USS Drexler (DD-741)

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USS Drexler
Career (US) United States Navy ensign
Namesake: Henry Clay Drexler
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: 24 April 1944
Launched: 3 September 1944
Commissioned: 14 November 1944
Fate: Sunk by kamikaze 28 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type: Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
Displacement: 2,200 tons
Length: 376 ft 6 in (114.8 m)
Beam: 40 ft (12.2 m)
Draft: 15 ft 8 in (4.8 m)
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW);
2 propellers
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h)
Range: 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt
Complement: 336
Armament: 6 × 5 in./38 guns (12 cm),
12 × 40mm AA guns,
11 × 20mm AA guns,
10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes,
6 × depth charge projectors,
2 × depth charge tracks

USS Drexler (DD-741), a Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was named for Ensign Henry Clay Drexler, a Medal of Honor recipient.

The Drexler was launched 3 September 1944 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine; sponsored by Mrs. L. A. Drexler, mother of Ensign Drexler; and commissioned 14 November 1944, Commander R. L. Wilson in command.

Sailing from Norfolk 23 January 1945 to escort Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) to Trinidad, Drexler then sailed on to reach San Diego 10 February. Three days later she got underway for Pearl Harbor for antiaircraft and shore bombardment exercises until the 23rd when she sailed on escort duty to Guadalcanal and Ulithi, the staging area for the Okinawa invasion.

Drexler departed Ulithi 27 March 1945 bound for Okinawa and dangerous duty on a radar picket station. On 28 May at 0700 two suicide planes attacked Drexler and Lowry (DD-770). The first was downed by the combined fire of the two destroyers and planes from the combat air patrol. The second tried to crash onto Lowry but missed, hitting Drexler instead and cutting off all power and starting large gasoline fires. Despite the heavy damage she kept firing, aiding in shooting down three planes which attacked immediately after the crash. At 0703 yet another aircraft crashed in flames into Drexler's superstructure. A tremendous explosion followed and the destroyer rolled on her starboard side and sank stern first in 27°06' N., 127°38' E., less than a minute after the second hit. Because of the speed with which she sank, casualties were heavy: 158 dead and 52 wounded, including the commanding officer.

Drexler received one battle star for World War II service.

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

[edit] External links

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Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer
List of destroyers of the United States Navy
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