USS Phelps (DD-360)

USS "Phelps" (DD-360) was a World War II-era "Porter"-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy. She was named for Thomas Stowell Phelps.

"Phelps" was laid down 2 January 1934 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Massachusetts; launched 18 July 1935; sponsored by Mrs. Richard A. Kearny; and commissioned 26 February 1936, Commander Albert H. Rooks in command.

In November 1936 "Phelps", along with the cruiser "Chester", escorted the heavy cruiser "Indianapolis" carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Buenos Aires, Argentina for the opening of the Inter-American Peace Conference of 1936. The cruise included good-will visits to Montevideo, Uruguay and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Following peacetime duty in the Pacific, "Phelps" shot down one enemy plane at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941. She aided the carrier "Lexington" (CV-2) in air battles against the Japanese near Port Moresby, New Guinea, in February and March.

Suffering no casualties in the Battle of the Coral Sea 4–8 May, she helped to sink "Lexington" on 8 May to prevent enemy capture of that carrier.

In June 1942 she protected the American carriers that dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midway. In August 1942 she guarded forces invading Guadalcanal. After a visit to the west coast in October, she participated in landings upon Attu, Alaska, in May 1943. After bombarding Kiska, Alaska, she provided gunfire support for landings at Makin Atoll in November 1943. In the Marshall Islands campaign in February 1944, she bombarded Kwajalein and Eniwetok. In March she guarded tankers during a strike on the Palau Islands. In June she bombarded Saipan to protect American forces that had landed there on the 15th.

Following duty at Saipan, she steamed via the Panama Canal to Charleston, South Carolina, for armament alterations, arriving 2 August. Departing Norfolk, Virginia, in November, she escorted a convoy to Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. After three more convoy escort voyages to the Mediterranean in 1945, she arrived at New York, New York 10 June.

Decommissioned 6 November 1945, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register 28 January 1947, and scrapped by Northern Metals Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Phelps" received twelve battle stars for World War II service.

ee also

*List of United States Navy destroyers

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/docs/wwii/pearl/ph68.htm "Phelps" Pearl Harbor after action report]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p6/phelps.htm DANFS - "Phelps"]