Hamner (DD 718) - Naval Cruise Book

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I TWO MORVE TOURS IN THE KOREAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, BOTH OF EIGHT MONTHS DURATION, WERE MADE IN .Aq: I952 AND I953. WHEN THE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED AND HOSTILITIES CEASED ON JULY 27, I953, THE HAMNER WAS ENGAGED IN FURNISHING FIRE SUPPORT FOR GROUND FORCES ON THE EAST COAST OF KOREA. IN I954 THE HAMNER MADE HER SIXTH TOUR OF THE FAR EAST LEAVING SAN DIEGO IN MARCH AND ARRIVING BACK IN THE STATES ON SEPTEMBER I2TH. FOLLOWING A THREE MONTH YARD OVERHAUL IN LONG BEACH, THE HAMNER ONCE AGAIN RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO WHERE SHE UNDERWENT RUGGED UND- ERWAY TRAINING EXERCISES IN FEBRUARY I955. FOUR MORE MONTHS OF EXER- CISES FOLLOWED BEFORE SHE LEFT AGAIN FOR OVERSEAS ON JUNE 28, I955. AFTER A RELAXING WEEK IN PEARL HARBOR, THE SHIP PROCEEDED TO YOKOSUKA, JAPAN. THE SHIP SPENT THE MONTH OF AUGUST TRAINING IN ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE ,AND MODERN TASK FORCE OPERATIONS. THE HAMNER WAS A PART OF THE VERY FORMIDABLE TASK FORCE 77 DURING THE LATTER HALF OF AUGUST. A WELL DESERVED REST WAS HAD BY ALL WITH' A WEEK IN HONG KONG INSEPTEMBER. FOLLOWING TENDER AVAILABILITY IN SASEBO, THE SHIP ONCE AGAIN HEADED SOUTH, THIS TIME FOR DUTY WITH THE TAIWAN PATROL, KEELUNG AND KAOHSIUNG SERVING AS PORTS OF CALL. THE HAMNER RETURNED TO YOKOSUKA IN THE EARLY DAYS OF NOVEMBER. AFTER TWO WEEKS TENDER AVAILABILITY AT YOKOSUKA THE SHIP SAILED SOUTH TO KOBE, JAPAN FOR FIVE DAYS LIBERTY IN ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC REGIONS OF JAPAN. UPON LEAVNG KOBE THE SHIP PUT IN AT YOKOSUKA ONCE AGAIN TO MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR HER EASTWARD VOYAGE TO A DECEMBER IITHffDATE IN SAN DIEGO. , f fWIh?'Uff'f 'Mmu w 'w - -W' ff'fH1W'W ' 'nwqmffc-lfffggm-m-uf' ,..-Wf,fmwf,,,,,WN-,-,.,,f., ..,..,,,,,,, , , if , W ,,

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HISTORY OF THE HAMNER NAMED IN HONOR OF LIEUTENANT HENRY RAWLINGS HAMNER, USN, A HERO OF WORLD WAR II WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION OFF OKINAWA WHEN HIS SHIP WAS TAKEN UNDER ATTACK BY JAPANESE KAMIKAZES THE UNITED STATES DESTROYER HAMNER WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE FEDERAL SHIP BUILDING AND DRYDOCKING COMPANY OF PORT NEWARK NEW JERSEY. LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER I945 SHE OFFICIALLY BEGAN HER CAREER AS A COMMISSIONED VESSEL OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY AT THE BROOKLYN NAVAL SHIP YARD ON JULY I2 I946. AFTER A SHAKEDOWN CRUISE IN GUANTANAMO BAY CUBA THE HAMNER WAS ORDERED TO THE PACIFIC FLEET VIA THE PANAMA CANAL PRIOR TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE KOREAN WAR THE HAMNER MADE TWO TOURS IN THE FAR EAST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NORTH KOREANS INVADED SOUTH KOREA THE HAMNER AS PART OF DESTROYER DIVISION III WAS ORDERED TO KOREAN WATERS LER IDD 7I7I AND USS CHEVALIER IDDR 805I WAS THE SECOND DESTROYER DIVISION TO ARRIVE IN THE COMBAT AREA THIS DIVISION WHICH INCLUDES USS WILTSIE IDD 7I6I, USS THEODORE CHAND-

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THE SKI I COMMANDER JOSEPH E. THOMPSON, JR. I COMMANDER JOSEPH E. THOMPSON, JR., USN, ASSUMED COMMAND OF USS HAMNER IN JANUARY, 1954. CAPTAIN THOMPSON CAME TO THE HAMNER FROM DUTY AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE USS SANDOVAL IAPA 1941 IN THE PACIFIC FLEET. A NATIVE OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK, CAPTAIN THOMPSON GRADUATED FROM NEW YORK UNIVERSITY IN 1938. AFTER ENTERING THE NAVY IN 1941, HE SERVED IN THE BATTLESHIP USS WASHINGTON IBB 561 AND THE CRUISER USS WICHITA ICA 451 DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. J HAVING LED THE HAMNER THROUGH TWENTY-TWO EVENTFUL AND SUCCESS- FUL MONTHS, CAPTAIN THOMPSON TURNED OVER COMMAND OF THE SHIP TO COMMANDER PHILLIP H. TEETER DURING CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONIES AT KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN ON OCTOBER 29, 1955. CAPTAIN THOMPSON LEAVES THE HAMNER FOR A TOUR OF SHORE DUTY WITH THE OFFICE OF NAVAL MATERIAL IN WASHINGTON, D. C. WHILE ON DUTY IN WASHINGTON CAPTAIN THOMPSON RESIDES IN MCLEAN, VIRGINIA WITH HIS WIFE, CRYSTAL, AND THREE SONS, JOHN, PETER, AND STEPHEN.- THE CREW AND OFFICERS OF THE HAMNER BID CAPTAIN THOMSON SAYONARA AND WISH HIM SMOOTH SAILING THROUGH ALL FUTURE YEARS.