USS Cushing (DD-376)

USS "Cushing" (DD-376) was a "Mahan"-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third Navy ship named for Commander William Barker Cushing (1842–1874).

History

"Cushing" was launched 31 December 1935 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss K. A. Cushing, daughter of Comdr. Cushing; commissioned 28 August 1936, Commander E. T. Short in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

"Cushing" joined the search in the Hawaiian Islands and at Howland Island, for the missing aviator Amelia Earhart from 4 to 30 July 1937, then returned to San Diego, California for training exercises, tactics, and fleet problems. Except for brief periods of training at Pearl Harbor and one cruise to the Caribbean, she cruised the west coast from San Diego for exercises and training.

World War II

Undergoing overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, "Cushing" sailed from San Francisco, California 17 December 1941 for convoy escort duty between the west coast and Pearl Harbor until 13 January 1942. She sailed to Midway to serve on antisubmarine patrol from 18 January to 2 February, then returned to San Francisco 19 February to screen TF 1 off the California coast in training and patrol duty.

On 1 August 1942 "Cushing" departed San Francisco for training exercises at Pearl Harbor, then to join the operations around Guadalcanal. Constantly on the move, she escorted vital resupply convoys to the bitterly contested island, and fought in the Battle of Santa Cruz of 26 October, when an outnumbered American force turned a Japanese flotilla back from their advance toward Guadalcanal.

Fate

"Cushing" screened transports safely into Guadalcanal 12 November 1942 and was in the van of the force that moved out to intercept the Japanese fleet in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of 13 November 1942. As the range closed, she suddenly sighted three enemy destroyers at 3,000 yards. In the bitter gunfire which followed "Cushing" received several hits amidships, resulting in a gradual power loss, but she determinedly continued to fire her guns at the enemy, launching her torpedoes by local direction at an enemy battleship. Fires, exploding ammunition, and her inability to shoot any longer made the "abandon ship" order unavoidable at 02:30. Her burning hulk was last seen from Guadalcanal at 17:00 when she sank about 3,500 yards southeast of Savo Island. "Cushing" lost about 70 men killed or missing, some of them later rescued from the water, and many wounded, but with the task force she had aided in saving Henderson Field from a bombardment by a Japanese force.

"Cushing" received three battle stars for World War II service.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c16/cushing-iii.htm

External links

* [http://www.destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/usscushing.html USS "Cushing" website]
* [http://www.usscushing.com USS Cushing Reunion Association]
*http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/376.htm