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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Silhouette of a Gleaves-class destroyer, of the same general type as USS Forrest.

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

USS Forrest (DD-461, later DMS-24), 1942-1946

USS Forrest, a 1630-ton Gleaves class destroyer, was built by the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts. Commissioned in mid-January 1942, she spent much of the next two years as an escort to the aircraft carrier Ranger, participating in the invasion of Morocco in November 1942, raids on shipping off Norway in October 1943, and several other missions. During the first quarter of 1944 she was employed on training duties, screened the new carrier Hornet and operated with an Atlantic anti-submarine group built around the escort carrier Guadalcanal.

Forrest went to British waters in April 1944 to prepare for upcoming amphibious operations. During the Normandy invasion in June she escorted shipping and bombarded German positions ashore. The destroyer then went to the Mediterranean Sea, where in August she took part in the invasion of Southern France and subsequently served as a convoy escort. Returning to the U.S. in November, she was converted to a high-speed minesweeper and redesignated DMS-24.

Following training in Chesapeake Bay, Forrest steamed to the Pacific in January 1945. In late March she helped clear mines in preparation for landings on Okinawa, then operated on patrol, escort and picket duties in the vicinity of that embattled island. On 27 May 1945, Forrest was hit by a "Kamikaze" suicide plane, which killed five of her crew and left the ship badly damaged. Though she was able to return to the U.S. East Coast under her own power, the war's end was at hand, and her damages were too severe to justify permanent repairs under those circumstances. USS Forrest was decommissioned at the end of November 1945 and sold for scrapping a year later.

This page provides information on images of USS Forrest (DD-461, later DMS-24) that may be available from the National Archives


Though the Naval Historical Center's photographic collection includes no images of USS Forrest (DD-461, later DMS-24), the National Archives appears to hold several views of her. The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 80-G-15821
    USS Forrest (DD-461) in a harbor, 25 April 1942.
    Starboard bow surface view, showing the ship painted in pattern camouflage.

  • Photo #: 80-G-15876
    As 80-G-15821, but starboard broadside surface view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-16977
    USS Forrest (DD-461) anchored off the coast of Bermuda, 8 October 1942.
    Port broadside surface view, taken from about the height of the ship's bridge.

  • Photo #: 80-G-383847
    USS Forrest (DD-461) alongside USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) for refueling, 20 February 1944. Photographed from on board Guadalcanal.
    Port bow surface view, seen from about the height of the top of Forrest's pilothouse. She is painted in a horizontal two-tone camouflage, probably Measure 22.

  • Photo #: 80-G-383845
    As 80-G-383847, but port quarter surface view


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


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    Page made 28 February 2004