_at_Puget_Sound_1944.jpg) USSMetcalf (DD-595) at Puget Sound, 1944 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Metcalf |
| Namesake | James Metcalf |
| Builder | Puget Sound Naval Shipyard |
| Laid down | 10 August 1943 |
| Launched | 25 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 18 November 1944 |
| Decommissioned | March 1946 |
| Stricken | 2 January 1971 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 6 June 1972 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Fletcher-classdestroyer |
| Displacement | 2,050 tons |
| Length | 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m) |
| Beam | 39 ft 8 in (12.09 m) |
| Draft | 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 35knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range | 6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 329 |
| Armament |
|
USSMetcalf (DD-595), was aFletcher-classdestroyer of theUnited States Navy named for James Metcalf, who served on theschoonerUSS Enterprise during theFirst Barbary War.
James Metcalf, also spelled Medcalf in records, boarded schoonerUSS Enterprise as a seaman atMalta on 16 May 1803. On 19 September 1804 he was promoted toboatswain's mate and transferred the next day to the brigUSS Syren. He also served on the frigatesUSS Essex andUSS Constitution. On 16 February 1804 Metcalf was one of 84 handpicked volunteers fromEnterprise to joinLieutenantStephen Decatur's expedition intoTripoli Harbor on 16 February 1804 to destroyUSS Philadelphia, a United Statesfrigate captured by Tripolitanpirates in theFirst Barbary War.
Metcalf was laid down byPuget Sound Navy Yard,Bremerton, Washington, 10 August 1943;launched 25 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Harold C. Pound; andcommissioned 18 November 1944.
Following shakedown offSan Diego, California,Metcalf was assigned to thePacific Fleet for duty. The destroyer departed Bremerton, Wash., 19 February 1945 for theCarolines viaPearl Harbor,Territory of Hawaii, arriving atUlithi on 16 March.
Just in time to join the armada of warships staging there for theOkinawa campaign,Metcalf operated withescort carrier Group 3. From 27 March her group furnished close air support for the landings atKerama Retto (26 March) andOkinawa (1 April), and made raids on the neighboring Japanese-held islands until 20 April. During this period the ship rescued half a dozen pilots and crewmembers of downed carrier planes. She also performedradar picket and screen operations.
Metcalf departed on the 20th for thePhilippines viaGuam, reporting to commander,7th Fleet, atLeyte 30 April. The destroyer spent May and June convoying the fastcruisers and transports being assembled for theBorneo invasion.
On 9 JuneMetcalf arrived offBrunei Bay, Borneo, for 2 days patrol of theSouth China Sea before beginning shore bombardment in support of theAustralianlanding at Brunei Bay the 10th. After action offMiri-Lutong, south of Brunei Bay, from 19 to 21 June, she reachedBalikpapan on the 27th for operations with Task Force 74 (TF 74) prior to the main landing by Australian troops 1 July.
Metcalf reported to commander, Philippine sea frontier, 4 August for duty escortingconvoys between the Philippines and Okinawa. She was one day out of Okinawa in antisubmarine formation for Convoy 10K-204 when the Japanese capitulated.
Assigned to the newly formedNorth China Force, the destroyer departed Okinawa 4 September to participate in the landing ofArmy occupation forces at Korea.Metcalf joinedShields,Hart, andConner in leading Task Unit 78.1.15 (TU 78.1.15) intoJinsen 8 September through themine-infestedYellow Sea. She stood ready to provide fire support for the landing troops the next day if needed.
On 12 SeptemberMetcalf got underway through the Yellow Sea for operations supporting the occupation ofChina. Her ports of call includedDairen,Qinhuangdao,Taku,Yantai,Shanghai, andHong Kong.
In early 1946Metcalf steamed for the west coast, via Pearl Harbor, arriving San Diego to report in March to the 16th (Inactive Reserve) Fleet. She decommissioned March 1946, and entered thePacific Reserve Fleet there. After berthing atLong Beach, California, from 1 July 1951 into 1960,Metcalf moved toStockton, California.
Metcalf was stricken 2 January 1971; she was sold 6 June 1972 and broken up for scrap.
Metcalf received threebattle stars forWorld War II service.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
