Lang (DE 1060) - Naval Cruise Book

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.V ,l 1 l i i l ul l l ii li I ll li , il i ii ll i i l l l i ! I l I i i ll I in 3 1 .i i. i ii l l 3 il ii I il i. l I. is il l i .l i 1 l l ,l l l l l ir l l I i -m-x-1 f - ' ' The first LANG CDD-3991 was built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydocking Company, Kearny, New jersey. Her keel was laid 5 April l937. She was launched 27 August I938 and commissioned in New York Navy- Yard 30 March l939. LANG had a length overall of 34l feetg extreme beam, 35 feet, 6 inches, standard displacement of l,850 tonsg mean draft of I0 feet, 9 inches, a designed speed of 38.5 knots, and a designed complement of 9 officers and Vl75 men. She was originally armed with four 5-inch .38 caliber guns, four .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, and sixteen 2l-inch torpedo tubes. LANG CDD-399JVblazed a spectacular trail through World War ll, sustaining onlygone twoQinch hole in her hull for all her action. LANG participated in nearly every major Pacific campaign and lived up to the name she bore. She encountered the enemy many times., served on numerous patrols, stood guard and escort duties, steamed over mines, rescued the crew of .fthe sinking destroyer O'BRlEN, and saved 33 merchant seamen and three downed pilots from death in the sea. ln the Solomons, Gilberts, Marianas, and Philippines she bore her share and morevof the grim drive toward victory, earning the Philippine Republic's Presidential Unit Citation. Off Okinawa she braved kamikazes and weather for a continuous 92 days. For her efforts she was awarded ll battle stars. After a short but glorious career, LANG was ,decommissioned on October I6, l945.

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history of lang USS LANG CDE-l06OJ, an escort ship, is the second ship of the fleet to be named in honor of Seaman ,lohn Lang, U. S. Navy. john Lang was born in Curacao, Netherlands West lndies, I7 june I794, and was later a citizen of New Brusnwick, New Jersey. At one time, before the outbreak of war in I8l2, he was impressed into British Naval service which eventually resulted in his arrival in this country. During the War of l8l2, Lang served in' the I8-gun ship, WASP. ln an engagement with the British sloop of war, FROLIC, l8 October l8l2, his ship had her braces shot away. The rest of WASP's rigging was shattered and it was feared that the mast of the WASP would fall and thus enable the FROLIC to get away. While the WASP maneuvered to fire another broadside and board FROLIC, her forecastle swung under the FROLlC's bowsprit. At this time, Seaman John Lang, remembering previous experiences with the British, scrambled over netting and tangled rigging to FROLlC's main deck. His daring act so stirred the crew of WASP, that every available man followed him aboard the FROLIC to clear her decks in hand to hand combat. Both warships had been. dismasted in the fierce fighting. Shortly after FROLIC surrendered to WASP, the 74-gun British frigate POICTIERS loomed on the scene and WASP fell into enemy hands. Later, when prisoners were exchanged in Bermuda, Seaman Lang again returned to the United States Navy to serve on board the captured British frigate MACEDONIAN. He later became a merchant seaman in the West Indies Trade. John Lang .died in Boston, Massachusetts, 20 January l838. A ... ..- .,,s...f-. ..,...,.. ..- . , ,-gp. l l l n l l l 1 l l 1 l l .V--.-.L-H

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USS LANG CDE-l0607 is the sixth ship of the KNOX DE-lO52 class to be built. She is designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare and to this end, is equipped with the most modern of long range radar and sonar detection systems, tube and rocket launched homing torpedoes, and a 5-inch, 54 caliber rapid fire gun. Future additions will include variable depth sonar, manned helicopter capability, self-'defense missile system, and active electronic counter-measure equipment. LANG is a jack of many trades and a master of each. She is well equipped to operate as a member of Hunter-Killer CHUKJ groups. These units combine the best anti-submarine warfare, search, tracking, and attack capabilities of air and surface forces in coordinated action to locate and destroy enemy submarines. She can also operate independently as a search attack unit. The LANG is able to escort convoys as they transit the ocean sea lanes and will function as an anti-submarine warfare screen for amphibious and underway replenishment operations. She can also serve on surveillance missions by acting as an early warning unit against enemy intrusion. Finally, she can support friendly forces ashore by acting as an off-shore gunfire support unit.