Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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its it History of the U.S.S. Nlarcrsmh gil? -gig just 75 days before the start of World War ll, on the 23rd day of September, 1941, the U.S.S. Macomb tDD458i, slid down the ways of The Bath Ironworks shipyard, Bath, Maine, water- borne for the first time. Her champagne-spat- tered bow was quickly snubbed to a waiting tug, and she was guided to an adjacent dock, where the work of preparing her for the trip to Boston went on apace. The maiden voyage of the Macomb com- menced on January 26, 1942, with a crew of Bath Ironworks men and armed guard composed of members of the Macomb's nucleus crew. On this trip, by way of structural testing, the first shots were fired from the five-inch battery. The ship arrived in Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, in the afternoon of the same day. The commis- sioning took place at 1530, after being inspect- ed by Lieutenant Commander William H. Duvall, her commanding officer. The ship was accepted for the U.S. Navy by Captain R. C. Grady, USN tRet.D in his capacity as representative for Com- mander First Naval District. The executive officer, Jerry C. South, Lt., USN, immediately set the watch and directed Lt. M. S. Schmidling, USN, to assume his duties as 0.0.11 At 1845 that same day the first of- ficial muster at quarters was held, followed by the first fire drill at 1905. Boston was invaded by the first shore patrol from the ship on 28th of January. February 11th saw another milestone, as the ship entered a drydock for the first time since becoming a U.S. Navy ship. On the 24th the Macomb got underway under her own power for the first time as a U.S. Navy ship, for the pur- pose of calibrating the direction finder. The first trip of any length was to Newport, Rhode Island, on the 28th of February. Still adding to the list of firsts, the first load of torpedoes came aboard on March lst, then the next day saw the Mighty Mac visit Casco Bay, Maine- a spot destined to become one of her favorite haunts later on. The first of many anti-submarine exercises was held on the 4th of February. On the 20th 10 of February, the ship received her first assign. ment----a lone escort for S.S. Chatham out of Boston for Casco Bay. During the anti-aircraft practice, which took place during this assign- ment, the Mac knocked down the first of a long string of sleeves to be felled by her guns. In Casco Bay, Maine, the Board of Inspection and Survey came aboard for final acceptance trials and after a day of full power runs, ac- cepted the ship unreservedly from the Bath Ship-building Company on April 1, 1942. A rescue mission was performed when the Macomb steamed out of Boston and found a crashed plane and its survivors. Later, having completed official trials and yard availability, we proceeded from Boston to Casco Bay, and reported for duty to the U.S.S. Augusta on April 15th. The next day we got underway for Narragansett Bay, R. 1., to join Task Force 22, which was composed of U.S.S. Ranger, Augusta, Hambleton, Emmons, Ellyson. The Mac was as- signed to screen the U.S.S. Augusta in her first strictly Navy duty in company with another combatant ship. In anti-submarine exercises in Long Island Sound, the Macomb on April 17th took part in her first operation with DesDiv 19, less U.S.S. Rodman, as a unit. On the 22nd we sailed from Newport with the U.S.S. Augusta, U.S.S. Ranger, and destroy- ers Ellyson, Hambleton, Rodman, Emmons, for the Island of Trinidad, B. W. I., off the northern coast of South America. The operation plan was to proceed from there to a point off the coast of Africa, where the Ranger would launch her deck-load of Army P-40,s. This operation was successfully carried out, and the Mac arrived back in Rhode Island after 30 days underway with only one respite at anchor for a few hours, a remarkable sustained-operations trip for a new can. June 1, 1942 found the Macomb tied up in South, Boston Navy Yard. From there the ves- SCI Droceeded to Narragansett Bay on the fol- lowing day, and received orders to sortie with

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FROM! THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. TO 2 COMMANDING OFFICER, USS MACOMB SUBJECT: COMMISSIONING, USS MACOMB 1. THE USS MACOMB HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED AND IS NOW BEING MADE READY TO JOIN THE FLEET. TO YOU, YOUR OFFICERS AND CREW, WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THIS IM- PORTANT AND EXACTING DUTY, I EXTEND HEARTIEST CONGRATULA- TIONS AND BEST WISHES. 2. THE NAME OF YOUR SHIP IS ONE WHICH WAS MADE NOTABLE DURING THE CIVIL WAR. CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. MACOMB COMMANDED THE U.S. STEAMER SHAMROCK OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON FROM 1864 TO 18653 HE LED THE NAVAL FORCE IN THE CAPTURE AND BOMBARDMENT OF PLYMOUTH. NORTH CAROLINA IN OCTOBER OF 18643 HE COMMANDED THE NAVAL FORCES IN THE ACTION WITH CONFEDERATE BATTERIES AND INFANTRY ON THE ROANOKE RIVER NEAR POPLAR POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, DURING THE EXPEDITION UP THAT RIVER. FOR HIS GALLANTRY AND ENERGY, COMMANDER MACOMB WAS ADVANCED SEVERAL NUMBERS IN HIS GRADE. 5. AS THE USS MACOMB TAKES HER PLACE IN THE FLEET, IT IS MY CONFIDENT EXPECTATION THAT SHE WILL UPHOLD IN THESE GRAVE TIMES THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF OUR NAVAL SERVICE. H. R. STARK. Commissioning Ceremony

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CTF 22, with the Port of Argentia, Newfound- land as the destination. TF 22 consisted of the U.S.S. Augusta, Ranger, Rodman, Emmons, Corry, and Macomb. The ship arrived the 5th at Arg-entia on the coast of Newfoundland, to be alerted for an air-raid just four days later. Noth- ing developed from it, however. From there the ship proceeded with training exercises for the pilots on U.S.S. Ranger off the coast of New- foundland. During the exercises, one plane glanced off the flight deck of the Ranger and crashed into the sea. The pilot was taken aboard suffering from the cold but otherwise unin- jured. After screening exercises and anti-aircraft and torpedo practice runs, the Macomb departed on the 17th of June with USS. Woolsey and U.S.S. Prairie for Boston for availability which extended to the last of the month. Then, on the 30th, while enroute to Narragansett Bay, B. I., the ship struck an unlighted buoy, damag- ing the port propeller and making it necessary to return to Boston for repairs. After repairs were made, the ship got under- way singly for Halifax, where We were joined by the U.S.S. Emmons for escorting U.S.A.T. Siboney and H.lVl.T. Aorangi on the 5th of July. The following day we met the USS. Buck with CDS 13, who took command of the Escort. On I U.S.S. Emmons comes alongside to pass mail the 12th the U.S.S. Buck left formation to pro- ceed to Londonderry, Ireland. The rest of the convoy continued up the Clyde and into Green- ock, Scotland. Upon arrival there we received on board six British enlisted naval ratings to assist in the training of our communication per- sonnel in the British system. They were a color- ful addition to the lVlac7s crew. l. fl Plane guard for U.S.S. Ranger