#USS Wainwright (DD-419)

[lonestarbattleship]

"USS Wainwright (DD-419) fires on Luftwaffe He 111 Torpedo Bombers attacking Arctic Convoy PQ-17 on July 4, 1942.

Originally part of the Cruiser Covering Force, on the afternoon of July 4th, USS Wainwright joined the convoy to refuel from the tanker Aldersdale. Before starting the refueling, Luftwaffe He 111s attacked and Wainwright assisted the convoy in repulsing two consecutive attacks by the torpedo bombers. During an ensuing dive-bombing attack, she evaded an attack by Ju 88s with the nearest bomb landing at least 150 yards away.

After the dive-bombing attack, a two-hour lull in the action allowed Wainwright to resume refueling, but the Luftwaffe returned around 1820hrs with 25 He 111s. The Heinkels divided themselves into two groups for the attack, Wainwright's fire on one of the two groups proved so effective that only one managed to penetrate her defenses to make the torpedo drop between Wainwright and the convoy. The other He 111s in that group dropped their torpedoes from further out that resulted in excessive torpedo runs to the convoy that the ships in the convoy easily evaded.

Torpedos from the 2nd group of He 111s hit two ships in the Convoy; William Hooper and Azerbaidjan.

Afterwards, when Convoy PQ-17 was ordered to scatter due to a supposed German surface ship threat that included the Battleship Tirpitz, the convoy lost 24 of its 35 merchant ships to combined German aircraft and U-Boat attacks."

Photographed by Frank Scherschel for LIFE Magazine. Identified by Peter DeForest.

LIFE Magazine Archives: 115781364, 115781365, 115781377, 115781380, 115781378, 115781389, 115781390, 115781391, 115781379

#USS Wainwright (DD-419) #USS Wainwright #Sims Class #Destroyer #July #1942 #PQ-17 #convoy #Atlantic Ocean #united states navy #us navy #navy #usn #u.s. navy #my post

[uss-edsall]

Ships involved in Bikini Atoll, and their status (sunk during tests or after)

Independence (CVL-22): Towed to Pearl Harbor and then to Hunters Point (San Francisco) in October 1946. Sunk as target in special tests of new aerial and undersea weapons off San Francisco on January 27, 1951, in 1,000 fathoms.

Saratoga (CV-3): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946.

Arkansas (BB-33): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 2S, 1946.

Nagato (Japanese): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on night of July 29/30, 1946.

Nevada (BB-36): Towed to Kwajalein by USS Preserver (ARS-8), decommissioned on August 29, 1946, and then towed to Pearl Harbor. Sunk as target on July 31, 1948, 65 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor following four days of gunfire, bomb, rocket, and torpedo hits from Task Force 12. New York (BB-34): Towed to Kwajalein by USS Achomawi (AFT-148), decommissioned on August 29, 1946, and then towed to Pearl Harbor. Sunk as target on July 8, 1948, 40 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor after an eight-hour pounding by ships and planes using bombs and gunfire in full-scale battle maneuvers with new torpedoes. Pennsylvania (BB-38): Scuttled off Kwajalein on February 10, 1948.

Pensacola (CA-23): Towed to Kwajalein and then to Bremerton, Washington, for radiological tests. Sunk as target off Washington coast on November 10, 1948, in 1,400 fathoms. Prinz Eugen (German): Towed to Kwajalein and attempted to beach at Enubuj Island, but she capsized and sank in shallow water on December 22, 1946 (New York Times article indicates date was December 16). Sakawa (Japanese): Sunk at Bikini by Able shot on July 2, 1946. Salt Lake City (CA-25): Towed to Bremerton via Pearl Harbor for radiological tests. Sunk by torpedoes in 2,000 fathoms off San Diego on May 25, 1948, after a four-hour bombardment from planes and ships.

Anderson (DD-411): Sunk at Bikini by Able shot on July 1, 1946. Conyngham (DD-371): Steamed from Kwajalein to Pearl Harbor in September 1946, and then to San Francisco area, arriving on October 22, 1946. Scuttled in July 1948 off California coast. Hughes (DD-410): Beached at Eneu Island following Baker shot on July 26, 1946, and later towed to San Francisco for radiological tests. Sunk as target off Washington coast by air attack on October 16, 1948. Lamson (DD-367): Sunk at Bikini by Able shot on July 1, 1946. Mayrant (DD-402): Kept at Kwajalein for radiological tests until sunk there by guns and torpedoes on April 4, 1948. Mugford (DD-389): Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 22,1948. Mustin (DD-413): Sunk by gunfire off Kwajalein on April 18, 1948. Ralph Talbot (DD-390): Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 8, 1948. Rhind (DD-404): Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 22, 1948.

Stack (DD-406): Sunk by gunfire from four destroyers off Kwajalein on April 24, 1948.

Trippe (DD-403): Sunk as target off Kwajalein on February 3, 1948. Wainwright (DD-419): Sunk as target off Kwajalein on July S, 1948, by Destroyer Division 172. Wilson (DD-408): Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 8, 1948.

Apogon (SS-308): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. Dentuda (SS-335): Steamed from Kwajalein to Pearl Harbor in September 1946, and the next month to San Francisco for radiological study. Decommissioned at Mare Island on December 11, 1946, and stationed in the 12th Naval District for training of naval reservists. Sold for scrap on January 20, 1969. Parche (SS-384): Steamed to Pearl Harbor and then reported to Mare Islands Group 19th Fleet on October 14, 1946. Towed to the naval reserve docks in Oakland in February 1948 and accepted as a naval reserve training ship. Sold for scrap in July 1970. Pilotfish (SS-386): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. Salvaged for examination and resunk as a target on October 16, 1948. Searaven (SS-196): Raised from submerged position on July 29, 1946, after Baker shot. Steamed to Pearl Harbor from Kwajalein and then to San Francisco for radiological study, arriving there on October 22, 1946. Sunk as target off California coast on September 11, 1948. Skate (SS-305): Towed to Kwajalein by ATR-40, then to Pearl Harbor by USS Fulton (AS-11), and then to San Francisco by USS Clamp (ARS-33). Decommissioned on December 11, 1946, and scuttled off California coast in 515 fathoms on October 4, 1948. Skipjack (SS-184): Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. Salvaged on September 2, towed to Pearl Harbor, and then to San Francisco. Sunk by aircraft rocket attack on August 11, 1948, off California coast in 700 fathoms. Tuna (SS-203): Surfaced after Baker shot on July 27, 1946. Steamed to Kwa'alein, Pearl Harbor, and then San Francisco. Scuttled off the West Coast on September 24, 1948, in 1,160 fathoms.

Banner (APA-60): Scuttled off Kwajalein on February 16, 1948. Barrow (APA-61): Scuttled off Kwajalein on May 11, 1948. Bladen (APA-63): Steamed to East Coast, decommissioned at Norfolk on December 26, 1946, and transferred to U.S. Maritime Commission on August 3, 1953. Bracken (APA-64): Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 10, 1948. Briscoe (APA-65): Scuttled somewhere in the Marshall Islands on May 6, 1948. Brule (APA-66): Scuttled off Kwajalein on May 11, 1948. Butte (APA-68): Scuttled off Kwajalein on May 12, 1948. Carlisle (APA-69): Sunk at Bikini by Able shot on July 1, 1946. Carteret (APA-70): Sunk in the Marshall Islands by gunfire of the USS Toledo (CA-133) on April 19, 1948.

Catron (APA-71): Sunk in the Marshall Islands by gunfire of the USS Atlanta (CL-104) on May 6, 1948.

Cortland (APA-75): Granted radiological clearance in December 1946, decommissioned at Norfolk on December 30, 1946, and transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission on March 31, 1948. Later sold for scrap.

Crittenden (APA-77): Towed to San Francisco in January 1947. Towed to sea by USS Tekesta (ATF-93) and sunk off California coast by explosive tests on October 5, 1948, in 800 fathoms.

Dawson (APA-79): Scuttled off Kwajalein on April 19, 1948, in 2,290 fathoms.

Fallon (APA-81): Beached on Eneu Island on July 27, 1946, after Baker shot and then towed to Kwajalein. Scuttled off Kwajalein on -March 10, 1948.

Fillmore (APA-83): Steamed to East Coast, decommissioned at Norfolk on January 24, 1947, and transferred to U.S. Maritime Commission on April 1, 1948.

Gasconade (APA-85): Towed to San Francisco and sunk as target by torpedoes off southern California coast on July 21, 1948, in 1,300 fathoms. Geneva (APA-86): Steamed to East Coast, decommissioned at Norfolk on January 1, 1947, and received by the U.S. Maritime Commission at James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, on April 2, 1948. Transferred to Wilmington (North Carolina) Reserve Fleet in July 1955, and sold for scrap on November 2, 1966. Gilliam (APA-57): Sunk at Bikini by Able shot on July 1, 1946. Niagara (APA-87): Steamed to East Coast, arriving at Norfolk on November 23, 1946. After being used to test effects of special conventional explosives in the Chesapeake Bay in 1947-48, was sold for scrap on February 5, 1950, to Northern Metals Company of Philadelphia.

LST-S2: Sunk off Kwajalein in April 1948 by gunfire of USS Oakland (CL-95) in 2,280 fathoms. LST-12S: Deliberately beached before Baker shot, then sunk by gunfire of USS Fall River (CA- 1 3 1) off Bikini on August 14, 1946. LST-133: Sunk off Kwajalein on May 11, 1948. LST-220: Sunk off Kwajalein on May 12, 1948. LST-545: Sunk off Kwajalein on May 12, 1948. LST-661: Sunk off Kwajalein on July 25, 1948.

LSM-60: Destroyed at Bikini as bomb carrier for Baker shot on July 25, 1946.

LCT-412: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-414: Sunk by demolition charges at Bikini shortly after Baker shot. LCT-705: Scuttled off Kwa'alein in September 1947. LCT-746: Scuttled off Kwajalein in March 1947. LCT-812: Sunk by demolition charges at Bikini shortly after Baker shot. LCT-816: Scuttled off Kwajalein in June 1947. LCT-818: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-874: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-1013: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-1078: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-1112: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCT-1113: Scuttled off Kwajalein in June 1947. L CT-1114: Capsized by Baker shot and sunk by demolition charges at Bikini on July 30, 1946. LCT-1175: Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 2S, 1946. LCT-1187. Sunk by demolition charges at Bikini shortly after Baker shot. LCT-1237: Sunk by demolition charges at Bikini shortly after Baker shot.

ARDC-13: Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on August 6, 1946. YO-1 60: Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. YOG-83: Beached at Kwajalein on September 23, 1946, and scuttled off Kwajalein on September 16, 1948.

LCI-327: Stranded at Bascombe (Mek) Island, Kwajalein, and destroyed there on October 30, 1947. LCI-329: Scuttled off Kwajalein on March 16, 1948. LCI-332: Scuttled off Kwajalein in September 1947. LCI-549: Used at Kwajalein as patrol vessel until June 1948. Granted final radiological clearance in August 1948 and towed to Port Chicago, California, in January 1949. Sold to the Learner Company in Alameda, California, on August 2, 1949, and delivered on August 19, 1949. LCI-618: Sold to the Learner Company in Alameda, California, on August 2, 1949, and delivered on August 19, 1949. LCI-620: Deliberately beached before Baker shot. Towed to sea and sunk off entrance to Bikini lagoon on August 10, 1946.

LCM-1: Fate unknown. LCM-2: Fate unknown. LCM-3: Fate unknown. LCM-4: Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. LCM-S: Fate unknown. LCM-6: Sold for scrap in Guam on unknown date.

LCVP-7: Fate unknown. LCVP-8: Fate unknown. LCVP-9: Fate unknown. LCVP-10: Sunk at Bikini by Baker shot on July 25, 1946. 

LCVP-11: Fate unknown. LCVP-12: Fate unknown.