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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Lamson |
| Namesake | Roswell Hawkes Lamson |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down | 20 March 1934 |
| Launched | 17 June 1936 |
| Commissioned | 21 October 1936 |
| Stricken | 15 August 1946 |
| Fate | Sunk, 2 July 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Mahan class destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,500 tons |
| Length | 341 ft 4 in (104.04 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft 8 in(10.57 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) |
| Speed | 36.5 knots (68 km/h) |
| Complement | 158 officers and crew |
| Armament |
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The thirdUSSLamson (DD-367) was aMahan-classdestroyer of theUnited States Navy; named forRoswell Hawkes Lamson. She served in the Pacific duringWorld War II. Lamson participated in theBattle of Tassafaronga, and remained undamaged until hit by a Japanesekamikaze during therecapture of the Philippines.Lamson was sunk during theOperation Crossroads atomic weapons tests atBikini Atoll in 1946.
Lamson was laid down 20 March 1934 byBath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine; launched 17 June 1936; sponsored by Miss Francis W. Andrews; and commissioned 21 October 1936.
After shakedown in theAtlantic andCaribbean,Lamson departedNorfolk, Virginia 16 June 1937 for thePacific. ArrivingSan Diego, California, 1 July, the destroyer performed exercises and tactical training operations until she sailed forPearl Harbor 5 October 1939.Lamson continued training operations from herHawaiian base for the next 2 years.
She was returning to Pearl Harbor from patrol duty during the Japaneseattack 7 December 1941. After a search for the Japanese task force, the destroyer patrolled Hawaiian waters and steamed toJohnston Island to rescue civilians. Departing Pearl Harbor 6 January 1942,Lamson arrivedPago Pago,Samoa, 2 weeks later for ASW patrols, then was assigned to theANZAC Squadron in the South Pacific.
During early March she arrived in theFiji Islands to join the expanded ASW screen which was formed to keep the South Pacific supply lines open. After 6 months of patrol and screening operations,Lamson saw action 22 October when, withMahan, she attacked Japanese picket boats stationed betweenGilbert andEllice Islands. The two destroyers made a coordinated attack beating off enemy air raids and sank two enemy craft.
On 30 November,Lamson joined Rear Admiral Wright's Task Force 67 during theBattle of Tassafaronga. One Japanese destroyer was sunk and one damaged while the American force lost one cruiser and three damaged.Lamson returned to operate in the South Pacific for the next 8 months, screening convoys en route toGuadalcanal. Constantly at sea on patrol and ASW screen, the destroyer assisted other units as they paved the way for the Allied advance across the Pacific.
ArrivingMilne Bay 19 August 1943,Lamson joined Destroyer Squadron 5, the forerunner of the mighty 7th Fleet, to engage in theNew Guinea operations. In the landings atLae and Finschhafen during September, she joined in the preinvasion bombardment, gave fire support after the landings, and escorted to the island reinforcement convoys needed to spearhead the drive toward Japan.
After 2 months of escort duty,Lamson joined three other destroyers 29 November and penetrated 160 miles into enemy territory to bombardMadang, the main Japanese naval base on New Guinea. On 15 December she engaged in preinvasion bombardment ofArawe,New Britain, and, during the landings atCape Gloucester 11 days later, downed two "Vals". Continuing the New Guinea operation, the destroyer bombardedSaidor 2 January 1944.
After a brief overhaul atMare Island and training at Pearl Harbor,Lamson arrived at Eniwetok 8 August to join the5th Fleet. For the next 2 months she engaged in patrol duty and ASW screen in theMarshall Islands before reassignment to the7th Fleet.
DepartingHollandia 25 October,Lamson steamed to thePhilippines to serve as picket, patrol and screening ship for the massive Leyte assault. Throughout November the destroyer beat off numerous suicide plane attacks aimed at convoys bringing supplies to the Philippines. According to the ships action report, while screening a convoy offOrmoc Bay on 7 December 1944,Lamson downed two "Dinahs" before a "Tony" made a fast low approach on the starboard quarter and struck the ships number two stack with its right wing and spun around crashing into the after port corner of the transmission room. Four men were killed and seventeen wounded.[1]
She arrived at thePuget Sound Navy Yard 16 January 1945 for extensive repairs. Returning Eniwetok 10 May,Lamson operated for the rest of the war on patrol and air-sea rescue work offIwo Jima. A fitting climax toLamson's fine war record came on 3 September, when she arrived atChichi Jima to supervise the surrender of theBonin Islands. Following occupation duty atSasebo, Japan for 1 month, the destroyer departed Japan 29 October for San Diego, arriving there 29 November.
_at_Ormoc_Bay.jpg)
However,Lamson was still destined to play a valuable role in America's progress as she arrived atBikini Atoll later in May 1946 to participate inOperation Crossroads. The destroyer was sunk in Test Able, the atomic explosion 2 July 1946.
World War II Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
