Theodore E Chandler (DD 717) - Naval Cruise Book

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e History of U.S.S. Theodore E. Chandler The U.S.S. THEODORE E. CHANDLER has spent nearly half of its brief history in Far Eastern waters, and has operated in the Korean theater of operations for nearly one third of its time in active service. The ship is named in honor of Rear Admiral Teodore Edson Chandler, USN. Born in T894 and commissioned from the Naval Academy in June of l9l5, he rose to flag rank during World War II. Admiral Chandler was killed in action on 7 January 1945 on board his flagship, the USS LOUISVILLE, in Lingayien Gull, Philippine Islands. A long-hull, 2250 ton destroyer, the CHANDLER was placed in com- mission in the United States Navy at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock- ing Company, Kearny, New Jersey, on 22 March I946. The ship's maiden voyage took her through the Panama Canal to join Destroyer Squadron SEVENTEEN in San Diego. This designation has since been changed to ELEVEN. The original squadron included the USS WILTSIE lDD 7l6I, USS HAMNER IDD 7l8I, and the USS OSBORNE IDD 8461. The USS CHEVALIER lDDR 805l replaced the OSBORNE in I949. The divi- sion is now designated ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN. Prior to the outbreak of the Korean War, the CHANDLER made two tours .on China Station about which a book of that name was written by ia CHANDLER offlcerq Immediately alter the North- Koreans invaded South Korea the CHANDLER, as part of DesDiv III, was ordered to Korean waters. Since that time, the ship has made three tours to the combat area. On her first Korean tour, the CHANDLER athone time spent 66 straight days at sea, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. On another occasion the ship expended her entire load of ammunition in two days in stopping the attack of a North Korean division on the Pusan perimeter. The ship's second tour lasted nine months and was distinguished by ci furious battle with shore batteries in the harbor of Chongfin, after the enemy opened fire on the USS ENDICOTT IDMS 352. With the aid of spotting aircraft, the CHANDLER was credited with destroying six enemy batteries of 705 mm guns. , The CHANDLER's third Korean tour began on 2 January I953. Follow- ing the usual rotation from .fast carrier -Task Force 77 to Formosa Patro'I to shore bombardment with Task Force 95, the ship earned membership in the exclusive 'Trcfnbusters' Club and earned high praise for its operations, ii I T l ,

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