- USS Coghlan (DD-606)
The second USS "Coghlan" (DD-606) was a "Benson"-class
destroyer in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II . She was named for Joseph Bulloch Coghlan."Coghlan" was launched
12 February 1942 byBethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation ,San Francisco, California ; sponsored by Mrs. G. Coghlan; commissioned10 July 1942, Lieutenant CommanderB. F. Tompkins in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet."Coghlan" sailed from San Francisco 22 September 1942 for
Pearl Harbor andKodiak, Alaska , arriving 13 October for convoy and patrol duty. She supported Army landings onAmchatka 12 January 1943, and participated in the bombardment ofGibson Island at the entrance of Chicago Harbor 18 February. On 20 February, she aided in the sinking of aJapan ese merchantman. On 15 March she cleared Dutch Harbor with a force to patrol against Japanese shipping south and west of Kiska to prevent reinforcement of Japanese-held Attu. On 26 March her group turned a larger Japanese force back in theBattle of the Komandorski Islands . In this action, "Coghlan" screened "Richmond" (CL-9), and laid smoke for the disabled "Salt Lake City" (CL-25). She bombarded Holtz and Chicago harbors 26 April, and with the southern support group covered the landings on Attu from 11 May to 2 June. Overhauled at San Francisco in July, "Coghlan" returned to Adak on 13 August for 2 final weeks on patrol in theAleutian Islands ."Coghlan" sailed 25 August 1943 for Pearl Harbor, arriving 1 September. After taking part in the raids on Baker and
Tarawa Island s from 15 to 17 September and the attack onWake Island on 5 October, "Coghlan" replenished at Pearl Harbor and sailed on 31 October for escort and screening duties in the assault on theGilbert Islands . She returned to Pearl Harbor 11 December."Coghlan" sailed from Pearl Harbor 22 January 1944 to screen
aircraft carrier s giving air coverage to the landings in theMarshall Islands . She returned, screening transports, to Pearl Harbor 8 March for overhaul. On her next cruise, from 14 to 22 April, she escorted a carrier to sea on its way toMajuro , returning to Pearl Harbor 22 April. On 24 May she sailed forEniwetok , where she joined the screen of landing ships bound for the invasion ofSaipan on 15 June. "Coghlan" gave fire support and patrolled off the island until 23 June. After replenishing at Eniwetok, the destroyer returned to Saipan 17 July to support the landings at Tinian 24 July. After offering fire support until the island was secured 1 August, "Coghlan" sailed for a brief overhaul at Pearl Harbor."Coghlan" arrived at Manus 8 October, and sailed for the operations in the
Philippines 6 November. She conducted convoy escort duty from Humboldt Bay andPalau toLeyte , and supported the landings atOrmoc Bay on 7 and 8 December, firing in the heavy kamikaze attack on the first day. On 9 January 1945 she enteredLingayen Gulf for patrol and screening operations in support of the landings. She continued to operate in the Philippines until 8 April, when she cleared San Pedro Bay for a stateside overhaul. She returned to Pearl Harbor 22 July, and on 26 August arrived atOkinawa for occupation duty, carrying passengers, mail, and light freight between Okinawa and Japan. On 23 October she sailed for Pearl Harbor, San Diego, andCharleston, South Carolina , where she arrived 2 December.After overhaul and a year of inactivity, "Coghlan" was decommissioned and placed in reserve
31 March 1947 . She was struck from theNaval Vessel Register on1 July 1971 and sold for scrap in1974 ."Coghlan" received eight battle stars for World War II service.
References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c10/coghlan-ii.htm
*NVRExternal links
* [http://www.destroyerhistory.org/benson-gleavesclass/usscoghlan/index.html USS "Coghlan" website] at [http://www.destroyerhistory.org/index.html Destroyer History Foundation]
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