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USS Mugford (DD-389)
Encyclopedia
USS Mugford (DD-389), a Bagley-class
destroyer
, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy
to be named for James Mugford
, who commanded the schooner Franklin
in the Continental Navy
, serving through 1775.
E. W. Young in command.
as flagship of Destroyer Division Eight of Destroyer Squadron Four. When the attack began, Mugford was on standby status, berthed at B6 in the Navy Yard for repairs, and while raising steam to get underway, downed three planes in 10 minutes with her antiaircraft guns. Within an hour after the attack began, the “little ship” was steaming out of Pearl Harbor firing as she went. Her next major duty was to screen the Wake Island
relief force and after completion of this duty served as an escort for convoys traveling between the United States and Australia. She served in this capacity until mid‑1942.
On 15 May 1942 the Mugford rescued the survivors of the Australian hospital ship AHS Centaur
off Point Lookout, Queensland
, after Centaur had been sunk by a Japanese submarine
the previous day.
On 7 August Mugford was on patrol off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal
, when a large Japanese airstrike came in; three near misses and one bomb hit couldn’t prevent Mugford from downing two of her attackers, but she suffered eight killed, 17 wounded, and 10 missing. Next day she shot down another enemy aircraft in a raid in which she suffered no damage, and rescued two enemy aviators from the water. On the 9th, she sped toward the action of the first Battle of Savo Island
, arriving in time to pull 400 survivors of Vincennes (CA-44)
and Astoria (CA-34)
from the water.
After battle damage repairs at Sydney, from 16 September through December, she operated on patrol in the Coral Sea
and along Australia’s northern coast. Brisbane was her base for continued patrol, as well as escort missions to Milne Bay, New Guinea, which became her base later in the summer as New Guinea operations took on a faster pace. She joined in the assault on Woodlark Island in July, conducted shore bombardment and patrols in that general area in August, and in September escorted LSTs to the invasion of Lae on the 4th, after which she patrolled offshore while under enemy air attack. Later that month she conducted preinvasion bombardment north of Finschafen, off which she served until late in October. On 20 October, she and four companion destroyers were attacked by 60 enemy planes; Mugford suffered no damage.
On 14 and 15 December, she participated in the largest operation yet in the New Guinea campaign, the landings on Arawe, New Britain. Next was the assault on Buna and Cape Gloucester
, where on Christmas Day she came under enemy air attack, taking three near misses in a first attack, and shooting down an attacker in a second assault later the same day. One man was killed, six wounded, and the ship riddled with shrapnel with some small holes below the waterline.
After repairs at Milne Bay, Mugford returned to patrol, bombardment, and escort missions for the New Guinea operation, sailing off Saidor. On 10 January 1944 she sailed for Sydney, then returned to New Guinea and escort and patrol duty in Huon Gulf
. After escorting three merchantmen from Tulagi to the Union Islands, Mugford arrived at Pearl Harbor 24 February to escort Maryland (BB-46)
to Puget Sound, before continuing on to Mare Island
for overhaul, arriving 5 March.
Mugford returned to Pearl Harbor 10 May for training in preparation for the Marianas operation, for which she staged at Majuro. Screening the fast carriers, she observed the first strike the morning of 11 June, then screened battleships bombarding Saipan and Tinian, firing night harassing missions herself and screening night retirements. She rejoined the carrier screen as word came of the approach of an enemy carrier force, and thus played a role in the epic Battle of the Philippine Sea
, when Japanese naval aviation was all but exterminated in a great victory. She continued patrol and escort missions in the Marianas and Marshalls as preparations were made to invade Guam, during which action Mugford served as radar picket between Guam and Rota. On 28 August, she sortied with TF 38 for surface bombardment and airstrikes on enemy shipping and installations in the Bonins, Yap, and Palau, covering the Palau invasion in September. Early in October, TF 38 struck at Okinawa, and on the return voyage hit at Formosa and Luzon. The enemy mustered as strong an air attack as it could on the 12th and 13th of October, and Mugford shared in downing many of the attackers while protecting the vulnerable carriers.
With the Leyte invasion now underway, TG 38.4, with Mugford, sped to meet the threat posed by major Japanese fleet movements, and on 24 October, planes from the force hit the Japanese center force in the Mindanao Sea, then headed north on receiving reports of a Japanese carrier force off northern Luzon. The next day strikes were flown against the Japanese, opening the battle off Cape Engano phase of an American victory, the battle for Leyte Gulf
. Further action came 30 October, when a Japanese airstrike damaged Enterprise (CV-6)
, Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
, and Franklin (CV-13)
. Mugford and other destroyers guarded the damaged ships to safety at Ulithi, repaired their own damage, and returned to patrol duty in Leyte Gulf.
On 5 December, Mugford spotted enemy aircraft attacking amphibious craft passing through her patrol area in Surigao Strait. She sped to protect them, and late in the action was crashed by a “Val”
dive bomber. She was badly damaged, and lost eight men killed, 14 wounded. Making temporary repairs, Mugford pulled into San Pedro under her own steam. She was ordered to the United States for permanent repairs at Mare Island 5 January 1945 to 4 March 1945.
Returning to the western Pacific in mid‑March, Mugford served as radar picket and on antisubmarine patrol between Ulithi and Saipan until the close of the war. She served in TG 55.7 repatriating Allied prisoners of war from Japan to Okinawa early in September, then screened carriers providing air support for the occupation of the Nagasaki‑Sasebo area. She continued on occupation duty until returning to San Diego 19 November. Here she was stripped and prepared for participation in the Bikini atomic tests (see Operation Crossroads
), during which she decommissioned 29 August 1946. Retained for experiments in decontamination, she was finally sunk off Kwajalein 22 March 1948.
Bagley class destroyer
The Bagley class of destroyers was built by the United States. All eight ships were ordered and laid down in 1935 and subsequently completed in 1937. Their layout was based upon the Gridley-class destroyer design, but they retained the power plants of the Mahan-class destroyers, and thus had a...
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 2nd 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 James Mugford
James Mugford
-Biography:Captain Mugford commanded the schooner Franklin in the Continental Navy, serving through 1775 in John Manley’s squadron off Boston. He captured British ship Hope with a large cargo of military stores and powder, and took his prize into Boston, running under the noses of the British fleet...
, who commanded the schooner Franklin
USS Franklin (1775)
The first USS Franklin was a schooner in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. She was named for Benjamin Franklin....
in the Continental Navy
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
, serving through 1775.
Construction
The second Mugford was laid down 28 October 1935 by Boston Navy Yard; launched 31 October 1936; sponsored by Miss Madeline Orne; commissioned 16 August 1937, Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
E. W. Young in command.
Operational history
Joining the Pacific Fleet in late 1937, Mugford conducted local operations along the West Coast and around the Hawaiian Islands, taking time out for periodic overhauls and upkeep. 7 December 1941 found her 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...
as flagship of Destroyer Division Eight of Destroyer Squadron Four. When the attack began, Mugford was on standby status, berthed at B6 in the Navy Yard for repairs, and while raising steam to get underway, downed three planes in 10 minutes with her antiaircraft guns. Within an hour after the attack began, the “little ship” was steaming out of Pearl Harbor firing as she went. Her next major duty was to screen the Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
relief force and after completion of this duty served as an escort for convoys traveling between the United States and Australia. She served in this capacity until mid‑1942.
On 15 May 1942 the Mugford rescued the survivors of the Australian hospital ship AHS Centaur
AHS Centaur
Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was a hospital ship which was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on 14 May 1943...
off Point Lookout, Queensland
Point Lookout, Queensland
Point Lookout is a headland and small coastal village located on the eastern coast of North Stradbroke Island. To the north lies Cape Moreton and to the south the next major headland is Point Danger on the New South Wales/Queensland border. The other towns on the island are Dunwich and Amity Point....
, after Centaur had been sunk by a Japanese submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
the previous day.
On 7 August Mugford was on patrol off Lunga Point, 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...
, when a large Japanese airstrike came in; three near misses and one bomb hit couldn’t prevent Mugford from downing two of her attackers, but she suffered eight killed, 17 wounded, and 10 missing. Next day she shot down another enemy aircraft in a raid in which she suffered no damage, and rescued two enemy aviators from the water. On the 9th, she sped toward the action of the first Battle of Savo Island
Battle of Savo Island
The Battle of Savo Island, also known as the First Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces...
, arriving in time to pull 400 survivors of Vincennes (CA-44)
USS Vincennes (CA-44)
USS Vincennes was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. She was the second ship to bear the name....
and Astoria (CA-34)
USS Astoria (CA-34)
The second USS Astoria was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser that participated in both the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, but was then sunk in August 1942 at the Battle of Savo Island...
from the water.
After battle damage repairs at Sydney, from 16 September through December, she operated on patrol in the Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
and along Australia’s northern coast. Brisbane was her base for continued patrol, as well as escort missions to Milne Bay, New Guinea, which became her base later in the summer as New Guinea operations took on a faster pace. She joined in the assault on Woodlark Island in July, conducted shore bombardment and patrols in that general area in August, and in September escorted LSTs to the invasion of Lae on the 4th, after which she patrolled offshore while under enemy air attack. Later that month she conducted preinvasion bombardment north of Finschafen, off which she served until late in October. On 20 October, she and four companion destroyers were attacked by 60 enemy planes; Mugford suffered no damage.
On 14 and 15 December, she participated in the largest operation yet in the New Guinea campaign, the landings on Arawe, New Britain. Next was the assault on Buna and 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...
, where on Christmas Day she came under enemy air attack, taking three near misses in a first attack, and shooting down an attacker in a second assault later the same day. One man was killed, six wounded, and the ship riddled with shrapnel with some small holes below the waterline.
After repairs at Milne Bay, Mugford returned to patrol, bombardment, and escort missions for the New Guinea operation, sailing off Saidor. On 10 January 1944 she sailed for Sydney, then returned to New Guinea and escort and patrol duty in Huon Gulf
Huon Gulf
Huon Gulf is a large gulf in eastern Papua New Guinea, at . It is bordered by Huon Peninsula in the north. Both are named after French explorer Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec. Huon Gulf is a part of the Solomon Sea. Lae, capital of the Morobe Province is located on the northern coast of the...
. After escorting three merchantmen from Tulagi to the Union Islands, Mugford arrived at Pearl Harbor 24 February to escort Maryland (BB-46)
USS Maryland (BB-46)
USS Maryland , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the seventh state.Her keel was laid down 24 April 1917 by Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 20 March 1920, and sponsored by Mrs. E. Brook Lee, wife of the...
to Puget Sound, before continuing on to Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
for overhaul, arriving 5 March.
Mugford returned to Pearl Harbor 10 May for training in preparation for the Marianas operation, for which she staged at Majuro. Screening the fast carriers, she observed the first strike the morning of 11 June, then screened battleships bombarding Saipan and Tinian, firing night harassing missions herself and screening night retirements. She rejoined the carrier screen as word came of the approach of an enemy carrier force, and thus played a role in the epic Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
, when Japanese naval aviation was all but exterminated in a great victory. She continued patrol and escort missions in the Marianas and Marshalls as preparations were made to invade Guam, during which action Mugford served as radar picket between Guam and Rota. On 28 August, she sortied with TF 38 for surface bombardment and airstrikes on enemy shipping and installations in the Bonins, Yap, and Palau, covering the Palau invasion in September. Early in October, TF 38 struck at Okinawa, and on the return voyage hit at Formosa and Luzon. The enemy mustered as strong an air attack as it could on the 12th and 13th of October, and Mugford shared in downing many of the attackers while protecting the vulnerable carriers.
With the Leyte invasion now underway, TG 38.4, with Mugford, sped to meet the threat posed by major Japanese fleet movements, and on 24 October, planes from the force hit the Japanese center force in the Mindanao Sea, then headed north on receiving reports of a Japanese carrier force off northern Luzon. The next day strikes were flown against the Japanese, opening the battle off Cape Engano phase of an American victory, the battle for Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
. Further action came 30 October, when a Japanese airstrike damaged Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
, Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
USS Belleau Wood was a United States Navy active during World War II in the Pacific Theater, from 1943 to 1945. The ship also served in the First Indochina War under French Navy temporary service as Bois Belleau....
, and Franklin (CV-13)
USS Franklin (CV-13)
The USS Franklin , nicknamed "Big Ben," was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy, and the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in January 1944, she served in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning four battle stars...
. Mugford and other destroyers guarded the damaged ships to safety at Ulithi, repaired their own damage, and returned to patrol duty in Leyte Gulf.
On 5 December, Mugford spotted enemy aircraft attacking amphibious craft passing through her patrol area in Surigao Strait. She sped to protect them, and late in the action was crashed by a “Val”
Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
dive bomber. She was badly damaged, and lost eight men killed, 14 wounded. Making temporary repairs, Mugford pulled into San Pedro under her own steam. She was ordered to the United States for permanent repairs at Mare Island 5 January 1945 to 4 March 1945.
Returning to the western Pacific in mid‑March, Mugford served as radar picket and on antisubmarine patrol between Ulithi and Saipan until the close of the war. She served in TG 55.7 repatriating Allied prisoners of war from Japan to Okinawa early in September, then screened carriers providing air support for the occupation of the Nagasaki‑Sasebo area. She continued on occupation duty until returning to San Diego 19 November. Here she was stripped and prepared for participation in the Bikini atomic tests (see Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads was a series of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. It was the first test of a nuclear weapon after the Trinity nuclear test in July 1945...
), during which she decommissioned 29 August 1946. Retained for experiments in decontamination, she was finally sunk off Kwajalein 22 March 1948.