USS STERETT ASSOCIATION  |  www.sterett.net

HOME   |   SHIP STORE   |   FACEBOOK   |   ASSOCIATION NEWS


ASSOCIATION NEWS

Bulletin Board
Newsletters
Subscribe To News
FaceBook

MEMBERSHIP

Join Sterett Association
Association Officers

REUNION INFORMATION

Upcoming & Recent
Past Reunions

THE STERETT SHIPS

DD 27
DD 407
DLG 31
CG 31
DDG 104

SHIP STORE



LINKS OF INTEREST



CONTACT

Association Matters
Webmaster

USS Sterett DD-407 Ship Information



Sterett DD-407 was one of ten ships of the Benham class, the last of the 1500 ton destroyer classes. The class was a Gibbs and Cox design and the ten ships were constructed at six different shipyards, the Sterett being the only one built at the Charleston Navy Yard. Her keel was laid on December 2, 1936 and she was launched on October 27, 1938. Commissioning was August 15, 1939 with Lt. Cdr. Atherton Macondray her first C.O.

She had a length of 341 feet, a beam of 35 feet 6 inches and a mean draft of 11 feet. The three Babcock and Wilcox boilers had uptakes leading to a single stack and powered Westinghouse steam turbines developing 50,000 shaft horsepower for the two screws. With a 483 ton fuel oil capacity she had a cruising range of 8,730 nautical miles at 12 knots.

The original main battery configuration was four 5"/38 dual purpose guns in the new base ring mounts (vs. pedestal mounts) with the forward mounts in gunhouses and the after open mounts. Sixteen torpedo tubes in four quad mounts were amidships, two on each side. The torpedos were the 21" Mk15 and could be used for surface contacts only. The anti-aircraft battery consisted of four .50 caliber Browning machine guns arranged with two forward of the bridge and two atop the after deckhouse. The anti-submarine battery was two roll-off depth-charge racks mounted on the fantail with a complement of five 600 pound charges each.

Her initial complement was 175 crew and nine officers.
At war's end her complement was 235 crew and 16 officers.

USS Sterett DD-407 Benham-Class Destroyer

Laid down: 2 December 1936
Launched: 27 October 1938
Commissioned: 15 August 1939
Decommissioned: 2 November 1945
Struck: 25 February 1947
Naval Historical Center Photos
Length 341ft | Beam 35ft | Draft 17ft
Displacement: 1500 tons
Speed: 40.7 kt
Complement: 251
Builder: Charleston Navy Yard


USS Sterett DD-407 Navy-Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation

Sterett DD-407 was awarded numerous campaign ribbons and 12 battle stars for valiant WW II service. Among them was the Navy-Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action on the night of 12-13 November, 1942 in support of the Campaign to hold Guadalcanal.

Honor those shipmates who gave their lives during the Third Battle of Savo Island November 13, 1942.
Lost in Battle - But Not Forgotten




THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
to the
UNITED STATES SHIP STERETT
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:

"For extraordinary heroism in action against an enemy Japanese Task Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of November 12-13, 1942. Fighting boldly and with determination against units of the powerful enemy Fleet intent on bombarding our airfield in Guadalcanal, the U.S.S STERETT successfully engaged three Japanese vessels at close range during the thirty-four minutes of furious action. Scoring numerous hits on an enemy light cruiser, she then closed range to 3000 yards and fired a full salvo of torpedoes to cause two large explosions and assist in sinking a battleship. When an enemy destroyer was sighted at 1000 yards from her starboard bow, she immediately took it under fire and, with two torpedoes and two five-inch salvoes, exploded and sank the vessel before it could open fire. With her after section severely damaged and burning and with both after guns disabled as the remaining enemy ships concentrated their gunfire on her, she fought desperately to control the damage and succeeded in retiring from the battle area under her own power. A gallant fighting ship, superbly handled by her officers and men, the STERETT rendered invaluable service in defeating a major enemy attack at this point in the Solomon Islands Campaign."

For the President,
/Signed/ James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy


65 Anniversary of the Battle of Vella Gulf

A reunion of sailors who served aboard the six US Navy ships (including Sterett DD 407) that engaged the Tokyo Express in the August 1943 Battle of the Vella Gulf was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia on 7–10 August 2008. Because of the proximity of that event to the DDG 104 Commissioning ceremony in nearby Baltimore harbor on August 9th, it was fortunate that many of these WWII veterans were able to attend both events. Crew members of DD 407 attending the 65th Anniversary in Arlington were: Bill Goodson, Art Marrs, Henry McCullough, Fred Sherman, Bill Stella, Tommy Thompson and Jim Botkin. They were joined by Cal Calhoun and Jacque Hutchins for the DDG 104 Commissioning on Saturday evening.

Flag that flew over USS Sterett DD 407
during combat the night of Nov 12-13, 1942
in the Campaign to Hold Guadalcanal


DD-407 Archive

Campaign to Hold Guadalcanal November 1942

Sterett's Deck Log covering the days leading up to, and including, the combat action on 13-14 November 1942.
Open Deck Log

Read the official Action Report filed on 20 November 1942 chronicling the battle.
20 Nov 42 Action Report

Battle of Vella Gulf August 1943

Visit site presenting overall description, background, and historical perspective of this naval engagement.
Battle of Vella Gulf Description WIKI

The Battle of Vella Gulf by Daniel Arthur L. Lopez. This excellent paper provides a thorough examination of the battle.
The Battle of Vella Gulf

Radar Picket Station Invasion of Okinawa April 1945

DD-407 Kamakaze Damage 1945
The running "score card"
painted on Sterett to boost crew morale
during the dark days of war in the Pacific
DD-407 Crew 1945


THE TIN CAN PICKET LINE vs. THE KAMIKAZE
By Bob McMahon USS OKLAHOMA
Sterett's role is mentioned in this moving eyewitness account* of events on radar picket station during the invasion of Okinawa in the final months of WWII. Open Story

Want to follow the vivid first hand account of DD-407's
role in the Atlantic and in helping to continue turning the tide across the Pacific theater in WWII?


Read shipmate/author Captain C. Raymond ("Cal") Calhoun's book:
Tin Can Sailor: Life aboard the USS Sterett, 1939-1945
Available at: US Naval Institute Web Store , as well as most major on-line bookstores.
The true on-board story and tribute. A must for every Sterett library!


© 2012 USS Sterett Association