USS Conyngham (DD-371)

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	14 September 1934
Commissioned:	4 November 1936
Decommissioned:	20 December 1946
Fate:	sunk in test 2 July 1948
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	1,500 tons
Length:	341 ft 4 in (104 m)
Beam:	35 ft (10,7 m)
Draught:	9 ft 10 in (2,8 m)
Propulsion:
Speed:	37 knots
Range:
Complement:	158 officers and crew
Armament:	5 x 5 in (127 mm), 12 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

The second USS Conyngham (DD-371) was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Gustavus Conyngham.

Conyngham was launched 14 September 1934 by Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. A. C. G. Johnson; and commissioned 4 November 1936, Commander G. C. Hoover in command.

In the spring of 1937, Conyngham, made her maiden cruise to ports of northern Europe, and after overhaul at Boston, Massachusetts, sailed for San Diego, California where from 22 October she conducted training exercises. Operations along the west coast, in the Hawaiian Islands, and in the Caribbean continued until 2 April 1940, when she sailed from San Diego for Pearl Harbor, and duty with the security patrol. In March 1941, she sailed on a cruise to Samoa, Fiji, and Australia, returning to local operations from Pearl Harbor.

On 7 December 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Conyngham joined in repelling the attackers. The following is the Captian's report on that action.

From: The Commanding Officer.

To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Subject: Raid December 7, 1941 – Report on.

1. During the raid on December 7, 1941 the Conyngham was heading North by Northeast, moored starboard side to the Whitney at berth X-8. The Reid, Tucker, Case and Selfridge were nested outboard of the Conyngham in order named. The ship was undergoing routine tender overhaul with all main engines, boilers and generators disabled. Power was being received from the tender.

2. At 0755 a large fire was noted on Ford Island and horizontal and dive bombing planes were observed attacking the Island; sounded general quarters. At 0757 torpedo planes were observed attacking Raleigh, Utah, and Detroit from the West.

3. At 0808 opened fire with 5" guns (No. 4 and 5 in local control) at planes over Ford Island and with all machine guns on attacking planes as they flew low past the net heading to Northward from vicinity of Ford Island. At 0813 attacking plane was shot down by combined fire of nest and crashed in vicinity of USS Curtiss. At 0818 opened fire with 5" guns (No. 1 and 2 in director control) at horizontal bombers passing overhead in direction of Schofield Barracks. At 0825 opened fire with forward 5" and machine guns at planes strafing the nest from direction of Pearl City. At 0826 planes crossing low ahead of nest to Northeastward were taken under fire; one burst into flames and crashed in a clump of trees in Aiea heights and exploded. At 0830 plane diving toward Ford Island from Northeastward was shot down by combined fire of nest. At 0855 opened fire at planes strafing ahead and astern. At 0908 one plane attacking on starboard bow was shot down by nest and crashed in Pearl City. 0910 opened fire on horizontal bombers approaching from ahead from direction of Schofield Barracks. At 0920 opened fire on planes diving from port side of nest.

4. Except for a .30 caliber bullet that glanced off the fire control platform deck and penetrated a battery box and minor rupture of the covering of the 5" battery rangefinder caused by a small caliber bullet or fragment the Conyngham received no damage. There were no personnel casualties.

5. Ammunition expended – Gun 1, 20 rounds; Gun 2, 24 rounds; Gun 4, 30 rounds; Gun 5, 40 rounds; total, 114, 5"/38 cal.; .50 cal machine guns, 2,500 rounds.

6. The conduct of personnel was outstanding.

7. Immediately upon commencement of the raid work was begun to recommission the engineering plant with all possible speed. The plant was in commission and the ship got underway at 1714 that date.

[signed] HENRY C. DANIEL.

Conyngham continued to patrol from Pearl Harbor through December, and after a brief overhaul at Mare Island, had escort duty between the west coast and the New Hebrides. In June 1942, Conyngham's escort duties were interrupted to screen carriers in the Battle of Midway, and fought on 4, 5, and 6 June.

Conyngham returned to escort duties until 16 October 1942, when she put out from Pearl Harbor to screen Enterprise (CV-6) for action in the Southwest Pacific. She defended the carriers in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October. On 2 November, Conyngham bombarded Kokumbona, and while maneuvering in close quarters, collided with another destroyer. The resulting damage was repaired at Noumea and Pearl Harbor. Conyngham returned to Espiritu Santo 4 February 1943 to resume her support of the Guadalcanal operation. On 7 February she bombarded Doma Cove, and for the next 5 months, continued patrol and escort duties between bases in the South Pacific and Australia.

Conyngham brought gunfire support to Operation Chronicle, landings on Woodlark and Kiriwina Islands, off New Guinea from 1 to 3 July 1943, and on 23 August bombarded Finschhafen, New Guinea. On 4 September she screened landings at Lae, New Guinea, and was attacked by three bombers, which damaged her with near misses. Quickly repaired, she returned to Finschhafen 22 September to cover landings, then sailed to Brisbane, Australia. She was back in action for the landings on Arawe, New Britain, on 15 December, on Cape Gloucester 26 December, and on Saidor, New Guinea, 2 January 1944. She continued duties in the New Guinea area, aside from a repair period in Australia in January 1944, until she sailed in March for an overhaul at San Francisco, California.

Returning to Majuro late in May 1944, Conyngham sailed with TF 58, screening battleships during the Marianas operation. On 13 June she fired in the bombardment of Saipan, and remained in the Marianas offering fire support, escort, and patrol services until August. After escorting ships in preparation for the return to the Philippines. Conyngham arrived in Leyte Gulf 4 November screening reinforcements. She was strafed by a float plane on 16 November, which wounded 17 of her men and caused slight damage to the ship. On 7 December she covered the landings in Ormoc Bay under heavy air attack, and on 11 December, entered Ormoc Bay again with reinforcements.

Putting into Manus for replenishment 23 December 1944, Conyngham sailed on to Hollandia to join the screen of a convoy bound for Leyte and on the landings in Lingayen Gulf. Here she joined in preassault bombardment, and remained on patrol after the landings of 9 January 1945 until 18 January. At Subic Bay from 22 July for overhaul, she remained there at the close of the war, and was decommissioned 20 December 1946. Used as a target in the 1946 atomic weapons tests at Bikini, she was destroyed by sinking 2 July 1948 off the California coast.