Jouett (DLG 29) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS JOUETT (DD-396) Length 390 feet 11 inches Beam 36 feet Displaced 2130 tons Armament eight 5 38 caliber guns two .50 63.8 caliber guns nine 21 torpedo tubes Draft 11 feet 4 inches Speed 37.5 knots Crew 10 officers, 225 enlisted The second JOUETT (DD-396) was built by the Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine. Her keel was laid 27 March 1934 and she was launched 24 September 1938. JOUETT was commissioned in the Boston Naval Shipyard 25 January 1939. In 1939 she made goodwill trips to Cobb, Ireland, La Havre, France and Chatham, England. In 1940 she escorted the cruiser TUSCALOOSA, carrying President Roosevelt and presidential party, on a cruise through the Panama Canal and Costa Rica. During 1941 with the signs of war growing more ominous she visited Pearl Harbor. Later that year she joined Rear Admiral Ingram ' s Task Force that patrolled the South Atlantic in constant readiness against hostile German ships or U-boats. During 1942 JOUETT was instrumental in sinking the German sub- marine U-128, the German blockade-runner SS RIO GRANDE and the German blockade- runner SS BURGENLAND. In 1944 JOUETT escorted reinforcements to the beaches of Normandy, and acted as a gunfire support ship. In the fall of 1944 she participated in the invasion of Southern France as a gunfire support ship and as flagship for several Destroyer Squadron Commanders. JOUETT (DD-396) received three battle stars for the following operations: SINKING OF GERMAN SU BMARINE U-128 INVASION OF NORMANDY (including bombardment of Cherbourg). INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE.