USN
Clemson Class
Destroyer Minesweeper
Tons
1,215
Dimensions
314'5" | 31'8"| 9'10"
Armament
4 x 4"/50
1 x 3"/23AA
12 x 21" torpedoes
Crew
149 (140 rescued)
Ship History
Built at Mare Navy Yard and completed on September 15 1920. Commissioned August 7 1922 Converted from Destroyer to Fast Minesweeper DMS-17 on 19 November
1940.
Mission History
On September 14, 1944, the
USS Perry hit a mine at 14:07, and
sank 700 yards south of Angaur
Island in less than two hours. Survivors
were rescued the crew from the water.
Veteran Lt. jg Charles L. Ennis adds:
“My battle station was on the Flying Bridge and I saw mines. The proximity of these deadly orbs certainly prevented any rescue ship from effective aid particularly since many of the crew were in the water and would been killed had another mine been exploded. I have been frequently interviewed by Jon Bell who did a marvelous dive on the Perry.”
Shipwreck
Discovered on May 1, 2000, by Fish ‘n Fins, owner Navot Bornovski,
found the USS PERRY at its resting place, 240 feet deep. Navot
and Padi Owdi, Jeff Wonnenberg were the first to dive the wreck.
240'
