Eversole (DD 789) - Naval Cruise Book

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■l£ j UM. t , Vi . | jo H JT I T • I i5S« »iu w.—- i :-• ' fl« 4 - • HI ,.» ■ - J -fir . ■•- -• 1 55 E VERS OLE DD-789 The (, ' 55 Eversole (DD-789) is the second ship to bear the name of LTJG John Thomas EVERSOLE, a torpedo plane pilot who was killed in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. His ex- traordinary heroism during this action resulted in the naming of a destroyer escort in his honor, the first USS Eversole I DE-404). This ship participated in four months of the Pacific War including the Battle of Samar and Leyte Gulf. She was sunk by a Japanese submarine on the morning of October 28, 1944, as she retired from the latter engagement. The gallantry of both LTJG EVERSOLE and the first ship to bear his name was commemorated by the construction of the present Eversole. Built at Todd-Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, she was launched on January 8, 1946 and commissioned on the following May 10. Following her commissioning, the Eversole was outfitted at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. Her first homeport was as in San Diego and she was initially assigned as a unit of Destroyer Division 171. In December 1946 she began the first of many subsequent deployments to the Western Pacific. Sailing from San Diego in May, 1950 for her third such cruise, the Eversole was in the Orient at the outbreak of the Korean hostilities. At this time she was assigned to Destroyer Division 3 1 and im- milities. At this time she was assigned to Destroyer Sailing from San Diego in May, 1950 for her third such cruise, the Eversole was in the Orient at the outbreak of the Korean hostilities. At this time she was assigned to Destroyer Division 3 1 and im- mediately moved into enemy waters as a screen unit for the fast carrier task force, TF 77. She con- tinued this duty until February, 1951 when she returned to the United States for overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California. The Korean conflict cut short here stay in the States, for the Eversole was off on her second cruise of the war by fall of the same year. During this tour of duty, Eversole bombarded Hungnan, Wonsan and other point along Korea ' s east coast. March 1952 saw her again relieved in the Korean Theater and she returned once more to the United States for training and overhaul. Her third and final tour of the Korean War took place

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Photo courtesy of Our Navy Photo, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217 USS E VERS OLE DE-404 The first Eversole (DE-404 ) was launched December 3, 1943 by Brown Shipbuilding Co. Houston. Texas; sponsored by Mrs. Sarah R. Eversole, mother of Lieutenant (junior grade) Eversole, and commissioned March 21, 1944; Lieutenant Commander G.E. Marix in com- mand. Eversole sailed from Boston May 20, 1944 tor Pearl Harbor, arriving June 19. Alter training with submarines in the Hawaiian Islands, she made an escort voyage to Eniwetok, then sailed to Eniwetok and Manus on escort duty. She returned to Eniwetok for antisub- marine patrols until August 9, when she put to sea screening carriers for the attack on Morotai. She continued this duty, serving with the escort carriers in the initial assaults in Leyte Gulf on October 20. During the Battle for Leyte Gulf, when a decisive victory was won after great hazard to the escort carriers and their screens, Eversole screened two of the damaged carriers, rescued dow ned pilots and took wounded off one of the carriers. In the earl) morning of October 28, Eversole made contact by sonar with a submarine and only half a minute later suffered the first of two torpedo hits. The ship was ordered abandoned and after the men were all in the water, the submarine surfaced and opened lire then dived once more. Five minutes later there was a tremendous underwater explosion which killed or wounded all of Eversole ' s men. Lights from the survivor ' s flashlights attracted two other escorts, one oi which rescued the 139 wounded survivors, as the other began a series of attacks which sank 1-45. presumablv the submarine which had torpedoed Eversole. Eversole received two battle stars for World War II service.

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between November, 1952 and June, 1953 with Eversole once again a unit of the Korean I Blockading Force. During this deployment, she spent about a month away from Korean waters as i unit of the Taiwan Patrol Force, TF 72. Even with the cessation of hostilities in Korea. Evt tinued to deploy to the Western Pacific about six months out of every year to meet fleet commitments in the Far Fast. From June 1953 through May 1960, Eversole operated out of her homeport of Long Beach and made her sixth through eleventh deployments to WFSTPAC. The ninth deployment from January to June of 1957 found Destroyer Division 31 proceeding to the Western Pacific via Suva Islands and Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin, Australia. The ship again visited the Southern Hemisphere at the start of her tenth deployment, lasting from early December 1957 to late May 1958. In May I960, Destroyer Squadron THREE composed of Destroyer Divisions 31 and 32 departed for the Orient for not just the normal six months but rather for two years. The Squadron ' s homeport was changed to Yokosuka for this period and many of the wives and families of the crew moved to this base in Japan. Although the operating pace was as heavy as on previous deployments, the geographic separation from loved ones was shorter and Yokosuka became home in every sense of the word. While based in Japan Eversole served tours on Taiwan Patrol and also participated in exercises off Japan, Okinawa, Korea and the Philippines. In February 1962, amidst a shower of confetti and paper streamers, Eversole bade farewell to Japan and set course for Bremerton, Washington where she was scheduled to enter the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an extensive conversion and modernization. Her homeport was also changed to Bremerton because of the long period the ship would be in the shipyard. Eversole formally commenced her FRAM MK I conversion on May 7, 1962. This modernization took approximately nine months and upon completion, Eversole emerged as a new and different ship. During the conversion her appearance was greatly altered and much of her equipment was either replaced or modernized. As a result her ASW capabilities in particular were greatly enhanced. With ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket), new ASW torpedo tubes, and a new high powered sonar installed. Eversole became one of the best fitted ASW ships in the world. Upon completion of FRAM in February 1963, Eversole journeyed south from Bremerton to her new homeport of Long Beach and became a unit of Destroyer Squadron 23, the famed Little Beaver Squadron of Admiral Arleigh 31 knot Burke during World War II. The following year saw Ever- sole participate in exercises in both new states of Hawaii and Alaska in preparation for her first WESTPAC cruise as a FRAMed destroyer. This preparation included the developement of the technique of refueling helicopters in flight, an operation which met with great success and is being used throughout the fleet today. During the ensuing cruise, the ship distinguished herself with the setting of a navy-wide transfer record during an underway replenishment. The traditionally light-hearted atmosphere of the homeward bound journey was sobered by news of the outbreak of naval hostilities in Southeast Asia The USS Maddo.x (DD-731 1 had been taken under enemy fire off the coast of Viet Nam. Indeed, the 1965-1966 WESTPAC cruise saw Eversole once again firing her guns in anger dur- ing Naval Gunfire Support missions in the Gulf of Tonkin. When not steaming off the coast of Viet Nam, the ship saw many weeks of patrol between the Chinese Communist mainland and Nationalist Island of Taiwan. The days in and around the combat zone were long and demanding, and all hands were grateful for their ship ' s return to Long Beach in March 1966. On April 30. 1968 Eversole left Long Beach as a component of ASW GROUP THREE for de- ployment to the Western Pacific. During this period on the gunline, Eversole fired more than 5.000 rounds from her 5 3 8 main battery. Once again, on October 8, 1969 Eversole received The Call and left her homeport and proceed- ed to Yankee Station and gunline duty off the coast of Viet Nam. During this deployment, Ever- solemen were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for patrolling in Korean waters. On 9 April 1970, after six months with the SEVENTH Fleet Eversole returned to Long Beach. Eversole commenced her 16th deployment to WESTPAC on 5 January 1971 as the Flag Ship lor Commander, Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-NINE. While steaming in the Gulf of Tonkin. Eversole celebrated her silver anniversary on May 10, 1971 with time out from her arduous dut for a cake cutting ceremony and a helicopter visit by Commander Carrier Division THREE and Com- mander Carrier Division FIVE The return trip to Long Beach was via Brishbane, Australia and Wellington. New Zealand, where the CNO of the New Zealand Navy came on board for an ofl visit. In August 1971, after returning to Long Beach, Eversole joined her present Squadron, Destroyer Squadron NINETEEN and commenced a shipyard overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Early in 1972 Eversole underwent refresher training in San Diego prior to beginning her 17th deployment on April 10. 1972.