Wreck of USS Strong (DD-467)
Solomon Islands /
Western /
Gizo /
World
/ Solomon Islands
/ Western
/ Gizo
World / Solomon Islands
Second World War 1939-1945, military, shipwreck, destroyer (ship), United States Navy
USS Strong was a Fletcher Class Destroyer in service with the US Navy during the Second World War and after her August 1942 commissioning she immediately sailed for war in the Atlantic, escorting convoys bound for North Africa. Departing for the Pacific Theatre in December 1942, the Strong arrived in the Solomon Islands in February 1943 where she began routine combat patrols of the hotly contested islands and waters through early 1943.
Joining up with Task Force 18 under the command of Rear Admiral Ainsworth on July 5th, 1943 the Strong sailed with the Light Cruisers Honolulu, Helena and St. Louis as part of Destroyer Division 41 on a shore bombardment mission in support of US Forces ashore on New Georgia at Bairoko Harbor.
Shortly after completing their first fire mission at 0040hrs lookouts on the Strong sighted a torpedo wake heading directly for the ship, launched from an undetected force of three Japanese Destroyers shadowing the group. The torpedo struck the Destroyer amidships in her Port Side, breaking her keel and sparking a large fire which brightly illuminated the hapless ship to Japanese shore batteries.
With shells raining down around the mortally wounded Strong, her sister Destroyer USS O’Bannon (DD-450) began covering fire as the USS Chevalier (DD-451) came alongside to offload the ships crew from the rapidly listing ship. After her list broached 60 degrees to Starboard the hull of the Strong gave way, breaking the ship broke in two and sending her down in this general area, spilling the rest of her crew into the water. As her stern sank into deeper waters several still-armed depth charges went off, injuring and killing several more men in the water. Despite the dangers posed by the detonations and Japanese shore batteries, the Chevalier remained onscene long enough to pick up the remaining living crew from the water before departing the area with the rest of TG 18 shortly after 0100hrs.
USS Strong two Battle Stars for her World War Two Service.
www.navsource.org/archives/05/467.htm
www.destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussstrong/index....
Joining up with Task Force 18 under the command of Rear Admiral Ainsworth on July 5th, 1943 the Strong sailed with the Light Cruisers Honolulu, Helena and St. Louis as part of Destroyer Division 41 on a shore bombardment mission in support of US Forces ashore on New Georgia at Bairoko Harbor.
Shortly after completing their first fire mission at 0040hrs lookouts on the Strong sighted a torpedo wake heading directly for the ship, launched from an undetected force of three Japanese Destroyers shadowing the group. The torpedo struck the Destroyer amidships in her Port Side, breaking her keel and sparking a large fire which brightly illuminated the hapless ship to Japanese shore batteries.
With shells raining down around the mortally wounded Strong, her sister Destroyer USS O’Bannon (DD-450) began covering fire as the USS Chevalier (DD-451) came alongside to offload the ships crew from the rapidly listing ship. After her list broached 60 degrees to Starboard the hull of the Strong gave way, breaking the ship broke in two and sending her down in this general area, spilling the rest of her crew into the water. As her stern sank into deeper waters several still-armed depth charges went off, injuring and killing several more men in the water. Despite the dangers posed by the detonations and Japanese shore batteries, the Chevalier remained onscene long enough to pick up the remaining living crew from the water before departing the area with the rest of TG 18 shortly after 0100hrs.
USS Strong two Battle Stars for her World War Two Service.
www.navsource.org/archives/05/467.htm
www.destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussstrong/index....
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Strong_(DD-467)
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Coordinates: 8°5'0"S 157°15'0"E
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