USS ''McCalla'' (DD-488), a , was the second ship of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
to be named for
Bowman H. McCalla
Rear Admiral Bowman Hendry McCalla (June 19, 1844 – May 6, 1910) was an officer in the United States Navy, who was noted for his roles in the Spanish–American War and putting down the Boxer Rebellion.
Biography
Bowman H. McCalla was born in ...
, who served during the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (cloc ...
and would eventually attain the rank of rear admiral.
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny ( ) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Newark. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 40,684,launched on 20 March 1942; sponsored by Mary MacArthur (Mrs.
Arthur MacArthur Arthur MacArthur is the name of:
*Arthur MacArthur Sr. (1815–1896), lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and acting governor for four days; United States federal judge
*Arthur MacArthur Jr. (1845–1912), his son, general in the United States Army an ...
), the daughter of R.Adm. McCalla The ship was commissioned on 27 May 1942.
Service history
1942
During shakedown ''McCalla'' undertook her first war assignment, escorting a New York-bound
convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
from
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city located at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations, and part of ...
, 19 July 1942. On 3 August, she formally reported at Norfolk for brief
antisubmarine
An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
(ASW) employment along the mid Atlantic coast. Two weeks later she escorted oilers to Aruba and continued on to the Pacific, reporting to Commander,
South Pacific Area
The South Pacific Area (SOPAC) was a multinational U.S.-led military command active during World War II. It was a part of the U.S. Pacific Ocean Areas under Admiral Chester Nimitz.
The delineation and establishment of the Pacific Ocean Areas was ...
(ComSoPac) 28 September at
Nouméa
Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and ...
marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
on Guadalcanal. Ordered to search for and destroy enemy ships and landing craft, the force patrolled primarily north of the island. On the nights of 11 and 13 October, they encountered a Japanese force off
Cape Esperance
Cape Esperance () is the northernmost point on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
History
The Battle of Cape Esperance, one of several naval engagements fought in the waters north of the island during the World War II Guadalcanal campaign, took its ...
under Rear Admiral
Aritomo Gotō
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Early career
Gotō was born in Ibaraki prefecture in 1888. He graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 30th out of a class of 149 ca ...
convoying reinforcements to Guadalcanal. In the ensuing battle both forces accomplished their missions, but the cost to the Japanese was greater. Admiral Gotō was killed,
heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...
and destroyer were lost, and heavy cruiser was forced to return to Japan for repairs. In addition, as they attempted to rescue survivors the next day, two Japanese destroyers, and , were sunk by aircraft from Henderson Field. Admiral Scott's force lost the destroyer , while damage to the cruiser required navy yard repairs. ''McCalla'' rescued 195''DANFS'' says 197; bu says 195. Th says 160 unwounded survivors plus 35 wounded. of ''Duncan''s crew, and captured three Japanese sailors.
As the campaign for Guadalcanal extended, ''McCalla''s anti-shipping activities continued. On 2 November, she depth charged an area in which submarine contact had been made. On 25 November, she was cruising off Tassafaronga Point when a number of landing boats were reported maneuvering along the coast; ''McCalla'' destroyed 40 of the Japanese craft.
1943
During the first half of 1943 ''McCalla'' sailed among the Fiji,
New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...
, and
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
performing plane guard, escort and antisubmarine patrol duties. Toward the end of June the
New Georgia campaign
The New Georgia campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied strategy in the South Pacific to isolate th ...
began. ''McCalla'' departed
Efate
Efate (french: Éfaté) is an island in the Pacific Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu. It is also known as Île Vate.
Geography
It is the most populous (approx. 66,000) island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanu ...
on 26 June to escort troop transports to
Rendova Island
Rendova is an island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea.
Geography
Rendova Island is a roughly rectangularly-shaped island, located in the South Pacific in the New Georgia Islands. The ...
. On 30 June, after the landings, the force was attacked by Japanese aircraft. As the first wave,
torpedo plane
A torpedo bomber is a military aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes. Torpedo bombers came into existence just before the World War I, First World War almost as soon as aircraft were built that were capable of carryin ...
s, pressed in, the transport was torpedoed. ''McCalla''s guns splashed one with two possibles; in the second wave, dive bombers, they splashed one and assisted with another kill. She then rescued 98 of ''McCawley''s crew.
By 5 July, ''McCalla'' was back in the
New Georgia
New Georgia, with an area of , is the largest of the islands in Western Province, Solomon Islands, and the 200th-largest island in the world.
Geography
New Georgia island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most ...
area to screen the landing of Marine Raiders at Rice Anchorage. On 9 July, she took part in the bombardment of Munda airfield and then returned to escort and antisubmarine work.
At the end of September ''McCalla'' and the destroyer collided, with serious damage to ''McCalla''s bow. Temporary repairs were effected at
Purvis Bay
Purvis Bay is located in the Nggela Islands, part of the Solomon Islands. Purvis Bay is the sheltered area to the south of the island Nggela Sule (referred to as Florida Island during World War II), including and trending southeast from the neighbo ...
,
Florida Island
The Nggela Islands, also known as the Florida Islands, are a small island group in the Central Province of Solomon Islands, a sovereign state (since 1978) in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
The chain is composed of four larger islands and about ...
, before she departed for shipyard repairs at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. While en route, she rescued 868 survivors of the torpedoed
troop transport
A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
.
1944–1946
Ready for war duty again by 8 January 1944, ''McCalla'' got underway for the South Pacific. A month later she was at
Majuro
Majuro (; Marshallese: ' ) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The ato ...
to resume ASW operations and escort assignments in the
Marshalls
Marshalls is an American chain of off-price department stores owned by TJX Companies. Marshalls has over 1,000 American stores, including larger stores named Marshalls Mega Store, covering 42 states and Puerto Rico, and 61 stores in Canada. M ...
. On 24 April she returned to
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
for aircraft carrier group exercises and upon her return to Majuro, 30 May, was attached to fast carrier TF 58. Until the end of October she operated as a unit in the fast carrier screen, participating in strikes on the Marianas, Bonins,
Palaus
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Car ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
.
''McCalla'' returned to escort work 24 October and for the next four months conducted convoys between ports on
Ulithi
Ulithi ( yap, Wulthiy, , or ) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap.
Overview
Ulithi consists of 40 islets totaling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the larges ...
,
Eniwetok
Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; mh, Ānewetak, , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ja, ブラウン環礁) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with i ...
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
. At Leyte in mid-February 1945 she commenced interisland escort duties in the Philippines, extending her range to the Netherlands East Indies in June. Early in July she received her last World War II assignment, mopping-up operations in the western Carolines.
On 22 July, she got underway for
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, arriving 9 August for overhaul preparatory to deactivation. By the end of January 1946 she was en route to Charleston, South Carolina. There she decommissioned 17 May and entered the
Atlantic Reserve Fleet
The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and s ...
.
''McCalla'' received 10
battle star
A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...
s for World War II service.
TCG ''Giresun'' (D 345)
Recommissioned 11 December 1948, ''McCalla'' prepared for transferring to the
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Naval Forces ( tr, ), or Turkish Navy ( tr, ) is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The modern naval traditions and customs of the Turkish Navy can be traced back to 10 July 1920, when it was establis ...
. She took several short cruises up and down the Atlantic coast with a nucleus Turkish crew aboard for training purposes. Then, in the spring of 1949 she sailed for
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
where she decommissioned 29 April 1949, transferred to the Turkish Navy and recommissioned the same day as TCG ''Giresun'' (D 345). ''Giresun'' was stricken and scrapped in 1973.