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USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427)
Encyclopedia
USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) was a Benson-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during World War II
. She was named for Admiral
Hilary P. Jones
.
Hilary P. Jones was launched by the Charleston Navy Yard 14 December 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Hilary P. Jones, widow of Admiral Jones; and commissioned 6 September 1940 at Charleston Navy Yard, Lieutenant Commander
S. R. Clark in command.
Hilary P. Jones departed 11 December for duty with the Neutrality Patrol
in the Caribbean. She performed escort duties in those waters until 11 March 1941, when she returned to Hampton Roads
. Training exercises off New England
followed until 28 April, when the destroyer departed New York
as a convoy escort. She steamed to Newfoundland
, and for the next dangerous months before the attack on Pearl Harbor
escorted cargo ships and transports in the North Atlantic. During one of these voyages to Iceland
, 31 October 1941, , the first naval vessel to be lost in the war, was torpedoed and sunk. Jones rescued 11 survivors of the attack before arriving Reykjavík
3 November.
The destroyer continued the hazardous North Atlantic convoy duty after America's entry into the war, battling both German
submarine
s and the elements to bring troops and supplies to the Allies
. Jones transferred to Mediterranean duty in January 1944 as production of escort vessels and frigate
s allowed the larger destroyers to be used for other assignments. The destroyer departed with her squadron 16 January 1944 to screen off Anzio
. She alternated at the bitterly contested Anzio beachhead with convoy duty between there and Naples
until 20 March, often exchanging fire with German shore batteries off Anzio. After a brief respite the ship returned to her gunfire support duties at Anzio during April and early May, occasionally engaging in escort and antisubmarine patrol operations. With three escort vessels the destroyer detected and attacked U-516 off Algeria May 1944, sinking it after a lengthy battle 17 May.
During June and July, Jones acted as escort ship for Mediterranean convoys and took part in training for the invasion of Southern France
. She departed Naples 13 August in convoy with French
and British
ships for the invasion, arriving 3 days later. The destroyer not only provided gunfire support missions during the assault, but also acted as electronic jamming vessel in the successful attempt to prevent radio-controlled bombs from harassing the area. In the weeks that followed she continued to range up and down the coast in support of the First Airborne Task Force destroying bridges, gun emplacements, railroad facilities and coastal vessels. She was attacked by a German E-boat
21 August, but destroyed the craft with gunfire. For her outstanding record during this period the ship received the Navy Unit Commendation
.
Detached from her coastal support duties 1 October 1944, the destroyer continued convoy duties in the Mediterranean until returning to New York 12 January 1945. Following overhaul and training off Casco Bay, Maine, she sailed with her last transatlantic convoy 26 February – 9 April 1945. Jones was then designated for Pacific Fleet
, and departed New York 24 April for the Panama Canal Zone
and Pearl Harbor
.
. Upon her arrival 13 June Jones joined the surface patrol forces in the Caroline Islands
, making occasional escort voyages to Okinawa. At Ulithi when Japan
surrendered, she steamed 18 August to Okinawa, Subic Bay
, and then Tokyo
. As an escort unit for 8th Army occupation troops, she entered Tokyo Bay 2 September as the surrender document was being executed onboard . Subsequently, she made two more voyages with occupation groups to Japan before ending her long war service and departed for the United States 5 November.
She was loaned to the Republic of China
under the Military Assistance Program 26 February 1954. She served the Nationalist Chinese Navy as HanYan (DD-15). She was stricken on 1 November 1974 and broken up for scrap.
As of 2006, no other ship in the United States Navy has been named Hilary P. Jones.
Benson class destroyer
The Benson class was a class of 30 destroyers of the U.S. Navy built 1939–1943. The first ship of the class was the . The U.S. Navy customarily names a class of ships after the first ship of the class; hence the Benson class....
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 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...
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...
. She was named for 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...
Hilary P. Jones
Hilary P. Jones
Hilary Pollard Jones, Jr. was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War and World War I. During the early 1920s, he served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet....
.
Hilary P. Jones was launched by the Charleston Navy Yard 14 December 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Hilary P. Jones, widow of Admiral Jones; and commissioned 6 September 1940 at Charleston Navy Yard, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
S. R. Clark in command.
World War II Atlantic Service
Following shakedown in the mid Atlantic and exercises off Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
Hilary P. Jones departed 11 December for duty with the Neutrality Patrol
Neutrality Patrol
At the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 started the hostilities in Europe, President Franklin D...
in the Caribbean. She performed escort duties in those waters until 11 March 1941, when she returned to Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. Training exercises off New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
followed until 28 April, when the destroyer departed New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as a convoy escort. She steamed to Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, and for the next dangerous months before the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
escorted cargo ships and transports in the North Atlantic. During one of these voyages to Iceland
Iceland
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...
, 31 October 1941, , the first naval vessel to be lost in the war, was torpedoed and sunk. Jones rescued 11 survivors of the attack before arriving Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
3 November.
The destroyer continued the hazardous North Atlantic convoy duty after America's entry into the war, battling both German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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...
s and the elements to bring troops and supplies to the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
. Jones transferred to Mediterranean duty in January 1944 as production of escort vessels and frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s allowed the larger destroyers to be used for other assignments. The destroyer departed with her squadron 16 January 1944 to screen off Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
. She alternated at the bitterly contested Anzio beachhead with convoy duty between there and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
until 20 March, often exchanging fire with German shore batteries off Anzio. After a brief respite the ship returned to her gunfire support duties at Anzio during April and early May, occasionally engaging in escort and antisubmarine patrol operations. With three escort vessels the destroyer detected and attacked U-516 off Algeria May 1944, sinking it after a lengthy battle 17 May.
During June and July, Jones acted as escort ship for Mediterranean convoys and took part in training for the invasion of Southern France
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. She departed Naples 13 August in convoy with French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ships for the invasion, arriving 3 days later. The destroyer not only provided gunfire support missions during the assault, but also acted as electronic jamming vessel in the successful attempt to prevent radio-controlled bombs from harassing the area. In the weeks that followed she continued to range up and down the coast in support of the First Airborne Task Force destroying bridges, gun emplacements, railroad facilities and coastal vessels. She was attacked by a German E-boat
E-boat
E-boats was the designation for Motor Torpedo Boats of the German Navy during World War II. It is commonly held that the E stood for Enemy....
21 August, but destroyed the craft with gunfire. For her outstanding record during this period the ship received the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
.
Detached from her coastal support duties 1 October 1944, the destroyer continued convoy duties in the Mediterranean until returning to New York 12 January 1945. Following overhaul and training off Casco Bay, Maine, she sailed with her last transatlantic convoy 26 February – 9 April 1945. Jones was then designated for Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, and departed New York 24 April for the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
and 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...
.
Convoys escorted
| Convoy | Escort Group | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| task force 19 | 1-7 July 1941 | occupation of Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| ON 20 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
30 Sept-9 Oct 1941 | from Iceland Iceland 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... to Newfoundland Dominion of Newfoundland The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland... prior to US declaration of war |
|
| HX 156 | 24 Oct-1 Nov 1941 | from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| ON 34 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
12-21 Nov 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 163 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
5-15 Dec 1941 | from Newfoundland to Iceland; war declared while convoy was being escorted | |
| ON 47 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
22-23 Dec 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland | |
| AT 18 | 6-17 Aug 1942 | troopships from New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... to Firth of Clyde Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At... |
|
| UC 1 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
15 Feb-6 March 1943 | from Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... to Curacao Curaçao Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands... |
|
| CU 1 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
20 March-1 April 1943 | from Curacao to Liverpool | |
| UC 2 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
9-23 April 1943 | from Liverpool to Curacao | |
| CU 2 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
21 May-5 June 1943 | from Curacao to Liverpool | |
| UC 3 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
10-26 June 1943 | from Liverpool to Curacao | |
| CU 4 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
26 Aug-9 Sept 1943 | from Curacao to Liverpool | |
| UC 4 CU convoys The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom... |
15-27 Sept 1943 | from Liverpool to Curacao |
Pacific Service
Operating at Pearl Harbor from 18 May 1945, until 2 June, she then sailed for the advance base at UlithiUlithi
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...
. Upon her arrival 13 June Jones joined the surface patrol forces in the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, making occasional escort voyages to Okinawa. At Ulithi when 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...
surrendered, she steamed 18 August to Okinawa, 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...
, and then Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. As an escort unit for 8th Army occupation troops, she entered Tokyo Bay 2 September as the surrender document was being executed onboard . Subsequently, she made two more voyages with occupation groups to Japan before ending her long war service and departed for the United States 5 November.
Post World War II, Loan to ROC Navy and fate
Jones sailed to Charleston Navy Yard via Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal and decommissioned there 6 February 1947. She was placed in the Charleston Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet.She was loaned to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
under the Military Assistance Program 26 February 1954. She served the Nationalist Chinese Navy as HanYan (DD-15). She was stricken on 1 November 1974 and broken up for scrap.
Awards
Hilary P. Jones received four battle stars for World War II service, in addition to her Navy Unit Commendation.As of 2006, no other ship in the United States Navy has been named Hilary P. Jones.