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USS Ordronaux (DD-617)
Encyclopedia
USS Ordronaux (DD–617) was a Benson-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during World War II
. She was named for John Ordronaux, the nineteenth-century privateer
sman.
Ordronaux was laid down 25 July 1942 by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River, Massachusetts; launched 9 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. J. Henry Judik; and commissioned 13 February 1943, Lieutenant Commander
Robert Brodie, Jr. in command.
1 May 1943 en route to Mers-El-Kebir
, Algeria
, escorting a convoy. Her first encounter with the enemy came on 6 July, while at anchor at Bizerte Naval Base. Attacked by German
planes, she helped down several.
9 July, Ordronaux was assigned a squadron of torpedo boat
s to patrol the harbor of Porto Empedocle
and force out German E boats and Italian
MAS boats, so they could be destroyed. She screened allied ships from Axis submarine
s and rendered fire support for the invasion until the 21st.
For nearly a year, following the invasion, Ordronaux sailed back and forth across the Atlantic and through the Mediterranean Sea
on convoy duty.
submarine
south of Nova Scotia
. USS made first contact by sounding and with USS made several depth charge attacks forcing the submarine to surface. Both ships opened fire, and Champlin rammed the sub. and Ordronaux captured 28 survivors.
bombarded Terracina
and Gaeta
on the west coast of Italy in support of the U. S. 5th Army, which was advancing on Rome
. For the rest of the month, Ordronaux operated with Dido and supporting the beachhead at Anzio.
. On the 15th, she operated within 3000 yards of the beach providing “call fire” for Navy liaison officers and Army
spotters. Many times she was straddled with 88 min projectiles from enemy shore batteries.
After the invasion of southern France, she returned to convoy duty. On 1 May 1945, after returning to New York for alterations, Ordronaux sailed for the Pacific, via the Panama Canal
. On 24 July she arrived in Pearl Harbor and sailed immediately for Wake Island
. There on 1 August, Ordronaux conducted close fire support, meeting accurate counter-fire.
capitulated. After the surrender, she took part in two occupation landings—at Wakayama and at Nagoya. She made several cruises to ports in Honshū
, including two to Tokyo Bay
, before sailing for the United States 31 October.
until she was placed out of commission in reserve January 1947, and attached to the Charleston group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was later berthed at Orange, Texas
. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 1 July 1971 and scrapped in 1973.
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 John Ordronaux, the nineteenth-century privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
sman.
Ordronaux was laid down 25 July 1942 by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River, Massachusetts; launched 9 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. J. Henry Judik; and commissioned 13 February 1943, 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...
Robert Brodie, Jr. in command.
Service history
After shakedown, Ordronaux departed New YorkNew 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...
1 May 1943 en route to Mers-El-Kebir
Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran, in the Oran Province.-History:Originally a Roman port, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of Tlemcen in the 15th century, and eventually became a...
, 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...
, escorting a convoy. Her first encounter with the enemy came on 6 July, while at anchor at Bizerte Naval Base. Attacked by 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...
planes, she helped down several.
Mediterranean theater
In the invasion of SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
9 July, Ordronaux was assigned a squadron of torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s to patrol the harbor of Porto Empedocle
Porto Empedocle
Porto Empedocle is a town and comune in Italy on the coast of the Strait of Sicily, administratively part of the province of Agrigento. It is the namesake of Empedocles , a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of the city of Agrigentum , in his day a Greek colony in Sicily...
and force out German E boats and Italian
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...
MAS boats, so they could be destroyed. She screened allied ships from Axis 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 rendered fire support for the invasion until the 21st.
For nearly a year, following the invasion, Ordronaux sailed back and forth across the Atlantic and through the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
on convoy duty.
North Atlantic theater
On 7 April 1944, while operating with a hunter-killer task unit composed of DD’s and DE’s, Ordronaux spotted a GermanGermany
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...
south of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. USS made first contact by sounding and with USS made several depth charge attacks forcing the submarine to surface. Both ships opened fire, and Champlin rammed the sub. and Ordronaux captured 28 survivors.
Return to the Mediterranean
On 12 May, Ordronaux was back in the Mediterranean with screening while the British cruiserCruiser
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...
bombarded Terracina
Terracina
Terracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail .-Ancient times:...
and Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
on the west coast of Italy in support of the U. S. 5th Army, which was advancing on Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. For the rest of the month, Ordronaux operated with Dido and supporting the beachhead at Anzio.
Southern France
On 9 August, Ordronaux was attached to a fire support force for the invasion of southern 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...
. On the 15th, she operated within 3000 yards of the beach providing “call fire” for Navy liaison officers and Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
spotters. Many times she was straddled with 88 min projectiles from enemy shore batteries.
After the invasion of southern France, she returned to convoy duty. On 1 May 1945, after returning to New York for alterations, Ordronaux sailed for the Pacific, 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...
. On 24 July she arrived in Pearl Harbor and sailed immediately for 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...
. There on 1 August, Ordronaux conducted close fire support, meeting accurate counter-fire.
Pacific theater
Ordronaux arrived at Okinawa several days before JapanJapan
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...
capitulated. After the surrender, she took part in two occupation landings—at Wakayama and at Nagoya. She made several cruises to ports in Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, including two to Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
, before sailing for the United States 31 October.
Post war
Returning to the East Coast, she was assigned local operations off Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
until she was placed out of commission in reserve January 1947, and attached to the Charleston group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was later berthed at Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. 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 1 July 1971 and scrapped in 1973.
External links
- Photo gallery at navsource.org