U.S.S. PHILIP
AND
U.S.S. RENSHAW
LAUNCHING
OCTOBER 13, 1942

U.S.S. Philip (DD-498)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career (US)

Namesake: John W. Philip
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid down: 7 May 1942
Launched: 13 October 1942
Commissioned: 21 November 1942
Decommissioned: 30 September 1968
Struck: 1 October 1968
Fate: Sank in a storm, 2 February 1972.

General characteristics

Class and type: Fletcher class destroyer
Displacement: 2,050 tons
Length: 376 ft. 6 in. (114.7 m)
Beam: 39 ft. 8 in. (12.1 m)
Draft: 17 ft. 9 in (5.4 m)
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Range: 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) at 15 kt
Complement: 336
Armament: 5 - 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns, 10 - 40 mm AA guns, 7 - 20 mm AA guns, 10 - 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks.

U.S.S. Philip (DD/DDE-498), a Fletcher class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral John W. Philip (1840 - 1900). Philip was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, New Jersey, 7 May 1942; launched 13 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Barrett Philip; and commissioned 21 November 1942, Commander Thomas C. Ragan in command.

Solomon Islands campaign: June 1943 - March 1944
Philip's first mission came during the early morning of 30 June 1943, when she bombarded installations in the Shortland Islands area in the southwest Pacific. Operating in the screen of the Second Transport Group, Philip, on 15 August 1943, made a good showing in her first scrape with the enemy. Several bomb splashes were seen near Barakoma Beach, Vella Lavella, indicating that Japanese bombers were attacking the LCIs unloading there. A few minutes later, two dive bombers headed for Philip to unload their explosives. Each plane dropped a bomb but both missed. The first plane, taken under fire by the ship's guns, kept getting closer until a friendly Corsair took over the fight. Guns were shifted to the second and they soon found their range, splashing the plane into the sea.

Japanese planes came back for another attack at nightfall. Silhouetted clearly against a full moon, Philip picked out the most desirable target. One torpedo wake passed a few yards astern and another crossed parallel to the ship after it was seen in time to take evasive action. The ship's guns kept barking at one of the bombers, finally shooting it down. Again during the next evening, Japanese planes came in to pay their regular visit. This time their objective proved to be the cumbersome LSTs withdrawing from Barakoma Beach. While laying a heavy smoke screen and shooting at the planes, Philip collided with Waller under the cover of her own smoke. Although damage to both vessels resulted, damage control parties of both ships rigged up shoring to prevent flooding and stayed in the battle. Philip kept her guns blazing away at the swarming Japanese, one plane was shot down and another was claimed as a possible kill.

There was no let up from enemy raids on the next day as the Japanese pressed their attempts to dislodge American forces from their toehold on the Solomons. One dive bomber sent his torpedo flying between the ship's stacks and another went splashing into the sea 30 yards to port. A second attack brought another close call; two torpedoes dropped 15 yards astern. Philip's gunners shot down one of the dive bombers. Two days later, while leading a convoy out of Tulagi, the destroyer launched a pair of attacks on what appeared to be a Japanese submarine, without damage to the enemy.

On 27 October, the destroyer fired at mortar emplacements on Mono Island and then came into Blanche Harbor, Treasury Island, Solomons. Six Val-type enemy planes zoomed into the harbor in an attempt to destroy the transports sitting there. The attack was repelled and Philip did her share by sending one plane away in flames. A barge sweep off Bougainville and bombardment of Choiseul Bay was conducted on 8 January 1944; ten days later, the destroyer returned for another blow on Bougainville, raking the island's northeast shores with surface fire. Leading a convoy of LCIs into Bougainville on 15 February, Philip weathered a bombing attack reminiscent of her earlier days; but she retaliated in like manner, damaging one plane and repelling the others. After a methodical bombardment of Empress Augusta Bay 14 March, Philip left to take part in the Marianas campaign. From 17 June to the end of July, the destroyer's guns blazed red hot as they hammered almost daily at enemy positions on Saipan and Tinian. Known gun emplacements, troop concentrations, and air fields were the main targets, although several swipes were also taken at small craft in Tinian and boats in Tanapag Harbor.

Philippines campaign, December 1944 - April 1945
The Philippines came next. An assault on Mindoro, 12 - 15 December, was her initial step. One airplane was damaged in the battle. More fierce airplane attacks came when Philip joined a screening force around a resupply echelon traveling from Leyte to Mindoro, later that month. Frequent raids with coordinated bombing and suicide attacks by as many as six planes at one time greeted the slow convoy during its entire trip. Two of the attackers were shot down by the destroyer and another was damaged. A 20 millimeter shell, fired by an LCT at a Japanese plane, landed upon the aluminum spray shield on the ship's starboard bridge wing, tearing a hole in the structure and wounding two men. One of the wounded men died five hours after the accident. Many of the ships were not as fortunate as Philip which escaped with comparatively little damage. Suiciders had a field day in crashing into the not easily maneuverable merchant ships.

Gansevoort received a suicide hit and Philip steamed to her comrade's rescue. Two of her men, acting upon their own initiative boarded the crippled destroyer, set her depth charges on safe, and jettisoned them.

Borneo campaign, April - July 1945
On 30 April, the destroyer joined a special attack unit to transport, protect, and establish units of the 26th Australian Brigade on Sauau, Borneo, N.E.I. Major landings on Tarakan Island followed a day later; enemy opposition in force was surprisingly absent. Relieved of radar picket duty off Brunei Bay on 12 June, Philip rendezvoused with a minesweeping group and left to clear the area of Miri-Luton, Sarawak, Borneo, in preparation for an assault which was to come seven days later. Having previously paved the way for an assault landing on Brunei Bay, Borneo, Philip covered the ''sweeps'' while preparations were made for the next invasion. A total of 246 mines were cut loose from the heavily-planted area, not without loss of much valuable sweep gear. Hostile gun positions in the Miri area were softened by the destroyer while the minesweepers performed their chores.

Elements of the First Australian Corps, loaded at Morotai, landed at Balikpapan, Borneo, 1 July, while Philip stood guard for enemy attempts to hinder the invasion. Remaining in the area until 19 July, the destroyer bombarded the surrounding shores and helped repel such feeble air attacks as the Japanese could muster. The end of the war followed the Borneo operation but it did not bring about immediate return to the United States for the busy destroyer. She was sent to China on mine destruction duty and remained in the Pacific area until late in 1945. The veteran destroyer got back to the West Coast just in time to allow the crew to spend New Year's Eve on home soil. She subsequently sailed to the Atlantic and, by Directive dated January 1947, was placed out of commission, in reserve, attached to the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet, berthed at Charleston, South Carolina. Philip's classification was changed to DDE-498 on 26 March 1949.

Korean War, 1950 - 1954
Philip recommissioned at Charleston, South Carolina 30 June 1950, and sailed to the Panama Canal Zone and San Diego enroute to her new home port, Pearl Harbor. Here she arrived 10 September 1950, and immediately assumed her part in advanced hunter killer exercises. During the autumn of 1950, Philip acted as plane guard for the aircraft bearing President Harry S. Truman to his mid-ocean conference with General Douglas MacArthur on Wake Island, to discuss the conduct of the Korean War.

Philip departed Pearl Harbor 1 June 1951 for Midway and Yokosuka, Japan. On 15 June, she joined Task Force 77 (TF 77) in the Sea of Japan for duty screening the fast carrier task force as it conducted air operations against enemy forces in North Korea. She returned to Japan for anti-submarine warfare exercises from 30 June to 10 July, and next day sailed for Taiwan and duty on patrol in the Taiwan Straits. A visit to Hong Kong which began 29 July was interrupted by Typhoon Louise. Through August, Philip continued her patrol duties, and early in September conducted anti-submarine exercises off Okinawa until 11 September when she put into Yokosuka for upkeep.

On 24 September 1951 Philip was bound for the east coast of Korea. Here she had escort duty with TF 77 until 3 October, when she received orders which sent her to duty on the west coast of Korea with the United Nations Naval Forces which included Australian and British units. Here Philip screened the carrier group, and served to enforce the naval blockade on the 38th parallel. Fighting her way through the most devastating typhoon in years, Ruth, Philip steamed back to duty with TF 77, joining up 15 October. Released from this duty 31 October. Philip proceeded to Yokosuka, and departed 2 November for Pearl Harbor. On arriving at Pearl Harbor, the ship commenced a yard period, which was followed by a period of refresher training. Underway training and planeguard duty continued until 27 October 1952, when Philip began a short drydock period, part of her preparation for another tour of duty in the Korean Conflict. She departed Pearl Harbor 10 November, bound for Yokosuka, Japan, where she arrived ten days later.

Late in the afternoon of 25 November 1952 Philip joined Task Force 78, and began duty in the screen of the task force. Later duty included a shore bombardment patrol in company with the U.S.S. Los Angeles in the vicinity of latitude 38'30'N off the east coast of Korea. On 5 December, the two vessels entered Wonsan Harbor to fire on shore targets, and then returned to the bombline to carry out call fire missions. Steady steaming with TF-78 was resumed from 8 December until 27 December, interrupted only by a night search for a sonar contact and two rescue missions for pilots of downed aircraft. After a period of tender availability in Yokosuka, Philip resumed similar duty until May 1953.

Philip returned to Pearl Harbor 29 May 1953, and operated for a month in training exercises. Late in June she began an intensive three month overhaul at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Overhaul completed, she returned to a busy schedule of operations in the Hawaiian group which included search and rescue missions, anti-submarine exercises, practice shore bombardment, and carrier plane guard duties. A major fleet exercise occupied Philip during the first months of 1954, and she then began preparations for another journey to the Western Pacific. On 14 June, she stood out for Yokosuka, Japan, where she arrived 23 June, mooring alongside Hamul for two days of tender availability. Philip then got underway for the Shimonoseki Straits and Chinhae, Korea. After reporting for duty with Task Force 95, Philip steamed to Inchon to join H.M.S. Warrior and act as planeguard for the British carrier on the United Nations Blockade. Philip escorted Warrior to Kure, Japan, 4 July, and sailed on to Sasebo for a week's restricted availability.

1954 - 1957
After further service in Korean waters, Philip left Japan for Pearl Harbor, arriving home 29 August 1954 for a month's overhaul, She resumed operations in the Hawaiian Islands until 15 March 1955, when she entered the yard for a comprehensive overhaul. Overhaul was followed by refresher training and preparation for another Far Eastern deployment. On 8 August 1955, she sailed for Yokosuka, Japan, arriving ten days later. On this tour of duty, she participated in large scale antisubmarine warfare exercises off Okinawa, operated with Task Force 77, and served on the Taiwan Patrol before heading for home 6 January 1956. Operations in Hawaiian waters occupied Philip between 15 January 1956, and 30 October, when she once more took departure for the Far East. Serving primarily in Japanese waters, Philip completed a shorter tour than previously, and was back home in Pearl Harbor 22 January 1957.

1957 - 1968
During 1957, she joined Destroyer Squadron 25, unique in its three divisions, rather than the usual two. The escort destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 25 were so deployed that one division of the three was in the Far East at any given time, and it was on this schedule that Philip once more sailed for the Orient 27 December. Arriving in Yokosuka 5 January 1958 Philip served on exercises off Japan and Okinawa, in the Philippine Islands, and in the South China Sea until 23 April, when her division began the homeward bound voyage, by an unusual route. Arriving in Brisbane, Australia 2 May, Philip visited Melbourne and Sydney, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; and Pago Pago, American Samoa, before returning to Pearl Harbor 29 May. Here she resumed her operations in the Hawaiian Group throughout the remainder of 1958.

From the latter part of June 1958 until the end of January 1959, Philip took part in hunter killer operations, conducted shore bombardment, air and surface shoots, single and dual ship antisubmarine exercises, and fulfilled the duties of planeguard destroyer for the super carrier Ranger. On 18 February Philip and the other escort destroyers of DesDiv 252 got underway and proceeded to Yokosuka, Japan. Philip operated around Japan and in the South China Sea before arriving Brisbane, Australia, 11 July. The deployment ended at Pearl Harbor 30 July.

The division sailed from Honolulu again for Yokosuka 22 April 1960. After operating in the waters of Japan and Okinawa Philip returned to Pearl Harbor 29 October 1960. On 4 February 1962 Philip was off for Yokosuka again. This cruise was spent in the waters of Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Effective 1 July 1962 Philip was redesignated from DDE to DD. Philip returned to Pearl Harbor 18 July 1962. Philip steamed again for Yokosuka 12 November 1963, operating again in Japanese, Philippine, and Vietnamese waters, and returning to Pearl Harbor 10 April 1964. After another period of operations out of Hawaii, Philip steamed for Yokosuka again 19 April 1965. This cruise was highlighted by duty on Yankee Station off Vietnam and by patrol of the Taiwan straits. She returned home 1 October 1965.

Philip decommissioned 30 September 1968 and was struck from the Navy List 1 October 1968. She was sold 15 December 1971, but sank in a storm on her way to be scrapped 2 February 1972. Philip received nine battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service.

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U.S.S. Renshaw (DD-499)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career (US)

Namesake: William B. Renshaw
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid down: 7 May 1942
Launched: 13 October 1942
Commissioned: 5 December 1942
Decommissioned: 14 February 1970
Struck: 14 February 1970
Fate: Sold for scrap, October 1970

General characteristics

Class and type: Fletcher class destroyer
Displacement: 2,050 tons
Length: 376 ft. 6 in. (114.7 m)
Beam: 39 ft. 8 in. (12.1 m)
Draft: 17 ft. 9 in. (5.4 m)
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Range: 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) at 15 kt
Complement: 336
Armament: 5 - 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns, 10 - 40 mm AA guns, 7 - 20 mm AA guns, 10 - 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks.

U.S.S. Renshaw (DD/DDE-499), a Fletcher class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy of that name, in honor of Commander William B. Renshaw. Renshaw was laid down 7 May 1942 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey; launched on 13 October 1942, sponsored by Miss Dorothy Lillian Renshaw; and commissioned on 5 December 1942, with Lieutenant Commander C. F. Chillingworth in command.

South Pacific, 1943 - 1944
Following shakedown, Renshaw reported to the Pacific Fleet in the spring of 1943, and protected transports in the Solomon Islands area. On 2 July 1943, she participated in the bombardment of the Vila Stanmore and Shortland Island areas in Kula Gulf, coming under the fire of enemy shore batteries.

From 21 to 25 November, she pounded East Island in Empress Augusta Bay with 200 rounds of 5 inch ammunition. Sorum and Makatawa on northeast Bougainville next felt her blows, and she then proceeded north of Buka Island for an offensive sweep between Buka and Green Islands. On the morning of 20 January, she retired southward with her task unit to give fire support to the landings on Bougainville Island itself.

During landings in the New Britain New Ireland area, Renshaw dealt considerable damage to enemy airfield installations while coming under the fire of shore batteries. On 13 March the ship was in the Empress Augusta Bay area where she bombarded enemy positions in the jungles east of the beachhead held by Allied forces.

After a short period of amphibious training at Pearl Harbor, Renshaw led a force of LSTs to the Marianas Islands. At first assigned to the outer destroyer screen, she later closed the Tinian beach to provide star shell illumination and fire support for troops ashore who were undergoing a heavy counterattack.

Philippines, 1944 - 1945
In November 1944, while operating with a destroyer division bombarding enemy installations in the Ormoc Bay area and conducting anti-shipping sweeps in the waters westward of Leyte, Renshaw spotted Japanese submarine Japanese submarine I-46 on the surface. Renshaw and accompanying destroyers Saufley, Waller, Pringle immediately commenced fire and, after a brief one sided duel during which the submarine returned fire with small caliber weapons, the enemy vessel was destroyed.

After a turnaround in San Pedro Bay, Renshaw and other units of her task group made a high speed run to Ormoc Bay in an effort to intercept enemy transports reported unloading there. However, only a single Japanese vessel, a large wooden barge, was found, which Renshaw took under fire and destroyed while she came under air attack.

On 31 December 1944, Renshaw sortied with a task unit en route to screen a large transport formation assigned to land troops in the Lingayen Gulf area on 9 January 1945. Despite repeated air attacks during the voyage through the Sulu and South China Seas, the powerful invasion armada reached its objective without serious damage. While in the Mindanao Sea, on 21 February 1945, Renshaw was struck by a torpedo from an enemy submarine, about 10 feet (3 m) below the waterline, flooding the firerooms. The ship lost all power, a large section of the hull was warped by the explosion, and bulkheads and decks were fractured. Even though 19 men were killed and 20 injured, within a matter of minutes, damage control parties had the flooding reduced by half. Through their efforts the main propulsion machinery suffered no damage. She managed to get under way again, and was escorted to San Pedro Bay by Rudderow. Temporary repairs were made in April by the ship's crew and men from the destroyer tender Whitney and the repair ship Prometheus. Renshaw then proceeded under her own power from the forward area to the Todd Pacific Shipyard in Tacoma, Washington, where permanent repairs were completed early in October 1945. On Navy Day, 27 October 1945, in New York Harbor, President Harry S. Truman reviewed the greatest victory parade in naval history from Renshaw.

1949 - 1970
Renshaw decommissioned in February 1947 and was attached to the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet. During 1949 and 1950, she was converted to a specialized antisubmarine vessel and recommissioned in June 1950 as DDE-499. During the Korean Conflict, Renshaw had two tours of duty in the Far East, May to November 1951 and November 1952 to June 1953, in which she served as an escort, patrol, search and rescue, and bombardment vessel. Subsequently, Renshaw served in the Pacific Proving Grounds, February to May 1954, during Operation Castle, rendering patrol and air control services for Joint Task Force 7.

This was followed by a short tour in the Far East from June to August 1954 where Renshaw rescued a British airman from the sea while acting as plane guard for the Royal Navy carrier HMS Warrior, and also participated in a hunter killer exercise with a force composed of United States and Canadian ships. On 8 August 1955, Renshaw sailed for her fourth tour in the Far East, spending most of her time in hunter killer exercises and task force operations. She subsequently made additional Far Eastern deployments from Pearl Harbor, October 1956 to May 1957, December 1957 to May 1958, February 1959 to July 1959, and April 1960 to October 1960.

In 1960, Renshaw received Weapon Alpha, a new anti-submarine weapon, and on 17 December 1961, recovered the nosecone of Discoverer 36. She made a further WestPac deployment in 1962. On 7 August 1962 she was redesignated a destroyer and resumed the hull number, DD-499. On 3 October, Renshaw participated in the recovery of Project Mercury astronaut Commander Walter M. Schirra. Spending most of 1963 operating out of Pearl Harbor, Renshaw deployed to WestPac again in November 1963, returning 6 months later. In 1964 Renshaw took part in the movie In Harm's Way.

On 3 March 1965, Renshaw, in company with other units of Destroyer Division 252, departed Pearl Harbor on short notice to augment destroyer forces for the rapidly expanding naval commitments in the South China Sea. During April and May, she served in surveillance roles and in support of carrier striking force operations. In June she was on Taiwan patrol, returning to Vietnamese waters in July, where she remained until September before steaming via Japan for Pearl Harbor.

In October and December Renshaw served as an alternate recovery ship in Project Gemini. Her 11th WestPac tour began 5 July 1966. She participated in anti-submarine operations, as an aircraft carrier rescue destroyer, in special operations with Chicago in the Tonkin Gulf, and in special operations and patrol duties in the Taiwan Strait. DesDiv 252 returned to Pearl Harbor December 16, 1966.

Renshaw remained in the Hawaiian area throughout 1967. She departed Pearl Harbor 8 April 1968 for WestPac where she provided escort services for the fast carrier attack forces on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf. In September Renshaw returned to Pearl Harbor. In June 1969 she sailed for WestPac and Yankee Station where she rescued one pilot from the water. In December 1969, she returned from the Far East to Pearl Harbor. Renshaw decommissioned on 14 February 1970 and was struck from the Navy List the same day. She was sold for scrapping in October 1970 to Zidell Explorations Inc.. Renshaw earned eight battle stars for World War II service; five battle stars for Korean Conflict service; and six battle stars for Vietnam War service.