USS Long (DD-209)

USS "Long" (DD-209/DMS-12), named for John Davis Long (1838–1915), Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902, was a "Clemson"-class destroyer in the United States Navy.

"Long" was laid down by the William Cramp and Sons at Philadelphia on September 23, 1918, launched on April 26, 1919 by Mrs. Arnold Knapp and commissioned on October 20 1919, Commander A. B. Cook in command.

Initial service

After shakedown along the Atlantic coast, "Long" sailed late in the year for the Mediterranean. Assigned to Destroyer Division 26, she cruised the Adriatic and Mediterranean and served as station ship before steaming to the Philippines early in 1921 for duty with Asiatic station. Based at Cavite, Luzon, she cruised the South China Sea until July 1922 when she was ordered to the United States. "Long" decommissioned at San Diego, California, 30 December 1922.

Recommissioned

"Long" recommissioned at San Diego 29 March 1930, Lt. Comdr. William J. Butler in command. Operating out of San Diego during the next decade, "Long" cruised primarily in the Pacific off North and Central. America for division exercises and screen and plane guard duty. Between 1933 and 1935 she twice entered the rotating Reserve as part of Destroyer Squadron 20.

Destroyer minesweeper (DMS)

During 1940 she was converted to destroyer minesweeper, and reclassified DMS-12 on 19 November 1940.

"Long" operated along the west coast and in Hawaiian waters with Mine Squadron 2. On 5 December 1941 she departed Pearl Harbor in the screen for "Indianapolis" (CA-35). Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 2 days later, she returned there 9 December and began antisubmarine patrols. She also escorted ships among the Hawaiian Islands and between March and June 1942, made escort runs to Midway, Palmyra, and Canton.

"Long" left Pearl Harbor 30 June for patrol and escort duty in Alaskan waters. After colliding with "Monaghan" (DD-354) in heavy fog 27 July, she repaired at San Francisco, California, returning to Kodiak 27 September for screen and antisubmarine patrols. During the Arctic winter she patrolled the approaches to Adak and guarded convoys as American forces sought to defeat Japanese garrisons in the western Aleutians.

"Long" took part in the unopposed occupation of Amchitka 12 January 1943, and while patrolling along the Island, helped repel Japanese air attacks 31 January and 1 February. Thence, she joined Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell's TF 51 on 3 May for the Invasion of Attu. Steaming through the heavy spring seas and blanketing fog of the Bering Sea, she closed Attu 11 May and swept for mines prior to the successful landings later that day.

"Long" continued escort and patrol operations for the occupations of Attu and Kiska through the summer, returning to Pearl Harbor 16 September to escort merchantmen to San Francisco where she overhauled. After patrol in Hawaiian waters 15 November to 22 January 1944, she escorted reinforcements to Roi and Namur in the Marshalls 2 February, then joined TF 76 on 28 February in New Guinea waters. She served as escort and swept mines in the conquest of the Admiralties early in March, then escorted convoys to and from Milne Bay, Guadalcanal, and Espiritu Santo from Cape Sudest.

On 18 April "Long" sailed for the invasion of the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) area. She entered Humboldt Bay 22 April, made an exploratory sweep, then fired a close-in preinvasion bombardment. "Long" arrived at Guadalcanal early in May to prepare for the Marianas assault, for which she sailed 4 June. Arriving Saipan 13 June for preinvasion sweeps west of the island, "Long" served as radar picket and guard ship until 24 June, then after a voyage to the Marshalls, screened "Pennsylvania" (BB-38) during preinvasion bombardment of Guam beginning 12 July. After antisubmarine and convoy escort duty, "Long" joined TG 32.5 at Guadalcanal 16 August.

"Long" sortied for the assault on the Palaus 6 September, cleared mines off Peleliu and Angaur, and in Kossol Passage from 12 to 16 September, then had escort and patrol duty between the Palaus and Admiralties until joining the 7th Fleet 4 October for the invasion of the Philippines.

Leaving Seeadler Harbor 10 October with Minesweeping Unit 1, "Long" entered Leyte Gulf the 17th. Spearheading the invasion, she cleared mines off Dinagat and Hibuson Islands, and in the Dulag-Tacloban approach channel. After sweeping Surigao Strait, she patrolled and served as smokescreen ship in Leyte Gulf until 23 October, when she joined the transport screen and steamed in convoy for Manus, arriving 29 October.

After repairs and training at Manus, "Long" departed 23 December to sweep for the landings at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. Her group was attacked 2 January 1945 in the Mindanao Sea in the first of the frequent air raids with which the Japanese attempted to repel the invasion of Luzon. "Long" began mine sweeps in Lingayen Gulf 6 January, evading and firing upon Japanese aircraft as she carried out her intricate mission. Shortly after noon, beginning her second run, "Long" spotted two Mitsubishi A6M Zero "Zekes" heading for her.

"Long" went to 25 knots and opened fire, but a suicide plane crashed into her portside below the bridge about 1 foot above the waterline. With fires and explosions amidships, "Long" lost power and internal communications, and was unable to fight fires forward. Her commanding officer, Lt. Stanley Caplin, fearing an explosion in the forward magazine, gave permission for men trapped on the forecastle to leave the ship, but through misunderstanding, the crew aft abandoned ship. All were quickly rescued by "Hovey" (DMS-11) standing by to aid the burning but still seaworthy ship.

Lieutenant Caplin prepared to lead a salvage party and board "Long" from tug "Apache" (ATF-67), but continuing heavy air attacks prevented firefighting and salvage attempts. Later that afternoon a second plane attacked "Long" and exploded at the same spot, destroying the bridge and breaking the ship's back. "Long" capsized and sank the following morning. Several of the survivors rescued by "Hovey" perished when "Hovey" herself was torpedoed and sunk by enemy planes early the next morning.

"Long" received nine battle stars for World War II service.

As of 2005, no other ship has been named "Long".

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l8/long.htm