- USS Ordronaux (DD-617)
USS "Ordronaux" (DD–617) was a "Benson"-class
destroyer in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II . She was named forJohn Ordronaux ."Ordronaux" was laid down
25 July 1942 by theBethlehem Steel Corporation ,Fore River, Massachusetts ; launched9 November 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs. J. Henry Judik; and commissioned13 February 1943 , Lieutenant CommanderRobert Brodie, Jr. in command.After shakedown, "Ordronaux" departed
New York 1 May 1943 en route to Mers-El-Kebir,Algeria , escorting a convoy. Her first encounter with the enemy came on6 July , while at anchor atBizerte Naval Base . Attacked by German planes, she helped down several.In the invasion of
Sicily 9 July , "Ordronaux" was assigned a squadron oftorpedo boat s to patrol the harbor ofPort Empedocle and force out GermanE boat s and Italian MAS boats, so they could be destroyed. She screened allied ships from Axissubmarine s and rendered fire support for the invasion until the 21st.For nearly a year, following the invasion, "Ordronaux" sailed back and forth across the Atlantic and through the
Mediterranean Sea on convoy duty.On
7 April 1944 , while operating with a hunter-killer task unit comprised of DD’s and DE’s, "Ordronaux" spotted U–856 south ofNova Scotia . "Champlin" (DD–601) made first contact by sounding and with "Huse" (DE–145) made several depth charge attacks forcing the submarine to surface. Both ships opened fire, and "Champlin" rammed the sub. "Nields" (DD–616) and "Ordronaux" captured 28 survivors.On
12 May , "Ordronaux" was back in the Mediterranean with "MacKenzie" (DD–614) screening HMS "Dido" while the Britishcruiser bombardedTerracina andGaeta on the west coast of Italy in support of the U. S. 5th Army, which was advancing onRome . For the rest of the month, "Ordronaux" operated with "Dido" and French cruiser "Emile Bertin" supporting the beachhead at Anzio.On
9 August "Ordronaux" was attached to a fire support force for the invasion of southernFrance . On the 15th, she operated within 3000 yards of the beach providing “call fire” for Navy liaison officers and Army spotters. Many times she was straddled with 88 min projectiles from enemy shore batteries.After the invasion of southern France, she returned to convoy duty. On
1 May 1945 , after returning to New York for alterations, "Ordronaux" sailed for the Pacific, via thePanama Canal . On24 July she arrived in Pearl Harbor and sailed immediately forWake Island . There on1 August , "Ordronaux" conducted close fire support, meeting accurate counter-fire."Ordronaux" arrived at
Okinawa several days beforeJapan capitulated. After the surrender, she took part in two occupation landings—atWakayama and atNagoya . She made several cruises to ports inHonshū , including two toTokyo Bay , before sailing for the United States31 October .Returning to the East Coast, she was assigned local operations off
Charleston, South Carolina until she was placed out of commission in reserve January1947 , and attached to the Charleston group of theAtlantic Reserve Fleet . She was later berthed atOrange, Texas . She was struck from theNaval Vessel Register on1 July 1971 and scrapped in1973 ."Ordronaux" earned three
battle star s for service in World War II.As of 2006, no other ship in the United States Navy has been named "Ordronaux".
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