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USS Hart (DD-594)
Encyclopedia
USS Hart (DD-594), a Fletcher-class
destroyer
, was the second ship of the United States Navy
of that name, in honor of Lieutenant
Patrick H. Hart
(1912–1942), who posthumously received the Navy Cross
for heroism during the Battle of Midway
.
Hart, originally designated Mansfield and renamed Hart 21 March 1944, was launched
25 September 1944 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; sponsored by Lieutenant Hart's mother, Mrs. Emma Hart; and commissioned
4 November 1944, Commander
W. D. Coleman in command.
and during her training participated in experimental high-speed refueling exercises with . From 12–23 December, the destroyer refueled at sea some 50 times under all conditions of sea and weather gaining vital information on how to improve this key wartime operation. Ending her regular shakedown on 31 January 1945, the ship departed on 19 February for Pearl Harbor
. From 27 February to 3 March she escorted in gunnery and aircraft operations, departing for Ulithi
on 5 March.
Arriving at Ulithi 16 March, Hart joined the assembled task forces for the Okinawa operation
. From 24 March to 12 April, the ship was assigned as part of the screen for escort carrier
s furnishing close air support
for the landings and preinvasion neutralization of neighboring Japan
ese air strips. Detached on 12 April, she assumed duty as an escort for transports for 2 days and then commenced protective patrol duties during landings near Okinawa.
Hart was detached from 5th Fleet on 19 April and proceeded to the Philippines
to join 7th Fleet
for the Borneo
landings. She arrived off Brunei Bay
on 9 June 1945 and commenced a patrol of the South China Sea
to guard against possible interference from the remains of the Japanese Fleet at Singapore
. Hart also carried out shore bombardment beginning 11 June in support of Australia
n troops landing at Brunei Bay. On 14 June, she shot down her first Japanese aircraft during an attempted bombing. During the period of 19–21 June, she provided close support for further landings on the coast of Borneo near Brunei Bay, and then departed for Balikpapan
and other amphibious operations. While there, Hart patrolled, provided starshell illumination, and directed minesweeping vessels
through the treacherous enemy minefields
off the beaches. Australian troops went ashore on 1 July, under cover of fire from Hart and other ships; during the operation Hart destroyed two mines and a 75 mm gun emplacement ashore.
Temporarily leaving the landing areas, Hart was assigned as part of the escort for Major General
Douglas MacArthur
in , steaming to Manila
with the General and then proceeding to Leyte on 5 July. She next moved to Subic Bay
for training exercises and escort duty, and after the surrender of Japan
on 15 August was assigned to the newly formed North China Force.
Hart departed on 5 September 1945 to support the landing of Army
occupation forces at Jinsen, Korea
. The force threaded its way through many mines en route, and after arrival, Hart sent boarding parties on board Japanese merchantmen in the harbor for inspection and disarming. This duty completed, Hart sailed for China
, escorting Cruiser Division 6 in an important show of force off the coast. She continued through the next few months to aid in the landings of American Marines
, calling at Port Arthur
, Tsingtao
, and Taku
.
The veteran destroyer sailed for the United States 9 February 1946, decommissioned 31 May 1946, and was placed in reserve at Long Beach, California
. She was later moved to Mare Island Naval Shipyard
, and then Stockton, California
.
Hart was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
15 April 1973, was sold on 3 December 1973, and broken up for scrap.
Fletcher class destroyer
The Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939 as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types...
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 the second 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...
of that name, in honor of 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...
Patrick H. Hart
Patrick H. Hart
Patrick Henry Hart was a United States Navy officer and Naval Aviator who served in World War II.-Biography:Hart was born 31 May 1915 in New York City and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1937...
(1912–1942), who posthumously received 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...
for heroism during the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
.
Hart, originally designated Mansfield and renamed Hart 21 March 1944, was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
25 September 1944 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; sponsored by Lieutenant Hart's mother, Mrs. Emma Hart; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
4 November 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...
W. D. Coleman in command.
Service history
Hart conducted her regular shakedown cruise off 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...
and during her training participated in experimental high-speed refueling exercises with . From 12–23 December, the destroyer refueled at sea some 50 times under all conditions of sea and weather gaining vital information on how to improve this key wartime operation. Ending her regular shakedown on 31 January 1945, the ship departed on 19 February for Pearl Harbor
Pearl 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...
. From 27 February to 3 March she escorted in gunnery and aircraft operations, departing for Ulithi
Ulithi
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...
on 5 March.
Arriving at Ulithi 16 March, Hart joined the assembled task forces for the Okinawa operation
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. From 24 March to 12 April, the ship was assigned as part of the screen for escort carrier
Escort aircraft carrier
The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the British Royal Navy , the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, and the...
s furnishing close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
for the landings and preinvasion neutralization of neighboring Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese air strips. Detached on 12 April, she assumed duty as an escort for transports for 2 days and then commenced protective patrol duties during landings near Okinawa.
Hart was detached from 5th Fleet on 19 April and proceeded to 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...
to join 7th Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
for the Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
landings. She arrived off Brunei Bay
Brunei Bay
Brunei Bay is the gateway to Brunei and Borneo. It is located 4°45'-5°02'N, 114°58'-115°10'E; east of Bandar Seri Begawan. The Brunei portion of the bay is in two sections separated by a finger of Sarawak about 6km wide at the coast...
on 9 June 1945 and commenced a patrol of the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
to guard against possible interference from the remains of the Japanese Fleet at Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Hart also carried out shore bombardment beginning 11 June in support of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n troops landing at Brunei Bay. On 14 June, she shot down her first Japanese aircraft during an attempted bombing. During the period of 19–21 June, she provided close support for further landings on the coast of Borneo near Brunei Bay, and then departed for Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
and other amphibious operations. While there, Hart patrolled, provided starshell illumination, and directed minesweeping vessels
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
through the treacherous enemy minefields
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
off the beaches. Australian troops went ashore on 1 July, under cover of fire from Hart and other ships; during the operation Hart destroyed two mines and a 75 mm gun emplacement ashore.
Temporarily leaving the landing areas, Hart was assigned as part of the escort for Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
in , steaming to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
with the General and then proceeding to Leyte on 5 July. She next moved to Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
for training exercises and escort duty, and after the surrender of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on 15 August was assigned to the newly formed North China Force.
Hart departed on 5 September 1945 to support the landing of Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
occupation forces at Jinsen, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The force threaded its way through many mines en route, and after arrival, Hart sent boarding parties on board Japanese merchantmen in the harbor for inspection and disarming. This duty completed, Hart sailed for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, escorting Cruiser Division 6 in an important show of force off the coast. She continued through the next few months to aid in the landings of American Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, calling at Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
, Tsingtao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, and Taku
Taku Forts
The Dagu Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Jiajing...
.
The veteran destroyer sailed for the United States 9 February 1946, decommissioned 31 May 1946, and was placed in reserve at Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. She was later moved to Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
, and then Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
.
Hart was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
15 April 1973, was sold on 3 December 1973, and broken up for scrap.