USS Saufley (DD-465)

USS "Saufley" (DD/DDE/EDDE-465), a "Fletcher"-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Lieutenant Richard Saufley.

"Saufley" was laid down on 27 January 1942 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, New Jersey; launched on 19 July 1942; sponsored by Saufley's widow, Mrs. Helen O'R. Scruggs; and commissioned on 29 August 1942, Lieutenant Commander Bert F. Brown in command.

World War II

Following shakedown off northern New England, "Saufley" made several coastal escort runs and then prepared for duty in the South Pacific. She departed Norfolk on 9 September. Arriving at Nouméa, New Caledonia, on 2 December, "Saufley" commenced participation in the Guadalcanal campaign three days later.

1943

Initially assigned to escort reinforcements from Espiritu Santo to Lunga Point, "Saufley" soon undertook antishipping sweeps in the waters north and west of Guadalcanal and conducted shore bombardment missions against enemy positions on the island. During the Japanese evacuation of Guadalcanal in late January and early February 1943, "Saufley" operated with Task Force 11 (TF11). On 19 February, she sailed for Lunga Roads to join with other units staging for Operation Cleanslate, the occupation of the Russell Islands.

During that operation, "Saufley" transported troops, towed landing craft to the target islands, and provided shore bombardment in support of the troops as they landed on Pavuvu and Banika islands on February 21. From these islands, planes would be able to cover operations against Rendova.

In March, "Saufley" resumed escort and antisubmarine duties in the southern Solomons-New Caledonia-New Hebrides area. Following an abbreviated availability at Sydney, Australia, she returned to Nouméa and resumed escort work until the end of June. On June 30, as Allied forces moved toward Rendova, "Saufley" bombarded Japanese shore installations there.

July and August found "Saufley" engaged in assault operations against New Georgia and escort missions to the New Hebrides and Vella Lavella. On 31 August, she received minor damage, but no casualties, from near misses by shore batteries in "the Slot".

At 10:11 on 15 September, while "Saufley" was en route to Espiritu Santo in company with cite book | url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/| title = The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II | chapter = Chapter VI: 1944 | chapterurl = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1944.html | first = Robert | last = Cressman | location = Annapolis, Maryland | publisher = Naval Institute Press | year = 2000 | isbn = 9781557501493 | oclc = 41977179 | accessdate = 2007-11-28 ] was located on the surface off Pilar Point, Ponson Island. In a multi-destroyer gun action involving "Saufley", USS|Renshaw|DD-499|2, USS|Waller|DD-466|2, and USS|Pringle|DD-477|3, the submarine was sunk 45 minutes later.

On 29 November, "Saufley" was damaged in a kamikaze attack in Leyte Gulf.

1945

Returning to Leyte Gulf, "Saufley" lost one man and suffered considerable hull damage in an engagement with enemy planes on 29 November. Following repairs at the Admiralties, she proceeded to a 2 January 1945 rendezvous with the Lingayen attack force. Moving into the Sulu Sea on the 7th, "Saufley" shot down an attacking Japanese aircraft at dusk on the 8th. On the morning of January 9, the formation stood into Lingayen Gulf. "Saufley" provided screening services as the assault waves landed in the Lingayen area. On the morning of January 10, "Saufley" splashed another aircraft, this time a Val attempting to crash the destroyer. "Saufley" got underway on January 12 to return to Leyte Gulf. From Leyte Gulf, she escorted a convoy to Morotai and returned on 26 January. Sailing for Luzon, "Saufley" arrived off Nasugbu to support the landing there on January 31. On 1 February, she sank an attacking Japanese boat. She then commenced call fire support which continued for four days. "Saufley" then set a course for Subic Bay.

The balance of February and most of March was spent in support operations in the areas of Manila Bay and Mindoro. "Saufley" participated in amphibious operations at Sanga Sanga (31 March to 4 April) and Jolo (8 to 11 April) where she served as flagship, screening vessel, and call fire support ship.

The next two months found "Saufley" engaged in escort duties. She participated in the assault against Balikpapan, Borneo, on 1 July. The destroyer returned to Morotai on 22 July. She engaged in escort work between Leyte Gulf and Ulithi until the end of hostilities in mid-August.

In early September 1945, "Saufley" moved up to the Ryukyu Islands and then proceeded to the China coast. She assisted in minesweeping operations in the Yangtze delta area. The destroyer remained off the coast of China until she departed for home on 12 November. Arriving at San Diego at the end of the year, "Saufley" continued on to the east coast in mid-January 1946. During February, she underwent repairs at the New York Naval Shipyard. In early March, "Saufley" headed south to Charleston for inactivation.

Post-war service

Decommissioned on 12 June 1946, "Saufley" remained in the Reserve Fleet for just over three years. Redesignated DDE-465 on 15 March 1949, she was recommissioned on 15 December 1949 and assigned to Escort Destroyer Squadron (CortDesRon) 2, Atlantic Fleet. Within a year, she had participated in two search and rescue operations. The first, in June 1950, was the rescue of 36 passengers from a downed commercial airliner on a Puerto Rico-New York run. The second, in October, was the rescue of a Navy TBM pilot assigned to USS|Palau|CVE-122|2.

On 1 January 1951, the escort destroyer was reclassified an Experimental Escort Destroyer, EDDE-465, and assigned to experimental work under the control of Commander, Operational Development Force. A unit of DesDiv 601, she was home ported at Key West; and, for the next twelve years, was primarily engaged in testing and evaluating sonar equipment and antisubmarine warfare weapons.

On 1 July 1962, "Saufley" was redesignated a general purpose destroyer and regained her original designation, DD-465. At the end of that month, she participated in the filming of the movie "PT 109". In September, she resumed test and evaluation work. In late October, she was placed on standby; and, after the proclamation of the Cuban Quarantine in the Cuban Missile Crisis, she commenced patrols off the coast of Florida. She continued that duty until 20 November; then returned to Key West. On November 26, she participated in a review of the Quarantine Force by President John F. Kennedy. [http://www.usssaufleydd465.com/text/president_kennedy.htm]

For the next two years, "Saufley" continued her experimental projects, interrupting those operations only for scheduled exercises, sonar school ship duties; and, in the spring of 1963, assistance in the search for USS|Thresher|SSN-593|2.

Ordered back to Norfolk in the fall of 1964, "Saufley" was decommissioned on 29 January 1965, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 1 September 1966. Her use as an experimental ship, however, continued. In 1967, instruments and gauges to register strain and stress of successive explosions were installed; and, on 20 February 1968, as a result of tests, she was sunk off Key West.

"Saufley" earned 16 battle stars during World War II.

References

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External links

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* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd465txt.htm hazegray.org: USS "Saufley"]
* [http://www.usssaufleydd465.com/ USS "Saufley" Association website]