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USS Brush (DD-745)
Encyclopedia
USS Brush (DD-745), an Allen M. Sumner-class
destroyer
, is the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Charles Brush.
Brush (DD-745) was launched 28 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel
Co., Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Miss Virginia Perkins, great-granddaughter of Charles Brush; and commissioned 17 April 1944, Commander
J. E. Edwards in command.
and after training got underway for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, 28 September. From Eniwetok she escorted convoys to Ulithi and the Palau Islands.
Serving with the 5th and 3rd Fleets she took part in the Leyte operation (5 November – 16 December 1944); Luzon-Formosa-China coast-Nansei Shoto strikes (3-22 January 1945); invasion of Iwo Jima
and the supporting 5th Fleet raids (15 February – 5 March), and Okinawa operation (17 March – 27 April), including the 21 April bombardment of Minami Daito Shima. She retired to Ulithi, Caroline Islands, where she lay 30 April – 10 May before joining the 5th Fleet for the projected invasion of Kyushu, Japan. Brush lay at anchor in Leyte Gulf from 13 June to 1 July 1945 and then departed for a raid on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō
. On 22 July Brush and other destroyers of her squadron conducted an anti-shipping sweep near the entrance of Tokyo Bay
. She remained in this area on air-sea rescue duty until 14 September when she steamed into Tokyo Bay. On 24 September 1945 she left the Far East for the United States.
She arrived at Seattle, Washington
, 15 October 1945 and operated along the west coast until early 1946 when she departed for Guam
. She remained at Guam until 9 March and then steamed to Tsingtao, China, arriving on the 19th. With the exception of two voyages to the Philippine Islands, she operated in the East China Sea between Tsingtao and Shanghai until January 1947. Brush returned to Guam 18 January 1947 for repairs. Repairs completed 16 February 1947, she sailed to San Diego, via Saipan, Kwajalein, and Pearl Harbor, arriving 24 March. Until May 1950 Brush remained on the west coast participating in local operations, plane guard duties, and type training.
air strikes against North Korea
and participated in shore bombardment. On 26 September 1950 while shelling the shore off Tanchon, Korea, Brush struck a mine, ripping her midships section and breaking her keel. Thirteen men were killed and 31 injured. Brush received temporary repairs at Japan and returned under her own power to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
, arriving 22 December 1950.
Almost a year later Brush departed on her second Korean cruise. She stopped at Pearl Harbor for one month and then joined TF 77 for anti-submarine and anti-aircraft duties off Korea until 25 February 1952. In March Brush was assigned to the Formosan patrol and then participated in hunter-killer exercises off Okinawa. She returned to Japan 12 April and joined the blockade of Korea's west coast with TF's 95 and 77. She returned to San Diego 26 June 1952.
Brush operated off the California coast until February 1953 when she commenced her third Korean cruise. She returned to the United States 30 August.
Brush conducted seven more Western Pacific deployments over the next decade (4 May – 5 December 1954; 30 June 1955 – 15 February 1956; 31 August 1957 – 1 March 1958; 25 October 1958 – 22 April 1959; 1 January – 28 July 1960; 29 July 1961 – 9 March 1962; 13 March – 1 October 1964), each involving carrier escort, ASW exercises and the occasional Formosa patrol. During the last 1964 deployment, Brush cruised in the Gulf of Tonkin as American intervention in Vietnam escalated.
Over the next five years, Brush conducted three Vietnam deployments (20 November 1965 – 13 May 1966; 8 April – 6 October 1967; 20 August 1968 – 4 March 1969), each marked by intensive patrol and gunnery operations in the South China Sea.
9 December 1969, and renamed Hsiang Yang, which was later stricken in 1984 and transferred to Naval Weapons School and then broken up for scrap.
Brush received five battle stars for World War II service and four battle stars for her Korean operations.
Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers...
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...
, is the only ship of 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...
to be named for Charles Brush.
Brush (DD-745) was launched 28 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
Co., Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Miss Virginia Perkins, great-granddaughter of Charles Brush; and commissioned 17 April 1944, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
J. E. Edwards in command.
World War II
On 30 August 1944 Brush arrived at Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and after training got underway for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, 28 September. From Eniwetok she escorted convoys to Ulithi and the Palau Islands.
Serving with the 5th and 3rd Fleets she took part in the Leyte operation (5 November – 16 December 1944); Luzon-Formosa-China coast-Nansei Shoto strikes (3-22 January 1945); invasion of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
and the supporting 5th Fleet raids (15 February – 5 March), and Okinawa operation (17 March – 27 April), including the 21 April bombardment of Minami Daito Shima. She retired to Ulithi, Caroline Islands, where she lay 30 April – 10 May before joining the 5th Fleet for the projected invasion of Kyushu, Japan. Brush lay at anchor in Leyte Gulf from 13 June to 1 July 1945 and then departed for a raid on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. On 22 July Brush and other destroyers of her squadron conducted an anti-shipping sweep near the entrance of Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
. She remained in this area on air-sea rescue duty until 14 September when she steamed into Tokyo Bay. On 24 September 1945 she left the Far East for the United States.
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...
, 15 October 1945 and operated along the west coast until early 1946 when she departed for Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. She remained at Guam until 9 March and then steamed to Tsingtao, China, arriving on the 19th. With the exception of two voyages to the Philippine Islands, she operated in the East China Sea between Tsingtao and Shanghai until January 1947. Brush returned to Guam 18 January 1947 for repairs. Repairs completed 16 February 1947, she sailed to San Diego, via Saipan, Kwajalein, and Pearl Harbor, arriving 24 March. Until May 1950 Brush remained on the west coast participating in local operations, plane guard duties, and type training.
Korea
In May 1950 she was ordered to the Far East and entered Formosan waters as a unit of TF 77 on 29 June 1950. She screened the carrier units during the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
air strikes against North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and participated in shore bombardment. On 26 September 1950 while shelling the shore off Tanchon, Korea, Brush struck a mine, ripping her midships section and breaking her keel. Thirteen men were killed and 31 injured. Brush received temporary repairs at Japan and returned under her own power to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
, arriving 22 December 1950.
Almost a year later Brush departed on her second Korean cruise. She stopped at Pearl Harbor for one month and then joined TF 77 for anti-submarine and anti-aircraft duties off Korea until 25 February 1952. In March Brush was assigned to the Formosan patrol and then participated in hunter-killer exercises off Okinawa. She returned to Japan 12 April and joined the blockade of Korea's west coast with TF's 95 and 77. She returned to San Diego 26 June 1952.
Brush operated off the California coast until February 1953 when she commenced her third Korean cruise. She returned to the United States 30 August.
Brush conducted seven more Western Pacific deployments over the next decade (4 May – 5 December 1954; 30 June 1955 – 15 February 1956; 31 August 1957 – 1 March 1958; 25 October 1958 – 22 April 1959; 1 January – 28 July 1960; 29 July 1961 – 9 March 1962; 13 March – 1 October 1964), each involving carrier escort, ASW exercises and the occasional Formosa patrol. During the last 1964 deployment, Brush cruised in the Gulf of Tonkin as American intervention in Vietnam escalated.
Over the next five years, Brush conducted three Vietnam deployments (20 November 1965 – 13 May 1966; 8 April – 6 October 1967; 20 August 1968 – 4 March 1969), each marked by intensive patrol and gunnery operations in the South China Sea.
Fate
Brush was decommissioned and stricken from the register on 27 October 1969. She was subsequently sold to TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
9 December 1969, and renamed Hsiang Yang, which was later stricken in 1984 and transferred to Naval Weapons School and then broken up for scrap.
Brush received five battle stars for World War II service and four battle stars for her Korean operations.