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I like to think she still leaves a WAKE in the OCEANS OF THE WORLD.
Call sign STRAW BOSS -ships motto GO GALLANTLY.
My Tribute to a Highly Decorated Summner Class Destroyer USS WALKE DD723. And
to her predecessor DD416 which was lost November 14 1942, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal along
with 82 of her crew including her Captain Thomas E. Fraser . And
to all the crews that served aboard them. I know for over 3 years WALKE fed me, kept me warm, and always gave me
a place to sleep. In turn i kept her clean and looking like the LADY she was. I helped keep her fueled and replinished, She
let me steer her to places i would never have been able to go without her. Both ships were also Fighters, When called
on they went into the Heat of Battle, there crews Protecting them from HARMS WAY, there Skippers always thinking
of There SHIP, and there Crews First, and then Themselves. Walke earned 6 BATTLE STARS for WW2, 4 Battle Stars
for the KOREAN WAR, and 7 BATTLE STARS for Her Actions in VIETNAM. DD416 earned 3 Battle Stars for her World War 2 service. WALKE lost
15 of her crew on January 6 1945 during a Kamikaze attack (see ships history) and another 26 on June 12 1951 when the ship
hit a mine while steaming 60 miles off the Korean coast. We lost 1 crew member on our 1960 West-Pac Cruise.This page is dedicated
to the 124 WALKE Sailors Still On Patrol. And to the many crews over her life span that were her life blood and
soul.To the good times the bad times and the sad times,we never took anything from her when we crossed the gangplank
for the last time. But in later years we learned she gave back to us much more than we could have imagined
at the time.
USS WALKE DD723
WELCOME ABOARD
Class-Allen M Sumner Displacement 3218 tons fully loaded Speed 36.5
Knots,Range 3300 natacaul miles at 20 knots
Commisioned January 21 1944 at the Boston Navy Yard Named after (Henery
A. Walke.) An Officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War WALKE served her
Country thru 3 wars and was sold for Scrap on April 16 1975. At any one time she carried a crew of 336 Officers and
Men.
Walke was Decommissioned May 30 1947 and sent to the reserve
fleet.She was Recommissioned October 5 1950 at the break out of the Korean war.She compleated her FRAM upgrade October
1961 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.She was again Decommissioned November 30 1970.Stricken from the record February 1 1974.Her
final fate came March 19 1975 when she was sent to General Metals in
Tacoma Washington and broken for Scrap.
HOME PORT LONG BEACH Calif.
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This photo sent to me by Jeff HoweLL his father Mervyn
T HoweLL served aboard in the mid 50s photo has 1956 written on back.
Mervyn passed on May 28 he was 73 any information
on Jeffs dad or this photo would be a big help.
CLICK-- on photo for actual size
May 17 1960 West-Pac Ships of DisDiv 132 DesRon 13--Uss Walke DD723--Uss
Obrien DD725--Uss Evans DD754--Uss Cunnungham DD752--Uss Turner Joy DD951--Uss Harry E Hubbard DD748 Uss Ernest Small
DDR838--Uss Hornet CVA12
Accident on board just hours after leaving
Long Beach May 17 1960
READ ABOUT THAT DAY :click here
Are you ready for a Cruise
Bring it on
No Rows
of Crosses Mark The Final Resting Place Of Those Who Gave Their All For "Victory At Sea"
January 6 1945-Lingayen Gulf,Luzon,P.I.--> 1200 Japanese suicide
planes make a sudden attack on mine sweeping and bombardment group.The USS NEW MEXICO BB40 is hit on the bridge
structure with the plane exploding as it crashed.TheUSS WEST VIRGINIA BB48 has a near miss with a bomb.The attacking planes
used the close proximity of land to the utmost advantage and in most cases dove out of the sun.5 were shot down several missing
other units by a small margin. attacked by four planes which approched WALKE simultaneously on the starboard side.Two were
shot down,one crashing within 50 feet of the fantail,the third swung around to the port side and crashed into the bridge structure
near the sea cabin.The bomb passed thru CIC,BUT DID NOT EXPLODE.The bridge was enveloped in a gasoline fire and many casualties
resulted.The forth plane was also shot down.At the same time the ALLEN
M SUMNER DD-692 was attacked by three planes in rapid succession.The
first two were driven off by SUMNERS AA fire,but the third plane approaching from the port bow,dove through the rigging,hit
the No. 2 stack,and crashed on the after torpedo mount.The bomb carried by the plane exploded as the plane crashed. At 1240
WALKE reported that all fires were under control.No damage
had been done to engine spaces but CIC and the main director were both knocked out.At 1245 Comdesron Ordered USS OBRIEN DD-725 to
relieve WALKE. USS SUMNER DD-692 was relieved by USS INGRAHAM DD-694.On Febuary 2 1945 Commander Destroyer Squadron 60
Action Report read as follows.The performance of duty of all personal in the destroyers is considered to be Excellent.Of particular
note is the conspicuous courage and devotion to duty of the Commanding Officer of the WALKE .Commander
G.F DAVIS USN, when his ship was attacked by four suicide planes Commander
Davis,though fatally wounded,Refused to submit to medicial treatment or take cover,and continued to direct the fire and damage
control efforts of his ship until completion of the attacks and the fires were under control.He died later that same day. 15
k.i.a. including her skipper.
+++++++++++++++
WALKE Commander G.F. Davis
3-23-1911---1-6-1945
USS DAVIS DD-937
Forest Sherman Class
FROM MARCH 2002 EDITION
OF V.F.W. MAGAZINE
June 12 1951 (Walke) was screening for the carriers 70 miles
east of the Korean Coast port of Wonson when at 7:40 am a huge explosion shook the Walke, the blast hit the aft crews
quarters and catching many of the crew in there bunks, two of the three large bearthing compartments were destroyed and a
third flooded .The ship was listing 10 degrees to port and the stern hung low in the water Capt (Marshall Thompson)
reduced the Walkes speed to 5 knots and ordered all possible weight including men transfered to the starboard side of the
ship, port side fuel was pumped to starboard tanks, or dumped into the the sea .The ship righted itself and dead and wounded
were transfered to other ships. (The Walke) then proceded at reduced speed to Sasebo Japan for repairs. In there shipmates
memory and showing Naval Pride the remaining crew somehow scrounged a set of
dress whites and when the wounded WALKE limped into Sasebo harbor on June 14 the ships deck was filled with "sharpley dressed
smartley saluting sailors" Marshall Thompson wrote "we suffered damage and losses but we are no way beaten". 26 of the Walkes
crew killed in action 40 wounded.
My thanks to David Wilband whose father John Wilband was a FTSN
aboard USS Hubbard DD748, David says his Dad was an avid photographer all his life. And i cant thank him enough for letting
me add these 2 photos to the Ships web page. >>>>>Photos set to open
full size<<<<<
WALKE listing to port after Explosion
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WALKE Motor Whale Boat coming along side USS HUBBARD
DD748 with causalities.
Photo sent to me by Warren Milan 51-52 1st Div showing damage to Walke.
From 50-51 Korean cruise book.
23 shipmates from the USS St Francis River LSMR-525 donated blood to the
survivors of the WALKE at Sasebo Japan.
USS St Francis River LSMR-525
(USS WALKE) DD 416 The second ship named after the late Rear
Admiral Walke and commissioned April 27 1940.Lost November 14 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.Six officers including
her Captain THOMAS E FRASER and 76 men died in the ships firey end off Savo Island. (USS MEAD) DD602 rescued 151 men
from the WALKE, six who later died after they were brought ashore at Tulagi. and 115 from USS (PRESTON) DD379 also sunk
with the loss of 116 of her crew.
Thomas E Fraser
++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Uss Thomas E Fraser DM-24
Uss Preston DD-379
116 of Her Crew still on Patrol
Uss Walke DD-416
Click DD-416s photo and it will take you to Iron Bottom
Sound and the location of the ships lost on THE NIGHT OF November 14 1942.
USS MEAD missed two survivors from Walke,Seaman Dale E. Land and Machinist
Mate Harold Taylor.After two days and nites in the water they reached Guadalcanel,but behind Japanese lines.They moved eastward,stealing
food from Japanese bivouacs.After finding a Japanese rifle and ammunition bandolier,they took up a sideline of sniping,and
killing a number of Japanese.Taylor lost his life in the struggle to survive,but Land,who staggered to within shouting distance
of US lines and was picked up,delirious,with a temperature of 106, did recover from his ordeal.
OTHER SHIPS IN Iron Bottom Sound-uss barton dd-599-uss
Monsen dd-437-uss Alanta CL-51-uss Gregory APD-3-uss Little APD-4-uss Seminole AT-65-uss Duncan DD-485-uss Quincy CA-39-uss
Blue DD-387-uss Vincennes CA-44-uss Laffey DD-459-HMAS Canberra D-33-uss George Elliot AP-13-uss Preston DD-379-uss DeHaven
DD-464-uss Northhampton CA-26-uss Astoria CA-34-uss Cushing DD-376-uss Kanawha-Ao1
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