USS Cushing (DD-797)

History
United States
Name	USS Cushing (DD-797)
Namesake	William B. Cushing
Builder	Bethlehem Mariners Harbor, Staten Island
Laid down	3 May 1943
Launched	30 September 1943
Commissioned	17 January 1944
Decommissioned	3 February 1947
Homeport	Naval Station Bremerton
Honors and; awards	Six (6) battle stars
History
United States
Recommissioned	17 August 1951
Decommissioned	8 November 1960
Honors and; awards	Two (2) battle stars
Loaned to Brazil:	20 July 1961
History
Brazil
Name	Paraná (D29)
Acquired	20 July 1961
Stricken	1 August 1973
Fate	Scrapped, 1982
General characteristics
Class and type	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement	2,050 tons (standard);; 2,500 tons (full load);
Length	376.5 ft (114.8 m)
Beam	39.5 ft (12.0 m)
Draft	12.5 ft (3.8 m)
Propulsion	4 Babcock & Wilcox oil-fired boilers; 2 General Electric geared steam turbines; 2 screws; =60,000shp (45 MW)
Speed	36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph)
Range	5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	329 officers and men
Armament	5 × single Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System with Mk25 fire control radar linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer stabilized by a Mk6 8,500 rpm gyro.; 6–10 × 1.1 inch/75 caliber guns),; 7–10 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons,; 10 × torpedo tubes (2×5),; 6 × K-guns,; 2 × depth charge racks;

USS Cushing (DD-797) was a

launched on 30 September 1943, by Bethlehem Steel Co., in Staten Island, New York; she was sponsored by Miss Katherine A. Cushing, a daughter of Commander Cushing. The vessel's commissioning

was on 17 January 1944.

The Cushing was placed into active service twice by the United States Navy, first during

Taiwan Straits, and visited various ports strengthening national ties in the President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "People to People

" program.

Cushing was loaned to Brazil in 1961 and served in the Brazilian Navy as Paraná (D29) for twelve years.

Service history

World War II

Cushing sailed from

Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands

on 22 November 1944.

Sortieing with the

Indo-China

, China coast, and the Philippines until 28 January 1945.

Joining TF 58 for the strikes on the Japanese home islands, Cushing served as

Long Beach

on 3 February 1947.

Approx 20–23 December 1944, Cushing operated independently while rescuing some downed aviators. There were two notable incidents during this period. First there was the Betty, a twin-engined Japanese bomber. The Cushing lobbed some VT rounds at her, about 20,000 yards (18,000 m) (max range) to the west. The Betty, apparently damaged, came towards her, fishtailing to avoid heavy anti-aircraft artillery, when she was downed just off the stern of the Cushing, caused most likely by her 20 millimetres (0.79 in) rounds. It was possibly an early attempt at suicide attack. There was also a torpedo fired at the Cushing from a submarine, but it was detected by Sonar so that Cushing could turn and avoid.

1951 – 1960

Recommissioned on 17 August 1951, Cushing sailed from Long Beach on 15 November and arrived at Norfolk on 30 November to join the

Pacific Fleet

, she arrived at Long Beach on 26 January 1955.

In tours of duty in the

Charleston, South Carolina

, in October 1960, and the destroyer sailed to the east coast. Cushing was again placed out of commission, in reserve, at Norfolk, Va., on 8 November 1960.

Brazilian service

Cushing was loaned to Brazil 20 July 1961. She served in the Brazilian Navy as Paraná (D29). Paraná was struck on 1 August 1973, and broken up for scrap in February 1982.

Awards

Cushing received six

battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean War

service.

References

^ "USS Bush-Fletcher class". Retrieved 12 April 2007.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

[1] "USS Bush-Fletcher class". Retrieved 12 April 2007.

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