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USS Porter (DD-800)
Encyclopedia
USS Porter (DD-800) was a Fletcher-class
destroyer
of the United States Navy
, the fourth Navy ship named for Commodore David Porter
(1780–1843), and his son Admiral David Dixon Porter
(1813–1891).
Porter was laid down by the Todd Pacific Shipyards
, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
, 6 July 1943; launched
13 March 1944; sponsored by Miss Georgiana Porter Cusachs; and commissioned
24 June 1944; Commander R. R. Prince in command.
, Porter sailed for duty off Adak, Alaska
16 September 1944. On 21 November 1944, with Task Force 92 (TF 92), she made an offensive sweep against the Kurile Islands and bombarded enemy military installations on Matsuwa. She made another offensive sweep against the Japanese
naval base at Suribachi Wan, Paramushiru, 5 January 1945, and on the night of 18 February bombarded Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiru. On 15 May Porter participated in the first extensive sweep by surface vessels into the Japanese-controlled Sea of Okhotsk
, bombarding Suribachi Wan during the retirement. Porter bombarded Matsuma again on 10 and 11 June. On 25 June, during another sweep of the Sea of Okhotsk, Porter encountered a small convoy and sank a 2,000-ton Japanese merchantman with gunfire.
When V-J Day came Porter was undergoing overhaul at Portland, Oreg.
, where she remained until 1 September. After escorting Enterprise
(CV-6) from Seattle to San Francisco
, Porter underwent refresher training at San Diego, then steamed for the east coast. On 3 July 1946 Porter was placed out of commission, in reserve, attached to the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet, berthed at Charleston, S.C.
Recommissioned 9 February 1951, Porter served in Korea
n waters from 18 June to 14 September 1952 with TF 95. A member of the “Trainbusters Club”, she destroyed one North Korea
n train and damaged 2. She was placed out of commission, in reserve, berthed at Norfolk, Va.
, 10 August 1953.
Porter was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
1 October 1972. She was sold 21 March 1974 and broken up for scrap.
service and one battle star for Korean War
service.
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...
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...
, the fourth Navy ship named for Commodore David Porter
David Porter (naval officer)
David Porter was an officer in the United States Navy in a rank of commodore and later the commander-in-chief of the Mexican Navy.-Life:...
(1780–1843), and his son Admiral David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
(1813–1891).
Porter was laid down by the Todd Pacific Shipyards
Todd Pacific Shipyards
Vigor Shipyards was founded in 1916 as the William H. Todd Corporation through the merger of Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York, the Tietjen & Long Dry Dock Company of Hoboken, New Jersey, and the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock Company...
, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
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...
, 6 July 1943; 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...
13 March 1944; sponsored by Miss Georgiana Porter Cusachs; 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...
24 June 1944; Commander R. R. Prince in command.
History
After shakedown off San Diego, Calif.San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Porter sailed for duty off Adak, Alaska
Adak, Alaska
Adak , formerly Adak Station, is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 326. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. The city is the former location of the Adak Army Base and Adak...
16 September 1944. On 21 November 1944, with Task Force 92 (TF 92), she made an offensive sweep against the Kurile Islands and bombarded enemy military installations on Matsuwa. She made another offensive sweep against the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
naval base at Suribachi Wan, Paramushiru, 5 January 1945, and on the night of 18 February bombarded Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiru. On 15 May Porter participated in the first extensive sweep by surface vessels into the Japanese-controlled Sea of Okhotsk
Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the far south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast along the west and...
, bombarding Suribachi Wan during the retirement. Porter bombarded Matsuma again on 10 and 11 June. On 25 June, during another sweep of the Sea of Okhotsk, Porter encountered a small convoy and sank a 2,000-ton Japanese merchantman with gunfire.
When V-J Day came Porter was undergoing overhaul at Portland, Oreg.
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...
, where she remained until 1 September. After escorting Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
(CV-6) from Seattle to 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...
, Porter underwent refresher training at San Diego, then steamed for the east coast. On 3 July 1946 Porter was placed out of commission, in reserve, attached to the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet, berthed at Charleston, S.C.
Recommissioned 9 February 1951, Porter served in 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...
n waters from 18 June to 14 September 1952 with TF 95. A member of the “Trainbusters Club”, she destroyed one North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n train and damaged 2. She was placed out of commission, in reserve, berthed at Norfolk, Va.
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
, 10 August 1953.
Porter was stricken 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...
1 October 1972. She was sold 21 March 1974 and broken up for scrap.
Honors
Porter earned one battle star for World War IIWorld 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...
service and one battle star for Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
service.