USS Stephen Potter
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Namesake | Stephen Potter |
Builder | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California |
Laid down | 27 October 1942 |
Launched | 28 April 1943 |
Commissioned | 21 October 1943 |
Decommissioned | 21 April 1958 |
Stricken | 1 December 1972 |
Nickname(s) | Steamin' Steve |
Fate | Sold for scrap, 27 November 1973 |
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 | 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers |
Speed | 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
Range | 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt |
Complement | 329 |
Armament |
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USS Stephen Potter (DD-538), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy. Stephen Potter was commissioned in 1943 and served in the Pacific during World War II. She was then mothballed until 1951 whereupon she saw service in several areas including the Korean War. In 1958 she was placed in reserve, and scrapped in 1973.
Namesake
Stephen Potter was born on 26 December 1896 in Saginaw, Michigan. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and was then a member of the second Yale University unit which left college in April 1917 to enter naval aviation. He trained with Volunteer Aerial Coast Patrol Unit No. 2 at Buffalo, New York, and was commissioned Ensign on 2 November 1917. He volunteered to go overseas immediately and was assigned to the Advanced School at Montchic, Gironde, France. He was later assigned to the British Royal Naval Air Station at Felixstowe, England.
On 25 April 1918 he flew from the
Construction and commissioning
Stephen Potter (DD-538) was laid down on 27 October 1942 by the
Stephen Potter held its shakedown in the
1944
Stephen Potter was in the screen of the fast carriers when they made the first strike against Truk on 17 and 18 February 1944. Intrepid was damaged on the 17th by an aircraft torpedo, and the DD escorted the carrier back to the Marshalls. Stephen Potter departed there on 27 February, called at Pearl Harbor, and sailed to the West Coast of the United States. She arrived on 13 March and, five days later, began the voyage back to Majuro where she rejoined the fast carriers.
Stephen Potter screened the carriers as they launched strikes on 21 and 22 April supporting the
Task Group 58.2 (TG 58.2) sortied on 6 June and, a week later, began strikes against
On 30 July, Stephen Potter joined TG 58.4 which, from 31 July to 8 August, provided air support for United States troops fighting
from 1 to 6 October when it again got underway.Stephen Potter screened Admiral
On 1 November, Stephen Potter proceeded to Ulithi, via Saipan, where she rendezvoused with the fast carriers and escorted them to the Philippines. Air strikes were flown against the Visayas area, Manila, and Luzon from 11 to 25 November when the force retired.
The task group had a short rest at Ulithi and, on 11 December, moved to the operating area east of Luzon to support the landings at Mindoro. Beginning on 14 December, the carriers launched strikes against Luzon for three consecutive days and, after refueling, returned to Ulithi on 24 December.
Stephen Potter was underway again on 30 December 1944 to join TG 38.2 en route to a launching point for attacks against Formosa. Air strikes were launched against Formosa and Okinawa for two days and, after moving southeast, against Luzon on 6 and 7 January 1945.
1945
Stephen Potter entered the
The task group was at sea again on 14 March and, four days later, launched attacks against airfields on
The destroyer was at sea again on 5 April with TG 58.2, in an area east of Okinawa. Strikes were flown against that island stronghold until 13 May when air raids were launched against Kyūshū. On 11 May, she picked up 107 survivors from
The war was over, and the destroyer was destined to be placed in the
1951–1958
On 29 March 1951, Stephen Potter was placed back in commission and, after a brief shakedown cruise, sailed on 23 June for the East Coast of the United States and duty with the
After returning to the United States, the destroyer entered the
On 21 April 1958, Stephen Potter was again placed out of commission, in reserve, and berthed at Mare Island, Calif. She remained there until 1 December 1972 when she was struck from the Navy List. Stephen Potter was sold 27 November 1973 and broken up for scrap.
Honors
Stephen Potter received 12
References
- ISBN 9781849086646.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.