USS Ingersoll (DD-652)

USS "Ingersoll" (DD-652) was a "Fletcher" class destroyer in the United States Navy, serving from 28 June 1942 through 19 May 1974. The "Ingersoll" was named for Admiral Royal Ingersoll, former Chief of Staff of the Atlantic Fleet in the early 20th century and his son Lieutenant Royal R. Ingersoll II who was killed in action during the Battle of Midway. "Ingersoll" saw action mainly in the Pacific Theatre of Operations during World War II, in support of the Korean Conflict and in the Vietnam Conflict.

USS "Ingersoll" was launched by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine, 28 June 1942. She was cosponsored by Miss Alice Jean Ingersoll, granddaughter of the Admiral, and Mrs. R. R. Ingersoll, II, widow of Lieutenant Royal R. Ingersoll II. "Ingersoll" was commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 31 August 1943 with Comdr. A. C. Veasy in command.

History

"Ingersoll" conducted shakedown training off the coast of Bermuda before sailing back to the United States. On 29 November 1943, "Ingersoll" sailed through the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where she joined Task Force 58 on 21 December 1943 in preparation for the invasion of the Marshall Islands. "Ingersoll" provided offshore fire support for the invasion, which was ultimately a success.

The ship participated in a number of operations in 1944, most notable of which was the invasion of Peleliu, where she took part in the offshore bombardment on 7 September 1944. The next day she accompanied Task Force 38, which launched attacks on the Japanese forces on the island of Formosa and in the Philippines.

The Japanese forces met Task Force 38 to repel the invasion of the Philippines in late October 1944. The ensuing battle would come to be known as the Battle for Leyte Gulf.

Between Leyte Gulf and late 1945, "Ingersoll" would participate in numerous battles and skirmishes, return to Pearl Harbor for repairs, and assist in offshore patrols of occupied Japan, before she returned to Boston, Massachusetts on 17 January 1946. She then sailed to Charleston, South Carolina on 4 April 1946 and was decommissioned 19 July 1946. "Ingersoll" then joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

"Ingersoll" was recommissioned at Charleston on 4 May 1951 to support the United Nations mission on the Korean Peninsula. She received several modifications and upgrades and underwent sea-trials in 1953. She cooperated with several NATO task forces and supported the armistice before returning to Fall River, Massachusetts on 18 March 1954.

She then underwent further modifications before rejoining the Pacific Fleet under the 7th task force from 25 June to 18 December 1958. After some additional training and exercises, "Ingersoll" screened transport ships off the South Vietnam coast in 1960.

The ship was deployed to the same region numerous times before her final deployment in 1968 to the Vietnamese coast where her task was to interdict materiel and supplies headed for North Vietnam. This would mark the last time her guns were fired in anger.

For service during the Korean and Vietnam eras, "Ingersoll" and eligible personnel earned the Europe bar for the previously awarded Navy Occupation Medal, the China Service Medal, the National Defense Medal (with one bronze star - two awards, Korea and Vietnam), the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal (original award with three battle stars), the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the RVN Gallantry Cross, the United Nations Service Medal (Korea), and the RVN Campaign Medal.

She was sunk as a target at coord|33|34|8|N|118|34|7|W on 19 May 1974.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/i2/ingersoll.htm

External links

* [http://members.tripod.com/USS_INGERSOLL_VETS/dd652.htm "Ingersoll" Vets Homepage]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/652.htm NavSource.org - DD-652]