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Photo # NH 97804:  USS William D. Porter in Massacre Bay, Attu, June 1944

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

USS William D. Porter (DD-579), 1943-1945

USS William D. Porter, a 2050-ton Fletcher class destroyer, was built at Orange, Texas. Commissioned in July 1943, she shook down and conducted routine operations in the Caribbean and western Atlantic until November 1943, when she joined USS Iowa (BB-61) for a trans-Atlantic voyage, in which the battleship carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to North Africa for the Cairo and Teheran Conferences. On 14 November, while conducting battle practice drills with Iowa as a simulated target, William D. Porter accidently launched a torpedo, causing considerable consternation, but fortunately no damage.

After her return to the U.S. later in the month, William D. Porter was sent to the Pacific. From late December 1943 until September 1944, she mainly served in the Aleutian Islands area of the north Pacific. In addition to anti-submarine patrols and convoy duties, she participated in bombardments of Japanese positions in the Kuril Islands on 13 and 26 June 1944. William D. Porter was reassigned to the western Pacific war zone in the Fall of 1944 and participated in escort activities from the Admiralty Islands and New Guinea to the Philippines during November and December. Also during December 1944, the destroyer took part in the Mindoro operation and in the following month supported the amphibious landings in Luzon's Lingayen Gulf.

Beginning in late March 1945, William D. Porter was actively engaged in combat operations off Okinawa, providing gunfire support for landings and combat ashore and protecting shipping from air and submarine threats. In May and June, she was regularly involved in radar picket work. On 10 June 1945, she was attacked by a Japanese "Kamikaze" plane. Though the aircraft only managed a near-miss, its bomb apparently passed under the ship before exploding. The resulting serious underwater damage led to flooding that could not be controlled. After three hours of damage control efforts, USS William D. Porter capsized to starboard and sank, fortunately without losing any of her crew.

USS William D. Porter was named in honor of Commodore William D. Porter (1808-1864), who played an important role in Civil War operations on the Western Rivers during 1861-62.

This page features our only views of USS William D. Porter (DD-579).


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 97804

USS William D. Porter (DD-579)


In Massacre Bay, Attu, Aleutian Islands, with other destroyers, 9 June 1944.
Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 14d.

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

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 560 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-490024

USS William D. Porter (DD-579)


Sinking after she was near-missed by a "Kamikaze" suicide aircraft off Okinawa, 10 June 1945. USS LCS-86 and another LCS are alongside, taking off her crew.
Though not actually hit by the enemy plane, William D. Porter received fatal underwater damage from the near-by explosion.

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

Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 80-G-490027

USS William D. Porter (DD-579)


Sinking after she was near-missed by a "Kamikaze" suicide aircraft off Okinawa, 10 June 1945. USS LCS-122 is standing by.

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

Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 


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


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Page made 3 December 2001