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

Photo # NH 97913:  USS Gwin underway in 1941

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

USS Gwin (DD-433), 1941-1943

USS Gwin, a 1620-ton Gleaves class destroyer, was built at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts. Commissioned in January 1941, she conducted Neutrality Patrols in the Caribbean until September, and thereafter participated in "short of war" operations out of Iceland. Gwin was transferred to the Pacific soon after the U.S. formally entered World War II in December 1941. In April 1942, she was part of the task force that carried the Army bombers that carried out the Doolittle raid on Japan. In early June, she was involved in the final stages of the Battle of Midway and was present when the crippled aircraft carrier Yorktown was sunk by a Japanese submarine.

In July 1942, Gwin steamed to the south Pacific, where she screened aircraft carriers during the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi in early August. For the next four months, the destroyer participated in the campaign to hold Guadalcanal and on 15 November, during the second major surface action of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, engaged Japanese warships off Savo Island. Gwin was the only survivor of the four U.S. destroyers present, but damage from enemy shellfire sent her back to the U.S. for repairs and overhaul.

Gwin returned to the combat zone in April 1943, in time to join in the Allied advance up the Solomon Islands chain. She took part in the amphibious operation that captured Rendova Island, off New Georgia, in late June. Early the next month, she helped rescue survivors of the cruiser Helena, which had been sunk in the Battle of Kula Gulf. On 13 July, she was torpedoed amidships during the Battle of Kolombangara. After a losing struggle to save their critically damaged ship, her crew was taken off and USS Gwin was scuttled.

USS Gwin was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander William Gwin (1832-1863), who was mortally wounded while commanding USS Benton in action on the Yazoo River.

This page features the only views we have concerning USS Gwin (DD-433).


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 67720

USS Gwin (DD-433)


Photographed circa early 1941, probably at about the time she was commissioned.

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 385 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51094

USS Gwin (DD-433)


Underway in 1941.
This view shows the ship essentially as completed, with five 5"/38 guns and ten torpedo tubes.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97913

USS Gwin (DD-433)


Underway in 1941.

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

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 53289

Doolittle Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942


View looking aft from the island of USS Hornet (CV-8), while en route to the mission's launching point. USS Gwin (DD-433) is coming alongside, as USS Nashville (CL-43) steams in the distance.
Eight of the mission's sixteen B-25B bombers are parked within view, as are two of the ship's SBD scout bombers.
Note midships elevator, torpedo elevator, arresting gear and flight deck barriers in the lower portion of the photo, and 1.1" quad anti-aircraft machine gun mount at left.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 53292

Doolittle Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942


USS Gwin (DD-433) approaches USS Hornet (CV-8) from astern, with USS Nashville (CL-43) beyond, while en route to the mission's launching point.
The ships are framed by the tail of a USAAF B-25B, parked on the rear of the carrier's flight deck.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 53291

Doolittle Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942


Crewmen work on a USAAF B-25B parked at the rear of USS Hornet's (CV-8) flight deck, while en route to the mission's launching point.
USS Gwin (DD-433) is in the center, approaching the carrier from astern.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at lease one other view of USS Gwin (DD-433). The following list features this image:

The image listed below is NOT in the Naval History and Heritage Command's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 80-G-374882
    USS Gwin (DD-415) off Rendova, Solomon Islands, during landings there on 30 June 1943. Taken by a photographer from the Third Amphibious Force
    View is taken from off the ship's port side, somewhat toward the bow and moderately distant (ship is about 30% of the image width).

    Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

    The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval History and Heritage Command's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • 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 may 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."


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    Page made 6 March 2002
    Coding updated 5 May 2009