Wreck of USS Tucker (DD-374)

 Second World War 1939-1945, military, shipwreck, destroyer (ship), United States Navy

Laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard in August 1934 as the 11th member of the Mahan Class of Destroyers, USS Tucker commissioned into active service with the US Atlantic Fleet in July 1936. Remaining in Atlantic waters for her shakedown cruise, the Tucker and her crew departed the Atlantic to join Destroyer Squadron 3, Destroyer Division 6 at San Diego as a member of the Pacific Fleet.

Taking part in several exercises with the Pacific Fleet during the next several years, the Tucker and her Squadron Mates were ordered to remain in Hawaiian waters after the completion of a series of wargames in 1940 as relations between the United States and Japan continued to deteriorate. Continuing her exercises throughout the South Pacific 1941, the Tucker returned to Pearl Harbor in mid-November for a period of upkeep and repair alongside the Destroyer Tender USS Whitney (AD-4). Still alongside the Whitney in cold iron on the morning of December 7th, 1941 as Japanese Carrier Forces mounted a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Tucker’s crew nonetheless manned their gun station and using auxiliary power fought back against their attackers, claiming two Japanese aircraft. With her repairs hurriedly completed, the Tucker began service patrolling around the Hawaiian Islands to guard against a potential invasion before beginning almost five straight months escorting convoys between the United States and Hawaii.

Ordered to the South Pacific as part of American efforts to build up defenses and stockpiles in advance of planned operations in the Solomon Islands, the Tucker departed Pearl Harbor in April 1942 as an escort for the Aviation Tender USS Wright (AV-1). Seeing her charge safely across the South Pacific with stops at Fiji, New Caledonia and Australia before returning to Fiji in early June, the Tucker spent two months screening convoys and conducting patrols out of Fiji before receiving orders to escort the tanker SS Nira Luckenbach to the island of Espiritu Santo. Departing Suva harbor on August 1st, the two ships safely arrived off Espiritu Santo on the evening of August 3rd and proceeded into the Bruat Channel between Malo and Aore Islands under the cover of darkness.

Unbeknownst to the crews of either ship, the Bruat Channel had been heavily mined the previous day by the USS Gamble (DM-15) in an effort to prevent Japanese Submarines from operating off the vital Allied harbor. After clearing nearly the entire length of the dangerous channel, the Tucker and Nira Luckenbach had just exchanged signals to communicate their approach path to the Segond Channel and Espiritu Santo Harbor beyond when the Tucker was rocked by an enormous explosion directly beneath her midship hull at 2145hrs. Lifted clear out of the water by the force of the blast, the Tucker’s keel snapped as she fell back to the water’s surface and quickly lost all headway. As damage control teams raced to their stations to counteract the catastrophic flooding entering the Tucker’s engine and boiler rooms, her hull began to jackknife as she settled amidships, prompting the order to abandon ship. Fearful of submarine attack, the Nira Luckenbach’s Master slowed his ship only long enough to lower his lifeboats before proceeding onward to the relative safety of Espiritu Santo harbor, leaving the Tucker and her crew to their fate.

As the ship continued to break in two pieces and flounder, the Tucker’s crew abandoned their ship in an orderly fashion, with many men choosing to swim ashore on nearby Aore Island to await rescue. By dawn the following morning, the Tucker was still afloat, albeit barely, when the Patrol Craft USS YP-346 threaded her way through the minefield to render assistance. Re-boarded by a volunteer crew, the Tucker was placed under tow in an attempt to beach her in shallow waters to aid in salvage efforts, however the additional stress on her battered hull proved to be too much for the ship to bear. Shortly after the tow began it became clear that the Tucker’s hull was giving out, and she was once again abandoned and the tow line released. Floating free for a few moments, the Tucker’s hull split in half and quickly sank in 10 fathoms at this location on August 4th, 1942. Musters taken later revealed that six of Tucker’s crew were lost during her sinking.

Partially salvaged after her sinking and after the war, the Tucker now lies in roughly 70ft of water off Aore Island in two pieces, with her Stern section upright and her Bow lying on its Port side approximately 330ft apart. Her wreck is considered a war grave.

For her actions during the Second World War, USS Tucker received one Battle Star.

www.navsource.org/archives/05/374.htm