USS Pope (DD-225)

The first USS "Pope" (DD-225) was a "Clemson"-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for John Pope.

History

"Pope" was laid down 9 September 1919 and launched 23 March 1920 from William Cramp and Sons; sponsored by Mrs. William S. Benson; and commissioned 27 October 1920 at Philadelphia, Commander Richard S. Galloway in command.

"Pope" was initially placed in reduced commission at Philadelphia and assigned to Squadron 3, Division 39 of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. During 1921 she alternated between her winter base at Charleston, South Carolina and her summer one at Newport, Rhode Island and escorted President Warren G. Harding to Plymouth, Massachusetts 30 July-1 August. She engaged in maneuvers with the battleship divisions off Guantanamo Bay from 12 January until her return to Philadelphia 27 April.

After a refit "Pope" departed 12 May for duty in the Pacific. She passed through the Straits of Gibraltar 3 July and transited the Suez Canal 15–25 July. "Pope" joined Squadron 15, Division 43 of the Asiatic Fleet at Chefoo, China 26 August and participated in fleet exercises off Chefoo until her departure 28 October for her winter base at Cavite, Philippines.

In the Orient "Pope" protected American lives and interests during the civil strife in China. She first served with the Yangtze River Patrol 9 September–9 October 1923 and continued to make her presence known through repeated patrols until 1931.

Notable exceptions were duty off Japan in connection with the United States Army "Round the World Flight" in 1924, a visit to French Indochina in 1926 and a visit to Japan in 1929. From 1931 until 1937, the "Pope" continued to "show the flag" off the China coast, during the summers and spent the winters in the Philippines engaging in division maneuvers. She was reassigned to Squadron 5, Division 15 on 3 February 1933. The "Pope" made visits to French Indochina in 1935 and in 1938, two visits to Japan in 1934 and 1935 and one to the Dutch East Indies in 1936.

Increased tension on China's northern borders due to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria made it necessary for "Pope" to evacuate Americans from northern Chinese ports such as Lao Yao and Tsingtao to Shanghai beginning 19 September 1937. From 15 July to 20 September 1938 she cruised in Chinese waters off Chinwangtao and returned 5 June 1939 with the South China Patrol force removing American consulates and nationals. The "Pope" was stationed off Swatow and Pehtaiho during 14 June–19 August observing the Japanese Navy en route to Swatow and the subsequent bombing and occupation of the city. She remained in this area until her return to Manila 12 October for the Neutrality Patrol off the Philippines. The "Pope" was transferred to Division 59 of the Asiatic Fleet 6 May 1940 and resumed patrolling off China during 11 May–24 June. The "Pope" returned to Manila in late June on neutrality duty and remained on station there until 11 December 1941, when she got underway for Balikpapan, Dutch East Indies.

"Pope" was heavily engaged in fighting in the Dutch East Indies in the early days of World War II. During the Battle of Bali Sea she made close-quarter torpedo and gun attacks which helped delay Japanese landings at Balikpapan and later in the Battle of Badung Strait she impeded the invasion of the island of Bali. During the Second Battle of the Java Sea, the "Pope" and the "HMS Encounter (H10)" were directed to escort the "HMS Exeter (68)" away from the action. In the evening of 28 February 1942, the "Exeter" and the two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. Japanese surface and air forces launched an attack the next morning, midway between the islands of Java and Borneo. The three Allied ships fought four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers throughout a fierce three-hour action, and they damaged a number of enemy ships. The "Pope" fired all of her torpedoes and 140 salvoes of naval gunfire.

Fate

Shortly before noon 1 March 1942 the two British ships were destroyed by gunfire, and an hour later, the USS "Pope" was attacked and sunk by 12 dive-bombers - after sustaining many bomb hits.

The following day, the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer "Ikazuchi" rescued 442 survivors from the "Pope" and the British destroyer "Encounter". The survivors had been adrift for about 20 hours - in rafts and lifejackets, or clinging to floats, many coated in oil, and some blinded. This humanitarian decision by Lieutenant Commander Shunsaku Kudō placed the "Ikazuchi" at risk of attack, and it interfered with her fighting ability, due to the sheer load of rescued sailors. The action was later the subject of a bookCitation
last = Megumi
first = Ryuunosuke
author-link = :ja:惠隆之介
title = 敵兵を救助せよ!—英国兵422名を救助した駆逐艦「雷」工藤艦長
place = Tokyo, Japan
publisher = Soshisha Publishing Company
date = 2006-07-05
url = http://www.soshisha.com/book_search/detail/1_1499.html
isbn = 978-4-7942-1499-7] Citation
last = hisashi
title = Kudo Shunsaku and the Destroyer Ikazuchi
date = 2007-05-21
url = http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=120892&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
accessdate = 2008-06-29 . This forum discussion contains a brief summary of the 2006 Megumi book's account of the HMS Encounter and USS Pope rescues.] and a 2007 TV programme.Citation
first = James
title = The Untold story of Captain Kudo Shunsaku and the Destroyer Ikazuchi
date = 2007-05-19
url = http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1772
accessdate = 2008-06-29 ] cite video
people = gyokai
title = 日本の武士道１　Japanese BUSIDO saved lives
medium = video
publisher = YouTube
url = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRcOmYgdp4E | accessdate = 2008-06-29
year2 = 2007 In Japanese. See also [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QByCyliKXcI&feature=related part 2] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_SbowJUWV4&feature=related part 3] .] Citation
last = 伊勢
first = 雅臣
title = 駆逐艦「雷」艦長・工藤俊作
language = Japanese
date = 2006-08-13
year = 2006
url = http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~nippon/jogdb_h18/jog458.html
accessdate = 2008-06-29 . In Japanese. A summary of the 2007 television program.]

The USS "Pope" was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 8 May 1942. She received two WW II battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation (US) for her World War II service.

ee also

* USS "Pope" lists other ships of this name.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p9/pope-i.htm

External links

*http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/225.htm