Hoel (DDG 13) - Naval Cruise Book

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,T . A 7 Uss Hom. QDDG-135 2 A Q 5.7.1 x USS I-IOEL QDDC-131 is the second ship to be named after William R. I-loel. The new 1-IOEL was launched at Bay City, Michigan in August 1960 . She was commissioned at Boston, june 16, 1962. The Commanding Officer at commissioning was Commander A. W. Slifer, U. S . Navy. Following commissioning, 1-IOEL departed for her assignment with the Pacific Fleet, arriving at her first homeport, San Diego, California, on September 11, 1962. The first nine months ,of 1963 were' spent conducting trials of the ship, exercises with her TARTAR Guided Missiles, and training with her- crew, The new ship was a success from the start. For her excellence in missile firing, she was awarded the Missilery l'E at the end of 1963 by Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet. From October 1963 to April 1964, 1-IOEL was deployed in the Western Pacific with the Seventh Fleet. On March 2, 1964, CDR Slifer was relieved by CDR G. P. 'Pavis, U. FS . Navy. ln 1964 1-IOEL continued her winning ways . She' was awarded the Battle Efficiency' E for overall excellence in battle exercises by Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet. In March 1965 1-IOEL commenced her second cruise in the Western 'Pacific . She returned to San Diego in September 1965. I-IOEL was sent to San Francisco Naval Shipyard at I-Iunter's Point for extensive -changes in October 1965. On October 29, 1965, CDR Pavis was relieved by CDR T. E . Groves, U . S . Navy. When all the modifications were successfully completed, she returned to San Diego in February 1966 to commence refresher training. ln july 1966 I-IOEL departed for her third trip to the Western Pacific . After meeting all of her commitments in a variety of duties off the coast of Vietnam, she returned to the Eastern Pacific on February 3, 1967. ln August. 1967 1-IOEL received the Battle Efficiency E for overall excellence in battle exercises by Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet. Also awarded were the E for Missilery and Enginnering. On October 26, 1967, CDR T. E . Groves was relieved by CDR R . K. Fontaine, U. S . Navy. On December 28, 1967, HOEL departed for her fourth Western Pacific deployment. ' 3

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p 3' i 'USSHOFLQDD-5331 2, g A 3 7 USS HOEL QDD-5335 was built by Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding Company in San Francisco. The keel was laid in june 1942, launched in December 1942, and commissioned in july 1943 . The ship was named for William R. Hoel, a famous Civil War volunteer Lieutenant Com- mander. After shakedown training in October 1943, HOEL reported to Fifth Fleet in Pearl Harbor. ln her first year of duty she served as carrier guard, provided shore bombardment . and close-in gunfire support for ground troops, served as radar picket, and escorted convoys. Finally, in October 1944, HOEL joined Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague's Escort -Carrier Group 77 .4. At daybreak of October 25, 1944 Task Group 77.4. 1 had launched strikes for the enemy fleeing the Battle of Surigao Strait. While this took place, the. powerful japanese Center Force under Admiral Kurita steamed the coast of Samar towards the invasion beach of Leyte where they hoped to destroy American amphibiousforces and troops . Undetected by radar, the japenese suddenly emerged from the morning mist and were upon the Carrier F orce. The Japanese force consisted of a destroyer screen, six cruisers, four battleships, and a second squadron of destroyers . Immediately, 'HOEL led the other destroyers in laying down a heavy smoke screen to shield the carriers from the japanese guns . The battleship KONGO opened fire . l-IOEL set her course directly, for the KONGO . After a furious exchange of gunfire, HOEL received a hit on her bridge, destroying all voicefcommunication. l-IOEL retaliated with five torpedoes . KONGO turned sharply to port to avoid the fish . The japanese guns found their mark and shells knocked out three mounts and HOEL's port engine. By shifting steering control aft and moving her rudder by hand, I-IOEL maneuvered and attacked the leading japanese cruiser I-LAGURO . One of l-IOEL's torpedoes found its mark and a column of water shot skyward from the I-IACURO . Reduced to one engine and two guns, it was now time to escape. She zig-zagged firing continously. All the Japanese ships in range opened up. Over 40 hits of 5 inch, 8 inch, and even 16 inch shells punched her full of holes At 0830 an 8 inch shell blew up her remaining engine. The engineering spaces were almost completely flooded. At 0835 word was passed to prepare to abandon ship. HOEL listed to port and settled by the stern. At 0855 she rolled over on her side and sank stern first. I-IOEL lost some 268 men in the Battle of Samar. She was posthumously awarded the ' Presidential Unit Citation. , 2

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llSS.HOELCDDG43J FLEET POST OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA 96601 28 June 1968 This hook is a record of a deployment. It is a record of a combat deployment. But it is more than that, It represents, to the men con- cerned, nine months of concentrated maximum effort, extremely detailed long range planning, endless hours of hard work, innumerable watches, combat emergencies at sea --- some dangerous, some not so dangerous, L .L d rough cold weather, hot humid weather, good times ashore, and so a infinitum, This book is all of these but far more importantly,.it is a record of accomplishment, under some of of the sons, husbands, fathers, and loved long, We worked hard, we fought hard, we 'For those we left at hone, we know that our interminable. But we hoped that your loneliness the most arduous conditions, ones missed so much for so, played hard, we learned. deployment seemed was eased somewhat by the knowledge of the vital effort being carried on, lt would be most fitting and proper that this book be dedicated to you. On the other hand, would you love us less if we dedicated it to something el e --' ' t wh' h h s - ld d H '.t t t +1-f Pi 0 s a concep wnic. as we e us into a au , smoosi Jorrrno, combat team. This concept is intangible, but it is there nonethe- less. we call it professionalism. This attitude and approach ena- bled us to carry out our numerous missions without missing a commit- ment. we fired over eleven thousand rounds of ammunition -- some of them in counterbattery, steamed tens of thousands of miles, placed hundreds of thousands of manhours ashore on liberty without an inci- dent, and return home a better ship and a finer crew. We visited new ports, made new friends, and encountered delightful new customs and cultures. Significantly a maturing achieved by everyone, A combat deployment can hardly the comaraderie and esprit de corps and a broadening of outlook was be termed enjoyable. However, abundantly demonstrated in HOEL were inspiring and defy description. we have all profited by the experience, In the final analysis, to successfully complete such a deploy- ment requires a high and, above all, just extremely proud. we Nhow Wand HBut Hand degree of character, maturity, devotion to duty, plain hard work. You have every right to feel do. WT these are the laws of the navy, many and mighty are they, 1 the hull and the deck and the keel the truck of the law is -- OBE, o e A lx' H C A ding