USS Sigourney (DD-643)
_underway_at_sea,_in_the_1950s_(NH_102799).jpg) USS Sigourney (DD-643) underway during the early or middle 1950s.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Namesake | James Sigourney |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down | 7 December 1942 |
| Launched | 24 April 1943 |
| Commissioned | 29 June 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 1 May 1960 |
| Stricken | 1 December 1974 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 31 July 1975 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Fletcher-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 2,050 tons |
| Length | 376 ft 6 in (114.7 m) |
| Beam | 39 ft 8 in (12.1 m) |
| Draft | 17 ft 9 in (5.4 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range |
|
| Complement | 329 |
| Armament |
|
USS Sigourney (DD-643) was a Fletcher-class destroyer, the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for James Sigourney, an officer during the War of 1812.
Sigourney was laid down on 7 December 1942 by
World War II
The destroyer underwent shakedown training in Casco Bay, Maine, and in the Bermuda operating area. After post-shakedown repairs, Sigourney sailed, on 14 September 1943, from Norfolk with cruiser Baltimore (CA-68) en route to the west coast. They arrived at San Diego on 3 October, and the DD departed the next day for Pearl Harbor. She was routed onward to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. The ship arrived on 25 October at Port Vila and then at Espiritu Santo on 26 October, where she was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 22 (DesRon 22), Destroyer Division 44 (DesDiv 44).
Southwest Pacific campaigns
Staging was then in progress for the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands. Sigourney escorted the transports of the assault phase to the landing area and then participated in the preliminary bombardment of the landing beaches on 1 November 1943. The ship was under air attack but suffered no damage while splashing two enemy planes. Sigourney then participated in resupply operations, with Task Force 31 (TF 31), from Tulagi to the beachhead. On the morning of 17 November, the destroyer was escorting a convoy to Empress Augusta Bay when it was attacked by Japanese planes. The convoy was illuminated by flares and torpedo planes began their runs. The high speed transport, McKean (APD-5), was struck by a torpedo and began to burn furiously. Sigourney and Talbot (DD-114) were alongside for approximately two hours trying to rescue survivors. Sigourney rescued 34 but as the two destroyers were illuminated by the burning transport, they were under constant air attack. Neither was damaged, and Sigourney splashed two of the planes.
On 10 December, Sigourney was damaged when she ran aground near Koiare, Bougainville.[1]
Sigourney and her squadron continued operations with TF 31 until 6 May 1944. The destroyer participated in anti
During March, Sigourney and her destroyer division operated under the direction of the Commanding General,
In mid-March, Sigourney was called upon to support the
Sigourney then made escort trips between
When Sigourney was released from the
Philippines campaigns
On the 19 October 1944, Sigourney shelled Red and White Beaches to cover
Nine days later, the destroyer was en route back to Leyte Gulf. She performed screening assignments and radar picket duties at the entrance to the gulf off
Sigourney next joined TG 79.2 (Attack Group Baker) which was formed at
Sigourney arrived at
1951 – 1960
Sigourney was placed in full commission again on 7 September 1951 at Charleston, S.C. She underwent shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay in early 1952 and, in April, joined DesRon 322 with Norfolk as her home port. She conducted local operations from there until October when she entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for an overhaul which lasted until January 1953. She returned to Guantanamo Bay for refresher training until March, after which she operated out of her home port. On 29 June, Sigourney began a combined seven-month Far East tour and round-the-world cruise. While in Korean waters, the destroyer was attached to TF 77, the Fast Carrier Force, and TF 95, the United Nations Blockading and Escort Force.
_in_heavy_weather_1957.jpg)
On 10 December 1953, Sigourney began her goodwill cruise which took her to Hong Kong, Singapore, Naples, Cannes, Gibraltar, and Lisbon before returning to Norfolk on 6 February 1954. In June, she took a Midshipman cruise to France and Spain before returning to her home port in August. The destroyer was overhauled from October 1954 until January 1955.
Sigourney made a cruise to
Sigourney was stricken 1 December 1974, sold 31 July 1975 and broken up for scrap.
Awards
Sigourney received nine
In popular culture
The Sigourney appeared in the movie Away All Boats, accurately depicting the Fletcher destroyer class's anti-aircraft role in the Pacific Theater.
References
- OCLC 41977179. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
- Photo gallery of Sigourney at NavSource Naval History
- hazegray.org: USS Sigourney
