USS Charrette (DD-581)

USS "Charrette" (DD-581) was a sped to sink the Japanese ship, recovering 112 survivors. After successful strikes, Charrette's group wheeled south to concentrate with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then TF 58) to meet the Japanese naval force known to be coming out. The great air Battle of the Philippine Sea broke on the morning of 19 June, and "Charrette" continued her screening, antiaircraft firing, and plane guard duties throughout the 2 days of action that broke the back of Japanese naval aviation. On the night of 20 June, she participated in the memorable night recovery of the last strikes, flashing beacon lights, and rescuing aviators forced to ditch by lack of gasoline. On 21 June the carrier force steamed back to cover the invasion forces in the Marianas, hurling strike after strike at Guam, Rota, and later the bases in the Pagan Islands and on Chichi Jima. "Charrette" fired in the bombardment of Chichi Jima 5 August, then returned to Eniwetok for training operations.

"Charrette" sailed from Eniwetok 29 August 1944 for the air strikes of early September against targets in the Palaus and the Philippines which paved the way for the invasion of Peleliu and marked the beginning of the return to the Philippines. In direct preparation for the invasion of Leyte, the carrier task force sailed again on 4 October for strikes designed to neutralize Japanese airfields on Okinawa, Northern Luzon, and Formosa during the assaults in the Philippines. On 12 October began the most important part of these strikes, against Formosa, which provoked return attacks by Japanese aircraft on the carrier forces. "Charrette" aided in splashing attackers and driving off the raids during which cruisers USS|Canberra|CA-70|2 and USS|Houston|CL-81|2 were hit. "Charrette" joined the screen which guarded the cripples during their slow retreat from enemy air range, then rejoined her carrier group for the dash north to intercept the approaching Japanese force. Thus she began her part in the epic Battle for Leyte Gulf, the decisive action which resulted in the end of the Imperial Japanese Navy as an effective fighting force. The carriers she guarded launched strikes at the Japanese northern force in the action termed the Battle off Cape Engaño, sinking four Japanese carriers and a destroyer on 25 October.

"Charrette" replenished at Ulithi 29 October to 2 November 1944, then joined the screen of the fast carriers for strikes on Luzon airfields early in November, which sharply reduced enemy air opposition at the Leyte beachhead. "Charrette" returned to Manus 30 November to prepare for the Lingayen Gulf operation.

1945

Sailing 2 January 1945, "Charrette" joined the screen of the group which protected and supported the landings at Lingayen from 4 to 18 January, then guarded the approach and withdrawal of reinforcement convoys into Lingayen Gulf. She left the Philippines 2 February, and on 25 February arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard for overhaul. She returned to action waters in June, beginning a month of support for the Borneo operations, followed by patrol duty in the Netherlands East Indies. On 2 August, she and USS|Conner|DD-582|2 made contact with a ship which they tracked through the night, finding in the morning that it was the hospital ship "Tachibana Maru". A search party from "Charrette" boarding the ship found much ordnance and other contraband and able-bodied troops, who were made prisoners of war. "Charrette" and "Conner" brought their prize into Morotai 6 August.

"Charrette" cleared Morotai 13 August 1945 to call at Subic Bay before reporting at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, in September for duty escorting ships loaded with occupation troops, equipment, and supplies for Chinese ports. She sailed from Shanghai 12 December for San Francisco, California which she reached 30 December. "Charrette" was placed in commission in reserve at San Diego 4 March 1946, and out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947. On 16 June 1959 she was transferred to Greece.

HNS "Velos" (D-16)

The ship was accepted by Commander G. Moralis, RHN, on 16 July 1959 in Long Beach, California, and arrived in Greece on October 15, 1959. She served in the Hellenic Navy as HHMS/HNS "Velos" (D-16) ( _el. Βέλος, "Arrow"). "Velos" took part in almost every Greek and NATO exercise and actively participated in the crises with Turkey of the years 1964, 1967, 1974 (Cyprus crisis) and 1987.

On 25 May 1973, "Velos", under the command of Nikolaos Pappas, while participating in a NATO exercise and in order to protest against the dictatorship in Greece, anchored at Fiumicino, Italy, refusing to return to Greece.

When in patrol with other NATO vessels between Italy and Sardinia (85 Nautical Miles SW of Rome) at midday on May 25, 1973 the captain and the officers had learned by radio that naval officers had been arrested and tortured in Greece. Commander Pappas was a member of a group of democratic officers, loyal to their oath to obey the Constitution and planning to act against the junta. Pappas knew the arrested officers opposed the junta and realised there was no further hope for a movement inside Greece. He decided to act alone to motivate global public opinion.

Pappas mustered the crew on the stern and announced his decision, which was received with enthusiasm. Pappas signaled his intentions to the commander of the squadron and NATO Headquarters, quoting the preamble of the North Atlantic Treaty (founding treaty for NATO) which declares that "all governments ... are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law"." Leaving formation, he sailed for Rome.

That afternoon, he anchored about convert|3.5|nmi|km|1 off the coast at Fiumicino. Three officers (Ensigns K. Gkortzis, K. Mataragkas, G. Stratos) went ashore in a whaleboat. From Fiumicino Airport they telephoned the international press agencies to inform them of the situation in Greece and the presence of the destroyer. They arranged for a press conference to be held the next day by Commander Pappas. This action sparked international interest in the situation in Greece. The captain, six officers, and twenty-five petty officers requested asylum and remained in Italy as political refugees. Initially, the entire crew wished to follow their captain (170 men signed a request), but they were advised (and some ordered) by their officers to remain on board because of the fear of retaliation by regime against their families. The men were told to return to Greece and inform their families and friends about what had happened. "Velos" returned to Greece a month later with a replacement crew, and the refugees continued the struggle against the dictatorship. After the fall of the junta on (July 24, 1974), all of the officers and petty officers returned to the Navy. Commander Pappas reached the rank of Vice Admiral and served as the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff from 1982 to 1986.

"Velos" was decommissioned on 26 February 1991, having sailed 362,622 nautical miles (671,576 km) in her 48-year career. In 1994 the Hellenic Navy General Staff declared her a Museum of the Struggle against the Dictatorship. The ship, then anchored at Poros Naval Base, was transferred on 14 December 2000 to Salamis Naval Base for maintenance and restoration work in order to be converted into a visitable naval museum. Since 26 June, 2002 she has been anchored in the Park of Maritime Tradition at Faliron near Athens. "Velos" is regarded as still in commission.

Awards

"Charrette" received 13 battle stars for World War II service.

References

*DANFS|http://history.navy.mil/danfs/c6/charrette.htm

External links

* [http://history.navy.mil/danfs/c6/charrette.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Charrette"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/581.htm navsource.org: USS "Charrette"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd581txt.htm hazegray.org: USS "Charrette"]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD581.htm Naval Vessel Register entry for USS "Charrette"]
* [http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/velos59_91_en.asp Hellenic Navy page for D-16 "Velos"]
* [http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/velos/index.asp Official Museum web page (currently in Greek)] el icon
* [http://www.pbase.com/drf/averof photos (at the bottom of web page)]