USS Tucker (DD-374)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
| |
| Namesake: | Samuel Tucker |
| Builder: | Norfolk Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 15 August 1934 |
| Launched: | 26 February 1936 |
| Commissioned: | 23 July 1936 |
| Struck: | 2 December 1944 |
| Fate: | Struck mine off Espiritu Santo, 4 August 1942. Three dead, three missing, none recovered. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Mahan class destroyer |
| Displacement: | |
| Length: | 341 ft 3 in (104 m) |
| Beam: | 35 ft 6 in(10.8 m) |
| Draft: | 10 feet 7 inches (3.2 m) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | 2 General Electric steam turbines |
| Speed: | 37 knots (69 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,940 nmi (12,850 km; 7,990 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement: | 158 officers and enlisted men |
| Armament: |
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USS Tucker (DD-374) was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was named for Samuel Tucker, an officer in the Continental Navy and the United States Navy. Her class introduced major advances over traditional destroyers. Among them were a third set of quadruple torpedo tubes, protective gun shelters, and emergency diesel generators. Along with a steam propulsion system that was simpler and more efficient to operate.
Characteristics
Tucker displaced 1,500 long tons (1,524 t) at standard load and 1,725 long tons (1,753 t) at deep load. The ship's overall length was 341 feet 3 inches (104.0 m), the beam was 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m) and her draft was 10 feet 7 inches (3.2 m). She was powered by two General Electric geared steam turbines that developed a total of 46,000 shaft horsepower (34,000 kW) for a maximum speed of 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph). Her four Babcock & Wilcox or Foster Wheeler water-tube boilers generated the superheated steam needed for the turbines. Tucker carried a maximum of 523 long tons (531 t) of fuel oil, with a range of 6,940 nautical miles (12,850 km; 7,990 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). Her peacetime complement was 158 officers and enlisted men.[1] The wartime complement increased to approximately 250 officers and enlisted men.[2]
Tucker was fitted with a tripod foremast and a pole mainmast. To improve the anti-aircraft field of fire, the tripod foremast was constructed without nautical rigging.[3] In silhouette, the ship was similar to the larger Porter class that immediately preceded her.[4] She was fitted with the first emergency diesel generators, replacing the storage batteries of earlier destroyers. Gun crew shelters were built fore and aft for the superimposed weapons. A third quadruple set of torpedo tubes was added, with one mount on the centerline and two in the side positions. This required relocating one 5"/38 caliber gun to the aft deckhouse. Her'design incorporated a new generation of land-based propulsion machinery. With boiler pressures increasing to 600 PSI (pounds per square inch), and high-pressure turbines that had double reduction gears, which ran faster and more efficient than previous destroyer machinery.[3]
Armament
The main battery of Tucker consisted of five 5"/38 caliber guns, equipped with the MK 33 gun fire control system.[1] Each gun was dual-purpose, configured for surface and aircraft targets.[3] Her anti-aircraft battery had four water-cooled .50 caliber machine guns.[5] The ship was fitted with three quadruple torpedo-tube mounts for twelve 21-inch torpedoes, guided by the MK 27 torpedo fire-control system.[1] Depth charge roll-off racks were rigged on the stern of the ship.[6]
Construction and service
Tucker was one of the 18 ships constructed in the Mahan-class design.[7] She was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, the second vessel to be named for Samuel Tucker who was an officer in the Continental Navy and the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 15 August 1934, she was launched on 26 February 1936 and christened by Mrs. Leonard Thorner (relationship unknown). The ship was commissioned on 23 July 1936, with Lieutenant Commander George T. Howard in command. Following her shakedown cruise in the western Atlantic, Tucker joined the destroyer forces attached to the United States Battle Fleet based in San Diego, California. As part of Destroyer Squadron 3, Destroyer Division 6, she operated with the Battle Force along the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands. In February 1939, she took part in Fleet Problem XX, the naval exercise in the Caribbean personally observed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Houston (CA-30). As the international situation in the Pacific worsened, the fleet was ordered to return to Hawaiian waters in the spring of 1940.[8] During fleet exercises around Wake Island in June 1940, Tucker buttressed her fuel supply by rigging sails, allowing the ship to proceed at over 3 knots. She maintained her steerage and lingered on station for several days.[9] Tucker operated between the west coast and Hawaii through the end of the year. On 14 February 1941, she arrived at Pearl Harbor, from San Diego, and then proceeded to New Zealand, arriving at Auckland on 17 March to show the flag in that area of the world. Returning to Pearl Harbor from the South Pacific, she took part in routine exercises at sea before returning to her home port of San Diego, on 19 September. Getting underway again after a short stay, Tucker steamed to Hawaii as part of Task Force 19 and began operations anew in the Hawaiian Islands in November 1941. Shortly aftewords, she returned to Pearl Harbor for an overhaul by a destroyer tender.[8]
When the Janpanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Tucker was moored at berth X-9, East Loch, Pearl Harbor, along with four other destroyers and one destroyer tender: the Whitney (AD-4), Selfridge (DD-357), Case (DD-370), Reid (DD-369), and Conyngham (DD-371) - none of the ships ustained any damages. While all the destroyers were undergoing overhaul, they still managd to open fire on the attacking Japanese aircraft.[10] After overhaul, Tucker patrolled off Pearl Harbor, escorted convoys between the west coast and Hawaii and then steamed to the South Pacific. With the reinforcement of United States island bases in the Pacific, Tucker escorted Wright (AV-1) to Tutuila, American Samoa, as part of the drive to fortify these outposts. The destroyer then escorted her charge to Suva, Fiji Islands, and poceeded to Noumea, New Caledonia. Then steaming on for Australia, arriving at Sydney on 27 April. After taking on fuel, she visited Melbourne, Perth, and Fremantle before heading back to Sydney. With Wright, Tucker returned to Suva, arriving on 3 June 1942. For the remainder of June and into the first week of July, Tucker operated out of Suva; then relieved Boise (CL-47) 10 July on convoy escort duties. On 30 July, the ship arrived at Auckland and the following day steamed for the Fiji Islands.[8]
Fate
Tucker received orders at Suva to escort the SS Nira Luckenbach to Espiritu Santo; and, on 1 August, the two ships departed by way of a route north of Efate Island and west of the Malekula Islands. Threading their way through the Bruat channel, both ships then set courses to enter the Segond Channel for the final leg of their voyage to Espiritu Santo. At 21:45, Tucker struck a mine which exploded and broke the destroyer's back. She slowed to a halt, mortally stricken, and began folding up like a jackknife. The explosion instantly killed three men. Nira Luckenbach quickly sent boats to aid in rescuing the destroyermen as they abandoned their sinking ship.
By the next morning, YP-346 had arrived on the scene and attempted to tow the stricken destroyer into shallower water to facilitate salvage operations. Breese (DM-18) also arrived and stood by as YP-346 struggled to beach the foundering Tucker. However, the efforts soon failed; and Tucker jack-knifed and sank in 10 fathoms at 0445 on 4 August 1942.By the next morning, YP-346 had arrived on the scene and attempted to tow the stricken destroyer into shallower water to facilitate salvage operations. Breese (DM-18) also arrived and stood by as YP-346 struggled to beach the foundering Tucker. However, the efforts soon failed; and Tucker jack-knifed and sank in 10 fathoms at 0445 on 4 August 1942.
The minefield into which she had steamed had been laid by United States forces only the day before, on 2 August, and its existence had not yet been radioed to Tucker and Nira Luckenbach. Thus, Tucker's commanding officer and her crew had no idea of the dangerous waters into which they had steamed. The destroyer's only casualties were three men killed in the initial explosion and three more listed as "missing." Her name was struck from the Navy list on 2 December 1944.
Honors
Tucker received one battle star for her World War II service.
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Conway's Maritime Editors (author). Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Annapolis, MD. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-913-8.
- Friedman, Norman (1982). U.S. Destroyers. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-733-X.
- Hodges, Peter & Friedman, Norman (1979). Destroyer Weapons of World War 2. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-929-4.
- Reilly, John (1983). United States Navy Destroyers of World War II. Poole, Dorset, England: Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-1026-8
- Roscoe, Theodore (1953). U.S. Destroyer Operations In World Wr II. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-726-7.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
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