USS Meredith (DD-726)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Meredith.
History
United States
Namesake: Jonathan Meredith
Ordered: 1942
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: 26 July 1943
Launched: 21 December 1943
Commissioned: 14 March 1944
Fate: Sunk 9 June 1944, sold and scrapped 5 August 1960
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 nm @ 15 kn (12,000 km @ 28 km/h)
Complement: 336
Armament:
  • 6 × 5 in/38 cal 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 Meredith (DD-726), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jonathan Meredith, a Marine sergeant who saved the life of Lieutenant John Trippe of Vixen, during the Barbary Wars.

Meredith was laid down on 26 July 1943 by Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine; launched on 21 December 1943, sponsored by Mrs. William Kepper; and commissioned on 14 March 1944, with Commander George Knuepfer in command.

Service history

After shakedown off Bermuda, Meredith departed Boston on 8 May 1944 as an escort in a convoy, arriving Plymouth, England, on the 27th. Between 5 and 6 June, she served as escort to transports assembling for the Normandy invasion. On 6 June, Meredith gave gunfire support to the landing forces on Utah Beach. Early in the morning of the following day, while patrolling the offshore waters as a screening vessel, she struck a mine.[1] Severely damaged, with a loss of seven killed and over 50 wounded and missing, Meredith was towed to an anchorage in the Baie de la Seine to be salvaged. However, on the morning of 9 June, her seams were further opened by an enemy bombing raid and shortly after she broke in two without warning and sank. Bates rescued 163 survivors.

On 5 August 1960, the sunken hulk was sold to St. Française de Recherches of France. The hulk of the Meredith was raised and scrapped in September 1960.

Awards

Meredith received one battle star for World War II service.

References

  1. ↑ "Meredith III (DD-726)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
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