USS Cascade (AD-16)
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USS ''Cascade'' (AD-16), the only ship of its class, was a
destroyer tender A destroyer tender or destroyer depot ship is a type of depot ship: an auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships. The use of this class has faded from its peak in the first half of ...
in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
. Originally designed as a passenger-freighter, the ''Cascade'' was launched on 6 June 1942 by
Western Pipe and Steel Company The Western Pipe and Steel Company (WPS) was an American manufacturing company that is best remembered today for its shipbuilding, construction of ships for the Maritime Commission in World War II. It also built ships for the U.S. Shipping Board ...
in
San Francisco, California San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Charles W. Crosse, wife of
Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
Charles W. Crosse, USN. It was turned over to the Matson Navigation Company of San Francisco, California, for outfitting in October 1942. The ''Cascade'' was commissioned on 12 March 1943.


Service history


1943–1944

''Cascade'' cleared San Francisco on 12 June 1943 for
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 Reci ...
, where she began her war time duty of tending
destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
s. As the war moved westward, ''Cascade'' followed, bringing her support close to the action areas. From November 1943, she was stationed successively at Kwajalein,
Eniwetok Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; , , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with its 296 people (as of 2021) forms a legi ...
, and
Ulithi Ulithi (, , or ; pronounced roughly as YOU-li-thee) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap, within Yap State. Name The name of the island goes back to Chuukic languages, Proto-Chuukic ''*úlú-diw ...
, while the ships she served ranged the
Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...
, escorting
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 ...
s, screening carrier
task force A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many ...
s, supporting
invasion An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity, usually in large numbers, entering territory (country subdivision), territory controlled by another similar entity, ...
s, and carrying out many other tasks with typical destroyer versatility. ''Cascade'' was the
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
of Service Squadron 4 in 1943. In June 1945, ''Cascade'' sailed to
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
, where she endured the
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raids and
typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
weather. She left Okinawan waters in September to serve in Wakayama, Japan and later at
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, supporting the occupation until March 1946, when she sailed for the East Coast. ''Cascade'' was decommissioned and placed in service in reserve at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, on 12 February 1947. In the autumn of 1943 Admiral Nimitz ordered the creation of two service squadrons. These two squadrons would provide mobile service to the fleet as it moved across the Pacific — with one service as fleet base while the second remained to the rear. As the fleet captured new sites the rear squadron would move to the front and act as fleet base. Service Squadron 4 was commissioned on 1 November 1943. The squadron was made up of 24 vessels and would be based in
Funafuti Funafuti is an atoll, comprising numerous islets, that serves as the capital of Tuvalu. As of the 2017 census, it has a population of 6,320 people. More people live in Funafuti than the rest of Tuvalu combined, with it containing approximately 6 ...
Atoll. ''Cascade'' was the flagship for the squadron. The repair ships and and 21 other ships comprised the squadron. On 21 November 1943 the ''Cascade'' arrived at Funafuti, where she remained until February 1944. During the stay at Funafuti the ''Cascade'' serviced numerous fleet vessels — including 10 destroyers and eight destroyer escorts. The second service squadron titled Service Squadron 10 was commissioned on 15 January 1944 at Pearl Harbor. After the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 the ''Cascade'' moved from Funafuti to Kwajalein. On 17 March 1944 Squadron 4 was absorbed into Squadron 10. The ''Cascade'' remained at Kwajalein until May 1944 when she moved to
Eniwetok Enewetak Atoll (; also spelled Eniwetok Atoll or sometimes Eniewetok; , , or , ; known to the Japanese as Brown Atoll or Brown Island; ) is a large coral atoll of 40 islands in the Pacific Ocean and with its 296 people (as of 2021) forms a legi ...
.


Ulithi

On 4 October 1944 Service Squadron 10 began leaving Eniwetok for
Ulithi Ulithi (, , or ; pronounced roughly as YOU-li-thee) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap, within Yap State. Name The name of the island goes back to Chuukic languages, Proto-Chuukic ''*úlú-diw ...
. On 8 October 1944 ''Cascade'' sailed for Ulithi. Following operations at Leyte, Task Force 38 arrived at Ulithi on 24 December. ''Cascade'' repaired the . On 4 March 1945 the destroyers and collided while conducting night battle drills while en route to Ulithi as part of Task Group 58.1. ''Ringgold's'' bow was sheared off to frame 22 and she was extensively damaged to frame 26 port and 38 starboard. ''Yarnall's'' bow was bent to the right and upward; her bow broke off and sank during towing. Upon arrival at Ulithi the ''Ringgold'' went alongside the ''Cascade'' for installation of a temporary bow. In early April the ''Ringgold'' departed for Pearl Harbor for permanent repairs. On 8 March 1944 the Commander Service Squadron 10 created the Mobile Fleet Motion Picture Sub-Exchange No. 1. The ''Prairie'' operated the north exchange and the ''Cascade'' operated a branch exchange to service ships in the southern anchorage of Ulithi. The program issued 100 35-mm films and 652 16-mm films per day during December 1944.


Court of Inquiry

In December 1944 a court of inquiry was held in the wardroom of the ''Cascade'', at Ulithi, regarding the loss of three ships and over 800 men from the US Third Fleet during a
typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
. The Third Fleet was under the command of William F. (Bull) Halsey, Jr. during the typhoon in mid-December 1944. Admiral Chester A. Nimitz, CINCPAC, was in attendance at the court. Forty-three-year-old Captain Herbert K. Gates, of the ''Cascade'', was the judge advocate for the court. Gates was an expert in mechanical and marine engineering.


Mediterranean, 1951–1974

Recommissioned on 5 April 1951, ''Cascade'' was based in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...
, as tender for the many destroyers home-ported there. From Newport she cruised to the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
and the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
to support the destroyers deployed there. During this time ''Cascade'' served as flagship, and carried the flag of commander, Service Force, 6th Fleet, and the flag of commander, Destroyer Flotilla 6. She also served as flagship for commander, Destroyer Force, Atlantic. She served in this role as flagship and tender up through 1963. From 1970 to 1974, the Cascade was forward deployed to the Mediterranean, homeported in Naples Italy. When was in the port of Naples ''Cascade'' was used even like a set for a scene of Italian Movie Polvere di stelle in 1973 with
Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, comedian, voice dubber, director, singer, composer and screenwriter. Sordi is considered one of the most important actors in the history of Italian cinema and one of the b ...
,
Monica Vitti Maria Luisa Ceciarelli (3 November 1931 – 2 February 2022), known professionally as Monica Vitti, was an Italian actress who starred in several award-winning films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the 1960s. She appeared with Marcel ...
and
John Phillip Law John Phillip Law (September 7, 1937 – May 13, 2008) was an American film actor. Following a breakthrough role as a Russian sailor in '' The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' (1966), Law became best known for his roles as ...
.


Decommissioning and sale

The ''Cascade'' was decommissioned on 22 November 1974 and struck from the
Naval Register A Navy Directory, Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a co ...
on 23 November 1974. She was subsequently sold for scrap to Luria Brother of
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, and dismantled at the Gulmar Yard in
Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...
starting September 1975. The anchor, along with mooring cleats, ended up at the front entrance of Danville High School in Danville, KY. The anchor has become a symbol of stability and security to all Danville Admirals. It keeps school spirit from drifting and stands as a constant reminder of admiral tradition. The anchor has been on loan from the Navy to DHS since it was placed.


Awards

''Cascade'' received one
battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star 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 service period. T ...
for
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
service. the USS Cascade AD16 embarked on the final cruise to the U.S. naval base in Norfolk when, at sea, it encountered a mechanical breaking of the main reduction gear, which led to shutting down at sea. we drifted for several days without power; the skeleton crew was about half of the complement population. after I was ordered to shut down the SSTG GENERATOR THROTTLE valve on top of the generator, there was nothing else to do about the danger of a greater problem the SSTG Ships service turbine generator ran on two boilers that announced general quarters and the mooring lines snapped away steam to the activated generator turbine fans. system the power was reduced to half of its potential. eventually, the ship reached Norfolk and as 3 days passed the ship's high sea suction manifold broke and the Cascade took on water from the broken manifold. the ship rested on its keel at 45 degrees this would have been much worse at sea. I was on the decommissioning clean-up crew. I would suggest this is to be taken as a factual story I was there and I will never forget this traumatic experience. the correct record would be in the log unless it was altered.


References

*


External links

* *
''Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil - The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat During World War II''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cascade (AD-16) Type C3-S-A2 ships of the United States Navy Ships built in San Francisco 1942 ships Destroyer tenders of the United States Navy World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Tenders of the United States Navy Destroyer tenders of the United States