Lang (DE 1060) - Naval Cruise Book

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uss LANG OF YESTERDAY USS LANG QFF-10601, an escort ship, is the second ship of the fleet to be named in honor of Seaman John Lang, U.S. Navy. John Lang was born in Curacao, Netherlands West Indies, 17 June 1794, and was later a citizen of New Brunswick, New Jersey. At one time, before the outbreak of war in 1812, he was impressed into British Naval service which eventually resulted in his arrival in this country. During the War of 1812, Lang served in the 18-gun ship, WASP. ln an engagement with the British sloop of war, FROLIC, 18 October 1812, 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 FROLIC'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 John 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 1838. an 'I fm?

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1 - xx FORWARD FRCJM THE CGIVIMANDING OFFICER This cruise book has been prepared as a memento of a very successful deployment to the Western Pacific. Our ship made some very significant contributions to fulfill the aims of our country's national defense posture. LANG excelled and was recognized for her superb performance in the full spectrum of her Navy missions whether it be Anti-submarine Warfare or Overseas Diplomacy. When l say the ship please understand that this means YOU, her crew. After all, the ship is really nothing more than a very complex maze of steel which cannot operate with out men. All of our accomplishments were human accomplish- ments and they were attained by long hours of training, preparation, and actual operations, oft times at the expense of our rest, liberty, and families. For your dedication to your ship and her tasks, I sincerely thank each one of you. I hope when you have the opportunity to look at this book in the future, that you will be reminded of a great cruise and some good times with your shipmates. My best to all of you and your families, k. A. STEWART E Fu, e. se, my of iwe

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Seamal gs I riglill 'fed lil yedhiil lo hall j in ill Wed ll i lvllmed 5, iiiel will Navy ll mill Seagull RW The first LANG QDD-399j was built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydocking Company, Kearny, New Jersey. Her keel was laid 5 April 1937. She was launched 27 August 1938 and commissioned in New York Navy Yard 30 March 1939. LANG had a length overall of 341 feet, extreme beam of 35 feet, 6 inches, standard displacement of 1,850 tons, mean draft of 10 feet, 9 inches, a designed speed of 38.5 knots, and a designed complement of 9 officers and 175 men. She was originally armed with four 5-inch 38 guns, four .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, and sixteen 21-inch torpedo tubes. LANG QDD-399, blazed a spectacular trail through World War ll, sustaining only one two-inch 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 the sinking destroyer 0'BRIEN, 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 more of the grim drive toward victory, earning the Philippine Fiepublic's Presidential Unit Citation. Off Okinawa she braved kamikazes and weather for a continuous 92 days. For her efforts she was awarded 11 battle stars. After a short but glorious career, LANG was decommissioned on October 16, 1945.