Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIPS HISTUHY The U.S.S. BRINKLEY BASS KDD-8877 named after a navy pilot, HARRY , BRINKLEY BASS, who had served in the Pacific Area with distinction, twice awarded the Naval Cross for heroic ac- tion against the Japanese and who later, while on duty in the Mediterranean Sea, . paid the supreme price ffor liberty and freedom. His other decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star Medal, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart. I The BASS was built by the Consoli- , dated Steel Corporation, Ltd., at Orange, Texas, and was commissioned on l 'Oc tober l945. Present at the commission- - ing ceremonies were the parents of Harry Brinkley Bass. The BASS after being commissioned, took its shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea and later the same year reported to the Naval Shipyard at Charleston, South Caro- lina, for a minor overhaul. Upon the completion of the overhaul the BASS, reported to the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, for duty. While passing through the Panama Canal on her trip to San Diego, she made a short visit to Cristobal and Balboa. While on her way to San Diego, the BASS answered an SOS from LCI Cl35l. She took the ship in tow and reported in February 1946 to San Diego. P Later in' February the BRINKLEY BASS was on her way for her first Far Eastern cruise. She made stops at Pearl Harbor and Guam, whilelenroute to duty with Com- mander Naval Forces, Western Pacific. After reporting she was assigned the duties of mail ship between the Naval Commands in the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Tsingtao, and Launching the U.S.S. Brinkley Bass DD 887 Hong Kong. lt was in April of this year that the BASS rescued the SS ONWARD, which was grounded on the sand flats off Shanghai. The summer of '46 was spent in maneu- vers, as a unit of Task Force 58. On Destroyer-Squadron One, and assigned Task Force 77 she made short visits to The BASS arrived in San Diego in tensive type training off the Southern the 24 August l946 the BASS was made a unit of to Destroyer Division Eleven. After operations with Sasebo and Yokosuka and headed for home. February l947. After a leave period she took ex- California Coast and then reported to Nr al Ship- yard, Hunter's Point, for a scheduled overhaul period. y February l948 once again saw the BRINKLEY BASS steaming out of San Diego,

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.i... ....,..-ss. - , -, heading for the second time to duty in the Far East. lt was during this tour that the Bass participated in OPERATION SANDSTONE at Eniwetok. This cruise increased the list of ports visited by the BASS to include the Japanese cities of OSAKIE, FUKEOKA, AND YOKOHAMA. Then she returned to the United States in October l948 and conducted type training off the Southern California Coast. In February I949 the BASS participated in OPERATION MICOWEX in Alaskan waters, after which she again went to Hunter's Point for scheduled overhaul. While enroute to Pearl Harbor in October I949 the BASS participated in OPERA- TION MIKI. The third Far Eastern Cruise started in November I949 and was like the last except for a few new ports that were visited, such as BUCKNER BAY, OKI-NAWA, SUBIC BAY, LUZON, PHILIPPINES. It was in May that our ship, as a unit of Task Force 75, began its journey homeward via Guam and Pearl Harbor, arriving in June l95O. In July l95O the BASS was redesignated a unit of Destroyer Squadron Five and as- signed as Flagship for Destroyer Division Fifty-two. ln October of l95O, she was again conducting type exercises off the Southern California Coast and making preparations for combat operations in Korean Waters. 1 On the 6 November l95l, the BASS was enroute to the Far East once again. On 25 November l95l, she began her first combat tour as a screening unit of Task Force 77. In April- DESDIV 52 was assigned as escorts for U. S. troop transports arriving off the Eastern Japanese Coast. In May while serving as a unit of Task Force 95, Wonsan Harbor, 'Bombardment Element, a task element composed of United.Nations ships, the BASS for 30 days engaged in a continuous 24 hour bombardment of enemy shore installations. It was during this period, the 20th of May to be exact, that the BASS suffered its first and only fatal casualty in all its three combat tours. As a result of shrapnel from an enemy l2O MM shell, one man died and IO others received wounds of various severity. On ll July l95l, the BASS was relieved on Station and proceeded home via Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor. After a brief leave period the BRINKLEY BASS conducted extensive type training off the Southern California Coast and prepared itself for its second combat cruise which began on the 25 February l952, as a unit of Task Force 77. Later she joined Task Force 95. On I April she again joined Task Force 77 for six weeks. It was during the last week of duty with Task Force 77 that the BASS was sent to help the ROK navy frigate APNOK which had been involved in a collision at sea. During this cruise the BASS was assigned for the first time to the Formosan Patrol for a period of two weeks. After another tour with Task Force 77 and a bombardment of Wonson Harbor the Ole B. Bass once again headed homeward. She arrived in San Diego 26 August l952, and reported to the Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for extensive overhaul after which time she prepared herself for her third combat tour, starting the I8 April l953. After a period of short bombardment and type training in Japanese waters the BASS was assigned to the Formosan Patrol. During this period the ship took on the job of training Chinese National personnel. After a short visit to Hong Kong the BASS steamed to Japan and then home, arriving on the I8 November l953. After a leave period the BASS went to Hunter's Point for upkeep and once again conducted extensive type training in preparation for her seventh Far Eastern Cruise which is depicted in pictorial form on the following pages.