Braine (DD 630) - Naval Cruise Book

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X- f H ,, I X3 www, , fi My Twenty one years after her commissioning, Braine is shown knifing through the calm blue Pacific epitomizing the power, grace, speed and drive that a true destroyerman is proud to know whether at war or during peace time. lst KAMIKAZE ATTACK 27 MAY 1945 Zfld KAMIKAZE ATTACK 30 SECONDS LATER 4

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DEDICATION JOHN F. KENNEDY The officers and men of the U.S. S. BRAINE QDD 6301, dedicate this cruise book to our late President and Com- mander-ln-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, john Fitzgerald Kennedy, who held office from january 20, 1961, until his assas sination on November 22, 1963. gi oEPARiTjV6b Q df FEB 1 1 'Af LIBRARY

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YESTERDAY AND TCJDAY The keel for the USS BRAINE was laid on October 25, 1942, at the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, and she was formally launched on March 1, 1943 and commissioned on May 11, 1943. The ship was named in honor of a Civil War hero, Rear Admiral Daniel Braine, and was christened by the wife of his grandson, Mrs. D. L. Braine of Brooklyn, N. Y. BRAINE transited the Panama Canal and joined the Pacific Fleet in San Francis- co, California. I-ler record is a proud one. Cn October 5th and 6th, 1943 she par ticipated in her first combat action of World War II in the carrier raid against Wake Island. In November of the same year she participated in the initial land- ing operations at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. During the next two years of the war, BRAINE saw continuous action. I-Ier fire support and screening actions were witnessed on many battle fronts , in- cluding Green Island, Rabaul I-Iarbor, Emirau Island, Tinian Island, Leyte Island, Corregidor, Bataan Peninsula, Zamboanga, and the first battle of the Philippine Seas. The BRAINE'S toll of the enemy included one enemy destroyer sunk and three aircraft shot down, with several assists. On the 27th of May, 1945, BRAINE , along with another destroyer and four small ships, was subjected to attack by four suicide aircraft. The BRAINE suffered two hits which resulted in 150 casualties, 67 of whom were killed. BRAINE returned to the states where she was de-commissioned in the Boston Naval Shipyard in 1947. She was placed in the Reserve Fleet until the out- break of the Korean War when she returned to active service with the U. S. Atlantic Fleet in April, 1951. BRAINE made two tours of duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1952 and 1953. Upon return to the United States after her second tour in Europe, she was reassigned to the Commander-In-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet. With her arrival in the home port of San Diego, California, she became flag- ship for DesRon 21. Since that time BRAINE has become flagship for DesDiv 212. Since BRAINE returned to the Pacific Coast, she has participated in the evac- uation of the Tachen Islands in 19555 has acted as a convoy escort ship during the 1962 Cuban Crisis, and has completed many tours of duty in the Far East. Like all destroyers, the USS BRAINE is a versatile all-purpose man of war. Her duties consist of anti-submarine warfare, anti-aircraft protection, shore bombardment, plane guarding, escort missions, and rescue missions. To ensure freedom of the seas for all nations , the crew of the BRAINE is work- ing to prepare and assist all free people everywhere to enjoy a peaceful and fruitful life. 5