USS Murray (DD-576)

USS "Murray" (DD/DDE-576) was a "Fletcher"-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. "Murry" was named for Capt. Alexander Murray and his grandson Rear Adm. Alexander Murray

The third "Murray" (DD-576) was laid down March 16, 1942 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas; launched August 16, 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Frank T. Leighton; and commissioned April 20, 1943, Comdr. Richard F. Stout in command.

World War II Service

After shakedown in the Caribbean, "Murray" served on escort duty in the Atlantic, then sailed to join Destroyer Squadron 26 at Pearl Harbor in September 1943. Sailing with a carrier task force, "Murray" took part in strikes on Wake Island October 5th and 6th, then voyaged to the South Pacific to support the landings on Bougainville November 8th and 9th, splashing three enemy aircraft. Two days later, while covering 3d Fleet carriers In a strike against Rabaul, "Murray" shot down two of a force of about 150 enemy aircraft attacking her formation.

Hewing to a demanding pace of operations, "Murray" was on antisubmarine patrol in the Gilberts from November 20 to December 8 during the occupation of Tarawa and Abemama, then for the next month guarded shipping into the newly acquired islands. In January 1944 "Murray" performed outstandingly in fire support missions for the capture of Kwajalein, then screened transports carrying invasion forces to Eniwetok. Two months of escort duty in the western ocean routes followed, until she joined in the bombardment of Kavieng, New Ireland, March 20.

Joining the 7th Fleet "Murray" took part in the assault on Aitape, New Guinea, 23 to 28 April, downing another enemy aircraft during an aerial torpedo attack. Rejoining the 6th Fleet in June, she screened amphibious craft during the assault on Saipan, then sailed to Guam for close - in fire support and transport screening duty July 20 to 26th. After patrol and escort duties for the consolidation of the Marianas until late in August, "Murray" returned to the continuing operations around New Guinea. She bombarded Wewak August 30 to cover British mine laying operations, and in September covered the landings on Morotai. Returning to Hollandia, she prepared for the invasion of the Philippines, sortieing in escort of the transports for Leyte. On 20 and 21 October, she conducted shore bombardment, moving in as close as reefs would allow to fire over the landing force into enemy installations and at the same time aiding in repelling enemy air attacks.

Departing the Philippines immediately after the landings "Murray" overhauled at San Francisco, California, then in January 1945 escorted a battleship division to Pearl Harbor while en route to join Task Force 58. She screened the aircraft carriers and acted as picket during the first carrier raid on Tokyo February 16th and attacks on Iwo Jima and the Ryukyus February 26 to March 1, sinking a Japanese picket ship about 200 miles off the coast of Japan February 26. "Murray" next prepared for the Okinawa operation, during which she screened battleships from submarine attack during the initial preinvasion bombardment. Hit by a Japanese bomb March 27, she retired to Pearl Harbor for repairs.

While returning to the forward areas by way of Eniwetok, "Murray" was ordered July 2 to locate, board, and search Japanese hospital ship Takasago Maru, bound for Wake Island and suspected of carrying arms or supplies, contraband for a hospital ship. She located the ship the next day, but search revealed nothing in violation of international law, so the hospital ship was allowed to proceed to Wake to embark sick Japanese.

Rejoining her force, now Task Force 38, "Murray" guarded the fast carriers in the raids against Honshū, Hokkaidō, and Kyūshū through the last 2 months of the war. In one of the most daring raids of the war, "Murray" and others of her squadron penetrated Suruga Gulf, Honshū, July 30 to bombard the city of Shimusu, perhaps the deepest penetration of Japanese waters by any surface craft during the war.

After World War II

One of the initial occupation force, "Murray" became the first ship in empire waters to bring in a Japanese submarine when the enemy undersea fleet began to surrender. On August 27, aircraft of TF 38, patrolling off Honshū, located a submarine flying the black flag designated as the surrender signal, and "Murray" was ordered to intercept and take the craft into Tokyo Bay for internment. Her boarding party received the swords of I-14's officers that same day, and the submarine was escorted to the mouth of Sagami Wan. "Murray" was present in Tokyo Bay for the formal Japanese surrender 2 September, then 3 days later sailed for the United States. Inactivated at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, "Murray" decommissioned March 27, 1946, and went into reserve at Charleston, South Carolina.

Korean War years

In June 1951, "Murray" began conversion to an escort destroyer, for which she had been designated DDE-576 on January 2, 1951. She recommissioned at Charleston October 16, 1951, Comdr. Frank L. Fullaway in command.

Early in 1952, "Murray" began East Coast and Caribbean training operations from her home port, Norfolk. She also served periodically as plane guard during carrier qualification of naval aviation cadets off Pensacola, Florida. In June 1953, she sailed for her first deployment to the Mediterranean, serving in the hunter killer force of the 6th Fleet. Her 1954 tour was marked by an extension to northern European ports. In 1956, "Murray" operated with "Nautilus" (SS(N)-571) and participated in a NATO convoy escort exercise in European waters. During much of 1956 she underwent yard overhaul, then in 1957 sailed round Cape of Good Hope for patrol duty in the Persian Gulf, the usual access to which was blocked by the closing of the Suez Canal the previous autumn. With the canal free later in the spring, she joined the 6th Fleet in Mediterranean operations through August.

Between March 1958 and May 1961 "Murray" formed part of Task Group Alfa, an experimental development group working in antisubmarine warfare. The group usually operated off the Virginia Capes, but in the summers of 1959 and 1960 participated in the annual summer NROTC midshipmen training cruises, voyaging to Canadian ports and Bermuda.

1960s

In late May 1961, "Murray" was one of the rescue ships stationed along the route of President John F. Kennedy's flight to Paris, then participated in that summer's midshipmen cruise. Redesignated DD-576 on June 30, 1962, "Murray" rejoined TG Alfa for its development operations, which were interrupted for participation in the Cuban Quarantine in October and November 1962 that forced Russian missiles out of Cuba and averted grave international complications. At 1633 on October 27, 1962, the "Murray" Deck Log contains the following entry: "Sonar contact bearing 212 2,000 yards." The "Murray" sonar gang classified the contact as a possible submarine After several hours of "ping time" at 2050 hours the same date the "Murray" Deck Log contains the following additional entry: "Submarine surfaced bearing 080, 3,900 yards. 4 hours and 17 minutes after initial contact by this ship at LAT 27-36N, LONG 65-56.5W." Thus "Murray" was the first U. S. Navy destrolyer to gain and hold contact with the first of three Soviet submarines forced to surface during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After training off New England early in 1963, "Murray" returned to Caribbean patrols then came north for the midshipmen cruise.

"Murray" sailed November 29, 1963 for her first 6th Fleet deployment in 6 years, visiting French, Spanish, and Italian ports before returning to Norfolk May 23, 1964. She cleared Norfolk again September 8 for NATO Arctic operations, crossing the Arctic Circle September 21, and visiting Amsterdam before returning to Norfolk October 23.

Decommissioned in May 1966 at Norfolk, "Murray" was struck from the Navy list June 1, 1966, and sold for scrapping to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, Maryland, in 1966.

"Murray" received 11 battle stars for World War II service.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m16/murray-iii.htm

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/576.htm NavSource.org DD-576]