USS Laffey (DD-459)

USS ''Laffey'' (DD-459) was a of the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first destroyer named for Seaman Bartlett Laffey. She was lost in action on 13 November 1942.

Construction and commissioning

''Laffey'' was laid down on 13 January 1941 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company at San Francisco, California. She was launched 30 October 1941, sponsored by Miss Eleanor G. Forgerty, granddaughter of Seaman Laffey; and commissioned on 31 March 1942, Lieutenant Commander William E. Hank in command.

Service history

After shakedown off the west coast, ''Laffey'' headed for the war zone via Pearl Harbor, arriving at Efate on 28 August 1942. She steamed in the antisubmarine screen until she joined Task Force 18 on 6 September. When the flagship—the aircraft carrier —was sunk on 15 September, ''Laffey'' rescued survivors and returned them to Espiritu Santo. She sailed with Task Force 64 and touched at Noumea, New Caledonia, on 18 September.

''Laffey'' had her first fleet action in the Battle of Cape Esperance (also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island) on 11 and 12 October 1942. The destroyer operated with Admiral Norman Scott's cruiser group, guarding against Japanese attempts to reinforce Guadalcanal. On 11 October, when the group formed into single column, ''Laffey'' joined two other destroyers in the van. When the engagement began, ''Laffey'' raked the cruiser with three of her guns.

After the battle, ''Laffey'' met with a group escorting transports from Nouméa on 11 November, and sailed to Lunga Point, arriving the next day. The disembarking operations were interrupted by a heavy air attack. On 13 November, ''Laffey'' was placed in the van of a column of eight destroyers and five cruisers under Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan. Early in the midwatch, the radar operator reported contact with the enemy. It was a Japanese force of two battleships, one light cruiser, and 14 destroyers, under Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe, and the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. At the height of the violent battle, the battleship came through the darkness and her and ''Laffey'' headed at full speed for the same spot. They missed colliding by .Morison, ''Struggle for Guadalcanal'', p. 244 ''Laffey'' unleashed her torpedoes and, using all her firepower, raked the battleship's bridge, wounding Admiral Abe, and killing his chief of staff. Admiral Abe was thereafter limited in his ability to direct his ships for the rest of the battle. With a battleship on her stern, a second on her port beam, and the destroyers Yukikaze and Terizuki on her port bow, ''Laffey'' fought the Japanese ships with the three remaining main battery guns in a no-quarter duel at point-blank range. She was hit by a shell from ''Hiei''. Then, a torpedo fired from ''Yukikaze'' hit aft, blowing her fantail clean off, which served as the final blow as ''Laffey'' was put out of action. As the order to abandon ship was passed, a violent explosion ripped the destroyer apart and she sank immediately with heavy loss of life. This action earned her the Presidential Unit Citation.

Of the 247 crew members aboard, 59 were killed, including the commanding officer, William E. Hank. The wounded in the engagement numbered 116.

Awards

''Laffey'' was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her performance in the South Pacific, and three battle stars for service in World War II.

Service ribbons

References

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*- Firsthand account of the first engagement of the battle by the captain of the Japanese destroyer .
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External links

USS ''Laffey'' website
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Further reading

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Laffey (DD-459)
Benson-class destroyers
Ships built in San Francisco
1941 ships
World War II destroyers of the United States
Shipwrecks in Ironbottom Sound
Maritime incidents in November 1942
1992 archaeological discoveries
Naval magazine explosions