USS Perry (DD-844)

	Perry (DD-844) in 1969
History
United States
Name	USS Perry
Namesake	Oliver Hazard Perry
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down	14 May 1945
Launched	25 October 1945
Commissioned	17 January 1946
Decommissioned	1 July 1973
Stricken	1 July 1973
Fate	Sold for scrap, 24 June 1974
General characteristics
Class and type	Gearing-class destroyer
Displacement	3,460 long tons (3,516 t) full
Length	390 ft 6 in (119.02 m)
Beam	40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft	14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Propulsion	Geared turbines, 2 shafts, 60,000 shp (45 MW)
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	4,500 nmi (8,300 km) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	336
Armament	6 × 5"/38 caliber guns; 12 × 40 mm AA guns; 11 × 20 mm AA guns; 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 6 × depth charge projectors; 2 × depth charge tracks;

USS Perry (DD-844) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the fourth Navy ship of that name and the fifth named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), victor of the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 and one of the early heroes of the U.S. Navy.

Perry was laid down on 14 May 1945 by the

launched on 25 October 1945; sponsored by Mrs. George Tilton; and commissioned

on 17 January 1946.

Service history

1946–1959

Following shakedown off

Atlantic Fleet, and, in October, assisted in fighting the fire which ravaged the Maine resort of Mount Desert Island

.

Perry remained in the western Atlantic until January 1951, when she got underway again for the Mediterranean.

British Home Fleet and in May she returned to New England

and plane guard duties, local operations and training exercises.

In 1952, following her 3rd Mediterranean tour, she again served as Engineering School Ship and participated in type, fleet, and NATO exercises until resuming overseas employment in 1954. In the Mediterranean from January to June, she served as Gunnery School Ship on her return.

During the next four years Perry regularly deployed to the Mediterranean, patrolling, in early 1956, off the Suez Canal as the United States attempted to promote a peaceful settlement to the mounting crisis between Israel and the Arab League nations.

1960–1973

Between 29 April 1959 and 10 May 1960 Perry underwent

Middle East Force tours and operations in the western Atlantic, the latter including further Polaris tests, school ship duties for the Sonar School at Key West, and, in May 1965, patrol duties with Task Force 124 (TF 124) off the Dominican Republic

.

In 1969, Perry interrupted her previous schedule and on 11 January got underway for duty in the western Pacific. Arriving at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 29 February, she joined the 7th Fleet for operations off Vietnam. On her return to her homeport of Mayport, Florida, she ran into Hurricane Camille on 16 August. She was ordered to remain on course and report weather conditions, among which were wind speeds of 190 knots. Her department heads eventually convinced the commanding officer to change course, but since it was his first command, he was initially reluctant to do so. He finally requested a course change, but by then Perry had suffered significant structural damage, and on 3 September returned to her homeport for three months of repairs. Perry then resumed her duties with the Atlantic Fleet, continuing them into 1970.

Perry was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1973. She was sold on 24 June 1974 and broken up for scrap.

References

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

External links

Photo gallery of USS Perry at NavSource Naval History
USS Perry Reunion Association website