USS Edwards (DD-619)

USS "Edwards" (DD-619) was a "Gleaves"-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named "Edwards", and the first named for Lieutenant Commander Walter A. Edwards (1886–1926), who as commander of USS "Bainbridge" in 1922 rescued nearly five hundred people from the burning French transport "Vinh-Long". For his heroism Edwards was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor, the French Legion of Honor, and the British Distinguished Service Order.

History

"Edwards" was launched 19 July 1942 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. Edward Brayton, widow of Lt. Cmdr. Edwards; and commissioned 18 September 1942, Lt. Cmdr. W. L. Messmer in command.

1943

After brief service escorting convoys along the east coast and in the Caribbean, "Edwards" sailed from New York 8 November 1942 to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet. She joined Task Force 18 (TF 18) at Nouméa on 4 January 1943, to cover a large troop convoy bound for Guadalcanal. On 29 January they were attacked by a swarm of Japanese torpedo bombers off Rennell Island. Although most were driven off by the heavy accurate fire of the ships, enough broke through to put two torpedoes into "Chicago" (CA-29). "Edwards" with four other destroyers was detached to screen the damaged cruiser. On the following day, as the group sailed for Espiritu Santo, attacks continued. The destroyers put up a stout defense, but "Chicago" was torpedoed again and sank. "Edwards" rescued 224 of the 1,049 survivors. One of the other screening destroyers, "La Vallette" (DD-448), was also torpedoed; "Edwards" saw her safely to port before rejoining her task group.

"Edwards" returned to Pearl Harbor on 27 March 1943 for overhaul, then set sail 15 April for the Aleutians. She saw action bombarding Attu 26 April, and as antiscreen for the battleship "Pennsylvania" (BB-38) during the landings of 11 May. The following day she teamed with "Farragut" (DD-348) for a relentless 10-hour depth charge attack on a submarine which attempted to torpedo the battleship. "I-31" was forced to the surface and badly damaged by "Edwards" guns before diving, only to be sunk finally by "Frazier" (DD-607).

"Edwards" continued to ply stormy Aleutian waters on antisubmarine patrol. In June 1943 she joined the blockade patrol which bombarded Kiska Island 2 and 12 August, and covered the landings on the 15th. After overhaul, she returned to Espiritu Santo in October for training.

On 8 November 1943 "Edwards" sailed to screen aircraft carriers in air strikes on Rabaul on the 11th. A flight of Japanese planes attacked her task group at noon that day; "Edwards" and her companions drove off or splashed every plane before it could injure any American ship. She screened the support force at Tarawa from 19 November, then escorted transports to Pearl Harbor on route to the west coast for a brief overhaul.

1944

On 3 March 1944 she arrived at Majuro off which she patrolled as well as screening strikes on Mili Atoll in the Marshalls and in the Palaus by carriers of the U.S. 5th Fleet. In April she guarded the flattops as they launched air attacks on New Guinea in coordination with the Hollandia landings. "Edwards" also figured in the attack on Truk of 29 and 30 April.

From 12 May to 18 August 1944 "Edwards" destroyer division formed the Eastern Marshalls Patrol Group. They patrolled off the Japanese-held atolls of Mili, Jaluit, Maloelap, and Wotje to keep the enemy from receiving assistance or evacuating. On 22 May she joined "Bancroft" (DD-598) to put several enemy batteries on Wotje out of action. Again off Wotje 27 June she ignored shore fire to rescue downed aviators drifting toward shore.

On June 27, 1944, while patrolling off Wotje island in the Marshall Islands, the Edwards rescued aviators from a Marine Corsair that had crashed into the ocean. A Navy PBY aircraft already had been shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft while attempting to rescue the Marine Corsair aviators. In the face of fierce shore fire, a launch boat of six men from the Edwards (Lt.jg Harold Mann, CPhM Emery Pensak, MoMM1c Andrew Stein Elliott, SM2c John Joseph Crane, Coxswn James Joseph Gonsalves & S1c Richard Stanley) rescued the Marine Corsair aviators without casualty.

After overhaul in Pearl Harbor in August 1944, the 'Edwards" reported arrival at San Pedro Bay, Leyte, 30 October for patrol. She joined the assault force for the landings at Ormoc on 7 December. Here she splashed several of the hard hitting air attackers as well as aiding ships they had damaged. A resupply echelon to Ormoc met similar opposition but drove off the planes and got the convoy through.

On December 7, 1944, near Ormoc Bay, Philippines, the Edwards removed casualties from U.S.S. Liddle (APD 60) while being bombed by Japanese planes. Ten minutes later, the Edwards shot down three of the Japanese planes. One of these three Japanese planes, while attempting a suicide dive on the Edwards, hit the Edwards' fantail (stern) while crashing into the ocean after being hit and left a five-foot section of its wing on the Edwards' fantail deck.

On 12 December, the Edwards took aboard casualties from USS Caldwell (DD-605), which had been set on fire by a Japanese suicide plane. The Edwards' commanding officer (Lt. Commander S.E. Ramey USN) received the Silver Star Medal for this action. Enlisted personnel on the Edwards who rendered more risky assistance of greater value in the rescue action inexplicably were neither decorated nor recognized for their heroism.

On December 30, 1944, a Japanese aircraft dropped a bomb that landed short of the ship, skipped above and over the ship between its smoke stacks and fell into the water on the other side of the ship.

1945

The doughty battle-hardened "Edwards" remained in the Philippines, shepherding supply convoys through to Mindoro, Lingayen Gulf, Polloc Harbor, and Davao Gulf. On 9 May 1945 she arrived at Morotai to distinguish herself during the invasion of Borneo, returning to Subic Bay on 12 July. She made one voyage to Iwo Jima, another to Okinawa to escort convoys, then sailed 16 September for the States. On 7 January 1946, "Edwards" arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, where she was placed out of commission in reserve 11 April 1946.

Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1971, "Edwards" was sold on 25 May 1973 and broken up for scrap.

Awards

"Edwards" received 14 battle stars for World War II service.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/e2/edwards-ii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Edwards"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/619.htm navsource.org: USS "Edwards"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd619txt.htm hazegray.org: USS "Edwards"]