.gif)
USS Richard P. Leary (DD-664)
Encyclopedia
USS Richard P. Leary (DD-664) was a of the United States Navy
, named for Rear Admiral Richard P. Leary
(1842–1901).
Richard P. Leary was laid down 4 July 1943 at the Boston Navy Yard
, Boston, Mass.; launched
6 October 1943, sponsored by Mrs. George K. Crozer III; and commissioned
23 February 1944, Commander Frederic S. Habecker in command.
, Richard P. Leary sailed via the Panama Canal
for Pearl Harbor
. After escort duty to Eniwetok and Saipan
in July, she supported the landings at Peleliu
15 September 1944, and at Leyte
20 October. During the Battle of Surigao Strait on the 25th, she launched torpedo
es at the Japanese
battleship
, splashed one enemy plane, and guarded the damaged . While patrolling off Leyte Gulf
on 1 November, she rescued 70 survivors of .
During the Lingayen Gulf campaign
, Richard P. Leary on 6 January, during a suicide attack, she severely damaged an incoming “Irving” fighter, which managed to graze the forward 5-inch gun mounts before crashing—the only “damage” of the war. Later that day, she also shot down a “Jill” and rendered fire-support for the landings on the 9th. She again supplied gunfire support for the landings at Iwo Jima
19 February and for the landings at Okinawa
1 April. During the night of 6–7 April she escorted the damaged to Kerama Retto
, Okinawa Gunto. Upon completion of duties at Okinawa her next assignment took her to Adak, Alaska
, in August. After serving in the Aleutians, Leary sailed for Japan
arriving at Ominato, 8 September. She departed Japan on the 30th, and steamed to San Diego, Calif.
Designated for inactivation after her return, Richard P. Leary decommissioned 10 December 1946, and was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
, where she served in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
as JDS Yugure (DD-184) ("Autumn Twilight").
The ship was returned to U.S. custody 10 March 1974, stricken from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register
on 18 March, and sold for scrap 1 July 1976.
Richard P. Leary received six battle stars for World War II
service.
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 for Rear Admiral Richard P. Leary
Richard P. Leary
Richard Phillips Leary was an admiral in the United States Navy who served from the American Civil War through the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
(1842–1901).
Richard P. Leary was laid down 4 July 1943 at the Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
, Boston, Mass.; 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...
6 October 1943, sponsored by Mrs. George K. Crozer III; 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...
23 February 1944, Commander Frederic S. Habecker in command.
World War II
Following shakedown off BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Richard P. Leary sailed 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...
for 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...
. After escort duty to Eniwetok and 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...
in July, she supported the landings at Peleliu
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
15 September 1944, and at Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
20 October. During the Battle of Surigao Strait on the 25th, she launched torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es at 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...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
, splashed one enemy plane, and guarded the damaged . While patrolling off Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
on 1 November, she rescued 70 survivors of .
During the Lingayen Gulf campaign
Battle of Luzon
The Battle of Luzon was a land battle fought as part of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony The Philippines, and Mexico against forces of the Empire of Japan. The battle resulted in a U.S. and Filipino victory...
, Richard P. Leary on 6 January, during a suicide attack, she severely damaged an incoming “Irving” fighter, which managed to graze the forward 5-inch gun mounts before crashing—the only “damage” of the war. Later that day, she also shot down a “Jill” and rendered fire-support for the landings on the 9th. She again supplied gunfire support for the landings at Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
19 February and for the landings at Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
1 April. During the night of 6–7 April she escorted the damaged to Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
, Okinawa Gunto. Upon completion of duties at Okinawa her next assignment took her to 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...
, in August. After serving in the Aleutians, Leary sailed for 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...
arriving at Ominato, 8 September. She departed Japan on the 30th, and steamed to 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...
Designated for inactivation after her return, Richard P. Leary decommissioned 10 December 1946, and was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
JDS Yugure (DD-184)
Richard P. Leary, along with her sister ship, , was transferred 10 March 1959 to 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...
, where she served in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
as JDS Yugure (DD-184) ("Autumn Twilight").
The ship was returned to U.S. custody 10 March 1974, stricken from the U.S. 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 18 March, and sold for scrap 1 July 1976.
Richard P. Leary received six battle stars for 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...
service.