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USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697)
Encyclopedia
USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697), an Allen M. Sumner-class
destroyer
, was named for Charles Stillman Sperry
, the commanding officer of the . Sperry would later attain the rank of Rear Admiral
.
The Charles S. Sperry was launched 13 March 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
, Kearny, N.J.; sponsored by Miss M. Sperry; commissioned 17 May 1944, Commander
H. H. McIlhenny in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.
28 December 1944 to join the fast carrier force, TP 38. For the remainder of the war, she sailed in the screen of the third group of this mighty force, variously designated TF 38 and TF 58. She sortied with her group for the first time on 30 December, bound for the areas from which the carriers launched strikes against Japanese bases on Formosa and Luzon
in preparation for the assault on Lingayen Gulf beaches. Continuing to neutralize Japanese airfields the force moved on to strike at targets in Indochina, on the South China coast, and on Okinawa before returning to Ulithi 26 January 1945.
Sperry sailed with TF 58 once more on 10 February 1945, as the force began its familiar work in preparation for the invasion of Iwo Jima
. An audacious raid against Tokyo itself was first on the schedule, the first carrier strikes on the heart of Japan since the Doolittle Raid
. On 16 and 17 February, planes from the carriers guarded by Sperry roared over Tokyo, in attacks which inflicted substantial material damage, and great moral damage, to the Japanese war effort. Sperry forces offered direct support during the assault landings at Iwo Jima. Twice, on 19 February and on 20–21 February, the carrier force came under air attack from the enemy, but antiaircraft fire from Sperry and the other screening ships, combined with evasive maneuvering and a protective smoke screen, prevented damage to the great concentration of ships. A final round of air strikes was hurled at Tokyo and Okinawa before TF 58 returned to Ulithi 5 March.
Once more designated TF 38, the force cleared Ulithi 14 March 1945 for the Okinawa operation, which would keep Sperry and many other ships at sea almost continuously until 1 June. First came air strikes against Kyushu, for which the Japanese retaliated with heavy air attacks against the carrier force on 19 and 20 March. While was badly damaged in these attacks, Sperry and other escorts furnished effective antiaircraft fire which pre vented further harm to the force, and she shared in splashing several Japanese planes.
Sperry turned south with her force for strikes against Okinawa. The destroyer joined in a bombardment of the Japanese airstrip on tiny but critically located Minami Daito Shima 27 March. Close air support was provided by TF 38 as the invasion began on 1 April 1945, and Sperry served as plane guard and radar picket for her force. On 7 April, planes from the carriers she screened joined in sending , her accompanying cruiser, and four of eight guardian destroyers to the bottom. Sperry herself fired often, aiding in splashing planes of the kamikaze
strikes hurled at her force on 11, 14, 16, and 29 April, and 11 May. When and fell victim to kamikazes, Sperry stood by them, aiding in damage control, and rescuing men from the water.
The destroyer remained in San Pedro Bay, Philippines, from 1 June to 1 July, and then sailed to support the carriers as they launched the final air strikes at the Japanese home islands. Cover for the first occupation landings and the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war from Japanese prison camps was flown by the carriers, and on 31 August, the great force arrived off Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies held on 2 September.
As operations leading to the classic blockade of Wonsan began, Charles S. Sperry entered the dangerous harbor 17 January 1951 to provide interdiction fire, and to cover the landings which secured the harbor islands. She cleared the Wonsan area 5 March for Songjin, where she joined in setting the siege, and until 6 June was almost constantly patrolling and firing on shore installations at Songjin. She then sailed for home, arriving at Norfolk 2 July.
, she escorted the transports which evacuated American nationals from Egypt. Midshipmen cruises and North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises took her to northern European ports on several occasions, some of them in coordination with her Mediterranean deployments.
Late in 1959, Sperry began an extensive overhaul for rehabilitation and modernization, including the addition of a sophisticated remotely operated torpedo equipped anti-submarine helicopter
known as Drone Anti Submarine Helicopter (DASH). After completion of the this major refitting she operated on the east coast and was located in Newport RI in the late 1960s.
In the summer of 1968 she cruised the Caribbean and was in San Juan, Puerto Rico in late June as the U S Navy's representative for the celebration of feast of St. John (San Juan), a national holiday.
by sale. She was renamed Ministro Zenteno and designated Destroyer #16. After many years of active service in the Chilean Navy
, the old destroyer was finally scrapped in 1990.
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...
, was named for Charles Stillman Sperry
Charles Stillman Sperry
Rear Admiral Charles Stillman Sperry was an officer in the United States Navy.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sperry graduated from the Naval Academy in 1866. In November 1898 he became commanding officer of Yorktown, and later served as senior officer of the Southern Squadron on the Asiatic Station...
, the commanding officer of the . Sperry would later attain the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
.
The Charles S. Sperry was launched 13 March 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
The Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was a United States shipyard, active from 1917 to 1949. During World War II, it built ships as part of the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Operated by a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, the shipyard was located at...
, Kearny, N.J.; sponsored by Miss M. Sperry; commissioned 17 May 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...
H. H. McIlhenny in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.
World War II
After training in the Hawaiian Islands, Charles S. Sperry arrived at UlithiUlithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
28 December 1944 to join the fast carrier force, TP 38. For the remainder of the war, she sailed in the screen of the third group of this mighty force, variously designated TF 38 and TF 58. She sortied with her group for the first time on 30 December, bound for the areas from which the carriers launched strikes against Japanese bases on Formosa and 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...
in preparation for the assault on Lingayen Gulf beaches. Continuing to neutralize Japanese airfields the force moved on to strike at targets in Indochina, on the South China coast, and on Okinawa before returning to Ulithi 26 January 1945.
Sperry sailed with TF 58 once more on 10 February 1945, as the force began its familiar work in preparation for the 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...
. An audacious raid against Tokyo itself was first on the schedule, the first carrier strikes on the heart of Japan since the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
. On 16 and 17 February, planes from the carriers guarded by Sperry roared over Tokyo, in attacks which inflicted substantial material damage, and great moral damage, to the Japanese war effort. Sperry forces offered direct support during the assault landings at Iwo Jima. Twice, on 19 February and on 20–21 February, the carrier force came under air attack from the enemy, but antiaircraft fire from Sperry and the other screening ships, combined with evasive maneuvering and a protective smoke screen, prevented damage to the great concentration of ships. A final round of air strikes was hurled at Tokyo and Okinawa before TF 58 returned to Ulithi 5 March.
Once more designated TF 38, the force cleared Ulithi 14 March 1945 for the Okinawa operation, which would keep Sperry and many other ships at sea almost continuously until 1 June. First came air strikes against Kyushu, for which the Japanese retaliated with heavy air attacks against the carrier force on 19 and 20 March. While was badly damaged in these attacks, Sperry and other escorts furnished effective antiaircraft fire which pre vented further harm to the force, and she shared in splashing several Japanese planes.
Sperry turned south with her force for strikes against Okinawa. The destroyer joined in a bombardment of the Japanese airstrip on tiny but critically located Minami Daito Shima 27 March. Close air support was provided by TF 38 as the invasion began on 1 April 1945, and Sperry served as plane guard and radar picket for her force. On 7 April, planes from the carriers she screened joined in sending , her accompanying cruiser, and four of eight guardian destroyers to the bottom. Sperry herself fired often, aiding in splashing planes of the kamikaze
Kamikaze
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....
strikes hurled at her force on 11, 14, 16, and 29 April, and 11 May. When and fell victim to kamikazes, Sperry stood by them, aiding in damage control, and rescuing men from the water.
The destroyer remained in San Pedro Bay, Philippines, from 1 June to 1 July, and then sailed to support the carriers as they launched the final air strikes at the Japanese home islands. Cover for the first occupation landings and the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war from Japanese prison camps was flown by the carriers, and on 31 August, the great force arrived off Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies held on 2 September.
Post-World War II
Sperry remained in the Far East, taking part in exercises, on patrol, and carrying mail, until 30 December 1945, when she departed Sasebo for the east coast, arriving at Baltimore 19 February 1946. For the next year, she remained at Boston with a reduced crew, and in March 1947, reported at New Orleans for duty as a training ship for members of the Naval Reserve until July 1950. After overhaul at Norfolk, she sailed for the Far East, arriving off embattled Korea 14 October 1950.Korean War
The destroyer operated almost continuously off Korea until June 1951. For her first 2 weeks in action, she fired on shore installations at Songjin, screened shipping, and patrolled areas swept of mines to guard against their remaining. During November and December 1950 she continued her fire support and bombardments, covered the redeployments from Kojo, Wonsan, and Hung-nam, and screened salvage operations. On 23 December, while firing at Songjin, she was hit by three shells returned by an enemy shore battery, but suffered no casualties, and only minor damage, which was repaired at Sasebo early in January 1951. She returned to the Korean firing line to cover salvage operations north of the 38th parallel and conduct bombardments along the coast.As operations leading to the classic blockade of Wonsan began, Charles S. Sperry entered the dangerous harbor 17 January 1951 to provide interdiction fire, and to cover the landings which secured the harbor islands. She cleared the Wonsan area 5 March for Songjin, where she joined in setting the siege, and until 6 June was almost constantly patrolling and firing on shore installations at Songjin. She then sailed for home, arriving at Norfolk 2 July.
Service, 1951-1974
Taking up the operating schedule of the Destroyer Force, Atlantic, Charles S. Sperry sailed from Norfolk through 1960. In 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, and 1959 she cruised in the Mediterranean with the 6th Fleet. During her 1956 deployment, which coincided with the Suez CrisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, she escorted the transports which evacuated American nationals from Egypt. Midshipmen cruises and North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises took her to northern European ports on several occasions, some of them in coordination with her Mediterranean deployments.
Late in 1959, Sperry began an extensive overhaul for rehabilitation and modernization, including the addition of a sophisticated remotely operated torpedo equipped anti-submarine helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
known as Drone Anti Submarine Helicopter (DASH). After completion of the this major refitting she operated on the east coast and was located in Newport RI in the late 1960s.
In the summer of 1968 she cruised the Caribbean and was in San Juan, Puerto Rico in late June as the U S Navy's representative for the celebration of feast of St. John (San Juan), a national holiday.
- [1960-1974]
Chilean Navy
On 8 January 1974, Charles S. Sperry was transferred to ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
by sale. She was renamed Ministro Zenteno and designated Destroyer #16. After many years of active service in the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
, the old destroyer was finally scrapped in 1990.