Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 59856:  USS Charles Ausburne returning from an action in the Solomon Islands, 1943-1944

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570), 1942-1960

USS Charles Ausburne, a 2050-ton Fletcher class destroyer built at Orange, Texas, was commissioned in November 1942. In April and May 1943 she escorted convoys from the U.S. East Coast to North Africa and back, then went to the south Pacific to undertake escort and patrol duty in the Solomon Islands area. Beginning in late August 1943 she began missions into the waters between New Georgia and Bougainville, part of an effort to interdict Japanese supply and evacuation routes. This led to the sinking of two enemy barges off Vella Lavella on the night of 27-28 September 1943.

From late October 1943 into March 1944 Charles Ausburne was flagship of Captain Arleigh A. Burke, Commander Destroyer Squadron 23. Under his leadership, she participated in several successful actions, beginning with bombardments of Japanese airfields and gun batteries leading to the 1 November invasion of Bougainville. When the enemy responded to that operation by sending a force of cruisers and destroyers south to do battle, Charles Ausburne and the other members of DesRon 23 played a vital role in the resulting Battle of Empress Augusta Bay. Constantly engaged in shelling shore positions and fighting off air attacks in the following weeks, the squadron fought another surface action in the early morning darkness of 25 November 1943. This Battle of Cape St. George, which cost the enemy three destroyers of the five present, was termed "An almost perfect action" by the President of the Naval War College.

For the next three months, Charles Ausburne continued to operate in the waters around and north of Bougainville. In February 1944 she covered the Green Islands landings, bombarded Kavieng, New Ireland, and raided Japanese shipping. Becoming part of Task Force 58 in late March, she began a spring and early summer of escorting the fast carriers as they hit Japanese-held islands throughout the central Pacific before, during and after the invasion of the Marianas. She also screened carriers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June.

Following shipyard overhaul, Charles Ausburne arrived back in the war zone in November 1944 to begin supporting the reconquest of the Philippines. She escorted convoys to Mindoro in December, helped sink the Japanese destroyer Hinoki in early January, and then took part in the Lingayen landings. Following several months of additional operations in the Philippines, in May 1945 Charles Ausburne went north to Okinawa, where she was employed for the rest of the war on radar picket and other patrol duties. After returning to the United States, she was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation at Washington, D.C., in October, then went to Charleston, South Carolina, where she was decommissioned in April 1946. USS Charles Ausburne was transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany in April 1960 and renamed Z-6. She was served in the West German Navy until December 1967 and was scrapped in the following year.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570).

For other pictures related to this ship, see:

  • USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) -- Photographs taken after mid-1944; and
  • USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) -- Action, On Board and Miscellaneous Images.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 19-N-40545

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Orange, Texas, circa late 1942, at the time of her completion.
    This photograph was received by the Bureau of Ships in February 1943.
    Note the ship's two-tone camouflage scheme.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 106KB; 605 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-40543

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Orange, Texas, circa late 1942, at the time of her completion.
    This photograph was received by the Bureau of Ships in February 1943.
    Censored area by the ship's after superstructure deletes features ashore.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-40544

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Orange, Texas, circa late 1942, at the time of her completion.
    This photograph was received by the Bureau of Ships in February 1943.
    Note the 40mm twin anti-aircraft gun mounted on Charles Ausburne's after deck.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-40547

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Orange, Texas, circa late 1942, at the time of her completion.
    This photograph was received by the Bureau of Ships in February 1943.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 97KB; 600 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-41529

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Boston, Massachusetts, 6 March 1943.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

    Note:
    the data overlay in the lower part of this photograph has been applied backwards.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-41528

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Boston, Massachusetts, on 6 March 1943.
    Note that the ship's 40mm anti-aircraft gun battery has been increased since she was completed, and that she has been repainted.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

    Note:
    the data overlay in the lower part of this photograph has been applied backwards.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-41530

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Off Boston, Massachusetts, 6 March 1943.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

    Note:
    the data overlay in the lower part of this photograph has been applied backwards.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-201993

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Receiving mail by highline from USS Columbia (CL-56), while steaming in the Solomon Islands, 27 September 1943.
    On the night of 27-28 September, shortly after this photograph was taken, Charles Ausburne's gunfire sank two Japanese barges off Vella Lavella.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 59856

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Returning from an action in the Solomon Islands, 1943-1944, when she was part of Destroyer Squadron 23. That unit's "Little Beaver" insignia is visible on her bridge wing.
    Note empty gunpowder cases stacked amidships.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 470 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-232122

    USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570)


    Underway in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands on 23 March 1944, photographed from USS Montpelier (CL-57).
    Note crewmen standing at quarters on the destroyer's main deck and superstructure.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     

    For other pictures related to this ship, see:

  • USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) -- Photographs taken after mid-1944; and
  • USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) -- Action, On Board and Miscellaneous Images.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 12 September 2003
    Link added 10 January 2006