Piedmont (AD 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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We the crew of the USS PIEDMGNT would like to dedicate this cruise book to the loved ones we left behind. We hope this book will enlighten your minds and enable you who were in our hearts throughout the cruise to share our work, our fun, and our trials with us. Our thoughts and prayers were ever of you, and our lives are again complete to be home with you. NAVY MEMDRIAL FOUNDATlGN 701 PEINNSYLVANIA AVE., N.W. SUITE 123 WASHINGTON, D.C. ZOOO4-2608

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if 1 I 5 7, 4 f c ff 'ffl' if Wifi .1-X N 'iF QW HISTORY OF U.S.S. PIEDMONT fAD17l 1. l 1. gl gl K.. 1 I ri, I .. 4, l U.S.S. PIEDMONT CAD17j destroyer tender, was the first ship of this name. Following the Navy's policy of naming destroyer tenders for names of localities and areas of the United States, U.S.S. PIEDMONT CAD17j was named for the Piedmont region which lies iust east of the Appalachians in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas. In 17 May 1938, she was built by the Tampa Ship Building Company, at Tampa, Florida. Her keel was laid on 1 December 1941, and she was launched on 7 December 1942. U.S.S. PIEDMONT was commissioned on 5 January 1944 with Commander Malcolm D. MacCregor, USN, assuming command as first Commanding Officer. PIEDMONT was commissioned at a time when the Navy was rapidly expanding and the personnel were as new to salt water as was the ship. To understand the magnitude of the training program, is to imagine starting a small town from scratch. PlEDMONT'S storerooms carry over 100,000 miscellaneous items ranging from thimbles to spare destroyer anchors. PlEDMONT'S sick bay contains 52 beds, an operating room, X-ray and laboratory facilities are included. Three dentists working one shift in a three chair dental clinic offer rapid and efficient dental treatment to destroyer personnel. A mere listing of the various repair shops will give an idea of the variety of skill aboard the ship, optical and watch repair, copper and pipe, electrical, radio and radar, metalsmith, blacksmith, foundry, pattern making, shipfitter, fire control, torpedo overhauling, refrigeration repair canvas photography and blueprint diving and boat engine. 1 The ship s machine shops can handle the run of iobs destroyers may submit with equipment ranging from the large 20-inch by 16 foot lathe down to machines for the most delicate work. In addition the ship has a laundry tailor shop and cobbler shop. lt has an aerological laboratory to provide forecasts and storm warnings. The ship s power plant can furnish electricity for a fair sized town. All fresh water at an average rate of 40 000 gallons per day are evaporated from sea water A post office aboard handles the ship s mall which averages five sacks outgoing and about the same incoming Nearly a million dollar money order business was handled In a year s time A large portion of that being for ships tended along side To carry out these many activities the ship has a personnel allowance of 33 officers and 900 enlisted men However with the increased demands of war time operation her total was swelled to nearly 1 500 men On 6 March with her shakedown cruise behind her PIEDMONT sailed for the Panama Canal After brief liberties at Panama she sailed on to Pearl Harbor Less than 24 hours after her arrival at Pearl Harbor PIEDMONT had taken her first Pacific Fleet destroyer alongside AD17 remained at Pearl Harbor throughout the months of April and May during the feverish perparatlons for the Marianas campaign During the month of May her crew set what was then a record in exerting a total of 110 O00 man hours on repairs to other vessels At one time PIEDMONT had seven destroyers alongside and was working on iobs for more than 50 other destroyers moored In the stream Having served her apprenticeship PIEDMONT sailed from Pearl Harbor to loin the fleet In the Marshal Islands in mid June July and August were months of great activity at Emwetok Periodically task groups from the huge Task Force 58 which was supporting the Marianas Campaign returned to Emwetok for rest replenishment and repairs Unlike her duty at Pearl Harbor all lobs were now a race aga nst the calendar and In addition shore facilities were no longer available In Pearl Harbor most underwater work was done in drydocklng by the Navy Yard but Emwetok found PIEDMONT personnel in the floating repair docks working around the clock on hull and underwater sound 'obs In September 1944 with the Central Pacific campaign virtually completed PIEDMONT sailed into the Southwest Pacific with the rest of the fleet in preparation for the Philippines campaign By early December damaged ships began returning to Manua and U S S SAUFLY CDD465j and U S S KILLEN CDD593D both severely damaged by Jap suicide planes were asssigned to PIEDMONT for repairs An examination showed KILLEN s damage was too serious to repair with forward area facilities Not to be outdone PIEDMONT s Repair department set to work and stripped U S S KILLEN SAUFLEY s hull damage extending from her weather deck davits to her third platform deck was repalrd her main battery director and radar were repaired and the ship was returned to the fleet Ready for Sea Temporary repairs made KILLEN seaworthy and SAUFLEY s damaged 5 inch gun was placed aboard as cargo She then sailed for the West Coast for permanent repairs When the results of the Leyte Gulf Battle were known the Gunnery Department received the congratulations for the rest of the ship Approximately sixty of the torpedoes fired In the Battle of Surlgao Strait had been put in condition by PIEDMONT Action reports stressed that in the battle torpedoes ran stralaht and true On the morning of 10 November while anchored in Seeadler Harbor two explosions were heard to port U S S MOUNT HOOD CAE11D lying about 3 500 yards away had blown up No trace of the MOUNT HOOD remained Between MOUNT HOOD and PIEDMONT U S S MINDANAO CARGSD was anchored and took terrible punishment from the explosion Fire and rescue parties were Immediately despatched from PIEDMONT to U S S MINDANAO and ships alongside helped with rescue operations The doctors and corpsman gave emergency treatment ln the operating room the doctors worked until the last casualty had been tended I was some time before The lnlured list dropped down to normal again .iii ' 2' tt: in EHS REE gn: T. -...1 lf?-UZ' RI!! 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