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USS O'Flaherty (DE-340)
Encyclopedia
USS O'Flaherty (DE-340) was a John C. Butler-class
destroyer escort
in the United States Navy
. It was named after Ensign
Frank Woodrow O'Flaherty (26 November 1918-4 June 1942), a pilot with the , who died during the Battle of Midway
and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
for "extraordinary heroism".
O'Flaherty was laid down by Consolidated Steel Corporation
of Orange, Texas
, on 4 October 1943; launched on 14 December 1943; sponsored by Ensign Lavada M. O'Flaherty, N.N.C., sister of Ensign O'Flaherty; and commissioned on 8 April 1944, with Lieutenant Commander
D. W. Farnham in command.
in May and June 1944, O'Flaherty accompanied battleship to Trinidad
, British West Indies
, on Midshipman training cruises for the Naval Academy
. Then she transited the Panama Canal
and steamed, via San Diego, to Pearl Harbor
. She safeguarded the escort carrier
to Majuro
from 20 July to 26 July. The remainder of that month was spent shepherding merchantmen to Eniwetok via Tarawa
.
From Eniwetok she escorted the escort carrier to Guam
, arriving there on 4 August. There she witnessed her first action, becoming involved in Operation Forager the invasion and reoccupation of Guam through the power of the mighty Pacific Fleet.
Leaving Guam, she returned to Eniwetok for a long stint on the "Milk-Run," escorting convoys between Eniwetok and Manus
. At midnight 4 October, O'Flaherty was directed to proceed on a 600-mile (1000-kilometre) dash in search of the survivors of a PBM Mariner
crashed at sea, and with the aid of search planes located and rescued the 12 crew members approximately 48 hours later.
On 26 October, with the installation of new CIC
equipment, O’Flaherty was made a unit of Escort Division 64, formed as a hunter-killer group around escort carrier to check out reported enemy submarine
movements between Pearl Harbor and California
. Later, she operated with escort carriers and in similar operations.
In January 1945, O'Flaherty served in the Lingayen Gulf
Attack Force exposed to frequent kamikaze
raids.
Following the Lingayen
operation, O'Flaherty retired to Ulithi
. Gathering there was one of the greatest displays of Naval might in the world. O'Flaherty was shifted to the 5th Fleet. From 10 February through 14 March, the aircraft carrier
s supported the Iwo Jima
invasion with air strikes and provided aerial spotters for the big guns of the battleship
s and cruiser
s. Many ships suffered damage during the operation, but O'Flaherty's Irish
luck held out.
Two days before Iwo Jima was declared secure, on 16 March, O'Flaherty departed to participate in the invasion of Okinawa. As a unit of TG 52.1, Destroyer Division 120, she screened the Amphibious Support Force composed of CVE
task units. Here on 2 April she drew her first blood.
As a Japan
ese Zero was making its suicide run into the formation, O'Flaherty brought it down with her after 40 mm guns. The following day, when two of the raiders made screaming dives for the Wake Island, one struck her near the waterline. A third just missed a screening destroyer, and O'Flaherty's fire drove off a fourth to be brought down by US Navy fighters.
O'Flaherty participated in the Okinawa operation from 21 March to 22 June except for a short period, in April undergoing repairs at Guam. She then performed picket and auxiliary escort duty until the Japanese surrender. Afterwards, she operated out of Guam until receiving orders to return to the United States
late in 1945.
O'Flaherty operated off California until she decommissioned at San Diego, California
, in January 1947. She remained in reserve berthed at Mare Island
, Vallejo, California
until she was stricken from the Navy List
on 1 December 1972. O'Flaherty was sold for scrap on 27 November 1973.
John C. Butler class destroyer escort
The John C. Butler class destroyer escort originated during World War II. The lead ship was the , commissioned on 31 March 1944. The class was also known as the WGT type from their Westinghouse Geared Turbine drive...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
in 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...
. It was named after Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Frank Woodrow O'Flaherty (26 November 1918-4 June 1942), a pilot with the , who died 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...
and was posthumously awarded 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 "extraordinary heroism".
O'Flaherty was laid down by Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during World War II in two locations: Wilmington, California and Orange, Texas...
of Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
, on 4 October 1943; launched on 14 December 1943; sponsored by Ensign Lavada M. O'Flaherty, N.N.C., sister of Ensign O'Flaherty; and commissioned on 8 April 1944, with Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
D. W. Farnham in command.
History
After shakedown off BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in May and June 1944, O'Flaherty accompanied battleship to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
, on Midshipman training cruises for the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. Then she transited the Panama Canal
Panama 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...
and steamed, via San Diego, to 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...
. She safeguarded the 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...
to Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
from 20 July to 26 July. The remainder of that month was spent shepherding merchantmen to Eniwetok via Tarawa
Tarawa Atoll
Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa...
.
From Eniwetok she escorted the escort carrier to 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...
, arriving there on 4 August. There she witnessed her first action, becoming involved in Operation Forager the invasion and reoccupation of Guam through the power of the mighty Pacific Fleet.
Leaving Guam, she returned to Eniwetok for a long stint on the "Milk-Run," escorting convoys between Eniwetok and 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...
. At midnight 4 October, O'Flaherty was directed to proceed on a 600-mile (1000-kilometre) dash in search of the survivors of a PBM Mariner
PBM Mariner
The Martin PBM Mariner was a patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War period. It was designed to complement the PBY Catalina in service. A total of 1,366 were built, with the first example flying on 18 February 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940.-Design and...
crashed at sea, and with the aid of search planes located and rescued the 12 crew members approximately 48 hours later.
On 26 October, with the installation of new CIC
CIC
- Organizations :* Chelsea Independent College* Central Information Commission* Cable in the Classroom* Cadet Instructors Cadre, or le Cadre des instructeurs de cadets in French, sub-element of the Canadian Reserve Force* Canadian International Council...
equipment, O’Flaherty was made a unit of Escort Division 64, formed as a hunter-killer group around escort carrier to check out reported enemy 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...
movements between Pearl Harbor and California
California
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...
. Later, she operated with escort carriers and in similar operations.
In January 1945, O'Flaherty served in the Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
Attack Force exposed to frequent 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....
raids.
Following the 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...
operation, O'Flaherty retired to 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...
. Gathering there was one of the greatest displays of Naval might in the world. O'Flaherty was shifted to the 5th Fleet. From 10 February through 14 March, the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s supported the 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...
invasion with air strikes and provided aerial spotters for the big guns of the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s and cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s. Many ships suffered damage during the operation, but O'Flaherty's Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
luck held out.
Two days before Iwo Jima was declared secure, on 16 March, O'Flaherty departed to participate in the invasion of Okinawa. As a unit of TG 52.1, Destroyer Division 120, she screened the Amphibious Support Force composed of CVE
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...
task units. Here on 2 April she drew her first blood.
As a 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 Zero was making its suicide run into the formation, O'Flaherty brought it down with her after 40 mm guns. The following day, when two of the raiders made screaming dives for the Wake Island, one struck her near the waterline. A third just missed a screening destroyer, and O'Flaherty's fire drove off a fourth to be brought down by US Navy fighters.
O'Flaherty participated in the Okinawa operation from 21 March to 22 June except for a short period, in April undergoing repairs at Guam. She then performed picket and auxiliary escort duty until the Japanese surrender. Afterwards, she operated out of Guam until receiving orders to return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
late in 1945.
O'Flaherty operated off California until she decommissioned at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, in January 1947. She remained in reserve berthed at 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...
, Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
until she was stricken from the Navy List
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 1 December 1972. O'Flaherty was sold for scrap on 27 November 1973.