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USS Charles J. Kimmel (DE-584)
Encyclopedia
The Charles J. Kimmel was a Rudderow class destroyer escort
serving in the US Navy from 1944 through 1947. She served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of WWII. The Kimmel was laid down by Bethlehem Steel in Hingham MA on 1 December 1943 and launched on 15 January 1944, she was commissioned 20 April 1944
Decommissioned 15 January 1947, stricken 30 June 1968 and ultimately sunk as target off California, 13 November 1969.
, 2 July 1918. Charles enlisted in the Marine Corps 29 October 1941 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant 31 January 1942. He was killed in action near the bloody Matanikau River on Guadalcanal
2 November 1942 while leading his platoon in a bayonet charge. His superb courage in this hand-to-hand combat won recognition in the posthumous award of the Navy Cross
.
until August 1944. On 2 August she sailed to guard the passage of a convoy to Oran
, where she was ordered to sail independently escorting a transport to Naples, both of these movements in support of the recent assault on southern France
. She rejoined her original escort group at Oran on 26 August, and returned to Boston, MA 18 September. Here she received repairs, and Pacific-type camouflage.
arriving at Manus
7 November 1944. On 20 November, she sailed for Hollandia
to join the group escorting a reinforcement convoy to Leyte
. She returned to New Guinea
to prepare for the assault on Lingayen
. On 28 December she put to sea as part of the San Fabian Attack Force, coming under air attack with her force on 6, 7, and 8 January 1945 as the huge amphibious fleet sailed north. Her guns joined the antiaircraft barrage shielding the vulnerable transports and landing craft then and during the assault on 9 January.
The Charles J. Kimmel continued to operate in the Philippines
though the remainder of the war, escorting convoys from New Guinea
to Leyte and Lingayen as well as within the Philippine Archipelago. Twice she screened shipping to the Palaus.
From 2 June, she served with the local naval defense force in Davao Gulf
, providing communications for naval forces ashore as well as performing air-sea rescue missions. On the first day of her new assignment, she dashed under the guns of enemy-held Auqui Island to rescue 22 survivors of a downed Air Force transport. The Kimmel aided Filipino troops in their mop-up activities by bombarding Piso Point to dislodge approximately 600 Japanese soldiers.
In September 1945, the Charles J. Kimmel escorted a convoy to Okinawa
, returning to patrol duties in the Philippines until 29 November, when she hoisted the homeward-bound pennant at Samar
. She arrived in San Diego 18 December 1945, and there was placed out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947.
The USS Charles J. Kimmel received one battle star for World War II service.
Rudderow class destroyer escort
The Rudderow class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943 to 1945. Of this class, 22 were completed as destroyer escorts, and 50 were completed as Crosley-class high speed transport and were re-classified as High speed transport APDs. One ship was converted...
serving in the US Navy from 1944 through 1947. She served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of WWII. The Kimmel was laid down by Bethlehem Steel in Hingham MA on 1 December 1943 and launched on 15 January 1944, she was commissioned 20 April 1944
Decommissioned 15 January 1947, stricken 30 June 1968 and ultimately sunk as target off California, 13 November 1969.
Charles Kimmel
The ship was named after Charles Jack Kimmel, born in Rushsylvania, OhioRushsylvania, Ohio
Rushsylvania is a village located in Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 543 at the 2000 census.A branch of the Logan County District Library serves the Rushsylvania community.-Geography:...
, 2 July 1918. Charles enlisted in the Marine Corps 29 October 1941 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant 31 January 1942. He was killed in action near the bloody Matanikau River on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
2 November 1942 while leading his platoon in a bayonet charge. His superb courage in this hand-to-hand combat won recognition in the posthumous award of the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
.
Atlantic Duty
The USS Charles J. Kimmel escorted coastwise convoys between Norfolk, VA., and New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until August 1944. On 2 August she sailed to guard the passage of a convoy to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, where she was ordered to sail independently escorting a transport to Naples, both of these movements in support of the recent assault on southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. She rejoined her original escort group at Oran on 26 August, and returned to Boston, MA 18 September. Here she received repairs, and Pacific-type camouflage.
Pacific duty
The Kimmel transited the Panama CanalPanama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
arriving at Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
7 November 1944. On 20 November, she sailed for 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....
to join the group escorting a reinforcement convoy to Leyte
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
. She returned to 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...
to prepare for the assault on Lingayen
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Liberation of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 9 January 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S...
. On 28 December she put to sea as part of the San Fabian Attack Force, coming under air attack with her force on 6, 7, and 8 January 1945 as the huge amphibious fleet sailed north. Her guns joined the antiaircraft barrage shielding the vulnerable transports and landing craft then and during the assault on 9 January.
The Charles J. Kimmel continued to operate in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
though the remainder of the war, escorting convoys from 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...
to Leyte and Lingayen as well as within the Philippine Archipelago. Twice she screened shipping to the Palaus.
From 2 June, she served with the local naval defense force in Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf is a gulf found in Mindanao in the Philippines. It has an area of 308,000 hectares. Davao Gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from Celebes Sea. It is surrounded by all four provinces in the Davao Region. The largest island in the gulf is Samal Island. Davao City, on the gulf's west...
, providing communications for naval forces ashore as well as performing air-sea rescue missions. On the first day of her new assignment, she dashed under the guns of enemy-held Auqui Island to rescue 22 survivors of a downed Air Force transport. The Kimmel aided Filipino troops in their mop-up activities by bombarding Piso Point to dislodge approximately 600 Japanese soldiers.
In September 1945, the Charles J. Kimmel escorted a convoy to Okinawa
Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and is home to Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of...
, returning to patrol duties in the Philippines until 29 November, when she hoisted the homeward-bound pennant at Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
. She arrived in San Diego 18 December 1945, and there was placed out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947.
The USS Charles J. Kimmel received one battle star for World War II service.
Military awards and honors
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American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
| Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... (with one bronze service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... ) |
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World War II Victory Medal |
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Philippine Liberation Medal Philippine Liberation Medal The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on December 20, 1944... |
External links
- http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/584.htm
- http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de584.htm