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Photo # NH 103695:  USS McKee steaming toward the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, 3 July 1943

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

USS McKee (DD-575), 1943-1974

USS McKee, a 2050-ton Fletcher class destroyer built at Orange, Texas, was commissioned at the end of March 1943. After shakedown in the Caribbean area and training in Hawaiian waters, she arrived in the southwestern Pacific war zone in November. The destroyer was immediately put to work supporting the invasion of Bougainville, first escorting an convoy and then screening aircraft carriers during a raid on the Japanese base at Rabaul. She claimed enemy aircraft shot down on both occasions. In mid-November McKee participated in the assault on Tarawa, in the Gilbert Islands, and in late January and early February 1944 took part in the landings on Kwajalein, in the Marshalls. Returning to the southwest Pacific, she escorted shipping and, in March and April participated in the bombardment of Kavieng, New Ireland, and the Hollandia operation on the north shore of New Guinea. McKee next supported the invasion of Guam during July and early August 1944, using her guns to shell Japanese positions ashore. In September and October she took part in landings on Morotai and Leyte.

Following a West Coast overhaul, McKee escorted Task Force 58's aircraft carriers striking Iwo Jima and the Japanese home islands in February and March 1945. She was heavily engaged fighting off enemy suicide attack planes off Okinawa in April, then again took part in raids on Japan in June, July and August. On 30 July, in company with other destroyers, she shelled an aluminum plant and other facilities at Shimizu, Honshu. McKee left the western Pacific in early September, just before Japan formally surrendered, and arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, in mid-October 1945. She was decommissioned in February 1945, laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and had no further active service. USS McKee was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register at the beginning of October 1972 and sold for scrapping in early 1974.

USS McKee was named in honor of Lieutenant Hugh W. McKee, who was killed in action in Korea in June 1871.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning McKee (DD-575).


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 103695

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Steaming toward the entrance of Chesapeake Bay (position 37 00'N, 75 26'W, course 270) at time 1647Q on 3 July 1943. Photographed from a Blimp of Squadron ZP-14, based as Naval Air Station Weeksville, North Carolina.

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

Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-15840 (Color)

USS McKee (DD-575)

Steams with another destroyer off Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, during training exercises in the summer of 1943.
Photographed from on board USS Yorktown (CV-10) by Lieutenant Charles Kerlee, USNR.

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

Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 510 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 103696

USS McKee
(DD-575)

In San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944.

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

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103697

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Photographed from directly ahead while in San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944.
Goat Island and the Bay Bridge are visible in the distance.

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

Online Image: 50KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103698

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Photographed from directly astern while in San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944.

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

Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103699

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Plan view, forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 30 December 1944.
USS Kidd (DD-661) is tied up to McKee's port side.
White outlines mark recent alterations of the ship.

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

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103700

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Plan view, amidships looking forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 30 December 1944.
Note her forward quintruple torpedo tube mount and torpedo davit, 26-foot motor whaleboat on davits and floater nets in bins on each side of her forward smokestack.
White outlines mark recent alterations of the ship.

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

Online Image: 116KB; 605 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-3222

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Underway in the waters near Okinawa on 1 March 1945, while operating with Task Force 58.

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

Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 565 pixels

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

Note:
Though this was originally a color image, the original "Aero Kodacolor" transparency has lost all colors but red, and can now only be reproduced in monochrome.
For an example of this all-too-common situation, which is typical of this film type, see Aero-Kodacolor Transparency 80-G-K-1560.

 
Photo #: NH 103701

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Operating at sea in the Ryukyus area with Task Force 58, 26 April 1945.
USS Bennington (CV-20) is in the left background.

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

Online Image: 36KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103702

Destroyer Squadron 25


Entering Ulithi anchorage, Caroline Islands, with other units of Task Force 58, 5 March 1945.
Photographed from on board USS McKee (DD-575).

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

Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-3507 (Color)

USS Tomahawk (AO-88)

Refueling USS McKee (DD-575) at sea in the western Pacific, 4 March 1945.
Photographed from on board McKee, whose starboard waist 40mm twin gun mount is visible on the right.
Tomahawk's camouflage is Measure 32, Design 3AO.

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

Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 600 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 103703

USS McKee
(DD-575)

Laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Orange, Texas, circa 1969-1974.
USS Middlesex County (LST-983) is at right, also in "mothballs".

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

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 


Additional image: Photo # 80-G-309053 shows USS Harrison (DD-573) transferring mail to USS McKee while at sea near Ulithi, Caroline Islands on 5 March 1945. The view was taken from McKee, but none of her structure is visible in the image.


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 September 2006