19 October. She was then assigned to the Scouting Fleet
Scouting Fleet
The Scouting Fleet was part of the United States Fleet in the United States Navy, and renamed the Scouting Force in 1930.Established in 1922, the fleet consisted mainly of older battleships and initially operated in the Atlantic...
, U. S. Fleet
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. This title was disposed of and officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 . This...
, and participated in Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Atlantic, and Pacific until placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia Navy Yard 20 January 1931.
Brooks was recommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 18 June 1932, and assigned to the Scouting Force, participating in fleet operations on both coasts until going out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia 2 September 1938. She was recommissioned 25 April 1939 and assigned to the Neutrality Patrol
Neutrality Patrol
At the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 started the hostilities in Europe, President Franklin D...
on the Atlantic coast where she remained until she joined the Local Defense Force, 13th Naval District, in November 1940. Brooks was operating with this force when the United States entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War II
As a patrol and escort ship, Brooks operated between CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Washington, and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
during the first year of World War II. On 20 September 1942, she arrived at Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, to commence conversion to a high speed transport. On 1 December 1942 her classification was changed to APD-10 and she was assigned to the South Pacific.
She served as a transport and minesweeper during the Lae, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, landings (4–14 September 1943); Finschhafen
Finschhafen
Finschhafen is a district on the northeast coast of the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the port of the same name.The port was discovered in 1884 by the German researcher Otto Finsch. In 1885 the German colony of German New Guinea created a town on the site and named it...
, New Guinea, landings (22 and 29–30 September); Cape Gloucester
Cape Gloucester
Cape Gloucester is a headland, in the northwest of the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, at . During World War II, the Japanese captured New Britain, and had driven most of Cape Gloucester's native population out to construct two airfields...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
, assault (26 and 28–29 December); Saidor, New Guinea, landings (2 January-17 February 1944); Admiralty Islands
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
landings (29 February-5 March and 19 March); Hollandia
Jayapura
Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
, New Guinea, assault (22–28 April); capture of Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
(14–22 June); Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
occupation (18 November-4 December); Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
invasion (12–18 December); and the Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
, Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, landings (3–6 January 1945).
Fate
On 6 January 1945, a Japanese kamikazeKamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
crashed into Brookss port side starting a fire amidships. The main and auxiliary steam lines were severed; the fire main broken; and the sea valve to the condenser was pierced, causing the forward engine room to flood. Three of Brookss crew were killed and 11 wounded. She was towed to San Pedro, California, and decommissioned there 2 August 1945. Brooks was sold 30 January 1946.
Awards
Brooks received the Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
and six battle stars for her World War II service.
As of 2005, no other U.S. Navy ships have been named Brooks.
External links
- http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/232.htm