Charles S Sperry (DD 697) - Naval Cruise Book

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c iye t t 69r After the war, the SPERRY was inactivated at Boston for a short time and then sent to New Orleans, Louisiana, to assist in training reserve personnel. In July 1950, she was ordered to Norfolk, Virginia, to join Destroyer Squadron SIXTEEN. On 6 September 1950, she, with the other ships of the Squadron, left Norfolk on a high-speed run for Korea. The Squadron ar- rived in Yokosuka, Japan, on 6 October and left almost immediately for the Korean coast. From October to March the SPERRY was a part of every operation against the Reds. During this period she was 84 days out of port in an underway status. The SPERRY parti- cipated in operations at Wonsam and Song ' jin. It was at Song ' jin on 23 December 1950 that the SPERRY was hit by three three-inch shells while reconnoitering the harbor. The SPERRY fired over eighty thousand rounds of five inch ammunition into enemy territory, destroyed two towns, blew up an ammunition dump, destroy- ed three enemy batteries with three more probables, and scattered numerous enemy troops.

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% A 9 . The SPERRY is a 2200 ton destroyer of the SUMNER class. She was built by the Fed- eral Ship Building and Drydock Company at Kearny, New Jersey, and was commissioned at the Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York, on 17 May 1944. She was named for Rear Admiral Charles S. SPERRY, who took com- mand of the Great White Fleet when it left San Francisco in 1908 and brought the fleet the rest of the way around the world. The SPERRY and her sister ships were among the most heavily armed destroyers in the world. With six five-inch guns in twin mounts and six three-inch guns for a secondary battery, she was able to perform anti-aircraft, surface and shore fire support missions. In addition, she carried five torpedo tubes and is equipped with submarine search equipment, torpedoes and hedgehogs for use in anti-submarine war- fare. After a period of training, the SPERRY joined Admiral HALSEY ' S Third Fleet and participated in air strikes against the Japanese at Formosa, Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa and is credited with destroying two enemy planes. During the Okinawa campaign, six pilots forced down at sea were rescued and 18 men blown over the side from the burning HANCOCK were picked up by the SPERRY. When the BUNKER HILL was hit, the SPERRY was the first ship alongside.

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LIBEPT SUEZ C NAL. SOUTH Bound