Henry Tucker (DD 875) - Naval Cruise Book

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, TUClffiK (DDK -T • ' - c o neet f,,xifornxa San Frances 6 jM y 29 July JCOD - ' ' Hal e all 1 BeacV.. CaliJ - , in tons Reveille » - ' - t - -- 1 a»a. an - -- .e S.1P- - - ' 1 .ear «-. - -- and ty? ° - aecessary. ,3 . Refnel and . e tV e ' °° ' ° ,ir.er ao« f- . ., „or. i = ' ' „3 Carry Turn o tirvdoc c snxp japai - for ® ' --- : all .e ..«--:::;.-- ,3, .erore .- ,,. California. Hoor a .- 5 February

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It all happened very last. The tanker was steaming in calm Pacific waters during the dark days of 1942 when a sudden enemy attack left her in flames and sinking. Ordered to abandon ship, the men had no choice but to risk the oily, flaming water in one last effort to save their lives. Severely burned, many men had little hope of making their way to life rafts lost in darkness. A swimmer carrying supplies of tannic acid treated a victim, shoved him aboard a raft, then swam off into the night, carefully holding his vital supplies above water. He treated many other men rapidly and thoroughly, always managing to put them aboard rafts, yet refusing a place for himself while others were still in need. Almost completely exhausted now, he again moved away into the night to treat the last few men. This time he did Henry W. Tucker not return. For his distinguished service in action, the Navy remembered the young swimmer in two ways: first, by awarding him the Navy Cross posthumously; and second, by giving his name to a United States Ship: Henry Walton TUCKER (DDR 875), commissioned in 1945. After a brief shakedown cruise, the TUCKER reported to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for conversion to a radar picket ship. She then participated in radar and anti-aircraft experimental exercises during which her gun crews set an all-time record by shooting an 80-foot pattern with her combined guns at a distance of 10,000 yards. After spending Navy Day in St. Petersburg, Florida, the TUCKER was assigned to the Pacific Fleet, arriving in Tokyo Bay on 22 December 1945. From then until the outbreak of the Korean conflict, she conducted training exercises in West Coast and Pacific op ' erating areas. When Korean hostilities broke out, the TUCKER was operating in northern waters with Task Force 77. For her action in Korea, the TUCKER received a well done from Commander Task Force 77 for her alertness and valuable assistance as screening and escort vessel. The claim of being the first radar picket destroyer to perform duties in combat since World War II also belongs to the TUCKER.

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u N N E LTJG C. H. WHITELEATHER — GUNNERY OFFICER The gunners and deck-hands join forces to be The biggest department aboard the old T . With sonar technicians and fire-control men They all show their know-how, again and again. Where gun-shoots, or subs, or typhoons are concerned There ' s not much these men have not already learned. They showed us this year how a rescue can be Of a man overboard in the Philippine Sea. If a tow plane comes out, it ' s not long till he leaves — When these men get together he runs out of sleeves. Just look at the record and see what they ' ve done To keep H. W. TUCKER — Tin Can Number One! D E P A R T M E N T