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| USN Fletcher-class destroyer 2,050 Tons 376' 6" x 39' 8" x 17' 9" 5 x 5" guns 10 x 40mm AA 7 x 20mm AA 10 x 21" torpedoes 6 x depth charge projectors 2 x depth charge tracks   USN October 27, 1945  USN July 27, 1951 |
Sinking History Built by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey. Laid down May 7, 1942. Launched October 13, 1942 sponsored by Miss Dorothy Lillian Renshaw. Commissioned December 5, 1942 with Lieutenant Commander C. F. Chillingworth in command. Afterwards underwent a shakedown cruise off the east coast. Wartime History In early 1943, Renshaw reported to the Pacific Fleet and escorted transports in the Solomon Islands. On June 30, 1943 participated in a shore bombardment of the Shortland Islands. On July 2, 1943, participated in the bombardment of the Vila areas bordering Kula Gulf and came under the fire of enemy shore batteries with two enemy shells passing overhead and landing approximately 1,000 yards away as the first enemy fire encountered. On November 1, 1943 part of Task Force 31 (TF 31) destroyer screening force for transports that entered Empress Augusta Bay for the U.S. landings on western Bougainville. At 1:49pm opened fire at enemy aircraft and three bombs observed exploding 3,000 yards to port. By 8:00pm departs the area to the south and at 10:56pm rendezvous with Task Unit 31.8.1 light minelayers USS Breese (DM-18), USS Sicard (DM-21) and USS Gamble (DM-15). On November 2, 1943 in the early morning, screens a mine laying operation off Cape Moltke on western Bougainville. At 12:54am an enemy floatplane drops flares with the operation completed by 1:33am then departs southward. At 6:18pm moored to tanker SS Mobilube in Berth No. 15 inside Purvis Bay and refueled with 80,000 gallons of fuel. Between November 21–25, 1943 bombarded East Island inside Empress Augusta Bay firing 200 5" shells. Next, bombarded Sorum Island and Makatawa Island northeast Bougainville. Afterwards proceeded northward for an offensive sweep between Buka Island to Green Island Atoll (Nissan). On January 8, 1944 bombards shore installations on Faisi. On January 19, 1944 enroute to northeast Bougainville at 7:21pm to 7:30pm fired on Sorum then retired northward to an area between Buka Island and Green Island (Nissan) and at 11:33pm began an offensive sweep for enemy vessels. On January 20, 1944 at 2:00am retired southward and at 8:00am arrived in Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville and covered the approach and unloading of Task Group 31.7 then between 5:27pm to 6:02pm commenced shore bombardment of Makotowa inside Empress Augusta Bay then departed covering Task Group 31.7 to Guadalcanal. On January 21, 1944 part of the screening force. On January 22, 1944 in the morning released from duty and at 9:50am anchors in Purvis Bay until two days later gets underway for exercises with Task Force 38 (TF-38) west of Guadalcanal. the morning retired southward with her task unit to giving fire support against targets around Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville. Renshaw dealt considerable damage to enemy airfield installations and came under fire from shore batteries. On March 13, 1944 returned to the Empress Augusta Bay area where she bombarded enemy positions in the jungles east of the U.S. perimeter. Afterwards, withdrawn for amphibious training at Pearl Harbor, Renshaw led a force of LSTs to the Marianas. At first assigned to the outer destroyer screen, she later closed on the landing beach on Tinian to provide star shell illumination and fire support for troops ashore who were defending against a counterattack. Philippines In November 1944, while operating with a destroyer division she participated in the bombardment of enemy installations in the Ormoc Bay area and conducting anti-shipping sweeps in the waters west of Leyte, Renshaw spotted Japanese submarine on the surface. Renshaw and accompanying destroyers USS Saufley, USS Waller, USS Pringle immediately commenced fire and after a brief one-sided duel during which the submarine returned fire with small caliber weapons until Japanese submarine I-46 was destroyed. After a turnaround in San Pedro Bay, Renshaw and other units of her task group made a high-speed run to Ormoc Bay in an effort to intercept enemy transports reported unloading there. However, only a single Japanese vessel, a large wooden barge, was found which Renshaw destroyed while she came under air attack. On December 31, 1944, Renshaw sortied with a task unit en route to screen a transport formation bound for Lingayen Gulf. Despite repeated air attacks during the voyage through the Sulu Sea and South China Sea, the powerful invasion armada reached Lingayen Gulf and made an amphibious landing on January 9, 1945 without serious damage. On February 21, 1945 while in the Mindanao Sea, Renshaw was hit by a torpedo fired by Japanese midget submarine HA-84 that impacted roughly 10' below the waterline, flooding the fire rooms. The ship lost all power and a large section of the hull was warped by the explosion, and bulkheads and decks were fractured. Even though 19 men were killed and 20 injured, within a matter of minutes, damage control parties had the flooding reduced by half. Through their efforts the main propulsion machinery suffered no damage and she managed to get underway and was escorted to San Pedro Bay by USS Rudderow. By April 1945, temporary repairs were made by the crew and men from the destroyer tender USS Whitney and the repair ship Prometheus. Afterwards, Renshaw proceeded under her own power across the Pacific to Todd Pacific Shipyard in Tacoma, Washington, where permanent repairs were underway when the Pacific War ended. Postwar By early October 1945 repairs were completed at Todd Pacific Shipyard. Postwar, "RENSHAW" was painted in white block letters amidship. On October 27, 1945 participated in Navy Day Fleet Review in New York Harbor and embarked U.S. President Harry S. Truman Mrs. Harry S. Truman and Fleet Admiral Jonas H. Ingram. During the ceremony, the destroyer pulled alongside USS Missouri (BB-63) for Truman to board for an inspection. In February 1947 Renshaw was decommissioned and was attached to the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet. During 1949 and 1950, converted for anti-submarine duty and recommissioned in June 1950 as USS Renshaw DDE-499. Korean War During the Korean War, Renshaw served two tours in the Far East off Korea. The first was between May 1951 until November 1952. The second November 1952 until June 1953. During each tour she performed escort, patrol, search and rescue and conducted shore bombardment. Between February 1954 until May 1954 serves in the Pacific Proving Grounds during Operation Castle rendering patrol and air control services for Joint Task Force 7 (JTF-7). Next, a short tour in the Far East from June to August 1954 where Renshaw rescued a British airman from the sea while acting as plane guard for the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Warrior (R31) and participated in a hunter-killer exercise with a force composed of United States and Canadian ships. On August 8, 1955 Renshaw sailed for her fourth tour in the Far East, spending most of her time in hunter-killer exercises and task force operations. She subsequently made additional Far Eastern deployments from Pearl Harbor, October 1956 to May 1957, December 1957 to May 1958, February 1959 to July 1959, and April 1960 to October 1960. In late 1960, Renshaw received a new anti-submarine weapon "Weapon Alpha". On December 17, 1961 recovered the nosecone of Discoverer 36. She made a further WestPac deployment in 1962. On 7 August 1962 she was redesignated a destroyer and resumed the hull number, DD-499. On 3 October, Renshaw participated in the recovery of Project Mercury astronaut Commander Walter M. Schirra. During most of 1963 operating from Pearl Harbor then deployed to WestPac in November 1963 then returned six months later. In 1964 Renshaw took part in the movie In Harm's Way. On March 3, 1965, Renshaw, in company with other units of Destroyer Division 252, departed Pearl Harbor on short notice to augment destroyer forces for the rapidly expanding naval commitments in the South China Sea. During April and May, she served in surveillance roles and in support of carrier striking force operations. In June she was on Taiwan patrols then in July 1965 returning to the Vietnam area where she remained until September 1965 before departing via Japan to Pearl Harbor. In October and December Renshaw served as an alternate recovery ship in Project Gemini. Her 11th WestPac tour began 5 July 1966. She participated in anti-submarine operations, as an aircraft carrier rescue destroyer, in special operations with USS Chicago (CA-136) in the Tonkin Gulf., and in special operations and patrol duties in the Taiwan Strait. DesDiv 252 returned to Pearl Harbor December 16, 1966 and spent most of 1967 operating off Hawaii. On April 8, 1968 departed Pearl Harbor for WestPac where she provided escort services for the fast carrier attack forces on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf. In September 1968 Renshaw returned to Pearl Harbor. In June 1969 she departed for WestPac and Yankee Station where she rescued one pilot. In December 1969, returned to Pearl Harbor. On February 14, 1970 decommissioned and struck from the Navy List the same day. Fate In October 1970 sold to to Zidell Explorations Incorporated and afterwards broken up for scrap. Awards For her World War II service, Renshaw earned eight battle stars. For her Korean War service earned five battle stars. For her Vietnam service earned six battle stars. References NARA USS Renshaw DD-499 War Diary January 1944 NavSource - USS Renshaw (DD-499 / DDE-499) Contribute
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