Division of Naval History Ships’ Histories Section Navy DepartmentHISTORY OF USS WHITEHURST (DE 634)
The officers and men of the USS WHITEHURST (DE 634) stood stiffly at attention while Captain Gaddis, USN, read the orders placing the destroyer escort in commission. When he had finished, Lieutenant Commander James R. Grey, USN, stepped forward and read his orders giving him command of the newly commissioned combatant ship. These ceremonies took place on the afternoon of 19 November 1943 at the Bethlehem Steel Company, San Francisco, California, where the vessel was built.
Work started on the destroyer escort on 21 March 1943 when her keel was laid. Nearly six months later, 5 September 1943 she slid down the ways into the waters of San Francisco Bay, sponsored by Mrs. Robie S. Whitehurst, mother of the ship’s namesake.
First vessel to bear this name, the ship was named in honor of Ensign Henry Purefoy Whitehurst, Jr. Ensign Whitehurst, born 16 February 1920 at New Bern, North Carolina and was appointed a midshipman in 1938. He was killed in action while serving aboard the USS ASTORIA, 9 August 1942, in the battle of Savo Island.
When sea trials calibration tests and shakedown cruise had been completed she proceeded independently to Pearl Harbor arriving on 4 February 1944. Her stay was brief, getting underway on 7 February for Guadalcanal stopping at Majuro and Funafuti enroute. On 23 February, in company with the USS JAMES E. CRAIG and USS SC 502 she escorted the merchant ships SS GEORGE ROSS, GEORGE CONSTANTINE and ROBERT LUCAS to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides.
While moored at Espiritu Santo orders were received to proceed independently to Noumea, New Caledonia and she arrived at her destination on 5 March 1944. From Noumea she steamed to Espiritu Santo and remained there until 22 March 1944. Joining with the escorts USS OSTERHAUS and ACREE she got underway screening the oilers KANAKEE, ESCOMBIA and ATASCOSA. Four days later as the task unit ploughed through the Pacific the WHITEHURST and ATASCOSA departed the unit and steamed independently to rendezvous and refuel various task groups that were operating in the area. While refueling ships of Destroyer Squadron 47, a lone enemy plane appeared which was immediately taken under fire by all ships present. However, no hits were scored and the plane climbed to a higher altitude and passed out of sight. When refueling operations had been completed both ships returned to Espiritu Santo and the WHITEHURST was assigned to escort the USS PRESIDENT MONROE (AP 104) to Milne Bay, New Guinea.
Departure was taken on 6 April and the passage was made without incident. A variety of escort duties in the waters around New Guinea kept the DE occupied until 17 May 1944 at which time she proceeded to Wadke Island, Dutch New Guinea to participate in landings which were to take place there. After successful operations against the enemy on Wadke Island, the WHITEHURST was ordered to escort Echelon S-4 of the invasion force to Humbolt Bay in company with other units of Task Unit 72.2.9. Later she joined with the destroyers WILKES, SWANSON, NICHOLSON and the destroyer escort LOVELACE which were screening Echelon H-2 as it advanced on Bosnic, Biak, in the Southern Islands to carry out a landing there.
Arriving off Biak Island on 28 May, the WHITEHURST took up a patrolling station off the western entrance to the channel between Owl Island and Biak Island. While in this position she received a message from the LCI-34 urgently requesting help, as she was being fired upon by shore batteries. When the WHITEHURST arrived upon the scene she was taken under fire, but the shells fell harmlessly around her. When relieved by the USS STOCKTON and SWANSON she covered the LCT 260 as that ship evacuated casualties from the beach and then took up an anti-submarine station in the screen of Echelon H-2 which was returning to Humbolt Bay.
Routine escort duties and occasional training exercises kept the WHITEHURST steaming constantly between the South Pacific Islands. On 1 September 1944 while anchored briefly in Blanche Harbor, Treasury Island in the Solomons, Lieutenant Commander James R. Grey, USN, was relieved by Lieutenant Jack C. Horton, DE-V (G), USNR, as commanding officer of the DE 634.
With the tempo of the war increasing in the Pacific and as the enemy was repeatedly driven from one island to another, all eyes focused on the next major target….. The invasion of the Philippines. On 12 October 1944 Task Unit 77.7.1, composed of fleet tankers which were to supply units of the SEVENTH Fleet in support of the invasion of the Philippine Islands, was formed. The WHITEHURST took up her station in the anti-aircraft and anti-submarine screen.
As the task unit advanced on the Philippines, rendezvous was made with various task groups which were refueled at sea. After fighting off two attacking planes on 27 October which caused no damage to the ship, the WHITEHURST proceeded to the rendezvous area 100 miles east of Layte Gulf. On the twenty-ninth word was received that the USS EVERSOLE (DE 404) had been torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine. The WHITEHURST was detached from the task unit to screen the USS BULL which was picking up survivors. After nearly completing the search around the area, contact was made with an enemy sub. The WHITEHURST launched a full salvo of depth charges with negative results. Two minutes later contact was regained and a second full salvo was fired, also with negative results. The WHITEHURST was not to be discouraged and she continued to press the attack. Eleven seconds after the fourth full salvo had hit the water, five to seven bomb explosions were heard in quick succession and twenty seconds later a violent underwater explosion followed by heavy rumbling noises, jarred the ship.
The force of the explosion was so great that some of the ship’s underwater detecting gear was damaged and the USS BULL was asked to continue the search and if necessary to attack. The Bull made contact at the point of the explosion but reported that she could find nothing in the area but echo from disturbed water. As the surface of the sea calmed it could be noticed that there was a great many pieces of wood and other debris bobbing in the oil slick that was gradually covering the ocean’s surface.
Shortly thereafter the BULL returned to continue picking up survivors of the ill-fated EVERSOLE and later departed with 150 of the crewmen aboard. When it was determined that it was no longer necessary to continue with sound search, the WHITEHURST rejoined Task Unit 77.7.1 and returned to Kossol Roads.
She again came to grips with the enemy on 21 November. While returning to Hollandia, New Guinea from Layte, screening a twelve ship convoy, she was attacked on two separate occasions by Japanese "Lilly’s." In the first attack the plane skimmed in low over the water and dropped one medium bomb which fell clear of the ships, causing no damage, and then departed. The pilot of the second enemy plane was not so fortunate. As the plane started a low gliding bombing attack, the WHITEHURST opened firs. Hits from the ship were observed first and the plane caught fire and crashed into the ocean. But before the plane did catch on fire, other ships in the convoy had opened fire and hits from them were also observed. After this brief encounter the convoy continued on to New Guinea without further incident and arrived there on 25 November 1944.
The WHITEHURST continued to steam from one Pacific Isle to another, touching once at Brisbane, Australia, escorting countless convoys and their precious cargo, for five months before engaging the enemy again. On 6 April 1945 while patrolling off the island of Kerama Retta the WHITEHURST opened fire on and drove off an enemy plane that was attacking the USS PIERRE. Three days later she was relieved of her patrol duties, set a course for Okinawa arriving there on 10 April and took up a station off the southwest coast of Okinawa Shima. On 12 April 1945 while on patrolling station, a low flying enemy plane closed the CE and as it was brought under fire, it immediately veered off and flew out of range. Shortly after 2:30 p.m. four "Vals" were sighted approaching from the south. One that had separated from the others was taken under fire by the WHITEHURST. It circled rapidly and commenced a 40-degree angle dive. At the same time two other Vals attacked, one from the starboard beam and the other from astern. The two latter planes were shot down in flames, while the first continued his dive in spite of receiving several 20 mm hits. This plane crashed into the bridge structure. A small bomb jettisoned loose and went completely through the superstructure and exploded about 50 feet off the starboard bow. The entire bridge structure was enveloped in flames and all control and communications were lost. By quarter past three in the afternoon the fires had been brought under control and the USS VIGILANCE came alongside to render medical assistance.
After fires had been completely extinguished the WHITEHURST limped into Kerama Retto anchorage and shortly thereafter departed for Pearl Harbor for battle damage repairs. Pearl Harbor was reached on 10 May and the battle scarred veteran escort was drydocked for repairs and alterations.
With repairs and alterations finished and a training period completed, the USS WHITEHURST departed Pearl Harbor on 25 July 1945 for Luzon in the Philippines. Here she was to supply electrical power to the city of Manila. The remainder of August and the months of September and October were spent supplying the city with power. Then on 1 November she cast off her mooring lines and got underway to steam independently to Guam. However, word of a severe storm along her proposed route forced her to return to port and her departure was postponed until 3 November.
Guam was reached on the afternoon of 7 November. Here she was to operate as a unit of Escort Division 40, supplying electrical power to the dredge YM-25. On 5 December 1945 Lieutenant Commander Jack C. Horton, USNR, was relieved as commanding officer by Lieutenant (junior grade), Clair H. Gannon Jr., USNR.
As the year 1945 ended, the USS WHITEHURST (DE 634) was still moored to the USS YM-25 supplying electrical power. The WHITEHURST remained in Pacific waters for several months returning to the United States in April 1946. By directive dated January 1947 she was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet berthed in Florida. In the fall of 1950 she was once again placed in active service and participated in the Korean conflict. For her Korean service she earned the Korean Service medal (21 February – 19 September 1951) with three battle stars for the following engagements:
First U.N. Counter Offensive – 25 February – 21 April 1951
Communist China Spring Offensive – 22 April – 8 July 1951
U.S. Summer-Fall Offensive – 9 July – 13 September 1951
As a result of her World War II operations in the Pacific she earned seven battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Medal for the following actions:
1 Star/Asiatic-Pacific Raids – 1944
1 Star/Consolidation of the Solomon Islands Consolidation of Northern Solomons – 15, 22 June – 26 October 1944
1 Star/Hollandia Operation (Aitape, Humbolt Bay-Tanamerah Bay) – 26 April – 2,9 May 1944
1 Star/Western New Guinea operations Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area operation – 17-21, 23-25 May 1944 Biak Island operation – 27 May – 7 June 1944
1 Star/First anti-submarine assessment (Pacific) – October 1944
1 Star/Layte operation Layte landings – 21-30 October, 12-26 November 1944
1 Star/Okinawa Gunto operation Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto – 25 March – 15 April 1945
The USS WHITEHURST is currently on active duty with the U.S. Pacific Fleet with her home port at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii.
== STATISTICS ==
OVERALL LENGTH
306 feet
BEAM
37 feet
SPEED
23 knots
DISPLACEMENT
1,450 tons
COMPLEMENT
12 officers and 189 men
* * * * * * * * *
Compiled 28 May 1954
HEADING – T-A – 70.7.1 292128
D1634 – W-D1636 – D1637 GR76 BT
I HAVE RECEIVED YOUR REPORT OF THE SINKING OF A JAPANESE SUBMARINE 29 OCTOBER X. FINE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR SHIP INDICATES A WELL*TRAINED AND ALERT CREW AND THAT THE COMMANDING OFFICER DISPLAYED SKILL AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN HIS PERFORMANCE OF DUTYX I KNOW YOUR DIVISION IS PROUD AND ENVIOUS OF YOU X MY HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE TO ONE AND ALL OF THE WHITEHURST X.
CAPTAIN J. D. BEARD, USN – C.T.U. – 77.7.1 – BT K.
From: C.T.U. 77.7.1
To: WHITEHURST
Info: BOWERS & WITTER
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TO THE OFFICERS AND CREW: AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF IDLNESS WE HAVE AT LAST HAD A CHANCE TO PLOAY PART IN MAKING A FEW "GOOD" JAPS. THIS SUBMARINE ACTION TOGETHER WITH THE PLANE ATTACKS SHOWS BETTER THAN WORDS THAT WE MUST BE PREPARED AND ALERT AT ANY TIME. I AM PROUD TO BE COMMANDING OFFICER OF A SHIP WHICH WAS READY AND ABLE WHEN THE TIME CAME. LET US SEE THAT IT IS ALWAYS THAT WAY. THIS WAS NOT A ONE-MAN JOB BUT REQUIRED THE CAREFUL CO-ORDINATION OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND ALL HANDS. HAD ANY ONE PERSON NOT DONE HIS JOB CORRECTLY, THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT AND WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ONES SUNK. I AM CONVINCED WE SANK THE SUBMARINE, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED AND FROM THE EVIDENCE WE CAN PRODUCE, WE CAN EXPECT NO MORE THAN A "PROBABLY SUNK" OR A "PROBABLY DAMAGED" ASSESSMENT. MY HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO ALL HANDS.
J.C. Horton
Lieutenant, USNR
Commanding.
Theodore Roscoe’s Book – U.S. Destroyer Operations in World War II
p. 437 – Whitehurst Sinks I-45
Shortly after the Eversole went down, Destroyer Escort Whitehurst received over the TBS word from destroyer escort Bull that their sister DE had been torpedoed and sunk. Whitehurst was operating at the time with Task Unit 77.7.1, which had the mission of feeding fuel and ammunition supplies to unites of the Seventh Fleet supporting the Layte Landings.
After receiving word on Eversole, Destroyer Escort Bull requested a DE to act as anti-submarine screen while she rescued survivors. Whitehurst was thereupon dispatched to the scene of the sinking. Her skipper, Lieut. J.C. Horton, USNR, took the ship through a search pattern around the area. The search had almost been completed when Whitehurst picked up a sonar contact at 0545. Ten minutes later she reached firing position, and let fly with a full hedgehog salvo. Results were negative. At 0608, 0635, and 0648 she delivered hedgehog attacks. Eleven seconds after the fourth salvo splashed into the sea, a series of explosions echoed up from below. The rataplan ended in a thunderous detonation which ebbed away with a prolonged rumble. The undersea blasting was violent enough to knock out Whitehurst’s "pinging" gear."
Thereupon Bull was asked to continue the search. After a fruitless effort to gain contact, Bull’s skipper reported over TBS, "FROM THE SOUND OF THE EXPLOSION WHERE I WAS THREE MILES AWAY I DON’T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING LEFT OF THE SUB." His implication was correct. However, the destroyer men, making a daylight search of the area, discovered some submarine residue. Splintered teak, a wooden damage control plug, chunks of painted wood, and whatnot. After the war these items were attributed to the submarine I-45, the sub which probably sank Eversole.
Whitehurst had lost no time in tracking down and exterminating the Japanese killer.
Theodore Roscoe’s Book – U.S. Destroyer Operations in World War II
p. 491
In action on the afternoon of 12 April 1945 Destroyer Escort Whitehurst was maimed by a small but vicious bomb and a smash from a suicidal "Val." The plane plunged into the C.I.C. and the ship’s entire bridge superstructure was enveloped in flames. All hands in the C.I.C. and pilot house were killed. All in the radio room, on the deck below, and at most of the forward gun mounts were either killed or badly wounded. Although this was a baptism of fire for captain and crew, the Whitehurst men fought conflagration, battle damage, and successive kamikaze attacks with a veteran’s skill and discipline that saved the DE.
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