USS Fletcher (DD/DDE-445), named for Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher,
was the lead Fletcher-class destroyer, and served in the Pacific during World War II.
She received fifteen battle stars for World War II service, and five for Korean War service.

Fletcher was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company,
Kearny, New Jersey, on 2 October 1941. She was launched on 3 May 1942; sponsored
by Mrs. F. F. Fletcher, widow of Admiral Fletcher; and commissioned on 30 June 1942,
with Lieutenant Commander William M. Cole in command.

Fletcher retired to replenish at Espiritu Santo, arriving the day after the battle, and
after
patrolling against submarines off Nouméa, sortied on 30 November 1942,
with a force of cruisers and destroyers, to intercept a force of enemy transports and destroyers
expected to attempt a reinforcement of Guadalcanal that night. Fletcher led the force through
Lengo Channel, and made the first radar contact with the enemy off Tassafaronga Point just
before midnight. The resulting Battle of Tassafaronga saw one Japanese destroyer sunk, and one
slightly damaged, and four American cruisers badly damaged, though all but one were saved by
superb damage control measures. Fletcher rescued survivors of Northampton, ingeniously
using cork-floated cargo nets to take great groups of them from the water.

USS Honolulu (CL-48) of the United States Navy was a Brooklyn-class light cruiser active
in the Pacific War (World War II)

Honolulu sailed from Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands to intercept a Japanese Navy
convoy attempting to reinforce their positions on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
The Battle of Tassafaronga began shortly before midnight on 30 November, continuing through
the night. One Japanese destroyer was sunk by American cruiser gunfire, but four cruisers were
hit by Japanese torpedoes, with one of the cruisers, Northampton , sinking. Honolulu escaped
serious damage in this, one of the worst defeats suffered by the US Navy during World War II.

Honolulu operated out of Espiritu Santo in early 1943 with Task Force 67 (TF 67) in an attempt to
engage the "Tokyo Express".

USS Louisville (CA-28) – a Northampton-class heavy cruiser – was the third ship of the
United States Navy to be named for the city of Louisville, Kentucky. She was active
throughout the Pacific War.

On 11 November, the cruiser departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor, continuing, after a few
days on to the South Pacific, escorting several troop transports as far as New Caledonia. She then
proceeded north to Espiritu Santo to Join TF 67, which was then battling Japanese forces in the Solomons.

USS Saufley (DD/DDE/EDDE-465), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a warship of the United States
Navy named for pioneering Naval Aviator, Lieutenant Richard Saufley, USN.

Saufley was laid down on 27 January 1942 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny,
New Jersey; launched on 19 July 1942; sponsored by Saufley's widow, Mrs. Helen O'R. Scruggs;
and commissioned on 29 August 1942, Lieutenant Commander Bert F. Brown in command.

Following shakedown off northern New England, Saufley made several coastal escort runs and then
prepared for duty in the South Pacific. She departed Norfolk on 9 September. Arriving at Nouméa,
New Caledonia, on 2 December,Saufley commenced participation in the Guadalcanal campaign
three days later

The first USS Lang (DD-399) was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy during
World War II. She was named for John Lang.

Lang was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Kearny, New Jersey,
5 April 1937; launched 27 August 1938; sponsored by Mrs. William D. Leahy, wife of Admiral
William D. Leahy, Chief of Naval Operations; and commissioned 30 March 1939,
Lieutenant Commander Felix L. Johnson in command.

As flagship for DesDiv 15, part of TF 18, Lang departed San Diego 1 July to join in shore
bombardment exercises off Tonga in preparation for the Guadalcanal -Tulagi landings. Three
weeks later she screened Wasp as the carrier launched her aircraft in the first American land
offensive of the Pacific war.

USS Drayton (DD-366) was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy before and
during World War II. She was the second ship named for Captain Percival Drayton.
Drayton was launched 26 March 1936 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by
Miss B. E. Drayton, great-grandniece of Captain Drayton, and commissioned
1 September 1936, with Commander R. G. Pennoyer in command.

Drayton sailed from Pearl Harbor 17 November 1942 for action in the Solomon Islands.
She sortied from Espiritu Santo 29 November with TF 67 to intercept a Japanese naval
force guarding transports en route to reinforce Guadalcanal. That night, the American
ships battled a determined Japanese force off Tassafaronga. When the action was over,
Drayton picked up 128 survivors, including the commanding officer from Northampton,
and returned to Espiritu Santo 2 December. Drayton continued to operate in the Solomons
campaign, bombarding Munda, New Georgia, and protecting transports bound for the
Russell Islands. She escorted the unladen transports to Wellington, New Zealand, then
returned to Noumea 7 March 1943 for exercises and patrol with TF 64.

The third USS Lamson (DD-367) was a Mahan-class destroyer of the United States Navy;
named for Roswell Hawkes Lamson. She served in the Pacific during World War II.
Lamson participated in the Battle of Tassafaronga, and remained undamaged until hit by a
Japanese kamikaze during the recapture of the Philippines. Lamson was sunk during the
Operation Crossroads atomic weapons tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946.

On 30 November, Lamson joined Rear Admiral Wright’s Task Force 67 during the Battle of
Tassafaronga. One Japanese destroyer was sunk and one damaged while the American
force lost one cruiser and three damaged. Lamson returned to operate in the South Pacific
for the next 8 months, screening convoys en route to Guadalcanal. Constantly at sea on patrol
and ASW screen, the destroyer assisted other units as they paved the way for the
Allied advance across the Pacific.

Home

CL-50

CL-50 Archive Index

Fold3 Index