USS Noa (DD-343)

The first USS "Noa" (DD-343/APD-24) was a "Clemson"-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Loveman Noa.

History

"Noa" was built by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia. Authorized 6 October 1917, she was laid down 18 November 1918; launched 28 June 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Albert Morehead, sister of Midshipman Loveman Noa; and commissioned 15 February 1921.

Following shakedown out of Norfolk, Virginia, "Noa" operated out of Charleston, South Carolina. Through May 1922 she participated in Atlantic Coast training maneuvers. In late May she sailed for duty on the Asiatic Station, steaming via the Mediterranean and Aden and Ceylon. She reached Singapore 14 August and 30 September she arrived at her new home yard at Cavite, Philippine Islands. Through the summer of 1922 "Noa" remained active on the Asiatic station. She patrolled Chinese and Philippine waters and attempted to protect American interests during the Chinese Civil War, which was renewed November 1922. On February 27, 1927, with her sister ship, USS William B Preston DD344, she rescued foreigners from Nanjing. She used her main batteries to lay down a barage over SOCONY point where foreigners were taking refuge. The gunfire drove back the hostile forces and permitted the evacuation. She also participated in the periodic fleet exercises which were intended to keep crew and equipment at peak efficiency.

Upon return to the United States 14 August 1929 "Noa" went into the Mare Island Navy Yard for overhaul before assignment to West Coast operations. Through the next five years she operated out of San Diego as a unit of the Battle Fleet. During the fall and winter of 1929 "Noa" was called upon to assist in plane guard duties with carriers USS|Langley|CV-1|3 and USS|Saratoga|CV-3|3 off the California coast. She thus participated in the early development of US carrier-group tactics. She also took part in the fleet exercises from 1930 to 1934. "Noa" served as cruiseship for NROTC students from the University of California, Berkeley 17 June – 8 July 1934, steamed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 14 August, decommissioned there 11 November, and was placed in reserve.

World War II

"Noa" recommissioned at Philadelphia 1 April 1940 and was fitted with a seaplane which nested just forward of the after deckhouse, replacing the after torpedo tubes. At the same time a boom for lifting the aircraft was stepped in place of the mainmast. She steamed for the Delaware Capes in May and conducted tests with an XSOC-1 seaplane piloted by Lt. G. L. Heap. The plane was hoisted onto the ocean for takeoff and then recovered by "Noa" while the ship was underway. Lt. Heap also made an emergency flight 15 May to transfer a sick man to the Naval Hospital at Philadelphia.

Such dramatic demonstrations convinced the Secretary of the Navy that destroyer-based scout planes had value, and 27 May he directed that six new destroyers of the soon-to-be-constructed "Fletcher"-class (DD 476-481) be fitted with catapults and handling equipment. Because of mechanical deficiencies in the hoisting gear the program was cancelled early in 1943. The concept thus failed to mature as a combat technique, but the destroyer-observation seaplane team was to be revived under somewhat modified conditions during later amphibious operations.

"Noa" spent much of the next two years on experimental assignments and on midshipman training operations out of Annapolis, Maryland. She underwent availability at Boston Navy Yard the first week of December 1941 and then participated in Chesapeake Bay exercises through 27 December. Next she steamed for Key West, Florida and participated in shakedown of major fleet units in the Gulf of Mexico. After acting as plane and screen guard for carrier USS|Hornet|CV-8|2 she steamed for Hampton Roads. En route a large wave carried away part of her bridge and she put in at Charleston, S.C. for emergency repairs.

She then steamed for Boston via Bermuda. Upon completion of repairs at Boston Navy Yard she was directed to conduct Atlantic coast antisubmarine warfare (ASW) patrols commencing 25 March 1943. She also participated in the training program for the Navy's Sound School at Key West. Until 28 July she operated out of Key West, assigned training, patrol, rescue, and convoy escort duties.

"Noa" reported to the Sixth Amphibious Forces 31 July. During August and September she was converted, at Norfolk Navy Yard, to a high speed transport and was reclassified APD-24 on 10 August 1943. Work was completed 17 September and after shakedown in the Chesapeake river she departed Norfolk 18 October and escorted USS|Sumter|APA-52|3 to San Diego via the Panama Canal, arriving 2 November.

"Noa" steamed for Pearl Harbor 4 November, arriving 10 November for a week of yard availability. Underway 19 November she escorted SS "J. H. Kincaid" to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides via Samoa, arriving 4 December. She departed 5 December and steamed to Buna, New Guinea where she assumed duty as landing craft control ship 11 December. In this capacity she steamed between Buna, and Cape Cretin, New Guinea. She was detached from this duty and anchored off Cape Sudest 21 December.

She steamed for Cape Gloucester, New Britain 25 December and arrived just before dawn the next day. After a preliminary bombardment by naval and army air units, "Noa" landed 144 officers and men of the First Marine Division. She returned to Cape Sudest via Buna 27 December to take on 203 more First Division Marines, who reinforced the forces at Cape Gloucester 29 December. Her operations in the Cape Gloucester landings extended through 1 March 1944. "Noa's" participation in the Bismarck Archipelago operation also took her through the Green Island landings (15 February – 19 February).

In the Purvis Bay area of the Solomon Islands she performed patrol and escort operations 21 February – 7 March. She next steamed to Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal and took on Fourth Marine Division troops for the Emerau Island assault of 23 March. By 8 April she was back at Cape Cretin, New Guinea, where she took on troops for the Hollandia amphibious operations that extended from late April through 1 May.

"Noa" steamed for Pearl Harbor 11 May, arrived 23 May, and embarked units of the Second Marine Division for transport to Saipan. She patrolled assigned areas off Saipan 15 June and that day shot down a raiding aircraft. The next day she landed her troops and continued patrol operations until 24 June, when she steamed to Eniwetok Atoll. "Noa" departed Eniwetok 30 June and escorted USS|Clamp|ARS-33|3 to Saipan, arriving 4 July. She conducted patrol and screening operations off Tinian and Saipan through the next week. During the Guam operations of 12 July – 15 August "Noa" served as a screening ship. By 16 August she had returned to Guadalcanal and the next day she commenced patrol operations out of Purvis Bay.

Departing Purvis Bay 6 September she steamed for the Palau Islands to conduct underwater demolition activities. While en route she was rammed by USS|Fullam|DD-474|3 at 0350, 12 September 1944. She immediately began to settle. Incredibly heroic rescue efforts were performed by the crew of the Fullam in a bold attempt to rescue the sinking craft, numerous members of the team received battlefield commissions, including Seaman Joseph DeSisto. The order to abandon ship was given at 0501, but by 0700 "Noa's" skipper, Lt. Comdr. H. Wallace Boud, USNR had returned to her with a salvage party. Salvage efforts failed, however, and the second order to abandon ship was given at 1030; the old ship sank by the stern at 1034 with no loss of life.

"Noa" received the Yangtze Service Medal for China service in 1927 and five battle stars for World War II service.

See USS|Noa for other ships of this name.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/n5/noa-i.htm

External links

*http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/343.htm