Cony (DDE 508) - Naval Cruise Book

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ffm: of dw Genera I U. S. S. CONY QDD 5081 was built by the Bath Iron Works, Beth, Maine in 1942. Her name honors Joseph S. Cony, Acting Master, USN, aCivil War hero. Acting Master Cony commanded several small boat expeditions along the Carolina Coasts, Captured 311 enemy en- campment and destroyed a blockade runner at Wilmington, North Carolina, and participated in the two attacks on Fort Fisher. . U. S. S. CONY QDD 508i was commissioned 30 Oct, 1942, and after her shakedown cruise reported for duty in the Pacific area on 27 January, 1943. Her first action against the enemy was a shore bombardment of enemy positions at Kolombangara on the night of 5 March. During this action, two Japanese destroyers were engaged and sunk by CONY'S task group. CONY next' took part in the landings at Vella LaVella on 15 August, 1943. During this action she served as flagship for Rear Admiral T. E. Wilkinson, USN, Commander THIRD Amphibious force. During this operation and the destroyer sweeps up the slot dur- ing the following weeks, CONY is credited with downing two enemy planes and sinking an un- determined number of barges. For this action her Commanding Officer, Cdr. H. D. Johns- ton, was awarded the Silver Star. While CONY was acting as afighter-director ship during the seizure of Treasury Is- land, she was attacked by a large group of divebombers. Although she destroyed five planes, the enemy inflicted two' bomb hits in the after part of the ship. The after engine room and af- ter living spaces were flooded with sea water and fuel oil from ruptured tanks. Fire and es- caping steam made damage control difficult. Eight men were killed or died of wounds and twelve wounded. Seaman 210 Bernard Barney was posthoumously awarded the Navy Cr0SS for heroism in fighting fires although badly wounded. After three months of repairs at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, - CONY returned to eetien, acting as an escort and fire mission vessel during the Saipan, Tin' ian and Guam invasions. She also screened, the carrier group supporting the Palau and An- 8 -lal' 1a11di11gS, and helped perform pre-D-Day reconnaissance of Leyte's defenses. During the liberation of the Philippines, CONY was a unit of the SEVENTH Fleet islliigiigiilfsrsii at fhedbitle of '?'u1'i-380 Stlyait, 25 Oct. 1944. She also participated in the - gayen u Opefatlons, helplng to beat off the heavy enemy air attacks. DUT' ' F b ' - . . mg e mary CONY led a mmesweepmg eXPed1t1on that cleared 98 mines from Baler Bay. 28