USS Lansdowne (DD-486)

USS Lansdowne (DD-486) was a Gleaves class destroyer that sank U-153, helped rescue the crew of USS Wasp, took part in the campaigns in the Solomon Islands, the Aleutians, Bougainville, New Guinea and Okinawa and was present for the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, before serving in the Turkish Navy after the Second World War.

The Lansdowne was named after Zachery Lansdowne, who was awarded the Navy Cross for serving as one of the crew of the British airship R-34 during the first successful non-stop flight from Britain to the US in 1919. He was killed when the airship Shenandoah III was lost on 3 September 1925.

The Lansdowne was laid down at the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock CO of Kearny, NJ, on 31 July 1941, launched on 20 February 1942 and commissioned on 29 April 1942.

The Lansdowne was originally classified as a Bristol class ship, which were built with four 5in guns instead of the five installed on the Livermore/ Gleaves class. However after the fifth gun was removed from  those ships all of the Bristol class ships joined the Livermore/ Gleaves class.

1942

The Lansdowne’s shakedown cruise took her along the Atlantic seaboard. However she was then chosen to be sent to the Pacific to reinforce the Pacific Fleet after heavy losses around Guadalcanal.

On 3 July she attacked a U-boat off Cape Hatteras. After a depth charge attack a large amount of oil came to the surface and she was awarded a victory for the attack. However no U-boat was lost. She was also awarded a battle star for an attack on a U-boat on 12 July, again without actual success.

On 13 July the Lansdowne reached Cristobal, in the Canal Zone. From there she was sent to a location where PC-458 had located a U-boat. This was U-153, which had been attacked by A-20A Havocs from the 59th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 6 July. The Lansdowne carried out a depth charge attack. Large amounts of oil came to the surface and the submarine stopped moving. Post-war records show that U-153 was sunk in this attack.

The Lansdowne passed through the Panama Canal on 21 August, and then headed into the Pacific as part of the escort of the South Dakota, heading for Tongatabu in the Tonga Islands. On the way she rescued the pilot and radio operator from one of the South Dakota’s observation aircraft after it crashed into the sea.

On 7 September the Lansdowne left Tongatabu to join TF 18, built around the carrier Wasp (CV-7) and commanded by Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes. She joined the task force at sea on 10 September.

On 15 September 1942 the Japanese submarine I-19 fired the most effective torpedo salvo of the entire war. She fired six torpedoes, at least two of which hit USS Wasp, doing damage that would sink her. The Lansdowne headed towards the damaged carrier, passing directly over another of the torpedoes as she went, with the torpedo travelling along almost her entire length. Three of the torpedoes travelled on into the screen of USS Hornet, damaging the battleship North Carolina and the destroyer USS O’Brien, which later sank while on her way to be repaired.

The Lansdowne initially set off to try and find the submarine but was then sent back to help the Wasp. She rescued about 450 of her crew, and was then ordered to sink her. She fired two Mk 15 torpedoes which hit but failed to detonate. In order to make sure, the problematic magnetic influence exploders on the remaining three torpedoes were disabled. All three hit and exploded, but the Wasp stayed afloat for some time afterwards, not sinking until 2100.

On 2 October she took part in the occupation of Funafuti in the Ellice Islands as part of TG 64.1, She was then used to escort the aircraft ferry Hammondsport (APV-2) to Espiritu Santo

From 13 October she operated in the Solomon Islands, carrying out a mix of duties including escort duties and bombardments.

On 7 November she was anchored off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, when her crew spotted a submarine and two torpedo wakes. One passed directly under her, hit the beach and failed to explode. The second hit the auxiliary cargo ship Majaba (AG-43) causing damage that meant she had to be beached. Although she survived the attack, the Majaba was turned into a floating HQ and stores ship at nearby Florida Island.

On 30 November she attacked a group of Japanese landing barges, sinking several of them, and also scoring hits on a beached Japanese ship east of Cape Esperance.

On 31 November she attacked a possible submarine west of Koli Point, bringing oil, slabs of cork and air to the surface. However no Japanese submarine was lost in this attack.

In December she carried out an escort run from Tulagi to Sydney and Auckland, returning afterwards to Noumea.

1943

On 26 February 1943 she ran aground in the Russell Islands. On 11 March she departed for San Francisco for repairs.

In May 1943 the Lansdowne and Bache left Hawaii to screen the Mississippi and New Mexico on their way north to the Aleutians to support the reoccupation of Attu and Kiska.

On 18-19 May the Bache and Lansdowne escorted the transport St Mihiel (AP-32) from Adak to Massacre Bay on Attu. They then rejoined the main force to screen the Pennsylvania and escort carrier Nassau (ACV-16). They were used to guard the battleship as she bombarded Japanese troops during the fighting on Attu. On 19-21 May the destroyers were detached to meet up with three landing craft at Adak. On 21-23 May they escorted the Indianapolis (CA-35) and Salt Lake City to the south of Amutka Pass, a strait between the Bering Sea and the north Pacific, getting them safely to Adak. The four ships put out to sea on 24 May and joined the Northern Covering Force at Attu for the last stage of the battle.

On 19 June the Lansdowne, Monaghan and Hull patrolled off Kiska. On the following day they were again at sea when the Japanese submarine I-7 attacked. In a confused 15 minute battle the I-7 ended up running aground and her crew reached safety. However an attempt to reach safety a few days later ended with the submarine lost after running aground once again.

On 6 July she took part in a bombardment of Kiska. Soon after this she departed for the South Pacific.

On 20 July she reached Espiritu Santo, and then joined an anti-shipping force off Vella Lavella on 2 September. This was followed by a period of escort duties in the Solomons and back to Fiji that lasted until 29 October.

She next joined the screen of the fast carriers. She supported them during raids on Buka-Bonis (1-2 November) and Rabaul (5 and 11 November).

On 28 November she covered the landings operations at Empress August Bay on Bougainville and helped fight off a Japanese air attack. She bombarded Japanese targets on Bougainville on 30 November and again in December. 

1944

In January and February 1944 the Lansdowne supported the landings at Torokina on Bougainville and on Green Island. She also carried out anti-shipping sweeps between Buka and Rabaul.

On 18 February she bombarded and torpedoed shipping at Koravia during the US Navy’s first surface attack on Rabaul.

On 24-25 February she sane a 6,800ton Japanese cargo ship 20 miles to the north of New Hanover. She then fired on shore targets and shipping at Kavieng, hitting a large coastal gun, sinking one ship and setting fire to two more.

After a spell operating to the north-west of the Admiralty Islands, the Lansdowne joined TF 77 and TF 78 to support the landings at Aitape, Hollandia and Tanahmerah in New Guinea.

She then supported them as they carried out air attacks on Palau, Yap and Ulithi from 3 March-1 April. She the departed for Pearl Harbor and a refit, arriving on 18 May.

The Lansdowne reached Majuro on 5 June and joined TF 58. She spent June and July supporting the invasion of the Marianas, taking part in the invasions of Guam and Tinian, the raids on the Bonins on 15-16 June and the battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June).

On 30 July she departed for an overhaul at Bremerton, returning to Ulithi on 29 October.

After her return she was assigned to patrol and escort duties in the Western Caroline Islands.

1945

On 16 January she was relieved by the Wadsworth after a spell serving as a tender for four minesweepers and two subchasers patrolling between Peleliu and Angaur.

Her period in the Carolines ended on 5 May when she departed for Okinawa. She was used to carry out anti-submarine patrols around the islands, as well as screening the carriers and providing fire support.

Her next duty was to form part of the screen of the logistics groups and fast carriers of the Third Fleet as they attacked the Japanese Home Islands.

From 20-23 August she was detached to transport the Atomic Bomb Investigation Group to Okinawa. She then moved to Sagami Wan, arriving on 27 Auyust.

Lansdowne next operated with the 3d Fleet off Japan screening logistics groups and fast carriers launching strikes against the enemy homeland. The ship was detached from the task force 20 to 23 August to transport the Atomic Bomb Investigation Group to Okinawa and then proceeded to Sagami Wan, arriving 27 August.

Japanese representatives on USS Lansdowne (DD-486)

On 29 August the Lansdowne entered Tokyo Bay with the light cruiser San Juan  (CL-54) and the hospital ship Benevolence (AH-13). They were joined by the destroyer transport Gosselin to take part in Operation Swift Mercy, the evacuation of Allied POWs from camps in southern Honshu.

Some sources say that the Japanese delegates were taken from Yokohama to the Missouri on the Lansdowne to sign the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945 and returned on the same ship. However this may be an error, and the ship involved could have been USS Nicholas (DD-449) (or the Lansdowne was used on one trip only).

On 15 October the Lansdowne left Yokohama to return to the United States, as part of Destroyer Squadron Nineteen. However they took an unusual route home – instead of the normal trip east they headed west, visiting Singapore, Colombo and Capetown before reaching the Brooklyn Navy Yard on 6 December 1945.

At some point during 1945 she was visited by President Harry S. Truman, presumably at New York in December.

On 17 January 1946 she left for Charleston, where she was decommissioned and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet on 2 May 1946.

On 10 June 1949 the Lansdowne was transferred to the Turkish Navy, where she served as the Gaziantep (D-344). She left Turkish service in 1973

On 28 July 1979 she was sunk by a Harpoon missile fired from USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968)) during exercises in the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean.  

Lansdowne received 12 battle stars for World War II service, for Attu, Treasury-Bougainville operations, Bismarck Archipelago, Asiatic-Pacific Raids of 1944, Marianas, Tinian, the Solomons, Okinawa, and three submarine attacks in July 1942.

U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann . The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.

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