Callaghan (DDG 994) - Naval Cruise Book

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The last destroyer sunk during World War II, USS CALLAGHAN (DD 792) was struck by a kamikaze plane off Okinawa on 29 July 1945, just 49 minutes before she was scheduled to start back to the United States. Built by the Bethlehem Steel Company of San Pedro, Calif., her keel was laid on 21 February 1943, and she was placed in commission on 27 November 1943. Commander F.J. Johnson, USN, assumed the first command. After a post-shakedown availability, she left the United States on 5 February 1944 for Pearl Harbor. Operating out of Pearl Harbor until 28 February, she steamed to Kwajalein and Majuro to join Task Group 50.15. On 30 March and 1 April air strikes were launched from escort carriers of the Task Group while CALLAGHAN and other destroyers screened the carriers from submarine attack. At the end of April, the ship departed for Pearl Harbor, escorting tankers returning to the United States for replenishment. On 30 May 1944 she got underway for the Marshall Islands. On 11 June she sortied from Eniwetok screening the escort carriers MIDWAY, WHITE PLAINS, and KALININ BAY as they operated east of Saipan in support of the landings there. CALLAGHAN rendezvoused with Task Group 58.4 on 5 August to protect the carriers who were providing air support for the fighting on Guam. On 29 August the destroyer was again steaming with the carriers as they ranged off Palau, Mindanao, Luzon and the Central Philippines striking at the Japanese. After sweeps over the Philippines in support of the landings on Leyte, the group raced to get in position to launch a dawn attack against units of the Japanese fleet menacing the invasion forces from the north. Task Group 38.3 sortied again on 1 November enroute to Manus but was rerouted to the Philippines because of increasing enemy naval and air activity. She was back at Ulithi by Christmas Eve and spent Christmas Day in dry dock. In late December and January CALLAGHAN participated in strikes against Formosa, Luzon, Camranh Bay, Saigon, the south China coast and Hong Kong before sailing to Iwo Jima to participate in the landings there. After Iwo Jima she provided support for the landings at Okinawa. CALLAGHAN continued operating off Okinawa on fire support and screening assignments until taking a radar picket station on 9 July 1945. Just after midnight on the morning of 29 July, General Quarters rang through the ship as a lone plane was detected approaching the patrol group. The Japanese, piloting an antiquated biplane, dived on CALLAGHAN and was driven off by heavy anti- aircraft fire. He came back, skimming the water unobserved until just before he reached the destroyer. He hit CALLAGHAN on the starboard side sending up a towering 150 foot sheet of flame from the after section of the ship. A bomb that had penetrated to the after engine room exploded with devastating effect blowing holes in the hull causing serious flooding. Ten minutes later Commander Bertholf ordered CALLAGHAN aban- doned. CALLAGHAN sank stern first at 0235, bringing to a violent end the career of a proud fighting ship. The First CALLAGHAN 16 USS Callaghan

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■ ■ H r- RMCM Richard L White Communications Officer MMCS(SW) Samuel T. Deruntz Material Assistant OSCS (SW) David J. Barr Operations Assistant RP3 Bruce A. Thompson Religious Program Specialist YN1 Vincent C. Main Administrative Supervisor MSI Renato C. Cabebe Mess Management Specialist Squadron Staff 15

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The Second CALLAGHAN Today’s USS CALLAGHAN (DDG 994) is even more capable than her predecessor. She is designed to meet and defeat threats from the air, other ships, or submarines with the newest combat systems in the fleet. Originally designed to specifications for sale to the Iranian Navy, CALLAGHAN is a combination of the VIRGINIA class cruiser's combat systems suite and the SPRUANCE class destroyer’s quiet, responsive propulsion plant. The degree of automation throughout the ship permits CALLAGHAN to be manned by fewer men than her predecessor, although she is nearly 200 feet longer and over four times the displacement. In the few years since her commissioning, CALLAGHAN has proven her name and earned an enviable reputation. Her maiden deployment in 1983 included escort duty with the newly recom- missioned battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62), rescue of 287 refugees off the coast of Southeast Asia, and search and rescue operations for Korean Air Lines Flight 007. She conducted a number of international joint exercises and served as a member of USS MIDWAY’S Battle Group. CAL- LAGHAN was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for the rescue of the refugees and the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her actions in the KAL 007” operations. In February 1985, CALLAGHAN deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans with the USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) Battle Group. While on deployment, the ship received notification of the overall Battle Efficiency ”E Award for Destroyer Squadron SEVENTEEN as well as earning all nine departmental awards for which eligible, thus completing a “clean sweep,” for the competitive period of 1 June 1983 through 31 December 1984. A short time later, CALLAGHAN was awarded the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Anti-Surface Warfare Award, for her profi- ciency in “training readiness, operations con- ducted, tactical initiatives, equipment reliability and performance within this highly important warfare area.” During deployment, CALLAGHAN spent 108 days underway in the Indian Ocean, providing a deterring presence in addition to Battle Group protection against threats from the air, surface and sub-surface. CALLAGHAN visited the ports of Subic Bay, Singapore, Diego Garcia, and Bunbury, Australia. CALLAGHAN’S embarked helicopter detachment from HSL-33 flew 629 hours and made 632 landings during the six-month deployment. Following a three-month series of preparatory exercises, CALLAGHAN left San Diego on 5 January 1987 for a six-month world cruise. This cruisebook is about that six-month adventure. CALLAGHAN continues to strive for perfection in all areas of her mission. She is a highly survivable platform with a superbly skilled crew. Every man aboard strives to do his best to live up to the ship’s slogan, “CALLAGHAN CLASS. TACAN MK 26 MOO 1 GMLS 5 754 CAL LWG HELICOPTER PLATFORM AND HANGAR CJWS(P) N SPS-55 AN SPG-60 AN SPQ-9A AN SPG-51D C1WS(S) TORPEDO MAGS (P S)- HARPOON P S) AN SLQ-32(V) LENGTH (OVERALL) 563 FT LENGTH (WATERLINE) 529 FT BEAM 55 FT ORAFT (KEEL) 20.2 FT ORAFT (NAVIGATIONAL) 30.1 FT DISPLACEMENT APPROX 9000 TONS SPEED 30 KTS SUSTAINED PROPULSION GAS TURBINE CRP 4-LM2500 80,000 SHP ELECTRICAL GAS TUR8INE DRIVE 3-501K TURBINES 3-2000 KW GENERATORS WEAPONS 2-5 754 MK 45 LIGHT WEIGHT GUNS 2-MK26 MISSILE LAUNCHERS 2-MK32 MOD 14 TORPEDO TUBES 2-HARPOON CANISTER LAUNCHERS 1-MK36 MOD 2 SRBOC 1-MK15 MOD 2 CIWS 1-ASMD SENSOR AN SLQ-32(V)2 ACCOMMODATIONS 33 OFF. 24CPO 306 ENL. HELICOPTER PLATFORM HANGAR (1-SH-3D OR 2-UH-2C) CONAR AN SQS 53 WEAPON CONTROL MK 86 MOD 5 GFCS (WITH CWI) MK 74 MOD 5 GMFCS (2 CHANNELS) MK 116 MOD 2 UFCS COMMANO CONTROL • NTDS MODEL IV RADARS AN SPS 55 SURFACE SEARCH AN SPQ9A SURFACE SURVEILLANCE AND TRACKING AN SPG 60 AIR TRACKING W MISSILE FIRE CONTROL AN SPS 48C 3D AIR SEARCH AN SPG 51D MISSILE FIRE CONTROL