Callaghan (DDG 994) - Naval Cruise Book

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”1 do the best I know how. the very best I can: and I mean it) keep on doing it to the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me will not amount to anything. If the end brings me out all wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference. rad

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 THE FIRST CALLAGHAN Built in Bethlehem Steel Company of San Pedro. California, her keel was laid on 21 I ebruary 1943. and I SS C l l.AGHAN (DD 92) was placed in commission on 27 November 1943. Commander I J Johnson. IS . assumed the first command. CALLAGHAN left the United States on 5 February 1944 for Pearl Harbor. Operating out of Pearl Harbor until 2S February, sh steamed to Kwajalcin and Majuro to join Task Group 50.15. On 30 March and 01 April, air strikes were launched from escort carriers of the Task Group while CAI I.AGII and other destroyers screened the carriers from submarine attack. At the end of pril. the ship departed for Pearl Harbor. On 30 May 1944 she got underway for the Marshall islands. On 11 June she sortied from Fniwetok screening the escort carriers MIDW AY. W III 11 PI AINS. and k Al ININ BAY as they operated east of Saipan in support of the landings there. CALI AGHAN rendezvoused with Task Group 58.4 on 05 August to protect the carriers who were providing air support for the fighting on Guam. On 29 August, the destroyer was again steaming off Palau. Mindanao, I u on and the Central Philippines striking at the Japanese. After sweeps over the Philippines, the group raced to get in position to launch a dawn attack against units of the Japanese fleet. Task Group 38.3 sortied again on 01 November enroute to Manus but was rerouted to the Philippines because of increasing enemy naval and air activity. In late December and January. CAI I.AGII N participated in strikes against Formosa. Luzon, Camranh Bay. Saigon, the south China coast, and Hong Kong before sailing to I wo Jima to participate in the landings there After I wo Jima. she provided support for the landings at Okinawa. CALI AGHAN continued operating off Okinawa on fire support and screening assignments until a radar picket station on 9 July 1945. Just after midnight on the morning of 29 July, General Quarters rang through the ship as a lone plane was detected approaching the patrol group. The Japanese, piloting an antiquated bi-planc. dived on CAI I AGH N and was driven off by heavy anti-aircraft fire. He came back, skimming the water unobserved until just before he reached the destroyer He hit CALLAGHAN on the starboard side sending up a towering 150 foot sheet of flame from the after section of the ship CAI I AGHAN sank stern first at 0235 bringing a violent end to the career of a proud fighting ship. 7