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USS Stevens (DD-479)
Encyclopedia
USS Stevens (DD-479), a Fletcher-class
destroyer
, was the second ship of that name in the United States Navy
. This ship was named for both Rear Admiral
Thomas H. Stevens, Jr.
(1819–1896), and his father, Captain Thomas Holdup Stevens
(1795–1841).
Stevens (DD-479) was laid down on 30 December 1941 at the Charleston Navy Yard; launched
on 24 June 1942, co-sponsored by Mrs. Roland Curtin and Mrs. Frederick Stevens Hicks; and commissioned
on 1 February 1943 at the Charleston Navy Yard, with Commander
Frank H. Ball in command.
for a float plane, the others being Pringle
(DD-477) and Halford
(DD-480). The catapult and an aircraft crane
were located just aft of the number 2 smokestack, in place of the after torpedo tube
mount, 5 inch mount number 3, and the 2nd deck of the after deck house which normally carried a twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun on most ships of the class. (The twin 40 mm mount was moved to the fantail
, just forward of the depth charge racks, where most ships of the class carried 20 mm mounts.) It was intended that the float plane be used for scouting for the destroyer flotilla which the ship was attached to. It would be launched by the catapult, land on the water next to the ship, and be recovered by the aircraft crane. It turned out to be not operationally suitable for the intended purpose, and the 3 ships were ultimately converted to the standard Fletcher-class configuration.
Stevens completed shakedown in the Atlantic during the spring of 1943, then escorted coastal convoy
s before heading for the Panama Canal
in July. On 26 July she transited the canal, and moored at Balboa
the following day. She departed on 28 July, headed west to Hawaii
, and entered Pearl Harbor
on 9 August. By that time, American industrial prowess was beginning to produce and put into action the powerful naval force which, within two years, brought the Japanese Empire
to its knees. Stevens, one of a new class of fast, well-armed destroyers, joined three new Essex-class
aircraft carrier
s and the fast battleship
s Alabama
(BB-60) and South Dakota
(BB-57) in augmenting the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In late August, she accompanied the Task Force 15 (TF 15) carriers to warm-up raids on the Gilbert Islands
. Their planes hit Marcus Island on the 31st and Tarawa
on 18 September, but Stevens parted company with them and steamed for the West Coast before their 5 and 6 October raids on Wake Island
. By the time of her departure from the west coast on the 6th, the assaults on Makin
and on Tarawa
had been made, and the atoll
s were all but secure.
of the conquest of the Marshall Islands, in late January and early February of 1944. She bombarded the islands before the landings and afterward delivered support gunfire to the Marines until it was no longer necessary.
However, Stevens tour of duty with the 5th Fleet in the Central Pacific soon ended, for she cleared Kwajalein
on 4 February 1944 for the South Pacific
area. She stopped at Funafuti
, in the Ellice Islands, from 8 to 13 February; then joined Lang
(DD-399), Hogan
(DD-178), Hamilton
(DD-141), and Stansbury
(DD-180) to screen Transport Divisions 24 and 26. The convoy divided on the 15th, and the Guadalcanal
detachment, consisting of Stevens and Lang screening DuPage
(APA-41), Aquarius
(AKA-16), and Almaack (AK-27), arrived off Koli Point three days later. On 19 February, Stevens departed Guadalcanal to accompany Almaack to New Caledonia
. They reached Nouméa
on 22 February. After four days at the French port, the destroyer got underway in company with SS Japara back to the Solomons. On 4 March, she screened the merchantman into Tulagi
harbor; fueled at Port Purvis; then took station ahead of SS Mormacwren for a voyage to Efate
. The Stevens put into Havannah Harbor on 5 March after parting company with the merchantman, which continued on independently to Auckland, New Zealand.
Following 10 days in the Efate area, the Stevens sortied with Task Force 37
to bombard the Kavieng
area of northwestern New Ireland
. Until mid-March, an assault upon this area had been assumed to be necessary to complete the circle around the huge Japanese base at Rabaul
on New Britain
Island and to provide a base for operations north to the Philippines. However, the decision to occupy part of the Admiralty Islands
obviated Kavieng as a base; and the planners felt that the air campaign against Rabaul was proceeding so well that it was neutralizing that large Japanese base without the occupation of Kavieng. Consequently, the naval bombardment, during which the Stevens concentrated on the islands of Nusa and Nusalik, was the only phase of the operation carried out, but it was nevertheless highly effective. Samuel Eliot Morison
quotes Japan
ese sources which attest to the "demoralizing" effect of the bombardments, in which Stevens, two escort carrier
s, and 14 other destroyers joined the battleships New Mexico
(BB-40), Mississippi
(BB-41), Tennessee
(BB-43), and Idaho
(BB-42).
The Stevens returned to Efate on 25 March 1944, and she remained there almost two weeks. On 5 April, she got underway with Destroyer Squadron 25 (DesRon 25) to steam up the eastern coast of New Guinea
. After stopovers at Milne Bay
and Cape Sudest
, the destroyers rendezvoused with TG 77.4 off Cape Cretin on 19 April and steamed on to the Hollandia, New Guinea, invasion area. TG 77.4, the second echelon of the Hollandia invasion force, divided on [22 April, and the Stevens screened the western reinforcement group while its troops landed at Tanamerah Bay. She departed from Hollandia on 30 April 1944 and retraced her steps down the east coast of New Guinea, then she headed east to the Solomon Islands, entering Purvis Bay on 10 May.
For almost a month, she remained in the Solomons, escorting convoys, conducting combat training, and resting and resupplying in port. Then, on 4 June 1944, she steamed on a course for the Marshall Islands
, reaching Kwajalein on the 8th, patrolling there until the 12th, and then steaming for Eniwetok. She entered that lagoon on 28 June, and stayed there until 17 July, when she departed in the screen of TG 53.3, transporting troops to the Guam assault. The task group arrived off Guam
early on the morning of the day of the landings, 21 July 1944; and the Stevens fired on enemy positions as the troops disembarked from the transports and landed on the island. The destroyer continued her fire support role of delivering harassing, interdiction, and call fire in support of the American troops and Marines ashore until her departure on 26 July 1944.
The Stevens returned to Eniwetok on 30 July, and then she steamed for Guadalcanal the following day. Stevens reached Guadalcanal on 5 August, but continued on to Espiritu Santo
, which she reached the next day. She departed Espiritu Santo on 14 August and moored in Purvis Bay two days later. On 17 July the Stevens headed for New Guinea. The Stevens arrived at Humboldt Bay
on 21 July, and then made a trip to Maffin Bay and back; then, on 7 September, she stood out of Humboldt Bay for Aitape. She joined Task Force 77 at Aitape and, on 10 September, sortied with that task force for Morotai
in the East Indies
. Five days later, the assault troops stormed ashore on Morotai, to little opposition. The Stevens patrolled while the transports unloaded men and equipment. Late that afternoon, she steamed back towards Humboldt Bay, escorting HMAS Manoora
and HMAS Kanimbla
. This small convoy reached its destination on 18 September; and the following day, Stevens joined McKee
(DD-575) in the screen of another echelon bound for Morotai . Upon her arrival back at Morotai, the Stevens began patrolling as a radar
and anti-submarine picket off Kaoe Bay, and serving on night's patrol
south of Morotai.
The Stevens remained in the vicinity of Morotai from 23 September until 3 October. During that time, she continued her various patrols; fought off air attacks; and, after 25 September, served as headquarters for the landing craft control officer. On 3 October, she cleared Morotai in company with the Lang (DD-399). The two destroyers put into Humboldt Bay
two days later. On 16 October the Stevens got underway in the screen of TG 78.6, Leyte Reinforcement Group One. After a six-day voyage, the convoy arrived in Leyte Gulf
, and the Stevens refueled before escorting TG 78.10 back to New Guinea. Between 28 October and 9 December, 1944, the Stevens accompanied three more convoys from the New Guinea area to Leyte Gulf.
; her only break being a voyage from Lingayen Gulf
to Manus
; she then proceeded back via Hollandia to Leyte, where she remained from 13 February to 4 March. From 20 to 23 December 1944, she escorted the Ruticulus (AK-113) to Guiuan on Samar and back to Leyte. Between 27 December 1944 and 1 January 1945, while screening a resupply echelon (TU 78.3.15) to Mindoro
and back, the Stevens shot down three enemy planes during frequent air attacks that occurred in the area. On 9 January, 1945, she got underway to escort a supply echelon to Lingayen Gulf
. On the day before the convoy's arrival, it was attacked by six Japanese planes; four were downed by the screen's anti-aircraft fire, and the other two departed.
The Stevens convoy reached Lingayen Gulf on 13 January, and she patrolled on a radar picket
station until 18 January, and also stood by to deliver fire support if necessary. On 23 January she returned to Leyte Island. On 2 February she rendezvoused with Task Unit 78.12.9 (TU 78.12.9), and then escorted it into San Pedro Bay
on 5 February; then she departed again to rendezvous with TU 78.7.2 off Dulag
, Philippines. The Stevens guarded that convoy to Lingayen Gulf, arriving on 9 February and remaining there until 13 February, 1945.
After returning from a voyage to Manus and Hollandia
, back to the Philippines, she put into Manila Bay
, Luzon
, on 6 March, and on the 9th, she headed for Lingayen Gulf. En route, she stopped over at Mindoro on the night of 10/11 March; then she arrived at Lingayen on 12 March. From 13 to 15 March, she joined the Frazier
(DD-607) in a search for downed American flyers. The Frazier picked up six men of a B-24 crew, and the Stevens was released to overtake and join TG 72.4 on 16 March. She refueled at Mangarin Bay
, Mindoro
, that day, and then got underway with the Cleveland
(CL-55), Conway
(DD-507), and Eaton
(DD-510) to support the landings at Iloilo
on Panay
Island from 18 to 20 March. She cleared Panay on the 20th, arrived at Mindoro on 21 March, and then joined the screen of TG 74.2.
For the next month, the Stevens operated out of Subic Bay
, Luzon
. Next, on 14 April, she got underway with TG 74.2 to participate in the landings in the Parang
-Malabang-Cotabato
area of Mindanao
Island. The Stevens arrived off Polloc Harbor on 17 April and patrolled the landing area, screening the Denver
(CL-58) and delivering fire support for the troops, until 19 April. She returned to Subic Bay, Luzon, on 21 April, and then remained for a week and a day. On 29 April 1945, the Stevens steamed back to Mindanao, and, after a stop at Police Harbor, she reached Davao Gulf
, Mindanao on 1 May. On 3 May, she supported the minesweeping
units in the Santa Cruz
area and again screened the USS Denver, while the cruiser
delivered fire support with her 6 inches (15.2 cm) guns. The Stevens headed back to Subic Bay, Luzon, that same day, and she arrived on 6 May. She spent the following month in the Manila Bay-Subic Bay area, engaged in exercises, upkeep, repairs, and shore leave.
On 7 June the Stevens departed the Philippines with TG 74.2 to support the invasion of Borneo
in the East Indies
. From 9 to 11 June, she patrolled off Brunei Bay
, Borneo, in the support force for the attack group. On the 11th, she steamed for Tawi Tawi with most of the task force. After stopping at Tawi Tawi over the night of 12/13 June, she arrived at Balikpapan
, Borneo, on 15 June, and supported the Balikpapan invasion until 2 July. From 15 to 17 June, she supported the minesweepers. On the 17th, she bombarded the beaches at Klandasan and also fought off an air attack that evening during night retirement. She conducted another shore bombardment on 19 June, and then engaged shore batteries on 21 and 23 June, silencing two of them on the 23rd. The troops landed on 1 July, and the Stevens helped cover them with counter-battery and harassing fire throughout the day and into the night. The following day, she departed Balikpapan en route to Leyte Gulf
, the Philippines.
The Stevens entered San Pedro Bay on 5 July and then remained there for one week. On 12 July, she steamed out of the bay, and then reached Subic Bay three days later. The USS Stevens conducted tactical and anti-submarine warfare
[ASW] exercises in the Manila Bay-Subic Bay area of Luzon for the duration of the War in the Pacific.
On 28 August, 1945, almost two weeks after the cessation of hostilities, the USS Stevens departed from Subic Bay with TG 71.1 and headed for the Yellow Sea
and western Korea. On 30 August, the Stevens, the Bell
(DD-587), and the Burns
(DD-588) were dispatched to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, where they reported to Carrier Division 5 for duty.
The Stevens exited that bay two days later in the screen of the carriers of TF 72 and steamed for Inchon, Korea
. On 10 September, she put into Inchon for repairs and, from 19 September to 20 September, she screened the New Orleans
(CA-32) to Tsingtao
, China. There, she assisted in the internment of Japanese ships until 29 September; then she shifted to Taku Bar where she supported troop landings until 6 October. On 7 October, the Stevens arrived at Chefoo Harbor, joined TU 71.1.5, and then steamed for Inchon. Following a five-day stay there, she departed on 13 October with troops, sailors, and Marines, bound for the United States. The Stevens stopped at Guam on 19 October, and after steaming to Hawaii, she spent two days at Pearl Harbor
, Oahu
. From there, she steamed to the West Coast, reaching San Diego, California
, on 7 November, 1945.
On 8 November, after discharging her passengers, the Stevens steamed to San Pedro, California, and there reported for duty to the 19th (Reserve) Fleet for a deactivation overhaul. The Stevens was decommissioned on 2 July 1946, and she remained with the Pacific Reserve Fleet until 1 December 1972 when her name was stricken from the Navy list
. On 27 November 1973, her hulk was sold to Zidell Explorations, Inc., of Portland, Oregon
, for scrapping.
The USS Stevens was awarded nine battle stars for her service during World War II
.
artist Sam Glanzman
served aboard the Stevens from 1941 until 1945, and chronicled his years aboard her in a series of short stories for DC Comics
and in a pair of Marvel Comics
graphic novels, A Sailor's Story and A Sailor's Story, Book Two: Winds, Dreams, and Dragons.
for other ships of the same name.
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 that name 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...
. This ship was named for both 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"...
Thomas H. Stevens, Jr.
Thomas H. Stevens, Jr.
Thomas Holdup Stevens, Jr. was an admiral of the United States Navy who fought in the American Civil War.-Early life and commission:...
(1819–1896), and his father, Captain Thomas Holdup Stevens
Thomas Holdup Stevens
Captain Thomas Holdup Stevens, USN was an American naval commander in the War of 1812.Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Thomas Holdup was orphaned at an early age and was adopted by General Daniel Stevens. On February 8, 1809, he was appointed midshipman on board Hornet...
(1795–1841).
Stevens (DD-479) was laid down on 30 December 1941 at the Charleston Navy Yard; 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...
on 24 June 1942, co-sponsored by Mrs. Roland Curtin and Mrs. Frederick Stevens Hicks; 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...
on 1 February 1943 at the Charleston Navy Yard, with 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...
Frank H. Ball in command.
1943
Stevens was one of the three Fletcher-class destroyers to be completed with a catapultCatapult
A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices—particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during...
for a float plane, the others being Pringle
USS Pringle (DD-477)
USS Pringle , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral Joel R. P. Pringle .Pringle was laid down by the Charleston Navy Yard, on 31 July 1941; launched on 2 May 1942, sponsored by Mrs. John D. H. Kane; and commissioned on 15 September 1942, with Lieutenant Commander Harold O...
(DD-477) and Halford
USS Halford (DD-480)
USS Halford , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Lieutenant William Halford , a recipient of the Medal of Honor....
(DD-480). The catapult and an aircraft crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
were located just aft of the number 2 smokestack, in place of the after torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
mount, 5 inch mount number 3, and the 2nd deck of the after deck house which normally carried a twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun on most ships of the class. (The twin 40 mm mount was moved to the fantail
Fantail
Fantails are small insectivorous birds of southern Asia and Australasia belonging to the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae...
, just forward of the depth charge racks, where most ships of the class carried 20 mm mounts.) It was intended that the float plane be used for scouting for the destroyer flotilla which the ship was attached to. It would be launched by the catapult, land on the water next to the ship, and be recovered by the aircraft crane. It turned out to be not operationally suitable for the intended purpose, and the 3 ships were ultimately converted to the standard Fletcher-class configuration.
Stevens completed shakedown in the Atlantic during the spring of 1943, then escorted coastal convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s before heading for 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...
in July. On 26 July she transited the canal, and moored at Balboa
Balboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
the following day. She departed on 28 July, headed west to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and entered 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...
on 9 August. By that time, American industrial prowess was beginning to produce and put into action the powerful naval force which, within two years, brought the Japanese Empire
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...
to its knees. Stevens, one of a new class of fast, well-armed destroyers, joined three new Essex-class
Essex class aircraft carrier
The Essex class was a class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy, which constituted the 20th century's most numerous class of capital ships with 24 vessels built in both "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two were originally ordered; however as World War II wound down, six were...
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 and the fast 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 Alabama
USS Alabama (BB-60)
USS Alabama , a South Dakota-class battleship, was the sixth completed ship of the United States Navy named for the U.S. state of Alabama, however she was only the third commissioned ship with that name. Alabama was commissioned in 1942 and served in World War II in the Atlantic and Pacific...
(BB-60) and South Dakota
USS South Dakota (BB-57)
USS South Dakota was a battleship in the United States Navy from 1942 until 1947. The lead ship of her class, South Dakota was the third ship of the US Navy to be named in honor of the 40th state. During World War II, she first served in a fifteen-month tour in the Pacific theater, where she saw...
(BB-57) in augmenting the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In late August, she accompanied the Task Force 15 (TF 15) carriers to warm-up raids on the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
. Their planes hit Marcus Island on the 31st and 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...
on 18 September, but Stevens parted company with them and steamed for the West Coast before their 5 and 6 October raids on 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...
. By the time of her departure from the west coast on the 6th, the assaults on Makin
Battle of Makin
The Battle of Makin was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 20 November to 24 November 1943, on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.-Japanese invasion and fortification:...
and on Tarawa
Battle of Tarawa
The Battle of Tarawa, code named Operation Galvanic, was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region....
had been made, and the atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
s were all but secure.
1944: Central and South Pacific
Though she had missed out on the first hop of the leapfrog across the Central Pacific, Stevens rejoined the 5th Fleet in time to be part of the second jump. Attached to Task Group 52.8 (TG 52.8), the fire support group, the destroyer participated in Operation Flintlock, the Kwajalein phaseBattle of Kwajalein
The Battle of Kwajalein was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of...
of the conquest of the Marshall Islands, in late January and early February of 1944. She bombarded the islands before the landings and afterward delivered support gunfire to the Marines until it was no longer necessary.
However, Stevens tour of duty with the 5th Fleet in the Central Pacific soon ended, for she cleared Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
on 4 February 1944 for the South Pacific
South Pacific Area
The South Pacific Area was a multinational U.S.-led military command active during World War II. It was a part of the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas under Admiral Chester Nimitz.Instructions to the senior U.S...
area. She stopped at Funafuti
Funafuti
Funafuti is an atoll that forms the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 4,492 , making it the most populated atoll in the country. It is a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide, with a surface of...
, in the Ellice Islands, from 8 to 13 February; then joined Lang
USS Lang (DD-399)
The first USS Lang was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for John Lang.-History:...
(DD-399), Hogan
USS Hogan (DD-178)
USS Hogan was a in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named for Seaman Daniel Hogan.Hogan was launched by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, 12 April 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Magnus A. Anderson, a sister of the Secretary of the Interior Franklin K....
(DD-178), Hamilton
USS Hamilton (DD-141)
The second USS Hamilton was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I, later reclassified DMS-18 for service in World War II...
(DD-141), and Stansbury
USS Stansbury (DD-180)
USS Stansbury was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for John Stansbury....
(DD-180) to screen Transport Divisions 24 and 26. The convoy divided on the 15th, and the 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...
detachment, consisting of Stevens and Lang screening DuPage
USS DuPage (APA-41)
USS DuPage was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. The ship was named for DuPage County, Illinois.DuPage was launched on 19 December 1942 as Sea Hound by Ingalls Shipbuilding Co., Pascagoula, Mississippi, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. Leigh R...
(APA-41), Aquarius
USS Aquarius (AKA-16)
USS Aquarius was an in the service of the United States Navy. She was named after the constellation Aquarius. She was one of a handful of World War II AKAs manned by officers and crew from the United States Coast Guard...
(AKA-16), and Almaack (AK-27), arrived off Koli Point three days later. On 19 February, Stevens departed Guadalcanal to accompany Almaack to New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. They reached Nouméa
Nouméa
Nouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
on 22 February. After four days at the French port, the destroyer got underway in company with SS Japara back to the Solomons. On 4 March, she screened the merchantman into Tulagi
Tulagi
Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida Island. The town of the same name on the island Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island (5.5 km by 1 km) in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida...
harbor; fueled at Port Purvis; then took station ahead of SS Mormacwren for a voyage to Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
. The Stevens put into Havannah Harbor on 5 March after parting company with the merchantman, which continued on independently to Auckland, New Zealand.
Following 10 days in the Efate area, the Stevens sortied with Task Force 37
Task Force 37
Task Force 37 was a US Navy task force active during World War II. Task Force numbers were in constant use, and there were several incarnations of TF 37 during World War II. The British Pacific Fleet was allocated as TF 37 in 1945....
to bombard the Kavieng
Kavieng
Kavieng is the capital of the Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland and the largest town on the island of the same name. The town is located at Balgai Bay, on the northern tip of the island. As of 2000, it had a population of 10,600....
area of northwestern New Ireland
New Ireland (island)
New Ireland is a large island in Papua New Guinea, approximately 7,404 km² in area. It is the largest island of the New Ireland Province, lying northeast of the island of New Britain. Both islands are part of the Bismarck Archipelago, named after Otto von Bismarck, and they are separated by...
. Until mid-March, an assault upon this area had been assumed to be necessary to complete the circle around the huge Japanese base at Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
on New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
Island and to provide a base for operations north to the Philippines. However, the decision to occupy part of the Admiralty Islands
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
obviated Kavieng as a base; and the planners felt that the air campaign against Rabaul was proceeding so well that it was neutralizing that large Japanese base without the occupation of Kavieng. Consequently, the naval bombardment, during which the Stevens concentrated on the islands of Nusa and Nusalik, was the only phase of the operation carried out, but it was nevertheless highly effective. Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison, Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history that were both authoritative and highly readable. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and taught history at the university for 40 years...
quotes 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 sources which attest to the "demoralizing" effect of the bombardments, in which Stevens, two 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, and 14 other destroyers joined the battleships New Mexico
USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS New Mexico was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships. New Mexico was extensively modernized between 1931 and 1933 and saw service during World War II both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. After her...
(BB-40), Mississippi
USS Mississippi (BB-41)
USS Mississippi , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state, and the second battleship to carry the name. Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I, she served extensively in the Pacific in World War II, for which she earned eight battle stars...
(BB-41), Tennessee
USS Tennessee (BB-43)
USS Tennessee , the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 16th US state. During World War II in the Pacific Theater, she was damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 but was repaired and modernized...
(BB-43), and Idaho
USS Idaho (BB-42)
USS Idaho , a , was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 43rd state. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey...
(BB-42).
The Stevens returned to Efate on 25 March 1944, and she remained there almost two weeks. On 5 April, she got underway with Destroyer Squadron 25 (DesRon 25) to steam up the eastern coast of 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...
. After stopovers at Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
and Cape Sudest
Cape Sudest
Cape Sudest is a Cape in Papua New Guinea, next to Oro Bay. There was an important U.S military base there in World War II. It was situated in Oro Province, about a mile south of Harigo....
, the destroyers rendezvoused with TG 77.4 off Cape Cretin on 19 April and steamed on to the Hollandia, New Guinea, invasion area. TG 77.4, the second echelon of the Hollandia invasion force, divided on [22 April, and the Stevens screened the western reinforcement group while its troops landed at Tanamerah Bay. She departed from Hollandia on 30 April 1944 and retraced her steps down the east coast of New Guinea, then she headed east to the Solomon Islands, entering Purvis Bay on 10 May.
For almost a month, she remained in the Solomons, escorting convoys, conducting combat training, and resting and resupplying in port. Then, on 4 June 1944, she steamed on a course for the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, reaching Kwajalein on the 8th, patrolling there until the 12th, and then steaming for Eniwetok. She entered that lagoon on 28 June, and stayed there until 17 July, when she departed in the screen of TG 53.3, transporting troops to the Guam assault. The task group arrived off 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...
early on the morning of the day of the landings, 21 July 1944; and the Stevens fired on enemy positions as the troops disembarked from the transports and landed on the island. The destroyer continued her fire support role of delivering harassing, interdiction, and call fire in support of the American troops and Marines ashore until her departure on 26 July 1944.
The Stevens returned to Eniwetok on 30 July, and then she steamed for Guadalcanal the following day. Stevens reached Guadalcanal on 5 August, but continued on to Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, which she reached the next day. She departed Espiritu Santo on 14 August and moored in Purvis Bay two days later. On 17 July the Stevens headed for New Guinea. The Stevens arrived at Humboldt Bay
Teluk Yos Sudarso
Yos Sudarso Bay also known earlier as Humboldt Bay is a small bay in Indonesia. It is on the north coast of New Guinea, about 50 kilometers west of the border between Indonesia's province of Papua and the country of Papua New Guinea...
on 21 July, and then made a trip to Maffin Bay and back; then, on 7 September, she stood out of Humboldt Bay for Aitape. She joined Task Force 77 at Aitape and, on 10 September, sortied with that task force for Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. Five days later, the assault troops stormed ashore on Morotai, to little opposition. The Stevens patrolled while the transports unloaded men and equipment. Late that afternoon, she steamed back towards Humboldt Bay, escorting HMAS Manoora
HMAS Manoora (1935)
HMAS Manoora was a motor vessel laid down for the Adelaide Steamship Company by Alex Stephen and Son at Govan in Scotland in July 1934, launched on 25 October 1935 and completed in 1935....
and HMAS Kanimbla
HMAS Kanimbla (1936)
HMAS Kanimbla was a passenger ship converted for use as an armed merchant cruiser and landing ship infantry during World War II. Built during the mid-1930s as the passenger liner MV Kanimbla for McIlwraith McEachern Limited, the ship operated in Australian waters until 1939, when she was...
. This small convoy reached its destination on 18 September; and the following day, Stevens joined McKee
USS McKee (DD-575)
USS McKee was a Fletcher-class destroyer, the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Hugh W. McKee....
(DD-575) in the screen of another echelon bound for Morotai . Upon her arrival back at Morotai, the Stevens began patrolling as a radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and anti-submarine picket off Kaoe Bay, and serving on night's patrol
Patrol
A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as police officers or soldiers, that are assigned to monitor a specific geographic area.- Military :...
south of Morotai.
The Stevens remained in the vicinity of Morotai from 23 September until 3 October. During that time, she continued her various patrols; fought off air attacks; and, after 25 September, served as headquarters for the landing craft control officer. On 3 October, she cleared Morotai in company with the Lang (DD-399). The two destroyers put into Humboldt Bay
Teluk Yos Sudarso
Yos Sudarso Bay also known earlier as Humboldt Bay is a small bay in Indonesia. It is on the north coast of New Guinea, about 50 kilometers west of the border between Indonesia's province of Papua and the country of Papua New Guinea...
two days later. On 16 October the Stevens got underway in the screen of TG 78.6, Leyte Reinforcement Group One. After a six-day voyage, the convoy arrived in Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
, and the Stevens refueled before escorting TG 78.10 back to New Guinea. Between 28 October and 9 December, 1944, the Stevens accompanied three more convoys from the New Guinea area to Leyte Gulf.
1945: Philippines and Borneo
From 9 December 1944, until 7 June 1945, the Stevens operated primarily in the PhilippinesPhilippines
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...
; her only break being a voyage from 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...
to 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...
; she then proceeded back via Hollandia to Leyte, where she remained from 13 February to 4 March. From 20 to 23 December 1944, she escorted the Ruticulus (AK-113) to Guiuan on Samar and back to Leyte. Between 27 December 1944 and 1 January 1945, while screening a resupply echelon (TU 78.3.15) to Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
and back, the Stevens shot down three enemy planes during frequent air attacks that occurred in the area. On 9 January, 1945, she got underway to escort a supply echelon to 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...
. On the day before the convoy's arrival, it was attacked by six Japanese planes; four were downed by the screen's anti-aircraft fire, and the other two departed.
The Stevens convoy reached Lingayen Gulf on 13 January, and she patrolled on a radar picket
Radar picket
A radar picket is a radar-equipped ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a force to protect it from surprise attack. Often several detached radar units encircle a force to provide increased cover in all directions.-World War II:Radar picket ships...
station until 18 January, and also stood by to deliver fire support if necessary. On 23 January she returned to Leyte Island. On 2 February she rendezvoused with Task Unit 78.12.9 (TU 78.12.9), and then escorted it into San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
on 5 February; then she departed again to rendezvous with TU 78.7.2 off Dulag
Dulag, Leyte
Dulag is a third-class municipality in the province of Leyte in Eastern Visayas in the Philippines. This coastal town covering 11,007 hectares of land is home to 44,143 residents...
, Philippines. The Stevens guarded that convoy to Lingayen Gulf, arriving on 9 February and remaining there until 13 February, 1945.
After returning from a voyage to Manus and 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....
, back to the Philippines, she put into Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
, 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...
, on 6 March, and on the 9th, she headed for Lingayen Gulf. En route, she stopped over at Mindoro on the night of 10/11 March; then she arrived at Lingayen on 12 March. From 13 to 15 March, she joined the Frazier
USS Frazier (DD-607)
USS Frazier was a Benson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Daniel Frazier.Frazier was launched 17 March 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, San Francisco, California; sponsored by Mrs...
(DD-607) in a search for downed American flyers. The Frazier picked up six men of a B-24 crew, and the Stevens was released to overtake and join TG 72.4 on 16 March. She refueled at Mangarin Bay
Mangarin Bay
Mangarin Bay is situated to the east of Mangarin Point, on the west coast of Mindoro, among the Philippine Islands. The bay is shoal and sheltered from the wind by the point and Ilin Island. Magarin point terminates in a long sandy pit off which the depth is 4 to 5 fathoms. Farther in the water...
, Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
, that day, and then got underway with the Cleveland
USS Cleveland (CL-55)
was the lead ship and one of the 26 United States Navy light cruisers completed during or shortly after World War II. She was the second ship to be named for the city of Cleveland, Ohio....
(CL-55), Conway
USS Conway (DD-507)
USS Conway , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for William Conway, who distinguished himself during the Civil War....
(DD-507), and Eaton
USS Eaton (DD-510)
USS Eaton was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after William Eaton , an American soldier involved in the First Barbary War....
(DD-510) to support the landings at Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
on Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
Island from 18 to 20 March. She cleared Panay on the 20th, arrived at Mindoro on 21 March, and then joined the screen of TG 74.2.
For the next month, the Stevens operated out of 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...
, 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...
. Next, on 14 April, she got underway with TG 74.2 to participate in the landings in the Parang
Parang
Parang is a popular folk music originating out of Trinidad and Tobago, it was brought to Trinidad by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian and African heritage, something which is strongly reflected in the music itself. The word is derived from two Spanish words:'Parranda', meaning...
-Malabang-Cotabato
Cotabato
Cotabato , is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao...
area of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
Island. The Stevens arrived off Polloc Harbor on 17 April and patrolled the landing area, screening the Denver
USS Denver (CL-58)
USS Denver was a Cleveland-class light cruiser. Denver launched on 4 April 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; sponsored by Miss L. J. Stapleton, daughter of the Mayor of Denver; and commissioned on 15 October 1942, Captain Robert Carney in command...
(CL-58) and delivering fire support for the troops, until 19 April. She returned to Subic Bay, Luzon, on 21 April, and then remained for a week and a day. On 29 April 1945, the Stevens steamed back to Mindanao, and, after a stop at Police Harbor, she reached 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...
, Mindanao on 1 May. On 3 May, she supported the minesweeping
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:...
units in the Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur
Santa Cruz is a 1st class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. It has a population of 100,017 people in 21,856 households.The Municipality of Santa Cruz is now a part of Metropolitan Davao.Region XI : Davao del Sur- Geography :...
area and again screened the USS Denver, while the 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...
delivered fire support with her 6 inches (15.2 cm) guns. The Stevens headed back to Subic Bay, Luzon, that same day, and she arrived on 6 May. She spent the following month in the Manila Bay-Subic Bay area, engaged in exercises, upkeep, repairs, and shore leave.
On 7 June the Stevens departed the Philippines with TG 74.2 to support the invasion of 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....
in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. From 9 to 11 June, she patrolled 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...
, Borneo, in the support force for the attack group. On the 11th, she steamed for Tawi Tawi with most of the task force. After stopping at Tawi Tawi over the night of 12/13 June, she arrived at 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...
, Borneo, on 15 June, and supported the Balikpapan invasion until 2 July. From 15 to 17 June, she supported the minesweepers. On the 17th, she bombarded the beaches at Klandasan and also fought off an air attack that evening during night retirement. She conducted another shore bombardment on 19 June, and then engaged shore batteries on 21 and 23 June, silencing two of them on the 23rd. The troops landed on 1 July, and the Stevens helped cover them with counter-battery and harassing fire throughout the day and into the night. The following day, she departed Balikpapan en route to Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
, the Philippines.
The Stevens entered San Pedro Bay on 5 July and then remained there for one week. On 12 July, she steamed out of the bay, and then reached Subic Bay three days later. The USS Stevens conducted tactical and anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
[ASW] exercises in the Manila Bay-Subic Bay area of Luzon for the duration of the War in the Pacific.
On 28 August, 1945, almost two weeks after the cessation of hostilities, the USS Stevens departed from Subic Bay with TG 71.1 and headed for the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
and western Korea. On 30 August, the Stevens, the Bell
USS Bell (DD-587)
USS Bell was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Henry H. Bell ....
(DD-587), and the Burns
USS Burns (DD-588)
USS Hugh Burns , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Captain Hugh Otway Burns , a privateer in the War of 1812....
(DD-588) were dispatched to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, where they reported to Carrier Division 5 for duty.
The Stevens exited that bay two days later in the screen of the carriers of TF 72 and steamed for Inchon, 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...
. On 10 September, she put into Inchon for repairs and, from 19 September to 20 September, she screened the New Orleans
USS New Orleans (CA-32)
USS New Orleans was a United States Navy heavy cruiser, the lead ship of her class. The New Orleans-class represented the last of the Treaty Cruisers, built to the specifications and standards of the Washington Naval Treaty. Originally, was the lead ship of this class...
(CA-32) to 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...
, China. There, she assisted in the internment of Japanese ships until 29 September; then she shifted to Taku Bar where she supported troop landings until 6 October. On 7 October, the Stevens arrived at Chefoo Harbor, joined TU 71.1.5, and then steamed for Inchon. Following a five-day stay there, she departed on 13 October with troops, sailors, and Marines, bound for the United States. The Stevens stopped at Guam on 19 October, and after steaming to Hawaii, she spent two days at 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...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. From there, she steamed to the West Coast, reaching San Diego, 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...
, on 7 November, 1945.
On 8 November, after discharging her passengers, the Stevens steamed to San Pedro, California, and there reported for duty to the 19th (Reserve) Fleet for a deactivation overhaul. The Stevens was decommissioned on 2 July 1946, and she remained with the Pacific Reserve Fleet until 1 December 1972 when her name was stricken from the Navy list
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...
. On 27 November 1973, her hulk was sold to Zidell Explorations, Inc., of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, for scrapping.
The USS Stevens was awarded nine battle stars for her service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In comic books
Comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist Sam Glanzman
Sam Glanzman
Sam J. Glanzman is an American comic-book artist, best known for his Charlton Comics series Hercules, about the mythological Greek demigod; his biographical war stories about his service aboard the U.S.S...
served aboard the Stevens from 1941 until 1945, and chronicled his years aboard her in a series of short stories for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and in a pair of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
graphic novels, A Sailor's Story and A Sailor's Story, Book Two: Winds, Dreams, and Dragons.
Other ships named USS Stevens
See USS StevensUSS Stevens
Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Stevens. The first was named in honor of Captain Thomas Holdup Stevens , and the second for both Capt. Stevens and his son, Rear Admiral Thomas H. Stevens, Jr...
for other ships of the same name.
External links
- history.navy.mil: USS Stevens
- navsource.org: USS Stevens
- hazegray.org: USS Stevens
- Kamikaze and Ride the Baka - comics on wartime adventures of Stevens