USS Russell (DD-414)

USS "Russell" (DD-414) was a World War II-era sclass|Sims|destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Rear Admiral John Henry Russell.

Early career

"Russell" was laid down 20 December 1937 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia; launched 8 December 1938; sponsored by Mrs. Charles H. Marshall, granddaughter of Rear Admiral Russell; and commissioned 3 November 1939, Lt. Commander J. C. Pollock in command.

Commissioned two months after the outbreak of World War II in Europe, "Russell" cruised in the western Atlantic and in the Caribbean on neutrality patrol until the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

World War II

1942

"Russell" was ordered to the Pacific, and she transited the Panama Canal and proceeded to San Diego, whence, on 6 January 1942, she sailed west, screening reinforcements to Samoa. By the time of her arrival, 20 January, the Japanese had moved into Malaya, Borneo, the Celebes, the Gilberts, and the Bismarck Archipelago. Within the week, Rabaul fell and the Japanese continued on to New Ireland and the Solomons while further west they extended their occupation of the Netherlands East Indies.

On 25 January, "Russell" sailed north with TF 17, screened USS|Yorktown|CV-5 as her planes raided Makin, Mili, and Jaluit on 1 February, then set a course for Pearl Harbor. In midmonth, the force sailed again. Diverted from its original destination, Wake Island, it covered forces establishing an airbase on Canton Island, important on the Hawaii-Samoa-Fiji route to Australia and less than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from Makin. Raids on Rabaul and Gasmata were next ordered to cover a movement of troops to New Caledonia, but on 8 March the Japanese landed at Salamaua and Lae in New Guinea and Port Moresby was threatened. The force, again joined by the USS|Lexington|CV-2 force — as in the Gilberts' raid, steamed into the Gulf of Papua, whence, on 10 March, planes were sent over the Owen Stanley Range to bomb the newly-established Japanese bases on the Huon Gulf.

Through April, "Russell" continued to screen the "Yorktown" force, operating primarily in the ANZAC area. Detached on 3 May to screen USS|Neosho|AO-23 during fueling operations with TF 11, she rejoined TF 17 early on 5 May and resumed screening duties for the force's heavier units. On 7 May, in the Coral Sea, she engaged enemy planes closing the formation to threaten "Yorktown" and "Lexington" and to support Japanese forces in an assault on Port Moresby. "Lexington" hit and heavily damaged, but still in action, continued to recover and launch planes. Three hours later, however, she reported a serious explosion. A second followed. Her fires were no longer under control. She soon commenced abandoning ship. "Russell" joined her screen; circled the crippled ship as rescue ships evacuated personnel; and, with the completion of that work, departed the scene of the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Retiring to Tonga, "Russell" debarked 170 survivors from "Lexington" and sailed for Pearl Harbor. Arriving on the 27 May she headed out again on 30 May, this time toward Midway. On 4 June, Task Forces 16 and 17 again met the enemy in an air duel, through which "Russell" steamed in the screen of "Yorktown". In the afternoon, enemy torpedo planes broke through the screen and scored successfully on the carrier. The patched-up survivor of the Battle of the Coral Sea was abandoned. "Russell" took on 492 of her crew and aviation personnel. The next day she transferred 27 to USS|Astoria|CA-34 to assist in salvage operations on the carrier, but Japanese torpedoes (from warship|Japanese submarine|I-168) negated the effort and "Yorktown" and USS|Hammann|DD-412 were lost. On 10 June "Russell" covered the transferral of replacements from USS|Saratoga|CV-3 to USS|Hornet|CV-8 and USS|Enterprise|CV-6; and, on the 13 June, she returned to Pearl Harbor.

Engaged in training exercises for the next 2 months, "Russell" again sortied with TF 17 on 17 August; took station screening "Hornet"; and headed southwest. On the 29th, TF 17 joined TF 61, becoming TG 61.2. On the 31st Saratoga took a torpedo and "Russell" conducted an unsuccessful submarine hunt, the first of many in the long and costly campaign for Guadalcanal. On 6 September, one of "Hornet"'s planes dropped an explosive off "Russell"'s starboard quarter to detonate a torpedo. Another submarine search commenced. At 14:52 she established contact and dropped six 600-pound depth charges. At 15:13, she sighted an oil slick 1 mile by one-half mile, but contact was lost at 700 yards and never regained.

Through the remainder of the year, and into the new, "Russell" continued to operate in support of the Guadalcanal campaign. On 25 and 26 October, she participated in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, during which she again joined in rescue operations for a sinking carrier, this time "Hornet", from which she transferred the commander of Task Force 17, Rear Adm. George D. Murray and his staff to USS|Pensacola|CA-24, seriously wounded personnel to USS|Northampton|CA-26, and other survivors to Nouméa where "Russell"'s superstructure — damaged during rescue work — was repaired.

1943

During December and into January 1943, she screened convoys to Guadalcanal and Tulagi, then to Rennell. In February, she screened "Enterprise"; then, in March, resumed convoy escort work, making one run to Australia and back by mid-April.

On 1 May the destroyer set a course for the west coast. At the end of July, after overhaul at Mare Island, she steamed north to join forces staging for the "invasion" of Kiska Island. Aleutian patrol duty followed; and, with the arrival of autumn, she turned south to escort landing craft to Hawaii. In October, she continued on to Wellington, New Zealand; and, in early November, she escorted transports to the New Hebrides where she joined TF 53, then preparing to push into the Gilberts. Underway on 13 November with the Task Force, she arrived with the troop transports off Betio, Tarawa, on 20 November, then screened heavier units as they shelled the shore. Remaining in the area until 25 November, she provided gunfire support and screened the transports as they filled with Marine casualties. On 27 November, she joined TG 50.3 and, with TG 50.1, sailed for the Marshalls. On 4 December, carrier planes raided Kwajalein and Wotje; and, on 9 December, the force returned to Pearl Harbor, whence "Russell" continued on to the west coast.

1944

On 13 January 1944, "Russell", screening TG 53.5, departed the California coast. Training in the Hawaiian Islands followed. On the 22d the force headed west. On 30 January, "Russell" joined other destroyers and heavier units in shelling Wotje. On 31 January, she rejoined the main force off Kwajalein and, after initial screening duties, added her guns to the naval gunfire support line. On 2 February, she screened CarDiv 22 and on the 3d, entered Kwajalein lagoon. Standing out 5 days later, she arrived at Pearl Harbor on the 15 February and was directed on to Puget Sound for repairs.

Repairs completed in March, "Russell" returned to Hawaii in early April; then escorted U.S. Army tug "Willard Holbrook" to New Guinea where she rejoined her squadron, DesRon 2. Arriving at Finschhafen 4 May, she reported to the commander of TF 76 at Sudest on 6 May and commenced 5 months of intensive and navigationally difficult escort work along the New Guinea coast. Assigned initially to escort LSTs resupplying Hollandia and Aitape, she joined TF 77 on the 16 May and covered LCIs and ATs to the Wakde-Sarmi area. From 17 to 20 May, she stood off Wakde, marking the approach channel on the first day of the campaigns there and providing fire support and screening services on the others. On 20 May, she returned to Humboldt Bay and 5 days later sailed with LSTs for Biak to commence Operation "Horlick." On the 27 May, she shelled Padaido Islands, patrolled between Pai and Padaidori Islands, blasted targets on Biak, and then got underway to return to Humboldt Bay. Into June, she continued to escort convoys to and provide cover for operations at Biak and Wakde. In mid-June, she participated in a bombardment of the Toem area, then resumed escort runs along the coast. In early July, Noemfoor, with its two Japanese airfields, became the target. At midmonth "Russell" gained a brief respite at Manus, then at the end of the month commenced Operation "Globetrotter", the capture of Sansapor. Through August, she continued operations in support of the campaign and, in mid-September, moved forward to the Moluccas to cover the occupation of Morotai, the last stepping stone on the southern route to the Philippines and on the eastern route to Borneo and the Netherlands East Indies.

On 13 October "Russell" sailed with TF 78 for the Philippines and on 20 October, as the troops of the Northern Attack Force landed south of Tacloban, patrolled off Alabat Point. On 21 October she took up fire support duties to the north of the unloading area. Through 24 October she remained in San Pedro Bay; resumed patrol in Leyte Gulf on 25 October; and, on 26 October, got underway for New Guinea, whence during November and December, she escorted reinforcements to Leyte.

On 28 December "Russell" departed Aitape for her next amphibious operation — the invasion of Luzon — and steamed into the Mindoro Strait on 5 January 1945. Two days later, she joined three other destroyers in forming an interceptor force 5 miles on the starboard of the San Fabian Attack Force to destroy any enemy ships attempting a sortie from Manila Bay against the convoy. At 22:30 an enemy destroyer, "Hinoki" was detected and fired on. The shells found their mark, "Hinoki" exploded and sank within 20 minutes.

1945

On 9 January, the force, having survived harassing attacks by planes, boats, and ships, arrived in Lingayen Gulf and "Russell" assumed screening duties off the transport area. For 9 days she patrolled, illuminated, bombarded, and fought off kamikazes. From 18 to 23 January, she escorted damaged ships back to Leyte and, on 27 January, sailed north again. On 31 January, she arrived off Nasugbu Bay, covered YMSs (Motor Minesweepers) as they cleared approach channels, then fired on enemy emplacements on Nasugbu Point. Relieved in late afternoon, she returned to Lingayen Gulf, thence, on 2 February, to Leyte, New Guinea, and the Solomons.

"Russell" arrived at Guadalcanal 15 February, rejoined the 5th Fleet and prepared for Operation "Iceberg", the Okinawa offensive. On 1 April, she arrived off the assault beaches and commenced screening the Northern Transport area. From the 3 to 5 April, she patrolled north of Ie Shima, then returned to the transport area to escort a convoy to Ulithi. Returning to the Hagushi beaches with reinforcements on 21 February, she shifted to Kerama Retto, whence she patrolled in carrier operating area "Rapier", south of Okinawa, into May. Detached from carrier screening duty on 27 May, she proceeded to the Hagushi anchorage and got underway the following day for the United States and a yard overhaul.

Still undergoing overhaul at Seattle when the war ended "Russell" was prepared for inactivation during September; and, on 15 November, she was decommissioned. Thirteen days later she was struck from the Navy List and, in September 1947, she was sold for scrap to the National Metal and Steel Corporation, Terminal Island, Los Angeles, California.

"Russell" earned 16 battle stars during World War II.

ee also

*List of United States Navy destroyers