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USS Sproston (DD-577)
Encyclopedia
USS Sproston (DD-577) was a Fletcher-class
destroyer
. She was the second ship named for Admiral John G. Sproston
, an officer in the United States Navy
during the Civil War
.
, Orange,Tex.; launched on 31 August 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Aline G. Darst; and commissioned on 19 May 1943, Comdr. Fred R. Stickney in command.
, Sproston transited the Panama Canal
on 4 November 1943. After a brief stop at San Francisco, California
, she sailed for Pearl Harbor
on 15 November and, 11 days later, headed for the Aleutian Islands. She entered Kuluk Bay, Adak
, on 1 December and was assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 49, a unit of Task Force (TF) 94.
She spent the next two months in gunnery practice and exercises. On 1 February 1944, Sproston departed Massacre Bay with TF 94 to shell targets in the Kuril Islands
. On 4 February, she bombarded Kurabu Point in the Kurabu-Saki area of Paramushiro Island. One month later, the task force sailed north in the Sea of Okhotsk
to strike targets in the Kurils again; but, because of extremely heavy seas and poor visibility, the mission was aborted.
Sproston spent the next three months on antisubmarine sweeps and patrols off the Aleutians. On 10 June, she was again underway for the Kurils where she participated in the pre-dawn bombardment of Matsuwa Island. On the 26th, she shelled Kurabu Zaki airfield on the southern end of Paramushiro Island.
On 8 August, Sproston departed Sweeper Cove, Adak, for a two-week stay in San Francisco before sailing for the South Pacific
war zone. En route, she made port at Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Manus
. In October, she was assigned to Task Unit 79.11.2 whose primary mission was to screen transports of Task Group 79.2 off Dulag, Leyte Island
, during the initial campaign to liberate the Philippines
.
On 25 October, with supporting fire from Hale
(DD-642) and Pickens
(APA-190), she splashed her first enemy plane. On 18 November, in San Pedro Bay
, Sproston’s gunners downed two “Zekes” of a five-plane attack force.
In late December 1944 and early January 1945, Sproston patrolled in the Lingayen area of central Luzon. On 8 January, another Japanese plane fell victim to her guns. From Lingayen, she sailed to the Zambales area to support landing operations there. At 12:48 on 29 January, she entered Subic Bay
. Sproston was believed to be the first United States warship to enter Subic Bay since the Japanese occupation had begun. She continued operations in the Philippine Islands until 18 February when she was assigned to escort duty. Ordered to Guam
for a week, she was in Apra Harbor
from 25 February to 1 March when she sailed for Milne Bay. By 13 March, she was back in Leyte Gulf.
On 21 March, she was underway for Kerama Retto and Okinawa Gunto, Ryukyu Islands. Sproston relieved Heywood L. Edwards
(DD-663) on 26 March and began picket and patrol duty. That evening, her guns hit a “Jill” which departed in flames. On 2 April, she provided call fire on Makiminato Saki, destroying two enemy pillboxes and a warehouse.
Sproston received damage to her sonar equipment and main battery computer on 4 April by the near miss of a bomb which exploded 50 yards (45.7 m) off her port beam. There were no casualties, and the sonar equipment was quickly repaired, but the main battery could be fired only by local control. She retired to Guam for repair of her main computer and was back on station within two weeks. Off Hagushi Beach on 12 May, she fired 16 rounds at an enemy plane which burst into flames and crashed. On 28 May Sproston and Wadsworth
(DD-516) downed two planes within an hour. With supporting fire from Bradford
(DD-545), she splashed another on the 29th. On 6 June, she rescued a pilot from escort carrier Gilbert Islands
(CVE-107) whose plane had been shot down.
On 28 June, while she was steaming independently toward the United States for overhaul, Sproston was signalled, between Saipan
and Eniwetok, by Antares (AKS-3), that she was under submarine
attack and required assistance. Arriving in the vicinity of the submarine, Sproston made good sonar contact at a range of 1000 yards (914.4 m). At 500 yards (457.2 m) a periscope
was observed passing from starboard to port. The destroyer made an unsuccessful attempt to ram the submarine which was then identified as a fleet type. Sproston dropped a full pattern of depth charge
s, and a large oil slick was later observed. She made six more attacks with negative results. After all her depth charges were expended, a lookout spotted a torpedo
wake approaching Sproston, 60° off her port bow. Sproston turned hard left and the torpedo passed along her port side. A periscope was then sighted off the port quarter belonging to a kaiten
, a suicide submarine that had been released from the IJN fleet submarine I-36 in order to allow it to escape. A total of two kaitens were released from I-36 which were piloted by Ens Kuge Minoru and FPO1C Yanagiya Hidemasa. Once sighted the main battery commenced firing, and one salvo found its mark, causing a large secondary explosion which sank the kaiten. LC7-555, LSM-196, and LSM-197 arrived to help conduct night radar coverage of the area. The next morning, Parks
(DE-165), Levy
(DE-162), and Roberts
(DE-749) joined the group. After a thorough search, all ships were directed to carry out their previous orders.
Sproston arrived at San Francisco on 14 July 1945 where she underwent yard overhaul and prepared for inactivation: She moved to San Diego
in mid-December and was placed out of commission on 18 January 1946.
, Sproston was recommissioned as DDE-577 on 15 September 1950. Her initial training was conducted with the Fleet Training Group, San Diego. Sproston departed San Diego in early 1951 for Eniwetok to participate in the atomic bomb test
. When the test was over in July, Sproston sailed to her new home port, Pearl Harbor, and began the normal routine of Pacific Fleet destroyers: holding fleet, type, and individual exercises.
In early 1952, she entered the shipyard for overhaul and then, after refresher training, she sailed, on 2 June, for the Far East.
On 15 June, Sproston was assigned to Task Force 77, the 7th Fleet Striking Force, operating off the east coast of Korea in the Hungnam-Simpo area. During the next six months, she participated in the Taiwan Patrol when not assigned to TF 77.
Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 December 1952 and began a regular operating schedule as a member of DesRon 25. In the next decade, she made nine cruises to the Far East for operations with the Seventh Fleet. She spent part of each deployment on the Taiwan Patrol and also participated in amphibious and other type exercises. In 1958 and in 1961, Sproston was awarded the Battle Efficiency E.
Sproston departed Pearl Harbor on 27 December with Ranger (CVA-61), England
(DLG-22), and Carpenter
(DD-825) and headed, via Subic Bay, for the Vietnam
coast. The group arrived at Dixie Station
off the coast of South Vietnam
on 16 January 1966 and remained there until 13 February. Sproston was assigned rescue and antisubmarine screening duties. On the 18th, she was directed to proceed to Phuoc Hui Bay to provide naval gunfire support
. During the night, the ship shelled Viet Cong base camps and assembly areas.
On 19 January 1966 she rejoined the carrier task group which had moved to Yankee Station
in the Gulf of Tonkin
. Sproston was detached from 5–11 February to perform trawler surveillance and blocking. During this time, she observed a Russian Okean-class vessel, the Gidrofon, which was believed to be gathering electronic and tactical information. She rejoined the carrier group which returned to Subic Bay until 22 February.
Back at Yankee Station, Sproston was again detached for naval gunfire support duty. She arrived off the coast, in the II Corps area, on 1 March and remained there until the 20th, firing 40 support missions for the 1st Cavalry Division and South Vietnamese Marines. The most eventful came on 9 March when, during a three hour battle, her guns helped to repulse a battalion-strength Viet Cong attack against Republic of Vietnam Marines near Tam Quan.
On 21 March, she and the Task Group proceeded to Yokosuka whence it departed on 5 April for another tour at Dixie Station. Sproston worked with Ranger at both Dixie Station and Yankee Station during the patrol.
Sproston was detached from the Task Group on 4 May and visited Hong Kong
, Subic Bay, and Yokosuka before she returned to Pearl Harbor for upkeep and the installation of a recovery crane as she had been selected to participate in an Apollo
spacecraft recovery.
On 25 August, she was on station off Kwajalein
when the spacecraft passed overhead and landed 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) north, where it was recovered by Hornet (CVS-12). Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor on 2 September and remained there undergoing repair services and conducting type training for the remainder of the year.
In January and February 1967, Sproston conducted local operations to prepare for her 1967 deployment to the Far East. She sailed for Yokosuka on 6 March and, one month later, was back at Yankee Station. She participated in Operation Sea Lion and provided gunfire support until 14 May. She then joined Hancock (CVA-19) as escort and plane guard for two and one-half months. During this period of deployment, she performed trawler surveillance duty at Yankee Station several times when the Russian ships AGI Deflektor, Barograf, and Gidrofon entered the area.
Sproston and Carpenter departed Vietnam on 4 August for Sydney
, Australia, where they participated in a joint ASW exercise with units of the British and New Zealand navies off the coast of New Zealand.
Having steamed almost 40000 nautical miles (74,080 km) since leaving Pearl Harbor, Sproston returned to her home port on 11 September. She underwent general repairs and conducted local operations until the last of December 1967 when she was ordered to Guam for yard availability.
Upon completion of yard work in mid-March, Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor until 29 July when she sailed for the west coast. When she arrived in San Diego, she was notified that she was to be decommissioned. She sailed to Pearl Harbor late in August and, on 30 September 1968, was placed out of commission. Sproston was struck from the Navy list on 10 October 1968 and sold to Chou’s Iron and Steel Co., Taipei
, Taiwan
, for scrap.
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...
. She was the second ship named for Admiral John G. Sproston
John G. Sproston
John Glendy Sproston was an officer in the United States Navy during the Civil War. He was killed in action in a riverine action in Florida.-Biography:...
, an officer 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 the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
History
Sproston was laid down on 1 April 1942 by the Consolidated Steel CorporationConsolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during World War II in two locations: Wilmington, California and Orange, Texas...
, Orange,Tex.; launched on 31 August 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Aline G. Darst; and commissioned on 19 May 1943, Comdr. Fred R. Stickney in command.
World War II
Following shakedown off CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Sproston transited 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 4 November 1943. After a brief stop at San Francisco, California
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...
, she sailed 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...
on 15 November and, 11 days later, headed for the Aleutian Islands. She entered Kuluk Bay, Adak
Adak Island
Adak Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island...
, on 1 December and was assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 49, a unit of Task Force (TF) 94.
She spent the next two months in gunnery practice and exercises. On 1 February 1944, Sproston departed Massacre Bay with TF 94 to shell targets in the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
. On 4 February, she bombarded Kurabu Point in the Kurabu-Saki area of Paramushiro Island. One month later, the task force sailed north in the 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...
to strike targets in the Kurils again; but, because of extremely heavy seas and poor visibility, the mission was aborted.
Sproston spent the next three months on antisubmarine sweeps and patrols off the Aleutians. On 10 June, she was again underway for the Kurils where she participated in the pre-dawn bombardment of Matsuwa Island. On the 26th, she shelled Kurabu Zaki airfield on the southern end of Paramushiro Island.
On 8 August, Sproston departed Sweeper Cove, Adak, for a two-week stay in San Francisco before sailing for the South Pacific
South Pacific Area
The South Pacific Area was a multinational U.S.-led military command active during World War II. It was a part of the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas under Admiral Chester Nimitz.Instructions to the senior U.S...
war zone. En route, she made port at Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
. In October, she was assigned to Task Unit 79.11.2 whose primary mission was to screen transports of Task Group 79.2 off Dulag, Leyte Island
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
, during the initial campaign to liberate 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...
.
On 25 October, with supporting fire from Hale
USS Hale (DD-642)
USS Hale , a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Maine Senator Eugene Hale ....
(DD-642) and Pickens
USS Pickens (APA-190)
USS Pickens was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.- World War II service :...
(APA-190), she splashed her first enemy plane. On 18 November, in San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
, Sproston’s gunners downed two “Zekes” of a five-plane attack force.
In late December 1944 and early January 1945, Sproston patrolled in the Lingayen area of central Luzon. On 8 January, another Japanese plane fell victim to her guns. From Lingayen, she sailed to the Zambales area to support landing operations there. At 12:48 on 29 January, she entered Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
. Sproston was believed to be the first United States warship to enter Subic Bay since the Japanese occupation had begun. She continued operations in the Philippine Islands until 18 February when she was assigned to escort duty. Ordered to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
for a week, she was in Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
from 25 February to 1 March when she sailed for Milne Bay. By 13 March, she was back in Leyte Gulf.
On 21 March, she was underway for Kerama Retto and Okinawa Gunto, Ryukyu Islands. Sproston relieved Heywood L. Edwards
USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663)
USS Heywood L. Edwards was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander Heywood L. Edwards , captain of , the first U.S. Navy ship sunk in World War II....
(DD-663) on 26 March and began picket and patrol duty. That evening, her guns hit a “Jill” which departed in flames. On 2 April, she provided call fire on Makiminato Saki, destroying two enemy pillboxes and a warehouse.
Sproston received damage to her sonar equipment and main battery computer on 4 April by the near miss of a bomb which exploded 50 yards (45.7 m) off her port beam. There were no casualties, and the sonar equipment was quickly repaired, but the main battery could be fired only by local control. She retired to Guam for repair of her main computer and was back on station within two weeks. Off Hagushi Beach on 12 May, she fired 16 rounds at an enemy plane which burst into flames and crashed. On 28 May Sproston and Wadsworth
USS Wadsworth (DD-516)
USS Wadsworth , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Commodore Alexander S. Wadsworth ....
(DD-516) downed two planes within an hour. With supporting fire from Bradford
USS Bradford (DD-545)
USS Bradford was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named for Captain Gamaliel Bradford , a privateer during the Quasi-War with France....
(DD-545), she splashed another on the 29th. On 6 June, she rescued a pilot from escort carrier Gilbert Islands
USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107)
USS Gilbert Islands was a Commencement Bay class escort carrier of the United States Navy.She was launched on 20 July 1944 the Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. Edwin D. McMorries; and commissioned on 5 February 1945, Captain L. K...
(CVE-107) whose plane had been shot down.
On 28 June, while she was steaming independently toward the United States for overhaul, Sproston was signalled, 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...
and Eniwetok, by Antares (AKS-3), that she was under 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...
attack and required assistance. Arriving in the vicinity of the submarine, Sproston made good sonar contact at a range of 1000 yards (914.4 m). At 500 yards (457.2 m) a periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
was observed passing from starboard to port. The destroyer made an unsuccessful attempt to ram the submarine which was then identified as a fleet type. Sproston dropped a full pattern of depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s, and a large oil slick was later observed. She made six more attacks with negative results. After all her depth charges were expended, a lookout spotted a 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...
wake approaching Sproston, 60° off her port bow. Sproston turned hard left and the torpedo passed along her port side. A periscope was then sighted off the port quarter belonging to a kaiten
Kaiten
The Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
, a suicide submarine that had been released from the IJN fleet submarine I-36 in order to allow it to escape. A total of two kaitens were released from I-36 which were piloted by Ens Kuge Minoru and FPO1C Yanagiya Hidemasa. Once sighted the main battery commenced firing, and one salvo found its mark, causing a large secondary explosion which sank the kaiten. LC7-555, LSM-196, and LSM-197 arrived to help conduct night radar coverage of the area. The next morning, Parks
USS Parks (DE-165)
USS Parks was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys...
(DE-165), Levy
USS Levy (DE-162)
USS Levy was a , named in honor of Commodore Uriah P. Levy , a notable figure of the nineteenth-century Navy.The ship was laid down on 19 October 1942 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey, launched on 28 March 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Charles Mathoff, niece of...
(DE-162), and Roberts
USS Roberts (DE-749)
USS Roberts was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Post-war, she served as a training ship until finally decommissioned in 1968.She was named in honor of...
(DE-749) joined the group. After a thorough search, all ships were directed to carry out their previous orders.
Sproston arrived at San Francisco on 14 July 1945 where she underwent yard overhaul and prepared for inactivation: She moved to San Diego
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...
in mid-December and was placed out of commission on 18 January 1946.
Korean War
After Communist forces invaded South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Sproston was recommissioned as DDE-577 on 15 September 1950. Her initial training was conducted with the Fleet Training Group, San Diego. Sproston departed San Diego in early 1951 for Eniwetok to participate in the atomic bomb test
Nuclear testing
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness, yield and explosive capability of nuclear weapons. Throughout the twentieth century, most nations that have developed nuclear weapons have tested them...
. When the test was over in July, Sproston sailed to her new home port, Pearl Harbor, and began the normal routine of Pacific Fleet destroyers: holding fleet, type, and individual exercises.
In early 1952, she entered the shipyard for overhaul and then, after refresher training, she sailed, on 2 June, for the Far East.
On 15 June, Sproston was assigned to Task Force 77, the 7th Fleet Striking Force, operating off the east coast of Korea in the Hungnam-Simpo area. During the next six months, she participated in the Taiwan Patrol when not assigned to TF 77.
Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 December 1952 and began a regular operating schedule as a member of DesRon 25. In the next decade, she made nine cruises to the Far East for operations with the Seventh Fleet. She spent part of each deployment on the Taiwan Patrol and also participated in amphibious and other type exercises. In 1958 and in 1961, Sproston was awarded the Battle Efficiency E.
Vietnam war
In 1962, she was redesignated DD-577. Normal operating duties continued through 1963 and 1964. In March 1965, she began a five-month overhaul in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. When this was completed, she conducted extensive refresher training to prepare her crew for deployment to the western Pacific.Sproston departed Pearl Harbor on 27 December with Ranger (CVA-61), England
USS England (DLG-22)
The second USS England , a Leahy-class guided missile cruiser, was a ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Ensign John C. England. Originally called a "destroyer leader" or frigate, in 1975 she was re-designated a cruiser in the Navy's 1975 ship reclassification.Ensign John Charles...
(DLG-22), and Carpenter
USS Carpenter (DD-825)
USS Carpenter was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander Donald M. Carpenter .Carpenter was laid down on 30 July 1945 at Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas; launched on 28 September 1945, and sponsored by Mrs. Donald M. Carpenter, widow of the ship's namesake...
(DD-825) and headed, via Subic Bay, for the 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 –...
coast. The group arrived at Dixie Station
Dixie Station
Dixie Station was a geographic position during the Vietnam War in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta from which United States Navy aircraft carriers launched strikes providing close air support for US and ARVN ground troops in South Vietnam...
off the coast of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
on 16 January 1966 and remained there until 13 February. Sproston was assigned rescue and antisubmarine screening duties. On the 18th, she was directed to proceed to Phuoc Hui Bay to provide naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
. During the night, the ship shelled Viet Cong base camps and assembly areas.
On 19 January 1966 she rejoined the carrier task group which had moved to Yankee Station
Yankee Station
Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station...
in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
. Sproston was detached from 5–11 February to perform trawler surveillance and blocking. During this time, she observed a Russian Okean-class vessel, the Gidrofon, which was believed to be gathering electronic and tactical information. She rejoined the carrier group which returned to Subic Bay until 22 February.
Back at Yankee Station, Sproston was again detached for naval gunfire support duty. She arrived off the coast, in the II Corps area, on 1 March and remained there until the 20th, firing 40 support missions for the 1st Cavalry Division and South Vietnamese Marines. The most eventful came on 9 March when, during a three hour battle, her guns helped to repulse a battalion-strength Viet Cong attack against Republic of Vietnam Marines near Tam Quan.
On 21 March, she and the Task Group proceeded to Yokosuka whence it departed on 5 April for another tour at Dixie Station. Sproston worked with Ranger at both Dixie Station and Yankee Station during the patrol.
Sproston was detached from the Task Group on 4 May and visited Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Subic Bay, and Yokosuka before she returned to Pearl Harbor for upkeep and the installation of a recovery crane as she had been selected to participate in an Apollo
Project Apollo
The Apollo program was the spaceflight effort carried out by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration , that landed the first humans on Earth's Moon. Conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after President John F...
spacecraft recovery.
On 25 August, she was on station off Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
when the spacecraft passed overhead and landed 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) north, where it was recovered by Hornet (CVS-12). Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor on 2 September and remained there undergoing repair services and conducting type training for the remainder of the year.
In January and February 1967, Sproston conducted local operations to prepare for her 1967 deployment to the Far East. She sailed for Yokosuka on 6 March and, one month later, was back at Yankee Station. She participated in Operation Sea Lion and provided gunfire support until 14 May. She then joined Hancock (CVA-19) as escort and plane guard for two and one-half months. During this period of deployment, she performed trawler surveillance duty at Yankee Station several times when the Russian ships AGI Deflektor, Barograf, and Gidrofon entered the area.
Sproston and Carpenter departed Vietnam on 4 August for Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia, where they participated in a joint ASW exercise with units of the British and New Zealand navies off the coast of New Zealand.
Having steamed almost 40000 nautical miles (74,080 km) since leaving Pearl Harbor, Sproston returned to her home port on 11 September. She underwent general repairs and conducted local operations until the last of December 1967 when she was ordered to Guam for yard availability.
Upon completion of yard work in mid-March, Sproston returned to Pearl Harbor until 29 July when she sailed for the west coast. When she arrived in San Diego, she was notified that she was to be decommissioned. She sailed to Pearl Harbor late in August and, on 30 September 1968, was placed out of commission. Sproston was struck from the Navy list on 10 October 1968 and sold to Chou’s Iron and Steel Co., Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, for scrap.
Honors
Sproston received five battle stars for World War II, one for Korean service, and three for Vietnamese service.External links
- DANFS USS Sproston specs
- DANFS USS Sproston history
- Sproston history
- Crew homepage for USS Sproston
- Robert Duane Karl (USNAUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
′43), Commanding officer 1944 - Lt. Cmdr. Jack Warren Scheible Sr., (USNA ′57), Executive officer 1968