USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781)
Encyclopedia
USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781), an , is the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Robert Kingsbury Huntington
, a naval aviator and member of Torpedo Squadron 8. The entire squadron was lost during the Battle of Midway
.
Robert K. Huntington (DD-781) was laid down 29 February 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards
, Seattle, Washington
; launched 5 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth Arnold Welsh; and commissioned 3 March 1945, Commander
J. W. Ramey in command.
off the Japanese coast and was one of the ships which escorted battleship into Tokyo Bay to receive the official Japanese surrender. She then returned to San Diego, carrying 100 marines home. In the spring of 1946, she returned to the Marshalls as a unit of TF 1 during Operation Crossroads
, the first atomic bomb test at Bikini
. In July, she witnessed the air burst from a considerable distance, and the more spectacular underwater blast from the comparatively close range of 10 miles.
Until early in 1949, Robert K. Huntington operated and trained off the west coast, in Hawaiian waters, and in Far Eastern waters with Task Force 38, the Pacific Mobile Striking Force. In April the destroyer was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet
where she was assigned to a carrier task force, then undergoing extensive antisubmarine warfare training. She spent the following winter in Arctic
waters; then in February 1950 headed for the Caribbean to participate in fleet exercises.
In December Robert K. Huntington deployed for the first time to the Mediterranean and duty with the 6th Fleet. In the spring she returned to Norfolk and for the next 2 years she alternated cold weather operations with Caribbean cruises; then from the spring of 1953 until the summer of 1955 rotated between duty in the Mediterranean and exercises with the 2nd Fleet off the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean. In July 1955 she was in the North Atlantic guarding President
Eisenhower's
plane route as he traveled to and from the Geneva Conference.
Following a Caribbean cruise in the spring of 1956, Robert K. Huntington conducted a midshipman training cruise to Europe and the Caribbean. In 1957 she operated in the Caribbean and then in European waters for NATO exercises. In both 1958 and 1959, Robert K. Huntington made 6 month Mediterranean deployments, while she spent most of 1960 undergoing a fleet rehabilitation and modernization (FRAM
) overhaul and conversion. Emerging from the shipyard, the "new" destroyer steamed to her new home port, Mayport, and through 1961 operated off the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean.
Employed in ASW exercises off the east coast during the first half of 1962, Robert K. Huntington deployed to the Mediterranean 3 August, and operated in the Black Sea
3 to 12 October. She returned to Mayport 3 March 1963 and spent much of the rest of that year in the Caribbean. For the next 4 years she operated off the east coast, in the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean. In late 1967, she deployed to the Mediterranean as part of a hunter-killer force. She returned to Mayport 16 December 1967.
In early 1968 Robert K. Huntington continued to operate off the east coast and in the Caribbean until transferring to the Pacific Fleet. In October she deployed to the Far East for 6 months, operating off Vietnam
. She returned to Mayport 17, April 1969 and remained in-port undergoing minor repairs until July, 1969.
In July 1969, Robert K. Huntington received a new assignment and a new home port. Operating out of Bayonne, New Jersey
she was active in the Atlantic and Caribbean with the Reserve program until October 1973. At that time, as a result of a survey, she was found to be unfit for further service and was decommissioned 31 October at Newport, Rhode Island
Robert K. Huntington was stricken from the Navy List on the same day and sold to the Venezuelan Navy in which she was renamed Falcon.
Robert K. Huntington earned two battle stars for Vietnam 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...
to be named for Robert Kingsbury Huntington
Robert Kingsbury Huntington
Robert Kingsbury Huntington , was a naval aircrewman and member of Torpedo Squadron 8 . Along with his entire squadron, Huntington was shot down during the Battle of Midway, on 4–5 June 1942....
, a naval aviator and member of Torpedo Squadron 8. The entire squadron was lost during the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
.
Robert K. Huntington (DD-781) was laid down 29 February 1944 by 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...
, Seattle, Washington
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...
; launched 5 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth Arnold Welsh; and commissioned 3 March 1945, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
J. W. Ramey in command.
History
Robert K. Huntington joined the Pacific Fleet 31 May 1945 and from 27 June to 16 August escorted ships between Eniwetok and Ulithi. On 28 August, she joined the Fast Carrier Task ForceFast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
off the Japanese coast and was one of the ships which escorted battleship into Tokyo Bay to receive the official Japanese surrender. She then returned to San Diego, carrying 100 marines home. In the spring of 1946, she returned to the Marshalls as a unit of TF 1 during Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads was a series of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. It was the first test of a nuclear weapon after the Trinity nuclear test in July 1945...
, the first atomic bomb test at Bikini
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
. In July, she witnessed the air burst from a considerable distance, and the more spectacular underwater blast from the comparatively close range of 10 miles.
Until early in 1949, Robert K. Huntington operated and trained off the west coast, in Hawaiian waters, and in Far Eastern waters with Task Force 38, the Pacific Mobile Striking Force. In April the destroyer was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
where she was assigned to a carrier task force, then undergoing extensive antisubmarine warfare training. She spent the following winter in Arctic
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
waters; then in February 1950 headed for the Caribbean to participate in fleet exercises.
In December Robert K. Huntington deployed for the first time to the Mediterranean and duty with the 6th Fleet. In the spring she returned to Norfolk and for the next 2 years she alternated cold weather operations with Caribbean cruises; then from the spring of 1953 until the summer of 1955 rotated between duty in the Mediterranean and exercises with the 2nd Fleet off the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean. In July 1955 she was in the North Atlantic guarding President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Eisenhower's
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
plane route as he traveled to and from the Geneva Conference.
Following a Caribbean cruise in the spring of 1956, Robert K. Huntington conducted a midshipman training cruise to Europe and the Caribbean. In 1957 she operated in the Caribbean and then in European waters for NATO exercises. In both 1958 and 1959, Robert K. Huntington made 6 month Mediterranean deployments, while she spent most of 1960 undergoing a fleet rehabilitation and modernization (FRAM
Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization
The Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization program of the United States Navy extended the lives of World War II-era destroyers by shifting their mission from a surface attack role to that of a submarine hunter...
) overhaul and conversion. Emerging from the shipyard, the "new" destroyer steamed to her new home port, Mayport, and through 1961 operated off the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean.
Employed in ASW exercises off the east coast during the first half of 1962, Robert K. Huntington deployed to the Mediterranean 3 August, and operated in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
3 to 12 October. She returned to Mayport 3 March 1963 and spent much of the rest of that year in the Caribbean. For the next 4 years she operated off the east coast, in the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean. In late 1967, she deployed to the Mediterranean as part of a hunter-killer force. She returned to Mayport 16 December 1967.
In early 1968 Robert K. Huntington continued to operate off the east coast and in the Caribbean until transferring to the Pacific Fleet. In October she deployed to the Far East for 6 months, operating off Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. She returned to Mayport 17, April 1969 and remained in-port undergoing minor repairs until July, 1969.
In July 1969, Robert K. Huntington received a new assignment and a new home port. Operating out of Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
she was active in the Atlantic and Caribbean with the Reserve program until October 1973. At that time, as a result of a survey, she was found to be unfit for further service and was decommissioned 31 October at Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, 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...
Robert K. Huntington was stricken from the Navy List on the same day and sold to the Venezuelan Navy in which she was renamed Falcon.
Robert K. Huntington earned two battle stars for Vietnam service.
External links
- history.navy.mil: USS Robert K. Huntington
- navsource.org: USS Robert K. Huntington
- hazegray.org: USS Robert K. Huntington