Porterfield (DD 682), flagship of DesRon 55.
Destroyer Squadron 55 was the second of three squadrons of
2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers deployed in time for all attached ships to serve in the Marianas operation in 1944. It consisted of nine square-bridge ships as follows:
Destroyer Squadron 55
1944
Destroyer Division 109
USS
Porterfield (DD 682), flag
USS Callaghan (DD 792)
USS
Cassin Young (DD 793)
USS
Irwin (DD 794)
USS
Preston (DD 795)
Destroyer Division 110
USS
Laws (DD 558)
USS
Longshaw (DD 559)
USS Morrison (DD 560)
USS
Prichett (DD 561)
- Porterfield (DD 682), Callaghan (DD 792), Cassin Young (DD 793), Irwin (DD 794) and Preston (DD 795), built consecutively at Bethlehem Steel, San Pedro, California, commissioned between October 1943 and March 1944 and formed as Destroyer Division 109.
- Laws (DD 558), Longshaw (DD 559), Morrison (DD 560) and Prichett (DD 561), built at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., commissioned between November 1943 and January 1944 and formed as Destroyer Division 110.
OPERATIONS
Porterfield arrived in the war zone in time to participate in the Marshall Islands operation while DesDiv 110 and
Callaghan joined the Third Fleet for the Hollandia operation in support of Gen. MacArthur’s New Guinea land campaign. The entire squadron less
Cassin Young then moved to the Marianas and continued in support of carrier operations through the remaining major amphibious operations of the Pacific war at Palau, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Destroyer Squadron 55
World War II Operations
LOSSES
- On 4 May 1945, while operating as a fighter-director ship on radar picket duty, Morrison was hit in rapid succession by four suicide planes. She sank quickly with a loss of 152 crewmembers.
- On 18 May, Longshaw grounded on a coral reef near Okinawa’s Naha Airfield. Taken under fire by enemy shore batteries before she could be towed free, she began to break up and was destroyed by gunfire from US ships. Her commanding officer and 85 other shipmates were lost.
- On 9 July, Callaghan was hit by a single suicide plane whose bomb detonated in the after engine room. Forty-seven members of her crew were lost. Callaghan was the last Allied ship sunk in the Okinawa Gunto operation.
DECORATIONS
- Morrison was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation twice: once for her role during the loss of USS Princeton (CVL 23) east of Luzon at the opening of the invasion of the Philippines, 24 October 1944; and once for her defense against 40 attacking planes the day she was lost.
- Prichett received the Navy Unit Commendation as a fighter director ship at Okinawa from 24 March to 7 April and from 8 May to 13 August.
- Cassin Young also received the Navy Unit Commendation for her role at Okinawa from 25 March through 8 August 1945.
