Moale (DD 693) - Naval Cruise Book

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Fl' f USS MOALE QDD-693 Now rounding out her tenth year of active Naval service, the USS MOALE first got underwa fol- Y lowing commissioning ceremonies on 28 February I94-4 at the Federal Shipbuilding Yards, Keamyf New Jersey. . . . Incorporating improvements gleaned from destroyer action reports in the Pacific theatre, the MOALE is second ship of the SUMNER class Cshort-hullj 2,200 ton destroyer. First ship of the fleet to bear the name MOALE, she honors Lt. Edward Moale, a Spanish-American War hero and an T887 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. After the completion of several shakedown and training cruises, the MOALE joined Task Force'38 as a screening ship for the carriers whose planes made heavy strikes against Japanese air fields on Luzon Island in November I944. ' The MOALE received her first rude baptism of enemy action while conducting an attack on Japanese shipping and installations at Ormoc Bay prior to the invasion of Leyte. ln the short space of four hours on the night of 2 December I944, the MOALE, SUMNER lDD692I and COOPER fDD695D returnedthe fire of shore batteries, low-flying planes, and surface craft guns. Unaided by other American forces, the three valient destroyers splashed eight enemy planes and sank three ships. It was during this battle, however, that the COOPER was struck by a torpedo, broke in two, and sank with the loss of I72 men. Shortly after New Year's Day, l945, the MOALE and DesRon 60 assisted in the softening-up opera- tions for the impending invasion of Li,ngqyenGulf-alternating between screening assignments for the bug ships and call- fire duty with shore firecontrol parties. During the followingmonth the MOALE' accompanied the Fifth Fleet fast carrier force while strikes were made against the Japanese homeland. The MOALE also participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima and Okinawa Gunto before steaming into Tokyo Bay on I6 September l945 soon after the war was over. Since the end of World War II, the assignments of the MOALE have been many and varied. She has h d h h s F ' ' ' ' ' a er s are o cruising among the islands of the Pacific and later participated in Operation Cross- roads QAtom Bomb Testi at'Bikini. She had the honor of escorting the first shi b ' d d b li . y p earung war ea ac to the United States, and has been the proving grounds for hundreds of students of the Fleet Sonar School at San Diego. Inthe spring ofI949the MOALE and the other four ships of Destro er Di ' ' 72 ' ' d h A I t' y . vision lolne t e tan IC Fleet. She now is a part of Destroyer Division I6l which also includes the SUMNER and the INGRA- HAM fDD694I. U Forthe MOALE, Atlantic Fleet duty has included Naval Reserve and Midshipman cruises to the Car- flbbecn and Europe, Operations with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, refresher training at Guan-I fcmvmo Buy, Cl-'50, Gnd The Mncowex and Packex exercises. Her most recent cruise has been the 53,000-mile 'round-the-world trip, the subject of this book. On The bfldge bUlW0l'l4S, the MOALE proudly displays her eight ribbons earned through the yeGfS2 the Asiatic-Pacific Area S ' ' ' ' . ervnce Ribbon with five battle stars QLeyte,' Luzon, Iwo Jima, Okinawa gunto, and Third Fuleet Operations against Japanl, World War II Victory Ribbon, Navy Occupation UefV'Zegllfb0n, China Service Ribbon, European Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon, nite ations Service Ribbon, and the Korean Service Ribbon with one engagement star.