Gurke (DD 783) - Naval Cruise Book

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History Cf USS GURKE CDD-7831 USS GURKE was named for PFC Henry Gurke, USMC, of Neche, North Dakota, who was killed in action on Bougaineville Island in November 1943, and was post-humously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for ex- traordinary heroism. Commissioned in 1945, GURKE is a 2,250 ton general purpose Gearing class destroyer. She is 390 feet long, 40 feet wide at the beam, and is manned in wartime by over 300 men. Her armament includes 5-inch guns, torpedoes, and anti-submarine weapons. She is designed to hunt and kill enemy submarines, screen convoys, shoot down attacking aircraft, bombard enemy shore installations, patrol enemy coasts and any other duties that require a fast, well-armed ship. Since commissioning in 1945, GURKE has served many tours in the West- ern Pacific area including three during the occupation of Japan, three during the Korean Conflict, seven on the Formosa Patrol with the Seventh Fleet, and two in the South China Sea. During the invasion of lnchon in September 1950, GURKE was a member of the Sitting Ducks , remaining close inshore to provide gunfire support to the landing troops. She received three hits from enemy shore batteries, but suffered no fatalities. For her performance during the invasion, GURKE was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. During a second patrol in Korea with Carrier Task Force 77, she received two direct hits from enemy shore batteries and seven fragmentation hits. Again no personnel fatalities resulted, and the enemy gun empi'lacefmentsgf were soon silenced. Ti During her seven month 1961 tour in the .Western Pacificgarea, .,.. was underway four and a half months, visiited fourf'Ausqt?r6Pl'it1n portsiand the Fiii Islands. From March to July of 1962, GURKE saw extensi'ii?duty..-wtithfzthgye .lbiijit Task Force at Christmas Island during the Nuclear Tests. ' 4 After a period of operating with the First Fleet in theygliastern Pacific, GU RKE entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton Washgiggtgniegiinii August 1963 for a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization KF RA'MT'cidnver- sion. During this modernization, older weapg. Sigxqvegwq ,tQ,n?ew,anti.- A ' submarine weapons systems making Pqlgdfwpm from which to launch a wide assortment of current S i A JS? 'lil 1 -i 1 l -1 . 1.3 1 ,e 5 in is 52 i . 1:23.32- ' 1 EY .f,'fg,?f?'-4, , fn' A -57: -:,.,...1,3l.57T,,q I-if ' ' 1 La Quiz, JA., x..... ra Q'- ' 1 l