While attached to USS Genesee, Commodore W.H. Macomb, attempted the passage past rebel batteries at Port Hudson, 14 March 1863, and took part in almost daily engagements with rebel batteries along the Mississippi during April through June 1863. He commanded U.S. steamer Shamrock in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron during 1864–1865, commanding the naval force in the capture of Plymouth, North Carolina. For his gallantry and energy as displayed in his operations in the North Atlantic Squadron, he was advanced several numbers in grade. Commodore Macomb was born in 1819, in Michigan, and died on 12 August 1872.
Rear Admiral Macomb was born near Tallahassee, Florida, in 1827. He was appointed as a Third Assistant Engineer in 1849. He served on board several vessels, and with the Ringgold exploring expedition to the North Pacific, China, and Japan Seas. He was with Commodore Perry’s Fleet at the opening of Japan in 1853–1855. Admiral Macomb was with the first vessel of war on blockade duty off Charleston, South Carolina, and Pensacola, Florida, when the civil war began. In 1862–1863, he was ordered to special duty connected with building of the monitors Nahant and Canonicus, and was aboard the Canonicus during several battles. During a return voyage from Havana, Admiral Macomb personally saved the ironclad from foundering when one of the tiller ropes broke in a gale off Hatteras. At the risk of his own life, he dove four times under the counter and finally refastened the wire rope to the tiller. His inventions include the Macomb Bilge Strainer, still in use on ocean-going vessels, and the hydraulic lift in the turrets of ironclads. Admiral Macomb was placed on the retired list in 1899, after forty years of service. He died in 1911.
USS Macomb was built by the Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, where her keel was laid 3 September 1940. She was launched on 23 September 1941 under joint sponsorship of Mrs. Ryland Greene and Mrs. Edward H. Chew, granddaughters of Commodore Macomb and Admiral Macomb. The ship was placed in commission at the Boston Navy Yard, 26 January 1942, when LT. Commander W. H. Duvall, USN, assumed command.
After shakedown training, Macomb was assigned as escort for the USS Ranger, steaming by way of Trinidad to the Gold Coast of Africa where the carrier’s load of P-40 planes were flown off to land at Acorra. All planes landed safely on 10 Mayo 1942 and the group reversed course for Trinidad, British West Indies. Fog and rain cut visibility to a minimum after sunset on 17 May and, as a result, two of the screening destroyers, Hambleton and Ellyson collided. Both ships stayed with the group during the night, since speed had to be cut to 10 knots, but on the next morning, Macomb was detached to screen Hambleton to Trinidad at her best speed of 12 knots.
Rejoining the group there, she continued up the East Coast to Narragansett Bay. A short availability at Boston restored her to full seaworthiness, and she arrived at Placentia Bay, Newfoundland on 5 June 1942 with Task Force 22, the carrier Ranger, the cruiser Augusta, and destroyers Rodman, Emmons, and Corry. During carrier landing exercises on 10 June, the destroyer rescued her first pilot. Returning to Boston, she underwent another availability before escorting two merchant ships to Ireland with USS Emmons.
Emmons and Macomb then steamed to Scapa Flow to join the British Home Fleet. After training in British communications and tactics, the group departed on 26 January 1942 to screen HMS Duke of York to Iceland. Released, the destroyers joined the Wichita and returned to New York, arriving on 22 August 1942.
Another rescue was affected on 31 August 1942 when a canoe capsized about 200 yards from the ship with two boys aboard. Both were picked up and returned to New Rochelle, NY.
Steaming south to Hampton Roads, Virginia, Macomb joined Winooski, Salmoni, and Hambleton for a voyage to Iceland and return. Escorting Sangamon and Tarzed to Bermuda, Macomb again joined the carriers Ranger, Santee, and Sangamon for carrier landings.
Moving with great secrecy, the group left Bermuda on 25 October 1942 as Task Group 34.2, bound for the invasion of North Africa. The entire voyage across the submarine-infested Atlantic was made without incident and, upon arrival, 7 November 1942, Macomb was detailed to screen Sangamon. On the 8th she rescued three aviators from the carrier, and then picked up one survivor from a British reconnaissance plane shot down by mistake. When relieved by Corry and Hobson on 11 November 1942, Hambleton and Macomb proceeded at 30 knots to fuel in Fedala Bay, French Morocco.
The tanker could not take them alongside at night, and so they anchored nearby. During the night, however, the tanker, USS Winooski, Hambleton, and transport Joseph Hewes were attacked by a U-boat and received torpedo hits. Joseph Hewes sank, but the other two ships were saved, Winooski being able to resume fueling the next day. Getting underway immediately after the torpedoing, Macomb spent the remainder of the night on patrol, making one inconclusive attack on a suspected submarine at dawn.
She put into port to fuel on the morning of the 12th of November, getting underway again at 1700 to join a convoy to Casablanca. Another U-boat had penetrated the anchorage, and sent torpedoes into three more transports as Macomb was leaving the area. She steamed to Casablanca with the convoy, then joined a group bound for the US, arriving in Norfolk, 30 November 1942.
After general escort duty along the East Coast and to Panama Canal, Macomb again joined a convoy for Casablanca on 12 February 1943. LT. Commander J.C. South, USN, was now in command, having relieved Commander Duvall in January.
Macomb had to be detached from the convoy when the USS Alamonie collided with USAT Uruguay to screen the damaged ships back to Bermuda, arriving there on the 15th of February 1943. On the next day she got underway independently for Casablanca to rejoin her convoy.
Rejoining the convoy, Macomb arrived in New York, 11 March 1943. After operating with a task group out of Casco Bay, Maine, and Argentia, Newfoundland, she steamed to Scapa Flow in early May with Task Force 61, again joining the British Home Fleet. Escorting battleships and convoys, the ships performed months of duty at sea protecting allied shipping from Iceland to Murmansk and the Firth of Forth, besides participating in attempts to lure the Tirpitz and other German surface units from their Baltic lairs, and in innumerable anti-submarine engagements. On 7 July 1943 the fleet made a mock invasion of Southern Norway—just two days before the real invasion of Sicily.
In August 1943 she departed for the US, operating off the East Coast until early November, when she got underway with Hall and Halligan to a mid-ocean rendezvous with USS Iowa, carrying President Roosevelt to the Teheran conference. The voyage was without incident, and in mid-December she arrived in Boston for a navy yard availability. When this was finished, she began training with Ranger, Tuscaloosa, and Augusta.
As a unit of Task Group 27.4 she departed the US on 20 April 1944. Macomb, now under command of Lt Commander George Hutchinson, moored at Mers-el-Kébir, Algiers, on 1 May 1944. Shortly thereafter she joined in a hunter-killer exercise, lasting 72 hours before the quarry, U616, was brought to bay.
Following the torpedoing of two merchant vessels in convoy GUS 39, Destroyer Division 19, Ellyson, Rodman, Hambleton, and Emmons got underway to the scene to begin the search. Gleaves, Nields, and Macomb joined shortly thereafter. After several depth charge attacks in the running chase, the submarine completely surprised Macomb, shortly before midnight, 16 May 1944.
Running from the first destroyer group, the German sub commander did not sight Macomb until she turned her searchlight on him, only 2400 yards away. Mistaking the light for an aircraft light, the U-boat opened fire with her 20mm gun and Macomb replied with 6 rounds of 5"/38 before the sub crash dived. Making an immediate depth charge attack, Macomb followed up with another, and then directed Gleaves in a creeping attack, during which contact was lost. Nields and Emmons dropped patterns before contact was lost about 0230, 17 May, when a box search was instituted. At daylight, Hambleton had a sound contact and made two attacks, and the submarine surfaced in the center of the destroyers, who immediately opened fire, sending the sub down within minutes. Fifty-three prisoners were rescued.
Macomb operated through the Western Med on escort assignment until 11 August 944, when she weighed anchor and got underway from Taranto Bay, Italy, as a picket destroyer for Task Group 85.12, bound for the Invasion of Southern France. Arriving off the beachhead at Ax Baio de Bougnoun, she furnished shore bombardment and screened heavy units until 25 October when she got underway with a transport group for the US.
Entering the Navy Yard at Charleston, SC, she began a conversion to a destroyer minesweeper, to begin the most perilous phase of her career. As DMS23, she joined the newly formed Mine Squadron 20, composed of the following converted destroyers: Hambleton, Rodman, Emmons, Macomb, Forrest, Fitch, Hobson, Butler, Jeffers, Harding, and Gherardi. On 7 December 1944 Lt. Commander A.L. Waldron, USN, relieved Commander Hutchinson as commanding officer. After refresher training, the group got underway for the Pacific on 3 January 1945.
The squadron conducted shakedown cruise as minecraft off San Diego and, after steaming up the coast to Seattle, Washington, arrived in Pearl Harbor on 9 February 1945, where Macomb took aboard fighter-director equipment. By 12 March, the was in Ulithi, and a week later got underway for the last big amphibious operation of the war—Okinawa.
The minesweepers were the first task group to enter Okinawa waters, and left only after the operation was complete. Only one of the eleven ships escaped the rampant suicide planes and one, USS Emmons, was sunk on 6 April 1945. The squadron suffered over 300 casualties, including more than 100 killed.
Upon her arrival in enemy waters, Macomb set conditions I Easy as her normal condition of readiness. All meals were served to the crew at their stations by the repair parties as they remained constantly alert for an emergency. Minesweeping began early on the morning of 24 March 1945, but the first kamikaze did not attack until 27 March when one struck the minesweeper Dorsey, causing minor damage and blowing eight men over the side. All were recovered, one being taken aboard Macomb. When minesweeping was completed, the sweepers were assigned duties as radar picket ships, fire support, and screening duties.
Macomb’s gunners notched their first plane of the operation, a twin engine bomber, on 6 April 1945, when one was shot down in flames 8000 yards astern. Two days later, Gregory was hit in an adjacent station, and Macomb screened her back to the Kerama Retto anchorage. Three ships, Laffey, Bryant, and Hobson were hit in nearby stations on 16 April, and Macomb was sent to their aid. Making all preparations for towing and for rescuing survivors, she sped to the scene, taking Laffey in tow and rescuing a downed Marine pilot. A tug took over the towing job two hours later, and Macomb returned to her station. Another narrow escape came the next day when an enemy plane, making a glide bombing run, dropped a 250 pound bomb only 50 feet off the port beam.
On 27 April at 0455 Macomb, steaming with J. William Ditter and two LSM(R)s, was called to General Quarters for a routine sunrise alert. Ten minutes later the first bogey arrived. Alternately closing and opening range, he was soon joined by others. At 0532 a dive bomber roared in to crash 100 feet behind the ship, having been thrown out of control by the ship’s gunfire. The second began coming in two minutes later. Calling for full speed, Captain Waldron came hard left to unmask the AA batteries, who fired at the plane until it disappeared into a cloud, giving off a bright red glow. Seconds later the plane crashed 3000 yards away. The third of the trio was knocked down at 0555, 4500 yards away.
Bache, Macomb, and three LCIs were on radar picket station 9 on 3 May 1945, when, at 1810, Bache reported many bogies in the area. The Combat Air Patrol was vectored out, but missed the interception, and at 1829 two “Tonys,” single engine fighters, began their final dives. The first one missed Bache and crashed off her port quarter. His companion, following him in by a minute, headed for Macomb’s bridge and superstructure until the last minutes, when he swerved and crashed into a after 5" gun.
Gasoline burst into flames, setting of a cartridge in the guns and blowing off the after end of the gun shield. A 500 pound bomb passed through the after deck house without exploding, detonating in the water on the port quarter. Damage control parties had the fire under control within three minutes, however, the ship remained on station for three hours, steaming alone for two hours after Bache was sent to the assistance of Aaron Ward on the next station.
After being relieved by Ammen, Macomb proceeded to Hagushi anchorage, Okinawa to transfer her serious casualties, joining a Saipan-bound convoy on 11 May 1945 for repairs alongside USS Hector. These were completed by 1 August and the ship got underway again for Okinawa, joining her squadron again for preparatory sweeps for the planned invasion of Japan. She was at sea enroute to the Japanese home waters when the enemy’s surrender was announced on 15 August 1945.
On 28 August 1945, Macomb began sweeping the approaches to Tokyo Bay. On 29 August she proudly steamed into Tokyo Bay, leading the battleships Missouri and Iowa. She remained at anchor until 4 September 1945, witnessing the formal surrender aboard the "Big Mo" on 2 September only 1000 yards away.
Shortly thereafter she departed Tokyo Bay for Okinawa, only to be chased out to sea by a three-day typhoon. Later, while enroute to minesweeping operations in Vincennes Straits from Sasebo, she came across 11 Japanese survivors in a small boat and hauled them aboard, landing them at Yaku Shima on 21 September. The sweeping operations in Vincennes and Colnett Straits continued through 8 October, although interrupted by one typhoon near the end of September.
Her next sweep duty was in the Chosen Straits from 22 until 26 October 1945, followed by one at the entrance to the Yellow Sea, near Quelport Island. Returning to Sasebo, Japan in Mid-November 1945, Macomb sailed for the US, first to San Diego, then completed transit of the Canal Zone 3 January 1946, arriving at Norfolk, 9 January 1946, in company with ships of Mine Division Six.
From 9 January 1946–April 1953, her principal operations were out of Norfolk, VA and Charleston, SC, with frequent training in waters of the Caribbean. Visits were also made to ports of the East Coast and Southern Gulf ports of the US, as well as to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
On 24 April 1953, Macomb departed Charleston, SC for Norfolk, then sailed for a tour of the Med until 12 October 1953, when she departed for Charleston, arriving 26 October 1953. She remained at Charleston, SC until 24 January 1954 when she sailed to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations at Key West, Florida, commencing 26 January until 8 February 1954, when she sailed to join other ships of Mine Division Six for operations in the Caribbean, returning to Charleston, 18 March 1954.
Macomb remained at Charleston undergoing conversion and on 14 May 1954 was reclassified to DD458. She conducted local training operations out of the Charleston until 19 October 1954, when she was decommissioned and loaned to the government of Japan. On this date she was commissioned in the Japanese Navy as JDS Hatakaze. In 1970, Macomb was sold to Taiwan and replaced ex-Rodman.
For gallantry in action during the Okinawa campaign, USS Macomb was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation with the following citation:
“For outstanding heroism in action while attached to Mine Squadron Twenty, operating under Commander Mine Force, Pacific Fleet, from March 24–31; and thereafter under operational control of Commander Transport Screen, from April 1 to May 11, 1945, during operations for the seizure of enemy Japanese-held Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. Although lightly armed and highly vulnerable while operating in dangerous mine waters, the USS Macomb rendered heroic service in mine-sweeping, fire support, radar picket, anti-suicide boat, anti-submarine, and anti-aircraft screen missions. A natural and frequent target for heavy Japanese aerial attack, she was constantly vigilant and ready for battle, fighting her guns valiantly to destroy five hostile planes. Crashed May 3 by a Kamikaze which caused major damage and personnel casualties, the USS Macomb, by her own aggressiveness and the courage and skill of her officers and men, contributed essentially to the success of the Okinawa Invasion, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Macomb earned five battle stars for participating in the following operations:
Algeria/Morocco landings — 8–11 November 1942
Anti-submarine action — 14 May 1944
Invasion of Southern France — 15 August–25 September 1944
Assault and Occupation of Okinawa Gunto — 25 March–10 May 1945
Minesweeping operation Pacific — August–November 1945
Macomb also earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia, for the period 2 September-5 December 1945, and for European duty—16 September–1 October 1949, and 30 March–26 September 1951.
