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USS Hammann (DD-412)
Encyclopedia
USS Hammann (DD-412) was a World War II
-era Sims-class
destroyer
in the service of the United States Navy
, named after Ensign
Charles Hammann
, a Medal of Honor
recipient killed during World War I
. Hammann was sunk during The Battle of Midway
, trying to assist the sinking aircraft carrier USS Yorktown
.
Hammann was launched by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
, Kearny, New Jersey
on 4 February 1939; sponsored by Miss Lillian Hammann; and commissioned on 11 August 1939, Commander
Arnold E. True
in command. Hammann conducted shakedown off the East Coast and for the next two years participated in training and readiness operations off both coasts.
on 7 December 1941, she quickly returned to Norfolk, Virginia
, for fuel and supplies, and departed on 6 January 1942, 5 months before her destruction, for the Pacific. She arrived San Francisco, California
on 22 January via the Panama Canal
and sailed on 25 February with Vice Admiral
Frank Jack Fletcher
's Task Force 17 for action in the South Pacific.
The destroyer took part in training maneuvers in the New Caledonia
area during early March, and on 27 March the Task Force departed for the Coral Sea
. Hammann acted as screening ship and plane guard for , Returning to Tongatapu
on 20 April, the Task Force sortled again into the Coral Sea on 27 April for a surprise air raid on Japan
ese Invasion forces on Tulagi
.
While screening the carriers during the air raids of 4 May, Hammann was directed to rescue two fighter pilots downed on Guadalcanal
, some 40 miles (65 km) to the north. Steaming at full speed, the destroyer arrived at dusk and sighted a marker on the beach, which proved to be a parachute. The motor whaleboat was put over the side, but dangerous surf prevented it from landing. Consequently, the pilots were recovered with the use of lines from the boat. This accomplished, an attempt was made to destroy the wreckage of the aircraft, but the rough water made this impossible, and Hammann returned to Lexingtons screen from this successful operation that night.
, the first naval engagement fought entirely on both sides between aircraft and ships. During the exchange of air attacks, Hammann screened the carriers, firing at Japanese torpedo planes as they attacked. Just as the torpedo planes retired, dive bombers appeared, one exploding a bomb a scant 200 yards (200 m) off Hammanns starboard bow. Lexington, which had taken two devastating torpedo hits to port, was first thought to be under control, but a large internal explosion shortly before 1300, followed later by others, sealed her fate. As the order was given to abandon ship, Hammann, , and stood by to receive survivors. The destroyer picked up nearly 500 men from the water before "Lady Lex" went down the night of 8 May, torpedoed by .
The Battle of the Coral Sea, which checked the Japan
ese advance to the southeast, was over, but new demands called Hammann to the north. Under urgent orders from Admiral
Chester Nimitz
to meet a new threat, Hammann moved to Pearl Harbor
with the Task Force, arriving on 27 May. After making repairs, it got underway on 30 May and was just in time to take part in the Battle of Midway
.
During the air battle on 4 June, Hammann screened , helping to shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. However, the carrier took two torpedo hits and, listing heavily, was abandoned that afternoon. Hammann picked up survivors in the water, including Yorktowns skipper, Captain Buckmaster, and transferred them to the larger ships. Efforts were mounted to save the stricken carrier on the next morning. A skeleton crew returned on board the Yorktown, and attempts were made to tow her to safety. Hammann came alongside on 6 June to transfer a damage control party. The destroyer then lay alongside, providing hoses and water for firefighting, power, and other services while tied up next to the carrier.
The salvage party was making progress when the protective screen was penetrated by after noon on 6 June. Four torpedoes were loosed; two missed, one passed under Hammann and hit Yorktown, and the fourth hit the destroyer amidships, breaking her back.
As the debris from the explosion rained down and the ships lurched apart, it was apparent that the Hammann was doomed. Life rafts were lowered and rescue efforts began by ships in company. The ship sank, bow first, in just 4 minutes, and following the sinking a violent underwater explosion
, likely from the destroyer's depth charges and torpedoes going off, caused many deaths in the water, bringing the toll in dead to over 80. Survivors were taken aboard and .
and a Distinguished Service Medal
for his performance while in command of Hammann at Coral Sea and Midway. Hammann also received two battle stars for her service in 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...
-era Sims-class
Sims class destroyer
The Sims-class consisted of 12 destroyers in the United States Navy, built in seven various shipyards, and commissioned in 1939 and 1940. It was the last United States destroyer class completed prior to World War II. All Sims-class ships saw action in World War II, and seven survived the war...
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...
in the service 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...
, 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....
Charles Hammann
Charles Hammann
Charles Hazeltine Hammann was an officer in the United States Navy, an early naval aviator, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
, a Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient killed during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Hammann was sunk during The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is a 1942 American documentary film short directed by John Ford. It is a montage of color footage of the Battle of Midway with voice overs of various narrators, including Donald Crisp, Henry Fonda, and Jane Darwell...
, trying to assist the sinking aircraft carrier USS Yorktown
USS Yorktown (CV-5)
was an aircraft carrier commissioned in the United States Navy from 1937 until she was sunk at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. She was named after the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 and the lead ship of the Yorktown class which was designed after lessons learned from operations with the large...
.
Hammann was launched by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
The Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was a United States shipyard, active from 1917 to 1949. During World War II, it built ships as part of the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Operated by a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, the shipyard was located at...
, Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was named after Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 40,684. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark....
on 4 February 1939; sponsored by Miss Lillian Hammann; and commissioned on 11 August 1939, Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Arnold E. True
Arnold E. True
Arnold E. True was an American military officer in the U.S. Navy. He commanded the Sims-class destroyer USS Hammann.-Early life:...
in command. Hammann conducted shakedown off the East Coast and for the next two years participated in training and readiness operations off both coasts.
Pacific Duty
At IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
on 7 December 1941, she quickly returned to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, for fuel and supplies, and departed on 6 January 1942, 5 months before her destruction, for the Pacific. She arrived San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 22 January via 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 sailed on 25 February with Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
Frank Jack Fletcher
Frank Jack Fletcher
Frank Jack Fletcher was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Fletcher was the operational commander at the pivotal Battles of Coral Sea and of Midway. He was the nephew of Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher.-Early life and early Navy career:Fletcher was born in Marshalltown, Iowa...
's Task Force 17 for action in the South Pacific.
The destroyer took part in training maneuvers in the 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...
area during early March, and on 27 March the Task Force departed for 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...
. Hammann acted as screening ship and plane guard for , Returning to Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
on 20 April, the Task Force sortled again into the Coral Sea on 27 April for a surprise air raid on 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 Invasion forces on 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...
.
While screening the carriers during the air raids of 4 May, Hammann was directed to rescue two fighter pilots downed on 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...
, some 40 miles (65 km) to the north. Steaming at full speed, the destroyer arrived at dusk and sighted a marker on the beach, which proved to be a parachute. The motor whaleboat was put over the side, but dangerous surf prevented it from landing. Consequently, the pilots were recovered with the use of lines from the boat. This accomplished, an attempt was made to destroy the wreckage of the aircraft, but the rough water made this impossible, and Hammann returned to Lexingtons screen from this successful operation that night.
The Battle of the Coral Sea
On 8 May came the main action of the Battle of the Coral SeaBattle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
, the first naval engagement fought entirely on both sides between aircraft and ships. During the exchange of air attacks, Hammann screened the carriers, firing at Japanese torpedo planes as they attacked. Just as the torpedo planes retired, dive bombers appeared, one exploding a bomb a scant 200 yards (200 m) off Hammanns starboard bow. Lexington, which had taken two devastating torpedo hits to port, was first thought to be under control, but a large internal explosion shortly before 1300, followed later by others, sealed her fate. As the order was given to abandon ship, Hammann, , and stood by to receive survivors. The destroyer picked up nearly 500 men from the water before "Lady Lex" went down the night of 8 May, torpedoed by .
The Battle of Midway
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 advance to the southeast, was over, but new demands called Hammann to the north. Under urgent orders from Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
Chester Nimitz
Chester Nimitz
Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, GCB, USN was a five-star admiral in the United States Navy. He held the dual command of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet , for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas , for U.S...
to meet a new threat, Hammann moved 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...
with the Task Force, arriving on 27 May. After making repairs, it got underway on 30 May and was just in time to take part in 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...
.
During the air battle on 4 June, Hammann screened , helping to shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. However, the carrier took two torpedo hits and, listing heavily, was abandoned that afternoon. Hammann picked up survivors in the water, including Yorktowns skipper, Captain Buckmaster, and transferred them to the larger ships. Efforts were mounted to save the stricken carrier on the next morning. A skeleton crew returned on board the Yorktown, and attempts were made to tow her to safety. Hammann came alongside on 6 June to transfer a damage control party. The destroyer then lay alongside, providing hoses and water for firefighting, power, and other services while tied up next to the carrier.
The salvage party was making progress when the protective screen was penetrated by after noon on 6 June. Four torpedoes were loosed; two missed, one passed under Hammann and hit Yorktown, and the fourth hit the destroyer amidships, breaking her back.
As the debris from the explosion rained down and the ships lurched apart, it was apparent that the Hammann was doomed. Life rafts were lowered and rescue efforts began by ships in company. The ship sank, bow first, in just 4 minutes, and following the sinking a violent underwater explosion
Underwater explosion
An underwater explosion, also known as an UNDEX, is an explosion beneath the surface of water. The type of explosion may be chemical or nuclear...
, likely from the destroyer's depth charges and torpedoes going off, caused many deaths in the water, bringing the toll in dead to over 80. Survivors were taken aboard and .
Awards
Hammanns skipper, Commander Arnold True, was awarded the Navy CrossNavy 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...
and a Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
for his performance while in command of Hammann at Coral Sea and Midway. Hammann also received two battle stars for her service in World War II.
External links
- USS Hammann at Destroyer History Foundation
- Photo gallery at Naval Historical Center
- Photo gallery at Navsource.org