Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 90495:  USS Duncan underway in the south Pacific, 7 October 1942

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

USS Duncan (DD-485), 1942-1942

USS Duncan, a 1630-ton Gleaves class destroyer built at Kearny, New Jersey, was commissioned in mid-April 1942. She departed the Atlantic coast for the Pacific in June and arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Caledonia, in September to participate in the campaign to hold Guadalcanal against an intense Japanese counter-offensive. On 15 September 1942, she was present when USS Wasp (CV-7) was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. When Wasp had to be scuttled, Duncan rescued hundreds of the carrier's crewmembers.

During the next weeks Duncan escorted Navy carriers and transports as they pushed reinforcements into the embattled Guadalcanal lodgment. On 11-12 October, she was part of a cruiser-destroyer task force that intercepted Japanese warships en route to bombard the U.S. position. In the resulting Battle of Cape Esperance, she made a heroic charge against the enemy. Her torpedoes and gunfire contributed to the fatal damage inflicted on the Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka. In return, however, Duncan was repeatedly hit and set afire. After salvage efforts proved futile, she sank off Savo Island on 12 October 1942.

This page features the only views we have concerning USS Duncan (DD-485).


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 #: NH 90494

USS Duncan (DD-485)


Completion photograph, taken by her builder, the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearny, New Jersey, on 15 April 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 495 pixels

 

High-Resolution JPG
Photo #: NH 97800

USS Duncan (DD-485)


En route from her builder's yard at Kearny, New Jersey, to be delivered to the Navy, 15 April 1942.
Note her camouflage.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 

High-Resolution JPG
Photo #: NH 97801

USS Duncan (DD-485)


En route from her builder's yard at Kearny, New Jersey, to be delivered to the Navy, 15 April 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 

High-Resolution JPG
Photo #: NH 90495

USS Duncan (DD-485)


Underway in the south Pacific on 7 October 1942, five days before she was sunk in the Battle of Cape Esperance.
Photographed from USS Copahee (ACV-12), which was then engaged in delivering aircraft to Guadalcanal.

The original photograph came from the illustrations package for Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II", volume V.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


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


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 28 November 2001
    Coding updated and link added 25 February 2009