U.S.S. DORTCH
AND
U.S.S. GATLING
LAUNCHING
JUNE 20, 1943

THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO.
NEWARK, N.J.
BUTTONS, BADGES, NOVELTIES AND SIGNS

U.S.S. Dortch (DD-670)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career (US)

Namesake: Isaac Foote Dortch
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid down: 2 March 1943
Launched: 20 June 1943
Commissioned: 7 August 1943
Decommissioned: 13 December 1957
Struck: 1 September 1975
Fate: Transferred to Argentina as Espora 1 August 1961

Career (Argentina)

Name: Espora
Acquired: August 16, 1961
Struck: 1977
Fate: Scrapped, 1977

General characteristics

Class and type: Fletcher class destroyer
Displacement: 2,050 tons
Length: 376 ft. 6 in. (114.7 m)
Beam: 39 ft. in. (12.1 m)
Draft: 17 ft. 9 in. (5.4 m)
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW); geared turbines; 2 propellers
Speed: 38 knots (70 km/h)
Range: 6,500 nautical miles at 15 kt (12,000 km at 30 km/h)
Complement: 329
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. Dortch (DD-670) was a Fletcher class destroyer of the United States Navy, the only Navy ship named for Isaac Foote Dortch, who was awarded the Navy Cross. The U.S.S. Dortch (DD-670) was laid down on March 2, 1943 and launched 20 June 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss M.C. Dortch, daughter of Captain Dortch; and commissioned 7 August 1943, Lieutenant Commander R.C. Young in command.

History
During October and November 1943 Dortch sailed to Trinidad, British West Indies, where she served as plane guard and screen for U.S.S. Langley (CVL-27) during the carrier's shakedown cruise. Dortch sailed from Norfolk on December 3 in the screen of newly commissioned U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11) and arrived at Pearl Harbor on December 28. The U.S.S. Dortch served in the screen of the Fast Carrier Task Force TF 58 during the capture and occupation of the Marshall Islands from January 29, 1944. She took part in the initial raids on Truk of February 16 and 17 and on the Marianas on February 23, then sailed with the task group providing air cover for landings on Emirau Island in March. Later that month she rejoined TF 58 for raids on Palau, Yap, Ulithi and Woleai from March 30 to April 1; support of the Hollandia operation in New Guinea on April 21 and 22; and a repeat raid on Truk from April 29 to May 1.

After screening escort carriers to Pearl Harbor, Dortch returned to TF 58 for the capture and occupation of Saipan, screening the carriers as they fought and won the decisive Battle of the Philippine Sea. During the invasion of Guam Dortch patrolled west of the island as life guard and fighter director ship, as well as screening the carriers that provided air support for the troops ashore.

Dortch saw action in the 5th Fleet raids on the Bonins on August 4 and 5, 1944, then returned to cover the landings on Peleliu, Palau Islands, on September 15. She remained with the fast carriers while they pounded airfields and installations in the Nansei Shoto, Formosa, Luzon, and on the Chinese coast to neutralize Japanese bases in preparation for the invasion of the Philippines. She continued to protect the carriers as they launched strikes against the Japanese fleet in the Battle for Leyte Gulf October 24 - 25.

On February 10, 1945 Dortch sortied in a scouting line ahead of TF 58 for the strike on the Tokyo Bay area of February 16 and 17. On the following day Dortch, with U.S.S. Clarence K. Bronson (DD-668), attacked and seriously damaged an enemy picket vessel; Dortch received 14 casualties in the action. On the 19th she was off Iwo Jima for the assault landings, and continued to patrol off the island in the day and screen transports at night. She rejoined the carriers for raids on Tokyo on February 25 and strikes and Photo reconnaissance missions over Okinawa March 1. Returning to duty at Iwo Jima, Dortch sailed March 29 for an overhaul on the west coast, arriving in San Francisco April 21. Dortch got underway on July 9, 1945, and bombarded Wake Island on August 8 while making her passage to Guam. On August 27 she entered Tokyo Bay, and served in the occupation of Japan and its possessions until sailing for the States December 5, 1945. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Charleston, S.C. on July 19, 1946.

Recommissioned May 4, 1951 Dortch was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, and from Newport, operated on the east coast and in the Caribbean. In August 1952 she sailed to take part in NATO Operation ''Mainbrace'' off Norway and Denmark, returning to Newport October 9. On April 27, 1953 she sailed for the Pacific, and operated with TG 77 off Korea until October. She continued west to complete a round the world cruise, returning to Newport in December. In 1954, 1955, and 1957 she served with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, patrolling off the Gaza Strip, where conditions remained tense after the Suez Crisis, during the latter cruise. Dortch continued her east coast and Caribbean operations until again placed out of commission in reserve on December 13, 1957. Dortch received eight battle stars for World War II service and one for Korean war service.

Argentina
Dortch was placed out of commission in reserve on December 13, 1957, transferred to Argentina as Espora on August 16, 1961, and finally struck from the Navy list on September 1, 1975. The Espora was stricken from the Argentine Navy list and broken up for scrap in 1977.

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U.S.S. Gatling (DD-671)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career

Namesake: Richard Jordan Gatling
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, N.J.
Laid down: 3 March 1943
Launched: 20 June 1943
Commissioned: 19 August 1943
Decommissioned: 2 May 1960
Struck: 1 December 1974
Fate: Sold for scrap, 22 February 1977

General characteristics

Displacement: 2,050 tons
Length: 376 ft. 5 in. (114.7 m)
Beam: 39 ft. 7 in. (12.1 m)
Draft: 17 ft. 9 in. (5.4 m)
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW); geared turbines; 2 propellers
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Range: 6,500 nautical miles at 15 kt (12,000 km at 28 km/h)
Complement: 329 officers and enlisted
Armament: 5 - 5 in. (127 mm)/38 DP guns, 10 - 40 mm AA guns, 7 - 20 mm AA guns, 10 - 21 in (53 cm) torpedo tubes, 6 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks.

U.S.S. Gatling (DD-671) was a Fletcher class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling, the inventor of the Gatling gun. Gatling was laid down 3 March 1943 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, N.J.; launched 20 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. John W. Gatling, wife of the inventor's grandson; and commissioned 19 August 1943 at New York Navy Yard, Lieutenant Commander Alvin H. Richardson in command.

World War II
After shakedown out of Bermuda and alteration at New York early November, the new destroyer called at Norfolk, Virginia, to conduct training cruises for crews of destroyers still under construction. On 19 November 1943 Gatling proceeded to Trinidad, British West Indies, to escort aircraft carrier Langley to Norfolk. Gatling stood out from Norfolk 3 December, escorting Intrepid through the Panama Canal to San Francisco, California, arriving 22 December. The next day she sailed for Pearl Harbor.

1944
On 16 January 1944 Gatling sortied with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then Fifth Fleet's TF 58, also known as Third Fleet's TF 38) to support the forthcoming invasion of the Marshall Islands; thereafter, Gatling was continuously with the carrier task forces as they struck Japanese outposts and finally hit the heart of Japan itself. In February the first carrier strikes against Truk occurred. Gatling provided fire support during the raid and screened the flattops during raids on the Marianas a few days later. In March she joined in the attack on Emirau Island and at the beginning of April in the air strikes against the Palau Archipelago. Steaming south to strike Hollandia, Wakde, Sawar, and Same, New Guinea, the task force supported Army landings at Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay from 21 to 26 April. During this action, Gatling stood radar picket duty and directed fighter planes. After new attacks on Truk late April 1944, Gatling supported the invasion and occupation of the Marianas from 10 June to 5 July. In the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 and 20 July, Gatling was credited with shooting down or aiding in the destruction of six Japanese planes.

Late that month, carrier task forces again struck the Palaus and blasted Yap and Ulithi. In early August the Bonin Islands became targets for Gatling guns, and in September the carriers she guarded repeatedly struck Japanese targets in the Philippines. October saw attacks against Okinawa on the 10th and against Formosa, Luzon, and the Visayas from the 11th to the 23rd. On 24 October, after enemy bombs had sunk the USS Princeton in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, Gatling rescued over 300 of the light carrier's survivors. For heroism in saving these men, four Gatling crewmen were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and 16 others received the Bronze Star. Gatling landed the survivors at Ulithi and rejoined the carrier task force for November and December strikes against the Philippines. After powerful Typhoon Cobra, in which three destroyers capsized, Gatling searched for survivors and helped to save over 100 men from the sea.

1945
At Christmas 1944, the destroyer returned to Ulithi. The task force sortied 29 December to strike Formosa and Luzon during January 1945. Hoping to locate and destroy a Japanese fleet in that area, Admiral William Halsey took the task force into the South China Sea 10 January and hit targets in Indochina and on the China coast. In the middle of February, the carriers launched initial attacks against Honsh with Tokyo as their main target. As part of a picket line over 30 miles in advance of the main forces, Gatling was once within 40 miles (75 km) of Honsh. On 19 and 20 February, as part of Destroyer Division 99 (DesDiv 99), she escorted North Carolina and Indianapolis to Iwo Jima to support the gallant Marines who were fighting to wrest that volcanic fortress from Japan to become a base for B-29s damaged over the home islands. Rejoining the carrier task force, Gatling aided in new strikes against Honsh and Okinawa in late February and early March. She returned to Iwo Jima independently and throughout March blasted Japanese shore batteries to support the invasion. During this duty, the versatile and busy destroyer saved the entire crew of a B-29 forced down while returning from a mission against Nagoya. On 29 March 1945, she stood out from Iwo Jima, escorting transports carrying victorious marines to Guam.

The destroyer then sailed to the United States for well earned overhaul and repairs, arriving San Francisco 18 April. After repairs and refresher training, Gatling escorted New Jersey and Biloxi to Eniwetok, bombarding Wake Island en route. Continuing to escort the U.S.S. New Jersey, she arrived at Guam 9 August. There the news came that Japan had accepted the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration and agreed to surrender. Gatling now headed for Japan escorting transports bearing the 4th Marine Division as the 3d Fleet rendezvoused off Japan. On 3 September 1945, Gatling steamed into Tokyo Bay as a unit of the Allied Naval Occupation Forces of Japan.

During her aggressive career in World War II, Gatling traveled over 175,000 miles (320,000 km) and fired 77 tons of high explosives from her guns. She sank two enemy ships and splashed eight Japanese planes, either as kills or assists. In addition to her other rescue missions, preserving the lives of over 400 sailors, she saved 37 aviators forced to ditch at sea. Finally, these heroic exploits through two busy battle filled years were accomplished without the loss of a single man from enemy action, sickness, or accident. Gatling decommissioned 16 July 1946 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Charleston, South Carolina.

1951 - 1960
After Communist aggression erupted in Korea, the veteran destroyer recommissioned 4 June 1951 at Charleston, South Carolina, Commander W. J. Keating in command. Until August 1952, she operated off the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies before proceeding to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for modernization. In the fall of 1952, Gatling (as a unit of the NATO forces) stood out of Newport, R.I., bound for Europe; she visited Scotland, Norway, and Belgium in Operation Mainbrace. Later she was active in Operation Springboard, calling at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the Caribbean Sea. Returning to the Far Eastern waters she knew so well, Gatling arrived at Tokyo 3 June 1953, and joined Task Force 77. supporting United Nations forces in Korea. Then, following the sun, she steamed to Manila, Saigon, Singapore, Colombo, and, passing through the Suez Canal, called at France and Portugal. She returned to Philadelphia in late summer 1953. After repairs and training in New England waters, Gatling sailed to Portugal, France, and Italy. Recrossing the Atlantic and transiting the Panama Canal, the destroyer arrived Guayaquil, Ecuador, 7 October 1955. The following year she visited France and Cuba as a part of her varied operating schedule.

In 1957 Gatling again took part in NATO exercises, calling at Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Further operations brought her to England, to Spain again, and in 1958 to San Juan and Cuba. Her last major operations took her to Mediterranean ports of call, Pakistan and Iran, after which Gatling returned to her home base at Rhode Island 11 October 1959. Gatling, after distinguished service in war and peace, again decommissioned 2 May 1960 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 1 December 1974, sold 22 February 1977 and broken up for scrap. Gatling received eight battle stars for World War II service and one battle star for Korean War service.