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DD DDE DDR DESTROYERS Greyhounds of the Fleet


Bearmon
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Salvage Sailor

USS ENGLISH (DD-696)

Allen M. Sumner class in service 1944 to 1970

94093775_DD696USSENGLISHGemsco001.JPG.f2f13a5507afd506c0fcdd3e5dd265eb.JPG

 

607851754_DD696USSENGLISHGemsco004.JPG.c570f749d0ea8e07be4cbfcaeb2219ae.JPG

 

1619227317_DD696USSENGLISHGemsco005.JPG.c95c48fac9c39107935d190bd438b490.JPG

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Salvage Sailor

USS ELLIOT (DD-967) Spruance class in service 1977 to 2003

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 001.jpg

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 002.jpg

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 003.jpg

 

USS ELLIOT (DD-967) Spruance class in service 1977 to 2003 - Swiss Tex patch on the left

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 004.jpg

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 005a.jpg

 

USS ELLIOT (DD-967) Spruance class in service 1977 to 2003 - Shellback Patch with scroll (not named) - Imperium Neptuni Regis

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT 006a.jpg

 

USS ELLIOT (DD-967) Spruance class in service 1977 to 2003 - Bill the Cat - CE (Communications) Division, Westpac 1990

 

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CE Division - is manned by Electronics Technicians (ET) and Interior Communications Electricians (IC) who are responsible for the ship's navigational radars, communications equipment, IFF system, DTS television system, gyros, alarm panels, telephone network and the announcing systems.

 

Rescued 35 Vietnamese Boat People - WESTPAC 1990
 
Elliot departed San Diego for WestPac-90 on 1 February 1990 as part of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Carrier Battlegroup "Charlie." Ports visited included Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Pusan, Korea; Subic Bay, Philippines; Singapore; Pattaya Beach, Thailand; Diego Garcia, BIOT; Muscat, Oman; Fremantle; and Hong Kong. Elliot also participated in Team Spirit 1990 exercises with the South Korean military.
 
While transiting the South China Sea on 20 April 1990, Elliot rescued 35 Vietnamese refugees left adrift in a derelict boat and claiming to be the victims of pirates. Elliot's captain, CDR Timothy LaFleur, made the determination to embark the refugees and scuttle their boat. After the refugees were fed and clothed (many in clothes donated by crewmembers), Elliot turned them over to a representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Singapore on 21 April.
 
Elliot returned from deployment on 1 August 1990, one day before Iraq invaded Kuwait. Elliot then entered the NASSCO yards on 9 September 1990 and remained there until 17 December, thus spending the majority of the Persian Gulf War on the sidelines.

 

DD 967 USS ELLIOT CE Division Westpac 1990 004.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS JOHN YOUNG (DD-973) Spruance class in service 1978 to 2002

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 001.jpg

 

Cut edge patch rocker and ball cap patch

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 005.jpg

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 006.jpg

 

1978 Swiss Tex cut edge patch

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 003.jpg

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 004.jpg

 

USS JOHN YOUNG (DD-973) Spruance class in service 1978 to 2002 - Refugee Recovery Vehicle, 310 Vietnamese 'Boat People' April 1981

 

JOHN YOUNG sailed for the Far East on October 21, 1980 as part of the first Western Pacific deployment for the ship. After pausing at Subic Bay, Philippines, JOHN YOUNG joined Valiant Blitz 81-1, an amphibious exercise with Seventh Fleet units off Mindoro Island, in mid-November, maneuvers followed by the ASW exercise, Multiplex 81-1, off Okinawa in December. JOHN YOUNG conducted additional ASW work in the South China Sea during early 1981, as well as conducted a missile shoot in the Sea of Japan in early March, before setting course for Singapore.

 
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While en route, JOHN YOUNG spotted a small boat in distress and rescued 126 Vietnamese refugees. Twelve hours later, another 51 people were rescued from a 30-foot sampan. A week later, the destroyer rescued refugees from two more boats, adding another 131 refugees to the total. All these people were delivered to refugee officials at Pattaya Beach, Thailand. For their efforts, the crew received the Humanitarian Service Medal. The warship then returned to San Diego on 22 May 1981
 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 1981 Boat People 002.jpg

 

USS JOHN YOUNG (DD-973) Spruance class in service 1978 to 2002 - The Tanker War, Operation Praying Mantis, More Refugees & Post Gulf War Operation Enduring Peace, Arabian Gulf 1992
 
The warship next deployed in July 1987, when the ship escorted the USS RANGER (CV 61) Battle Group to the Middle East. While JOHN YOUNG participated in operations North of Diego Garcia, the "tanker war" in the Persian Gulf heated up after two Iraqi Exocet missiles struck USS STARK (FFG 31) off Kuwait.
 
Ironically, the US now blamed Iran to escalate the conflict and JOHN YOUNG and three other destroyers steamed into the Persian Gulf to attack Iranian oil platforms in the Rostam field, demolishing two - one by shellfire and the other by demolition charges - on October 19, 1987. The destroyer departed the region two weeks later, reaching San Diego on 30 December.
 
JOHN YOUNG again sailed to the Persian Gulf in December 1988, joining a joint task force exercise on January 27 1989. Although tensions had eased following the conclusion of the Iran-Iraq war, the destroyer provided escort services for 25 merchant ship transits in the Gulf over the following three months. Homeward bound and transiting the South China Sea, JOHN YOUNG rescued 46 Vietnamese refugees - a reprise of 1981. Ultimately, the ship reached San Diego on 14 June.
 
During an overhaul period in 1990, JOHN YOUNG received several major modifications, including the installation of a new sonar suite, a widened hanger for LAMPS 3, and a 61-cell vertical launch system (VLS). The latter was fitted with Tomahawk missiles while the Sea Sparrow system was modified to fire RIM-7M missiles. In addition, the warship received the Block I modification to the Phalanx CIWS. These modifications significantly improved JOHN YOUNG's combat capabilities, particularly in the area of long-range strike operations.
 
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Following a long series of exercises to test the ship’s new combat systems, JOHN YOUNG deployed again on January 1992. The ship returned to the Persian Gulf, this time to enforce United Nations (U.N.) sanctions against Iraq. Chopping to the newly established Central Command on February 27, the warship assumed the duties of Strike Operations Patrol Unit in early March.
 
Given JOHN YOUNG brand new strike planning capability, the destroyer received the nickname "King of Tomahawks" from Admiral Douglas J. Katz, CTF 154

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG 1992 002.jpg

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG jacket patch 001.jpg

 

8" x 11" Coverall Patch

 

DD 973 USS JOHN YOUNG jacket patch 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 6/29/2017 at 2:48 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

Gearing class USS O'HARE (DDR-889) In service 1945 to 1973

 

USS O'HARE (DDR-889) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1973

 

Earlier Gemsco version

DD 889 DDR 889 USS OHARE Gemsco 001.jpg

 

DD 889 DDR 889 USS OHARE 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 9/29/2017 at 9:05 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

 

Spruance class USS PAUL F FOSTER (DD-964) In service 1976 to 2003. Still in service as EDD-964 Assigned to NSWC Port Hueneme as SDTS ship.

 

1970's Swiss Tex patch

 

USS PAUL F FOSTER (DD-964) Persian Gulf North Arabian Gulf Deployment 1992

 

6" Jacket patch - Death points the way.....

DD 964 USS FOSTER WESTPAC 1992 001.jpg

 

DD 964 USS FOSTER WESTPAC 1992 002.jpg

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nice add

Thanks

Found it at a small sunday fleamarket in Wisconsin last week.

 

Thought I would add it as it was a different designation than the one posted with DDR

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Salvage Sailor

Salvage Sailor, on 25 Nov 2016 - 06:29 AM, said:snapback.png

On 11/25/2016 at 6:29 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Fletcher class destroyer USS BEALE (DDE-471) In service 1942 to 1968. She was designated DDE from 1951 to 1962

 

 

 

Different version USS BEALE (DDE-471)

 

DD 471 DDE 471 USS BEALE 003.jpg

 

USS BEALE (DDE-471) Fletcher class in service 1942 to 1968. She was designated DDE from 1951 to 1962

 

DD 471 DDE 471 USS BEALE 004.jpg

 

DD 471 DDE 471 USS BEALE 005.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 6/16/2017 at 8:06 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Gearing class Experimental Destroyer USS WITEK (E-DD-848) In service 1946 to 1968

 

Different version, USS WITEK (DD-848) Gearing class in service 1946 to 1968

DD 848 USS WITEK 001.jpg

 

DD 848 USS WITEK 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 3/18/2017 at 11:00 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Class leader USS FORREST SHERMAN (DD-951) In service 1955 to 1982

Three types of her patches, the first one with no name is difficult to find as it usually goes unrecognized as a USN destroyer patch

 

USS FORREST SHERMAN (DD-951) Class leader in service 1955 to 1982

 

DD 931 USS FORREST SHERMAN 003.jpg

 

A fourth (4th) version of her patch

 

DD 931 USS FORREST SHERMAN 004.jpg

 

USS FORREST SHERMAN (DD-951) Class leader in service 1955 to 1982

 

DD 931 USS FORREST SHERMAN 005.jpg

 

All four versions of her patch

 

DD 931 USS FORREST SHERMAN 006.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS HOLLISTER (DD-788) Gearing class named for the three Hollister brothers who were killed in 1943 while serving in the Navy during World War II. In service 1946 to 1979

DD 788 USS HOLLISTER 001.jpg

 

DD 788 USS HOLLISTER 002.jpg

 

DD 788 USS HOLLISTER 003.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 10/5/2018 at 10:40 AM, Bearmon said:

USS Harwood DDE 861 still on the GEMSCO card

 

 

Nice one Bearmon,

 

Thanks for the ID as a Gemsco on that one. Here's the same DDE-861 with the reverse side

 

DD 861 DDE 861 USS HARWOOD 003.jpg

 

DD 861 DDE 861 USS HARWOOD 004.jpg

 

Here's her DD-861 patch too.

 

USS HARWOOD (DD-861) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1973. She was designated as DDE from 1950 to 1963 and met an unfortunate end in 1973 just after being sold to the Turkish Navy.

 

Harwood was transferred to the Turkish Navy on 17 December 1973, and renamed TCG Kocatepe (D 354). The ship was sunk in error by Turkish Lockheed F-104 Starfighter aircraft on 22 July 1974, mistaking it for a Greek vessel during Turkish landings on Cyprus (some publications claim 21 July 1974). Sixty-seven Turkish marines and members of her crew were killed in the incident.

DD 861 DDE 861 USS HARWOOD 005.jpg

 

USS HARWOOD (DD-861) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1973. She was designated as DDE from 1950 to 1963 and reverted to DD-861 from July 1963 to her decommissioning in 1973

 

DD 861 USS HARWOOD 001.jpg

 

DD 861 USS HARWOOD 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS HEERMAN (DD-532) Fletcher class in service 1943 to 1957. Heerman was one of the famous Fletchers from Taffy 3 at the Battle of Samar, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.

 

Heermann was the only Taffy 3 destroyer to survive the battle and her damage was repaired after the Battle of Samar. For his skillful maneuvering and leadership Heermann's Commanding Officer, Commander Amos Hathaway, was awarded the Navy Cross. She continued her service and in 1945 participated in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, ending up in Tokyo Bay. After being placed in reserve in 1946, she was recommissioned for the Korean War. This is a Gemsco from her 1951-1957 service time. (note: Gemsco card photo from Navsource)

DD 532 USS HEERMAN Gemsco 001.jpg

 

DD 532 USS HEERMAN Gemsco 002.jpg

 

DD 532 USS HEERMAN Gemsco from Navsource 001.jpg

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USS Arnold J Isbell DD 869 Two patches smaller is 3 inches and the larger is 5 inches I have never seen this style before. Both cut from a deck jacket which was in worse shape than the patches I am afraid to remove them from the Jacket material

 

post-582-0-69017700-1539718397_thumb.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 1/16/2018 at 3:13 PM, Bearmon said:

It's getting pretty tough to find ones which haven't been posted. I think I have two

First up the USS Eugene A Greene DDR 711 She was a DDR from

1952 to 1963 before and after she was a DD decom'd in 1972

 

attachicon.gifUSS Eugene A Greene DDR 711 (2).jpg

 

Bearmon, (Killer Isbell patches btw)

 

The GREENE patch you have is the 1950's Gemsco version

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE GEMSCO 001.jpg

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE GEMSCO 002.jpg

 

This is the Gemsco version along with a different cut edge DDR-711 and the Gemsco DD-711 from the 1960's

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE 004.jpg

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE 001.jpg

 

USS EUGENE A. GREENE (DDR-711) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1972. She was redesignated DDR-711 on 18 July 1952. Greene reverted to DD-711 on 15 March 1963

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE 002.jpg

 

DD 711 DDR 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE 003.jpg

 

USS EUGENE A. GREENE (DD-711) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1972. She was redesignated DDR-711 on 18 July 1952. Greene reverted to DD-711 on 15 March 1963

 

Gemsco Cold War/Vietnam Era 1960's

 

DD 711 USS EUGENE A GREENE 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS WADLEIGH (DD-689) Fletcher class in service 1943 to 1962. Submarine killer, UDT platform, heavily damaged by Japanese mine

 

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SAIPAN

 

On D-Day, Wadleigh lay offshore, providing predawn gunfire support for underwater demolition teams (UDTs) and for the initial waves of troops. After spending the day in shelling enemy positions, she retired seaward to conduct screening patrols. While thus engaged, Wadleigh and Melvin both picked up strong sonar contacts with a submarine west of Tinian. Both ships went to general quarters and attacked, dropping depth charges with deadly precision. A heavy explosion, followed by a widening slick of oil and debris, indicated that whatever had been down there had been heavily hit. Postwar accounting revealed that the two destroyers had teamed to sink the Japanese submarine RO-114.
 
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Assigned to bombard Garapan, the capital city of Saipan, Wadleigh encountered heavy activity of all types in this area, from both friend and foe alike, while expending some 1,700 rounds of 5 inch shells against the Japanese-held island. Not only was Wadleigh fired on by a Japanese shore battery, but the doughty destroyer was also straddled by a stick of bombs from a Japanese plane, mistaken for a low-flying aircraft by American forces, and again taken under fire from shore—all within a hair-raising space of 15 minutes! During the latter days of the campaign Wadleigh shot enemy snipers out of caves, trees, and cliffs; picked up an occasional Japanese prisoner, and rescued downed American aircrews shot down near her position.
 
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Following escort runs to Eniwetok and Guadalcanal, Wadleigh was assigned to support the invasion of the Palaus. On 15 September, she patrolled north of the islands on radar picket duty, standing ready to provide early warning if Japanese planes were sighted.
 
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Shipboard made patch from WWII crewman, material from towel and uniform scraps, rocker 1950's
 
On the following day, Wadleigh steamed to Kossol Roads to begin assisting minesweepers in clearing the sealanes there. Floating mines swept up by the minesweepers provided the destroyers with "game", and Wadleigh destroyed 22 with 40-millimeter fire. The 23d, however, was deadly. While approaching one mine, the destroyer brushed horns with another, an unswept mine which burst amidships. The explosion ripped into the bowels of the ship, killing three men and injuring 20, while flooding three engineering compartments and one living space. As the crew raced to general quarters, the ship settled five feet by the stern, and listed seven degrees to starboard. Wadleigh—now sporting a 40-foot rent in her bottom—came to an even keel as the crew manhandled all moveable weight from starboard to port to correct the list.
 
post-2322-0-33060700-1543805122.jpg
 
Bennett passed a towline and towed the stricken destroyer out of danger. The crippled ship, now sagging noticeably amidships, "worked" noticeably in the swells, prompting initial fears that the ship was breaking in two. In addition, the shock of the blast snapped one radar antenna and jarred both 26-foot motor whaleboats from their blocks.
 
USS Wadleigh received six battle stars for WWII service

 

DD 689 USS WADLEIGH 003.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS HANSON (DDR-832) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1973. Hard fighting destroyer which earned 8 battle stars in Korea and 7 battle stars in Vietnam

 

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This is her DDR Radar Picket patch circa 1949-1963. She was converted in the FRAM program to a DD in 1964.

 

DD 832 DDR 832 USS HANSON 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS JOHN W. WEEKS (DD-701) Allen M. Sumner class in service 1944 to 1970. TF 38, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam. Four battle stars WWII & 2 Campaign stars Vietnam

 

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John Wingate Weeks, horn near Lancaster, N.H., 11 April 1860, was appointed to the Naval Academy 27 June 1877 and graduated 10 June 1881. After serving on Powhatan and Richmond, he returned to civilian life 30 June 1883 and distinguished himself as a civil engineer, financier, and political leader. From 1890 to 1900 he served in the Massachusetts Naval Brigade. "When War with Spain broke out, Weeks returned to the Navy as a Lieutenant, 23 April 1898. He was attached to Minnesota and served as Assistant to the Chief of Auxiliary Naval Force. After the end of the war, Weeks was discharged 28 October 1898. He was placed on the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia retired list as Rear Admiral 10 April 1900. In 1904 Weeks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until entering the Senate in 1913. In the 1916 Convention of the Republican Party Weeks received 105 votes for the presidential nomination. He became Secretary of War 4 March 1921 and held that post until illness forced him to resign 13 October 1925. He died at Lancaster, N.H., 12 July 1926. Navsource.com

 

DD 701 USS JOHN W. WEEKS 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS LOWRY (DD-770)

Allen M. Sumner class three war destroyer in service 1944 to 1973

130871832_DD770USSLOWRYGemsco001.JPG.5cb14500d1677540f7118ea37e5f0de4.JPG

 

DD 770 USS LOWRY 001.jpg

 

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WWII alongside a carrier at sea

 

DD 770 USS LOWRY 002.jpg

 

DD 770 USS LOWRY 003.jpg

 

USS LOWRY (DD-770) Allen M. Sumner class three-war destroyer in service 1944 to 1973 - Four battle stars for World War II serviceTwo campaign stars for Korean War service & two for Vietnam service

 

While in combat environment, she was credited with the destruction of six watercraft, eight bunkers and nineteen miscellaneous enemy structures. Forty-two Bunkers, forty one enemy structures and two watercraft were left damaged severely by her guns.

 

DD 770 USS LOWRY 004.jpg

 

DD 770 USS LOWRY 005.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 2/3/2017 at 9:29 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Allen M. Sumner class USS LYMAN K. SWENSON (DD-729) In service 1944 to 1971

 

Three different Japanese made patches, one marked 'Made in Japan'

The larger patch only has five diamonds on the sail rather than the usual six

 

USS LYMAN K. SWENSON (DD-729) Allen M. Sumner class in service 1944 to 1971

 

post-2322-0-41235100-1551645297.jpg

Gemsco red card version

 

DD 729 USS LYMAN K SWENSON Gemsco 003.jpg

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