USS Cushing (DD-797)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Cushing.

Career (United States)
Namesake:	William B. Cushing
Builder:	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Staten Island
Laid down:	3 May 1943
Launched:	30 September 1943
Commissioned:	17 January 1944
Decommissioned:	8 November 1960
Struck:	1 August 1973
Fate:	Transferred to Brazil, 20 July 1961
Career (Brazil)
Name:	Paraná (D29)
Acquired:	20 July 1961
Struck:	1982
Fate:	Scrapped, 1982
General characteristics
Class and type:	Fletcher class destroyer
Displacement:	2,050 tons
Length:	376 ft 6 in (114.7 m)
Beam:	39 ft 8 in (12.1 m)
Draft:	17 ft 9 in (5.4 m)
Propulsion:	60,000 shp (45 MW); geared turbines; 2 propellers
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h)
Range:	6,500 nautical miles at 15 kt   (12,000 km at 30 km/h)
Complement:	329
Armament:	5 × 5 in.(127 mm)/38 guns, 10 × 40 mm AA guns, 7 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Cushing (DD-797) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the fourth Navy ship named for Commander William B. Cushing (1842–1874), who distinguished himself during the American Civil War.

Cushing was launched 30 September 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, N.Y.; sponsored by Miss Katherine A. Cushing, a daughter of Commander Cushing; and commissioned 17 January 1944, Commander Louis F. Volk in command.

Service history

World War II

Cushing sailed from Norfolk, Va. 5 May 1944, for training at San Diego, Calif. and Pearl Harbor, and escorted a convoy to Eniwetok before returning to Bremerton, Wash., to have her antisubmarine equipment modernized. She joined the 5th Fleet at Eniwetok 24 August to sortie for the invasion of the Palau Islands. She screened the carriers during their strikes on Mindanao, Samar, Cebu, and Negros in the Philippines, then supported the ground forces as they assaulted Angaur 17 September. She returned to the carriers' screen for raids on Formosa, Manila, and northern Luzon which neutralized Japanese bases for the scheduled invasion of the Philippines, rescuing numerous downed aviators. Her antiaircraft fire accounted for at least one Japanese plane during the heavy air attacks of 24 October in the epic Battle for Leyte Gulf. She returned to Ulithi 22 November to replenish.

Sortieing with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then 3rd Fleet's TF 38, later 5th Fleet's TF 58) on 10 December 1944 for air strikes on Luzon, Cushing weathered the typhoon of 18 December and rescued survivors of less fortunate ships before returning to Ulithi 24 December for storm repairs. She sailed with the task force 1 January 1945 for air strikes on Formosa, Indo-China, China coast, and the Philippines until 28 January. Joining TF 58 for the strikes on the Japanese home islands, Cushing served as radar picket ship at the launching point and successfully directed the destruction of many Japanese aircraft trying to break through to attack the carriers. She screened the carriers for the preinvasion strikes on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and fired in softening-up bombardment on Okinawa. Serving as radar picket ship during the struggle for Okinawa, she provided fighter direction which accounted for many Japanese aircraft. After replenishing at Leyte in June, she rejoined the carriers for strikes on the Tokyo area until the end of the war. Anchoring in Sagami Wan 27 August 1945, she served as harbor entrance control vessel for the occupation forces until sailing for home. She arrived at Bremerton, Wash., 20 November 1945 and Cushing was placed out of commission in reserve at Long Beach 3 February 1947.

Approx December 20-23, 1944, Cushing operated independently while rescuing some downed aviators. There were two interesting incidents during this period. First there was the Betty, a twin-engined Jap bomber. The Cushing lobbed some VT rounds at her, about 20 k yards (max range) to the west. The Betty, apparently damaged, came towards her, fishtailing to avoid LOTS of AA, and she was finally downed just off the stern, probably by 20 mm. It was possibly an early attempt at suicide attack. There was also a torpedo fired at the Cushing from a sub, but detected by Sonar so that Cushing could turn and avoid.

1951 – 1960

Recommissioned 17 August 1951, Cushing sailed from Long Beach 15 November and arrived at Norfolk 30 November to join the Atlantic Fleet. She conducted exercises in the North Atlantic and in the Caribbean, and cleared Norfolk 7 January 1953 to join TF 77 off Korea for duty as plane guard. On 2 and 3 June she fired in the bombardment of Hodo Pando. She visited Manila, Singapore, Colombo, Aden, Piraeus, Genoa, Cannes, and Algiers, before returning to Norfolk 22 August from this cruise around the world. She cruised the east coast in antisubmarine exercises and reserve training, and in 1954 sailed to the Mediterranean for duty. Transferred to the Pacific Fleet, she arrived at Long Beach 26 January 1955.

In tours of duty in the Far East in 1955, 1956, 1957–58, and 1959–60 Cushing served as plane guard and joined in hunter-killer exercises with TF 77, patrolled in the Taiwan Straits, and visited various ports strengthening national ties in the President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "People to People" program. While "stateside" she operated along the west coast in antisubmarine and antiaircraft warfare exercises, and midshipmen and reserve training. Cushing's home port was changed to Charleston, S.C., in October 1960, and the destroyer sailed to the east coast. Cushing was placed out of commission in reserve at Norfolk, Va., on 8 November 1960.

NAE Paraná (D29)

Cushing was loaned to Brazil 20 July 1961. She served in the Brazilian Navy as Paraná (D29). Paraná was stricken and broken up for scrap in February 1982.

Awards

Cushing received six battle stars for World War II service and two Korean War service.

References

• This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• history.navy.mil: USS Cushing
• navsource.org: USS Cushing
• hazegray.org: USS Cushing
• USS Cushing Association website