USS Livermore (DD-429)
Encyclopedia
USS Livermore (DD-429), a Gleaves-class
destroyer
, was the 1st ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Samuel Livermore, the first naval chaplain
to be honored with a ship in his name.
Originally planned as Grayson, DD-429 was renamed Livermore 23 December 1938; laid down 6 March 1939 by Bath Iron Works
, Bath, Maine
; launched 3 August 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Everard M. Upjohn, a descendant of Chaplain Livermore; and commissioned 7 October 1940, Lieutenant Commander
Vernon Huber
in command.
, Livermore, after a brief training period, was assigned 29 April 1941 to the neutrality patrol. With ships like aircraft carrier Wasp
(CV-7) and sister destroyers, she escorted as far as Iceland
convoy
s bound for England. There ensued a shadowy undeclared war with Nazi wolfpacks. She was on convoy duty with Kearny
(DD-432) when the latter was torpedoed 17 October. The hazards of this duty for Livermore also included a temporary grounding 24 November during a storm and having a friendly battery on Iceland fire across the ship.
and full U.S. participation in World War II enlarged the scope of her actions. On 7 April 1942 Livermore departed New York for the first of many transatlantic escort missions. Completing her second voyage to Greenock
, Scotland
, 27 June, she began coastal patrol and convoy duty southward into the Caribbean
.
Livermore arrived off Mehdia, French Morocco
, 9 November for the north African invasion
and was assigned antisubmarine, antiaircraft, and fire support duties. Five days later, the invasion force successfully established ashore, she sailed for Norfolk, arriving 26 November.
, Brazil
, and concluded with a series of five voyages from 14 April to 17 January 1943 between New York and Casablanca
, French Morocco. Her departure from Hampton Roads
on 24 January foreshadowed a prolonged stay in the Mediterranean Sea. Two days earlier Allied forces had landed at Anzio
, Italy
. Livermore arrived off this embattled beachhead 5 March. She provided both antiaircraft protection and shore bombardment support. After rotation to the convoy run between Oran
, Algeria
, and Naples
, Italy, she participated in the initial landing in southern France on 16 August. While supporting minesweeper
s on Cavallaire Bay with gunfire, Livermore was hit by a shore battery. The damage was slight, and her guns silenced the enemy guns. Livermore continued on duty in the western Mediterranean until 26 October when she steamed out of Oran for overhaul in New York Navy Yard.
Though she departed New York 22 June, V-J Day found her still training at Pearl Harbor
. She reached Japan
on 27 September escorting transports carrying soldiers of the Army's 98th Division for occupation duty. Her stay in the Orient was relatively brief; for, after several voyages between Saipan
, the Philippines
, and Wakayama, Japan, Livermore sailed 3 November for the Aleutians. At Dutch Harbor and Attu Island
, Alaska
, she embarked dischargees for passage to Seattle
and San Francisco
. Completing this duty 22 December 1945, she proceeded to the east coast, arriving Charleston, S.C., 18 January 1946.
Designated for use in the Naval Reserve Training Program, she was placed in commission, in reserve 1 May 1946. Livermore then decommissioned and was placed "in service" 24 January 1947, and was assigned to Naval Reserve training in the 6th Naval District. She was reassigned to the 1st Naval District on 15 March 1949. While making one of her training cruises. she ran aground off southern Cape Cod
on 30 July 1949. Refloated the next day she proceeded to Boston and was placed out of service 15 May 1950 and inactivated. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 19 July 1956. From 1956 to late 1958, her hull was used for spare parts and experimental purposes. During this time, she was anchored off Indianhead, Maryland. Upon conclusion of the experiments Livermore was sold 3 March 1961 to Potomac Shipwrecking Co., Pope's Creek, Maryland. She was towed away for scrapping 17 April 1961.
Livermore received three battle stars for World War II service.
Gleaves class destroyer
The Gleaves-class destroyers were a class of 66 destroyers of the United States Navy built 1938–1942, and designed by Gibbs & Cox. The first ship of the class was the USS Gleaves . The U.S. Navy customarily names a class of ships after the first ship of the class; hence the Gleaves 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...
, was the 1st ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for Samuel Livermore, the first naval chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to be honored with a ship in his name.
Originally planned as Grayson, DD-429 was renamed Livermore 23 December 1938; laid down 6 March 1939 by Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
; launched 3 August 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Everard M. Upjohn, a descendant of Chaplain Livermore; and commissioned 7 October 1940, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Vernon Huber
Vernon Huber
Vernon Huber was a United States Navy Rear admiral, and the 36th Governor of American Samoa from April 22, 1947 to June 15, 1949. He was born in Philadelphia, Illinois, and was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from that state. He served as the first commanding officer of the USS...
in command.
Pre World War II
Launched in the aftermath of the fall of FranceFrance
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...
, Livermore, after a brief training period, was assigned 29 April 1941 to the neutrality patrol. With ships like aircraft carrier Wasp
USS Wasp (CV-7)
USS Wasp was a United States Navy aircraft carrier. The eighth Navy ship of that name, she was the sole ship of her class. Built to use up the remaining tonnage allowed to the U.S. for aircraft carriers under the treaties of the time, she was built on a reduced-size version of the Yorktown-class...
(CV-7) and sister destroyers, she escorted as far as 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...
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 bound for England. There ensued a shadowy undeclared war with Nazi wolfpacks. She was on convoy duty with Kearny
USS Kearny (DD-432)
USS Kearny , a Gleaves-class destroyer, was a United States Navy ship named for Commodore Lawrence Kearny, who was known for his tenacity in capturing slave traders in West-Indian waters and his tireless efforts in fighting Greek pirates in the Mediterranean.-Early history:Kearny was launched 9...
(DD-432) when the latter was torpedoed 17 October. The hazards of this duty for Livermore also included a temporary grounding 24 November during a storm and having a friendly battery on Iceland fire across the ship.
1942
The attack on Pearl HarborAttack 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...
and full U.S. participation in World War II enlarged the scope of her actions. On 7 April 1942 Livermore departed New York for the first of many transatlantic escort missions. Completing her second voyage to Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, 27 June, she began coastal patrol and convoy duty southward into the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Livermore arrived off Mehdia, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, 9 November for the north African invasion
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
and was assigned antisubmarine, antiaircraft, and fire support duties. Five days later, the invasion force successfully established ashore, she sailed for Norfolk, arriving 26 November.
1943-1944
The year 1943 began with patrol duty off RecifeRecife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and concluded with a series of five voyages from 14 April to 17 January 1943 between New York and Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, French Morocco. Her departure from 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...
on 24 January foreshadowed a prolonged stay in the Mediterranean Sea. Two days earlier Allied forces had landed at Anzio
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Livermore arrived off this embattled beachhead 5 March. She provided both antiaircraft protection and shore bombardment support. After rotation to the convoy run between Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 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...
, Italy, she participated in the initial landing in southern France on 16 August. While supporting minesweeper
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:...
s on Cavallaire Bay with gunfire, Livermore was hit by a shore battery. The damage was slight, and her guns silenced the enemy guns. Livermore continued on duty in the western Mediterranean until 26 October when she steamed out of Oran for overhaul in New York Navy Yard.
Convoys escorted
| Convoy | Escort Group | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HX 151 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... |
24 Sept-1 Oct 1941 | from 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... 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... prior to US declaration of war |
|
| ON 24 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:... |
13-15 Oct 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war | |
| SC 48 Convoy SC 48 SC 48 was a North Atlantic convoy of the SC series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II.It was notable for being the occasion of the Kearny incident, which brought the United States one step closer to war with Germany.-Prelude:... |
16-17 Oct 1941 | battle reinforcement prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 159 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... |
10-19 Nov 1941 | from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| ON 39 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:... |
29 Nov-4 Dec 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war | |
| 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... |
End of World War II and fate
The war ended in Europe while Livermore was on the third of a new series of escort crossings between the east coast and Oran. Completing her last transatlantic voyage 29 May, she prepared for duty in the Pacific.Though she departed New York 22 June, V-J Day found her still training 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...
. She reached 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...
on 27 September escorting transports carrying soldiers of the Army's 98th Division for occupation duty. Her stay in the Orient was relatively brief; for, after several voyages between Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, the Philippines
Philippines
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...
, and Wakayama, Japan, Livermore sailed 3 November for the Aleutians. At Dutch Harbor and Attu Island
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, she embarked dischargees for passage to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and San Francisco
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...
. Completing this duty 22 December 1945, she proceeded to the east coast, arriving Charleston, S.C., 18 January 1946.
Designated for use in the Naval Reserve Training Program, she was placed in commission, in reserve 1 May 1946. Livermore then decommissioned and was placed "in service" 24 January 1947, and was assigned to Naval Reserve training in the 6th Naval District. She was reassigned to the 1st Naval District on 15 March 1949. While making one of her training cruises. she ran aground off southern Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
on 30 July 1949. Refloated the next day she proceeded to Boston and was placed out of service 15 May 1950 and inactivated. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
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 19 July 1956. From 1956 to late 1958, her hull was used for spare parts and experimental purposes. During this time, she was anchored off Indianhead, Maryland. Upon conclusion of the experiments Livermore was sold 3 March 1961 to Potomac Shipwrecking Co., Pope's Creek, Maryland. She was towed away for scrapping 17 April 1961.
Livermore received three battle stars for World War II service.