Walke (DD 723) - Naval Cruise Book

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,X . x. ..,. , 'IINLZ 1 v t 5,2 .Vi I, V , ., I at ,, Y A f U 'Af n ff lx i . 'wht qty ,fgxvpgxtgx 1 1 4 .YS -. .',' J- LJ. - U.S.S. WALKE QDD-7235 was first commissioned on 21 January 1944 and named for Henry Walke, an American naval officer. He was born in 1808 near Portsmouth, Virginia, and died in 1896, having served with distinction in the Mexican and Civil iWars. He retired in 1870 with the rank of Rear Admiral. WALKE participated in the invasion of Europe in 1944, engaging in shore bombardment and close support of troops and then returned to the United States for overhaul. Upon completion, she proceeded to Norfolk and San Diego and then to Pearl Harbor, prior to departure for Pacific operations. ln November and December 1944, the ship participated in the Philippine campaign, with action in Luzon, Orinac Bay, Mindoro, and Lingayen Gulf. On 6 January 1945, while fur- nishing fire support for minesweeping operations, WALKE was attacked by four enemy planes. The first two were shot down. The third plane, although hit, crashed into the port side of the bridge, and the fourth plane, also hit, crashed off the port quarter. Extensive damage was done to the ship, and sixteen men were killed, including the commanding officer, Cdr George F. Davis, U. S.. Navy. He was awarded the Con- gressional Medal of Honor-posthumously. Following overhaul in the States, the ship took part in the Okinawan operations, the occupation of Japan, and finally, 4'Operation Crossroads, the first atom bomb tests in the Bikinis. In 1947, she joined the Hmothball fleetfy WALKE was recommissioned in October 1950 and joined Task Force 77 in Korea. While steaming off Wonsan on 12 June 1951, she suffered an underwater explosion, believed to be a torpedo or mine, killing twenty-six men and wounding forty. Following repair in Japan and overhaul in the States, the ship participated further in the Korean action, from June 1952 to January 1953, and July 1953 to February 1954. Since the Korean action, WALKE has made four tours to the Western Pacific. She is presently under the command of Cdr Jack Scapa, USN.

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Destroyers are the greyhounds of the fleet. They are light, fast, and maneuverable, but above all, they are flexible. Anti-aircraft defense, anti-submarine Warfare, shore bombardment, and plane guarding are all in a dayas Work, and it is for readiness in these tasks that once each year or so, a destroyer goes to the Western Pacific. For six months, she steams from sea to sea and visits many foreign ports, and through- out this period she operates-independently, with a destroyer division, or with a large task force. To an outsider, she may appear to be only a mass of steel, Wire, and guns, but there is more to her than this- Inside, sometimes unseen, live 240 men-men from all of the United States, and from points outside, men from every background and life, many different personalities. In the destroyer, they have joined forces as one. They are a group with a common purpose, and together they share the Work and share the fun. There is plenty of both. This book is a story of just one of these ships and one of her cruises. U.S.S. WALKE-Westpac, 1958.

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