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

Photo # NH 51451  USS Luce in 1944, wearing Camouflage Measure 32, Design 18D

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

USS Luce (DD-522), 1943-1945

USS Luce, a 2030-ton Fletcher class destroyer built at Staten Island, New York, was commissioned in June 1943. She went to the Pacific in the fall and from November 1943 into August 1944 operated in the Alaskan and Aleutian Islands area. On 3-4 February and in June 1944 Luce participated in three bombardments of Japanese facilities in the Kurile Islands. Later in the year the destroyer went to the south Pacific and in October took part in the invasion of Leyte. She was employed on escort and patrol missions in the Admiralty Islands and off New Guinea for the rest of 1944.

In January 1945 Luce took part in amphibious landings at Lingayen Gulf and San Antonio, Leyte. She was part of the vast fleet that supported the invasion of Okinawa in late March and was then stationed off that islands as a radar picket to warn of incoming Japanese air raids. While peforming this duty on 4 May 1944 USS Luce was attacked by several suicide attack planes. Damaged by the bomb of one Kamikaze, she was struck amidships by a second and rapidly sank. Nearly 150 of her crew were lost with her.

USS Luce was named in honor of Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce (1827-1917), first Superintendent of the Naval War College and one of the late 19th Century Navy's most important professional leaders.

This page features the only views we have concerning USS Luce (DD-522).


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 51451

USS Luce
(DD-522)

Photographed in 1944, while wearing Camouflage Measure 32, Design 18D.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 75609

USS Luce
(DD-522)

Launching, at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company shipyard, Staten Island, New York, 6 March 1943.

Courtesy of James Russell, 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 590 x 765 pixels

 


USS Luce is seen distantly and/or partially on the far left side of the following views:

Photo #: 80-G-K-3860 (Color)

New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York


Lights are turned on as night falls over the Navy Yard docks, circa June-September 1943.
USS Gherardi (DD-637) is in the center, by the crane. USS Luce (DD-522) is at left.

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

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 555 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-3859 (Color)

New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York


Dusk falls over the Navy Yard docks, circa June-September 1943.
The ship in the center, just beyond the crane, is USS Gherardi (DD-637). USS Luce (DD-522) is at left, with only her bow visible. USS Butler (DD-636) is at right, with only her stern visible. USS Doyle (DD-494) is in the right background. A British light cruiser, painted in yellow primer, is in the left background.

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

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 510 pixels

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

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of USS Luce (DD-522). The following list features this image:

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



  • Photo #: 80-G-72220
    USS Luce (DD-522) underway at low speed in the New York City area, 2 July 1943. Photographed from an aircraft based at Naval Air Station New York.
    Starboard bow high aerial view. Luce is painted in an overall dark grey, probably Camouflage Measure 21.


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

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


  • Note: The photograph presented first on this page, showing USS Luce in Measure 32 camouflage, strongly indicates that the Bureau of Ships photo collection (Record Group 19-N in the National Archives' Still Picture Branch) contains additional images of Luce, taken at the same time. Interested persons should contact the National Archives' Still Picture Branch for research on other available photos of USS Luce (DD-522).

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


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    Page made 28 February 2006
    Link added 12 May 2006