USSHobson

USSHobsonoff Charleston, South Carolina, 4 March 1942. She is painted in camouflage Measure 12 (Modified). This photograph has been censored to remove radar antennas atop her foremast and Mark 37 gun director.
History
United States
Name	USSHobson
Namesake	Richmond P. Hobson
Builder	Charleston Navy Yard
Laid down	14 November 1940
Launched	8 September 1941
Commissioned	22 January 1942
Reclassified	15 November 1944 as Destroyer Minesweeper (DMS-26)
Fate	Sunk in collision withUSSWaspin the North Atlantic 26 April 1952.
General characteristics
Class and type	Gleaves-classdestroyer
Displacement	1,630 tons
Length	348 ft 3 in (106.15 m)
Beam	36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
Draft	11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
Propulsion	50,000 shp (37 MW); 4 boilers; 2 propellers
Speed	37.4 knots (69 km/h)
Range	6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	16 officers, 260 enlisted
Armament	5 ×5 in (127 mm)DPguns, 6 ×0.50 in (12.7 mm)guns, 6 ×20 mmAA guns, 10 ×21 in (533 mm)torpedo tubes, 2 ×depth chargetracks

USSHobson(DD-464/DMS-26),aGleaves-classdestroyer,was the only ship of theUnited States Navyto be named forRichmond Pearson Hobson,who was awarded theMedal of Honorfor actions during theSpanish–American War.He would later in his career attain the rank ofrear admiraland go on to serve as acongressmanfrom the state ofAlabama.

Hobson,constructed at a cost of $5 million, waslaunchedat theCharleston Navy Yardon 8 September 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Grizelda Hobson, widow of Rear Admiral Hobson. As the new destroyer slid down theways,she was cheered on by spectators and whistle blasts from other vessels on theCooper River.Hobsonwascommissionedon 22 January 1942.

In 1952,Hobsoncollided with the aircraft carrierUSSWasp(CV-18)and sank with the loss of 176 crew. The ships had been undertaking amphibious exercises in the Atlantic, withWasppracticing night flying, whenHobsonattempted to turn in front of the carrier and collided withWasp.Hobsonwas broken in two and quickly sunk, causing the greatest loss of life on a US Navy ship since World War II.

Service prior to D-day

Mrs. Grizelda Houston Hull Hobson, widow of Rear Admiral Richmond P. Hobson, christens USSHobson.

Hobsonwaspennantof Destroyer Division 20 (DesDiv 20), composed ofUSSForrest(DD-461),USSFitch(DD-462)andUSSCorry(DD-463)that along with Destroyer Division 19 made up Destroyer Squadron 10 (DesRon 10), with its pennant onUSSEllyson(DD-454);Destroyer Flotilla Four, with its flag onUSSWainwright(DD-419);Destroyers,Atlantic Fleet.Following extensive shakedown and training operations inCasco Bay,Maine,the new destroyer under command of Lt. Cdr. Kenneth Loveland and hersister shipsof Desdiv 20 joined veteranaircraft carrierUSSRanger(CV-4)atNorfolk, Virginia,and sailed on 1 July 1942 to escort her toAfrica.Carrying a vital cargo of 72P-40aircraft,Rangerarrived safely viaTrinidad,unloaded the planes and returned with Desdiv 20 on 5 August 1942.Hobsonthen conducted training exercises offNewport, Rhode Island,and Norfolk until 3 October 1942, when she departed Norfolk forBermudaon escort duty.

Operation Torch, the Invasion of North Africa

Map of Operation Torch.

As theAlliesprepared to land inNorth Africa,Hobson,the three other destroyers of DesDiv 20 andEllysonas destroyer flag under Capt. J.L. Holloway, joined Task Group 34.2 Airgroup under Rear Admiral Ernest D. McWhorter, composed ofRanger,Sangamon-class escort carrierUSSSuwannee(CVE-27),light cruiserUSSCleveland(CL-55),two submarines and a fleet oiler. The group was part of Task Force 34, Western Naval Task Force- Morocco, underRear AdmiralHenry Kent Hewitt,flag on thecruiserUSSAugusta(CA-31).The Allies organized three amphibious task forces to seize the key ports and airports ofVichy French-controlledMoroccoandAlgeriasimultaneously, targetingCasablanca,Oranand Algiers. Successful completion of these operations was to be followed by an advance eastwards into Tunisia.

The Western Task Force (aimed at Casablanca) was composed of American army forces under the command ofMajor GeneralGeorge S. Pattonand Rear Admiral Hewitt heading the naval operations. The army units consisted of theU.S. 2nd Armored Divisionand the U.S.3rdand9th Infantry Divisions—35,000 troops in a convoy of over 100 ships. They were transported directly from the United States in the first of a new series ofUG convoysproviding logistic support for the North African campaign.Hobsonand the other four destroyers' main job was to screen and protectRangerwhile the carrier's mobile air power supported the army's assault at Casablanca. Departing from Bermuda on 25 October 1942,Hobson's group arrived offFedhalaon 8 November 1942. As theOperation Torchlandings proceeded, the air group provided indispensable air support, launching 496 combat sorties in the three-day operation.Ranger's planes hit shore batteries, the immobileVichy FrenchbattleshipJean Bart,and later helped turn back the attack by French ships on the transport area in theNaval Battle of Casablanca.AsRanger's planes were attackingJean Barton D-Day Plus 2 (10 November), the French submarineLe Tonnantfired four torpedoes at the carrier which passed harmlessly astern. At 1010,Ellysonspotted a periscope and dropped a full barrage ofdepth chargeson sight at shallow setting. AsRangerturned to port,Hobsondropped another full pattern at deep setting. Capt. Holloway later wrote, "I am convinced that this fortunate sight contact byEllysonsavedRangerfrom torpedo attack at closer range. "Casablanca capitulated to the American forces on 11 November 1942 andRangerdeparted the Moroccan coast 12 November, returning to Norfolk on the 23d.HobsonscreenedRangeruntil she sailed for Norfolk, leaving the Allies fully in command of the assault area.

Atlantic Convoy Duty

Upon her return to Norfolk on 27 November 1942, the destroyer took part in exercises in Casco Bay, later steaming with a convoy to thePanama Canal Zonein December.Hobsonand DesDiv 20 again joinedRangerin early 1943 and theanti-submarinegroup sailed on 8 January 1943 to patrol the western Atlantic. Groups such asRanger's did much to protectAlliedshipping in the Atlantic fromU-boats,and contributed to the eventual victory in Europe. Typical ofHobson's versatile performance was her rescue offBermudaof 45 survivors from the British merchantmanSSSt Margareton 2 March 1943.Thefreighterhad been torpedoed and sunk four days earlier by theGermansubmarineU-66and the no. 3lifeboatwith 35 crew and passengers, under a red sail and towing aliferaftholding 10 more crewmen, had sailed 93 nautical miles southwest of the sinking, when it was spotted byRanger's aircraft at 0745 hours.Hobsonthereafter broke from the destroyer screen to investigate. The destroyer picked up the survivors at 1003 and the lifeboat and raft were sunk by gunfire from the ship. TheSt Margaretsurvivors were landed at Bermuda on Friday 5 March, where the crew were put on board an HM ship on 15 March and were landed atPortsmouth, England,seven days later.

In April 1943,HobsonandRangerarrived atNaval Station Argentia,Newfoundland,and began operations out of that base. The ships provided air cover for convoys and anti-submarine patrol, and in July 1943 had the honor of convoyingRMSQueen Mary,carryingPrime MinisterWinston Churchillto theQuebec Conference.The veteran destroyer arrived in Boston 27 July 1943 to prepare for new duties.

Operation Leader, Bodø, Norway

Hobsonsailed withRangerand other ships 5 August 1943 to join theBritish Home FleetatScapa Flow.Arriving 19 August, she operated underRoyal Navyorders in northern waters, helping to provide cover for vital supplyconvoystoRussia.While at Scapa Flow, she was inspected byUS Secretary of the NavyFrank KnoxandAdmiralHarold Rainsford Starkon 21 September.Hobsonand DesDiv 20 along withRangerand the heavy cruisersUSSAugustaandUSSTuscaloosa(CA-37)formed a task force under the command of Rear AdmiralOlaf M. Hustvedtthat executedOperation Leader,a daring raid of combined British and American naval forces on 2–4 October 1943, whenRanger'sair wingofdive bombers,torpedo bombersandfightersstaged a devastating attack onGermanshipping atBodø,Norway.Following this operation, the destroyer continued to operate with Home Fleet. She screened the aircraft carrierHMSFormidableduring flight operations in November and after two convoy voyages toIceland,Hobsonand Desdiv 20 returned to Boston and U.S. operational control 3 December 1943.

Hunter-killer anti-submarine duty

During the first two months of 1944,Hobsontrained inChesapeake Bayand operated with carriers between theEast Coastand Bermuda. She joined escort carrierUSSBogue(CVE-9),flagship of Anti-Submarine Task Group 21.11, and the group's four other destroyers or destroyer escorts at Norfolk for temporary duty, departing 26 February 1944. TheseHunter-killer Groups(HUK's) played a major part in driving German U-boats from the sea lanes, and this cruise was no exception. After patrolling for over two weeks, the destroyers spotted an oil slick, made sonar contact, and commenced depth charge attacks on the afternoon of 13 March 1944. TheGerman submarineU-575was severely damaged and was forced to surface, after which gunfire fromHobson,USSHaverfield(DE-393),atorpedo bomberfrom Composite Squadron Ninety-Five (VC 95) based onBogue,the Canadian frigate HMCSPrince Rupertand an RAFFlying Fortress(No. 220 Squadron) sank her.After further anti-submarine sweeps as far east as theAzores,Hobsondetached from the HUK on 25 March 1944, and returned to Boston 2 April 1944.

D-Day, Utah Beach

Expended cartridge cases and powder tanks from the ship's5-inch/38 caliber gunslitter the deck, after firing in support of the Normandy invasion offUtah Beach,6 June 1944. This view was taken on the ship's afterdeck, with mount 54 at right.

For some time the Allies had been building up tremendous strength inEnglandfor the eventualinvasion of France.Hobsonand the other three destroyers of DesDiv 20,Corry,ForrestandFitch,sailed from Norfolk on 21 April 1944 to join the vast armada ofOperation Neptunethat would transport and protect the soldiers and their mechanized equipment duringOperation Overlord.Hobsonspent a month on patrol offNorthern Ireland,arriving at Plymouth on 21 May for final invasion preparations. Assigned to Rear AdmiralDon P. Moon'sUtah BeachAssault Group "U", flag on theUSSBayfield(APA-33),Hobsonand her three sister-ships of DesDiv 20 were elements of Bombardment Group 125.8 that comprised thebattleshipUSSNevada(BB-36),the heavy cruisersTuscaloosa,USSQuincy(CA-71),British cruiserHMSBlack Prince(81),monitorHMSErebus(I02),ten American destroyers, four British destroyers and a Dutch gunboat.

The destroyers arrived off "Point Mike", the outermost area of Utah with the other ships of the bombardment group at 0140 on 6 June. All vessels entering into Utah had to remain in their assigned asymmetrical and exact mine-swept channels that had been drawn up and cleared to provide the maximum safety from the mine peril and to permit access to all the carefully designated positions of the bombardment ships.Minesweeperscleared the area where transport craft would assemble and discharge; and provided adequate channels for all the amphibious boats between "Transport Area" and the landing beaches. The order of ships was the British destroyersHMSEnterprise(D52),HMSHawkins(D86),and the Dutch gunboatHNLMSSoemba.The American destroyersUSSJeffers(DD-621),USSGlennon(DD-620)," HobsonandForrestfollowed as screen forBayfieldand three other Allied transports carrying GeneralRaymond O. Barton's4th Infantry Divisiontroops as far as the transport area. The destroyers then closed in on their action stations. Fire Support Unit 3,Hobson,CorryandFitch,led the first waves of landing boats down the boat lane, breaking off in time to be in their stations at 0540.

Map of the Normandy invasion area showing channels cleared of mines, location of vessels engaged in bombardment, and targets on shore.

The German shore batteries, having discovered the Allied invaders, began firing on the armada at 0530. At 0536, the group commander made the signal "Commence counter battery bombardment.", 14 minutes ahead of schedule.Hobsonand the other ships began counter-firing as spent 5 "and 8" shell casings littered their decks. Only the heavy ships had planes to spot for them. The destroyers were close enough to see their targets which consisted mostly of "strong points" just back of the beaches.Hobson,at station 1, was assigned firing on targets 70 and 72. At 0629,Hobsonobserved shell splashes nearCorryand at 0633,Corryappeared to be hit amidships. As smoke from the intense shore firing drifted offshore and temporarily concealedCorry,Hobsonshifted her fire at 0638 to target 86 which appeared to have been firing onCorry.This battery temporarily ceased firing as soon as taken under fire byHobson.At 0644, the destroyer shifted her fire back to targets 70 and 72 since the leading boat wave was close to shore and neutralization of German firing from those areas was vital. At 0656, the smoke was extremely heavy on the beach, making it difficult to see the targets, andHobson,per her prior firing orders, estimated that the first troops were going ashore and shifted fire to target 74, which was in an excellent position to deliver deadlyenfiladeandstrafingfire on the Allied landing troops. At 0700, the smoke cover was clearing fromCorryand the men onHobsoncould see she was "in definite trouble with her back broken between the stacks" as targets 13A and 86 fired on the stricken destroyer.Corry,the worst naval loss of the D-Day landings, was hit by theCrisbecq Battery,whose three 210-millimeter (8.25-inch) guns had a range of 17–21 mi (27–34 km).

Since target 74 was then inactive,Hobsonbegan alternately taking targets 13A and 86 under fire while keeping watch on target 74. At 0721, it was clear thatCorrywas sinking andHobsonbegan to close range on her while continuing her firing on the two targets. At that time, the group commander orderedFitchto stand by theCorrysinceHobson's mission of covering the landing beach flank was vital. By then the German shore batteries at 13A and 86 had ceased firing, andHobsonlowered her two boats to assistFitchin picking up theCorry's survivors.Hobsonthen resumed her station and continued firing on target 74 and a nearby roadblock and strong point. At 0854, according to schedule,USSButler(DD-636)relievedHobsonat her station, andHobsonwas ordered to assumeCorry's fire support mission at station 3.Hobsoncontinued firing on German shore positions while simultaneously rescuing survivors from the water until returning toPlymouth, England,later that afternoon. The destroyer was not long out of the fray, however, returning on 8 June 1944 to screen the assault area. She also jammedglider bombradio frequencies on 9–11 June and provided channel convoy protection.

Bombardment of Cherbourg

After the Allies' successful establishment of a bridgehead at Normandy, the German strategy was to bottle them up there, deny the Allies access to the nearest major port at Cherbourg and break their supply line. By mid-June U.S. infantry had sealed off theCotentin Peninsula,but their advance had stalled and the Germans began to demolish the port's facilities. With the Allies sorely in need of Cherbourg to continue advancing through France, they renewed their efforts to capture the city, and by 20 June three infantry divisions under General"Lightning Joe" Collinshad advanced within a mile of German lines defending Cherbourg. Two days later, the general assault began and on 25 June, a large naval task force began a concentratedbombardmentof the town to help neutralize the threat of German coastal artillery and to provide support to the assaulting infantry.

Task Force 129 was divided into two divisions. Battle Group 1 under AdmiralMorton Deyo's command, was assigned to bombard Cherbourg, the inner harbor forts, and the area west towards the Atlantic. Group 1 consisted ofTuscaloosa,Quincy,Nevada,HMSGlasgow(C21)and five destroyers:Ellyson(flag),USSHambleton(DD-455),USSRodman(DD-456),USSEmmons(DD-457),USSMurphy(DD-603),andUSSGherardi(DD-637).

Rear Admiral Carleton F. Bryant's smaller Battle Group 2 was assigned "Target 2", the Battery Hamburg, which was located nearFermanville,inland from Cape Levi, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Cherbourg.Nevadain Group 1 was to use its main battery to silence what was described as "the most powerful German strongpoint on theCotentin Peninsula".Battle Group 2 would then complete the destruction, and pass westward to join Deyo's group. Bryant's Group 2 consisted ofUSSTexas(BB-35),USSArkansas(BB-33),and five destroyers.These wereUSSBarton(DD-722)(flag),USSO'Brien(DD-725),USSLaffey(DD-724),Hobson(pennant), andUSSPlunkett(DD-431).During thebombardment.Group 2 was in place by 0950 andHobsonand the other destroyers fired at the large batteries, screened thebattleshipsTexasandArkansas;and when the battleships were dangerously straddled,HobsonandPlunkettmade covering smoke which allowed all to retire. At 1500, Deyo ordered cease fire and began withdrawing from the bombardment area. Group 2 headed back to Portsmouth, England at 1501.

After the action, Allied reports agreed that the most effective aspect of the bombardment was the fire that was provided by the small ships. Under the direction of army spotters, these ships were able to engage point targets up to 2,000 yards (1,800 m) inland, which proved invaluable in providing close support to the assaulting Allied infantry. In contrast, while the force's heavy guns disabled 22 of 24 assigned navy targets, they were unable to destroy any of them and, consequently, infantry assaults were required to ensure that the guns could not be reactivated.By 29 June, Allied troopsoccupied Cherbourgand its crucial port.Collins wrote to Deyo, stating that during the "naval bombardment of the coastal batteries and the covering strong points around Cherbourg... results were excellent, and did much to engage the enemy's fire while our troops stormed into Cherbourg from the rear." After an inspection of the port defenses, an army liaison officer reported that the guns that had been targeted could not be reactivated, and those that could have been turned landward were still pointed out to sea when the city had fallen.

Invasion of Southern France and Mediterranean Convoy Duty

Following the surrender of Cherbourg,Hobsonand most of Task Force 129 that had not sustained battle damage, were ordered toBelfast,Northern Ireland to join the attack transports that had assembled there following service in the Normandy Invasion and to await the move to theMediterranean.Hobsonand the other ships arrived at Belfast on 30 June and there, Task Group 120.6 under Admiral Deyo onTuscaloosawas formed consisting of the transports and most of Task Force 129. They sailed on 4 July and arrived atMers-el-Kébir,Algeria,11 July 1944, and for a month after, performed convoy duties to and fromTaranto,Italy.

The landing areas forOperation Dragoonthe invasion of Southern France and the last major amphibious operation of the European theater, were designated "Alpha", "Delta" and "Camel" from west to east, covering three sets of beaches along theProvenceCoast betweenHyeresandCannes.The Western Naval Task Force was formed under the command of Vice Admiral Hewitt to carry the U.S. 6th Army Group, also known as the Southern Group or Dragoon Force onto the shore. Joining Rear AdmiralBertram J. Rodgers' Delta Assault Force, Task Group 85.12 was the gunfire support group for the central invasion force under Rear Admiral Bryant onTexas.It consisted of the American battleshipsTexasandNevada;light cruiserUSSPhiladelphia(CL-41)and French light cruisersGeorges Leygues,andMontcalm;the surviving eight destroyers of DesRon 10 (Destroyer Unit 85.12.4),Ellyson,Rodman,Emmons,Forrest,Fitch,Hambleton,Macomb,andHobson;French destroyersLa Fantasque,Le Terrible,Le Malin,and fourgun support craft,which sailed from Taranto at 1400 on 11 August 1944. "H-hour" was set for 0800 on 15 August. Early on 15 August 1944,Hobsonacted as spotter forNevadaand her preliminary bombardment from the Baie de Bougnon. As troops stormed ashore at Delta Beach (Le Muy,Saint-Tropez),Hobsonprovided direct fire support with her own batteries. By 0815, the bombardment had destroyed enemy defenses and Major General William W. Eagles' famed "Thunderbirds" of the45th Infantry Divisionlanded without opposition.Hobsonremained in the assault area until the next evening, arriving atPalermoon 17 August 1944 to take up Mediterranean convoy duty.

As the Allied offensive in Europe gained momentum,Hobsonsteamed as a convoy escort between Algeria, Italy, and France protecting vital supplies and troops. In the early morning darkness of 2 October 1944,Hobsonwas standing out fromMarseilles, France,during a violentgale,when her spotters observed distress calls from well inside an unswept area of the German- mined harbor. It was soon established that aliberty ship,theS.S. Johns Hopkins,moving to an anchorage after returning fromOran, Algeria,with 600 troops embarked, had struck a mine while navigating in the gale. Ordered to assist the strickenHopkins,Hobsonskillfully and carefully navigated through the perilous, mined area in gale-force wind and sea, and made repeated attempts to land alongside the liberty ship to offload her troops, although each timeHobsonwas forced to back off as the ships pounded heavily in the extreme weather. Through Lt. Cdr. Loveland's skillful ship-handling and that of his deck crew, the damage toHobsonwas superficial.Hobsonremained close aboard the stricken cargo ship until daylight when safe water was finally reached, the ships having crossed thirteen and one-half miles of unswept water.Hobsonremained on scene over the next twenty-four hours, and untilS.S. Johns Hopkinswas successfully returned to port by a Navyfleet tugboatwith no loss of life or injury to her personnel or troops.

Service as a destroyer- minesweeper

In October 1944, with the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters secured, all eight surviving destroyers of DesRon 10 returned to various east coast navy yards where over a period of approximately six weeks, they had their No. 4 5-inch guns replaced with gear for sweeping acoustic mines. On 15 November they were reclassified asdestroyer-minesweepers(DMS 19–26).Hobsonsailed for the United States on 25 October and arrived at Charleston via Bermuda on 10 November 1944. There she entered the Naval Shipyard and was converted to destroyer-minesweeper and commissionedDMS-26on 15 November 1944, Lt. Cmdr. Joseph I. Manning, commanding. Throughout the month of December, she underwent trials and shakedown training off Charleston and Norfolk. In January 1945, the eight newly converted destroyer-minesweepers made their way from their conversion shipyards to the Pacific as the core of the 12-ship Mine Squadron (MinRon) 20, with flag on theEllyson.

Hobsonand several others in the squadron sailed on 4 January 1945 via thePanama Canal,with stops at San Diego for training and inspection, and then stood out from San Francisco for Hawaii, arriving atPearl Harboron 11 February 1945.Hobsonwas part of Mine Division (MinDiv) 58, along withForrest(pennant),FitchandMacomb.At Hawaii, she underwent further mine warfare training before sailing on 24 February 1945 with eight of the twelve ships of MinRon 20 as Task Unit 18.2.3 forUlithiviaEniwetokand a role in the history of the last and greatest of the Pacific amphibious operations,Operation Iceberg,the assault on Okinawa.

Okinawa, Kamikaze attacks

On 9 March 1945,Hobsonarrived at Ulithi, the main staging area for the Okinawa Invasion 1,180 mi. away from the objective, where she and eight other members of her squadron engaged in exercises and calibration of their sweeping equipment until the remaining three sweepers arrived on the 12th. On the last day at seaFitchwrecked her propeller on a reef and had to return to Pearl Harbor. The aircraft carriers departed for Okinawa on 14 March, and the eleven remaining sweeps of MinRon 20 left on the 19th. Given the nature of their task, the minesweepers had to be the first surface vessels at the target area and unlike the carriers, they headed directly to Okinawa, making the voyage in four days. While the four-day journey was uneventful, the two threats the minesweepers faced were Japanese air attacks and the deteriorating weather.Hobsonarrived atOkinawawell in advance of the assault troops to sweep the offshore areas, where she was often attacked by Japanese planes. In the early hours of L-Day, she andEmmonswere on radar picket duty withHobsonas fire support ship. As the amphibious assault began on 1 April 1945,Hobsonalso took up patrol duties and provided night illumination during the first critical days of the campaign. As desperate enemy suicide attacks were repulsed with heavy losses,Hobsonwas called upon on 13 April 1945 to take up aradar picketstation whereUSSMannert L. Abele(DD-733)had been sunk in a heavykamikazeattack the previous night.

Hobson'sexecutive officer,Lt. Robert M. Vogel gave this account: On 16 April 1945 at 0500 and 75 miles northwest of Okinawa, fifteen enemy planes spottedHobson,USSPringle(DD-477)and two accompanyinggunboatsand made passes at the ships; however, the attackers were driven off byanti-aircraft fire.At 0853, one of the planes made a suicide run onPringlebut was shot down by gunners on bothHobsonandPringle.Another dived onPringleat 0920, slamming into the destroyer's bridge, and plowing through the superstructure deck, abaft the base of number one stack. A single 1,000-pound bomb, or two 500-pounders, penetrated the main and superstructure decks and exploded with a violent eruption, buckling the keel and splitting the vessel in two at the forward fire room.Pringlesank in six minutes.

Two minutes later, a single-engine aircraft began a suicide run onHobsonfrom the starboard side. Five-inch shells from the destroyer disintegrated the plane just short of the ship, but its 250-pound bomb penetrated the deck house. The explosion of the delayed action bomb started fires in the gunnery workshop, machine shop and electrical shop and blasted a hole in the deck over the forward engine room, wrecking steam and power lines. Four of her crew were killed and six wounded.

Two more suicide planes attackedHobsonbut her gunners shot them into the sea. The two gunboats shot down another. The remaining Japanese planes continued to make passes for an hour before they withdrew. Meanwhile, theHobson's crew extinguished the fires in fifteen minutes, rigged emergency power lines in four minutes and the ship continued to maneuver. Thirty-five minutes after the attack ended,Hobsonhad picked up 136 of thePringle's 258 survivors, clinging to rafts and wreckage. The two gunboats rescued the others. During the attack,Hobson's gunners shot down four Japanese suicide planes in 67 minutes. That same morning, about 40 minutes beforePringlewas sunk, the destroyerUSSLaffey(DD-724)and several other ships on radar picket duty, had also been hit by kamikazes about fifty miles away.

After the attack,Hobsonanchored atKerama Retto,returning toUlithion 29 April 1945 and Pearl Harbor on 16 May 1945.Hobsonthen sailed via San Diego and thePanama Canal ZonetoNorfolk Naval Shipyard,where she arrived on 15 June 1945 for repairs.

Post war and sinking

USSHobson,in 1948.

Theunconditional surrenderofImperial Japancame withHobsonstill undergoing repairs. With repairs completed and after shakedown training, she spent February 1946 on mine-sweeping operations out ofYorktown, Virginia.The remainder of the year was spent in training and readiness exercises in theCaribbeanand off Norfolk. Until 1950, the ship continued to operate off the East Coast and in Caribbean waters on amphibious and mine warfare operations. In late 1948, she visitedArgentiaandHalifax,Nova Scotiaon mine-sweeping exercises withCanadianships. With the outbreak of theKorean Warin June 1950,Hobson's schedule of training intensified. She took part in amphibious exercises offNorth CarolinaandPuerto Ricoduring 1950–51, and participated in carrier operations as aplane guardand screening ship.

During one such operation on the night of 26 April 1952 at 2220,Hobsonwas steaming in formation with theaircraft carrierUSSWasp(CV-18)and destroyersUSSRodman(DD-456)andUSSRoss(DD-563)about 900 kilometres (490 nmi) southeast ofSt. John's, Newfoundlandat42°21′N44°15′Wduring night flight operations en route toGibraltar.Hobsonwas moving at 24 knots and following the carrier 3,000 yards off herstarboardquarter withRodmanfollowingWaspoff her port quarter.Hobson's commanding officer, Lt. Comdr. William J. Tierney, had been in command of the ship for 5 weeks.He anticipated thatWasp,preparing to recover her aircraft at 2300, would change course to 250–260 degrees to bring the carrier into the wind, necessary for the aircraft landings. The destroyer's executive officer, Lt. William A. Hoefer, was on the bridge with theconnand control of the ship when Tierney outlined a course to maneuverHobsonahead ofWaspand then come up on the massive carrier's port quarter as the destroyer's new station.Rodmanwould move to the starboard quarter as her new station. Hoefer, who had been onHobsonfor 16 months, was immediately concerned when he saw Tierney's plan and turned the conn over to Lt. Donald Cummings, so that he could voice his opposition and belief that Tierney's maneuver would put the two ships on a collision course. SinceWasphad to turn to starboard to recover aircraft, the trailing destroyer had two options, slow down and letWaspturn, the conventional method, or cross in front of the carrier. A heated argument ensued that Hoefer lost and he strode off the bridge to the outside wing to cool off.

Meanwhile,Wasp's commanding officer, Capt. Burnham C. McCaffree, was on his bridge, where Lt. Robert Herbst had the conn and ordered right standard rudder and flank speed to bring the carrier into the wind. McCaffree observed the red aircraft warning lights of the two destroyers and believed that they were also beginning the evolution. Tierney, now in control ofHobsonordered right standard rudder and a course of 130 degrees. The wind shifted and McCaffree ordered a necessary course change from 260 to 250 degrees to head into the wind. At that timeWasp's surface radar failed, while onHobson,the portpeloruswas fogged, thus preventing an accurate bearing onWasp.McCaffree notified the destroyers of his course change, but it is unclear whether anyone onHobson's bridge heard the communication. Tierney, without disclosing his intention, was going to put theHobsoninto aWilliamson turnthat would bring the ship back to the point she had been. Tierney suddenly ordered full left rudder and within 30 seconds ordered full right rudder. Hoefer rushed back ontoHobson's bridge when he realized what Tierney was doing and yelled "Prepare for collision!, Prepare for collision!" At that moment, Tierney ordered left full rudder, intending to race ahead ofWaspwhich was bearing down on the destroyer. AboardWasp,Lt. Herbst told Capt. McCaffree, "We're in trouble" as McCaffree ordered "all back emergency."

At first it looked as thoughHobsonmight escape the massive carrier as her bow and number-one stack moved past the carrier's course, but then there was a horrendous, grinding crash asWaspstruckHobsonamidships. The force of the collision rolled the destroyer-minesweeper over onto her port side, breaking her in two. The aft section ofHobsontrailed alongside of the carrier while the forward half was temporarily lodged in theWasp's bow. The aft part of the ship sank first but 40 of the survivors came from that section as men were literally shot out of a scuttle hatch they had managed to open, propelled by the force of water and expelling air. Aboard the carrier, life rafts were being dropped over and lines lowered. One set of double rafts fell on top of a cluster of five men who were never seen again. One lucky man, achief petty officerin the bow, managed to grab a pipe protruding fromWaspjust asHobson's bow began her descent under the waves and leaped ontoWaspwithout getting wet. Survival for the rest ofHobson's crew in the thick, glutinous fuel oil was incredible, yet it happened for some.RodmanandWasppulled aboard 61 oil-coated survivors, but the destroyer and 176 of her crew including Tierney, who dove from the bridge into the sea moments before the carrier plowed intoHobson,were lost in less than five minutes. Most of the deceased crew were recovered byRossand placed on the blood soaked main deck. This horrific incident brought about the tragic end of the destroyer-minesweeper's valiant service.The sinking ofHobsonwas the worst non-combat accident for the U.S. Navy since the disappearance of the collierUSSCyclops(AC-4)with 306 crew and passengers en route fromBarbadostoBaltimore,Maryland, in March 1918, during World War I.

Aftermath and findings

Damage sustained byWaspduring the collision

A court of inquiry performed an investigation into the sinking ofHobsonin an effort to determine the cause of the tragedy. The opinion of the court of inquiry was "that the sole cause of the collision was the unexplained left turn made by theHobsonabout 2224. In making this left turn the Commanding Officer committed a grave error in judgement. "Since the commanding officer did not survive the collision, the reason for this error could not be determined. No one else was considered to be at fault and the crew ofWaspwas absolved of any responsibility for the collision.The commanding officer ofHobsonhad six months of prior command experience on aHigh-speed transport(APD), but had been in command ofHobsonfor only five weeks. Seven days of that were underway and only3+1⁄2days were with the task group.The cost of repairs toWaspwas said to be $1 million ($11.5 million today).

As a direct result of the sinking ofHobson,upon recommendation of the court of inquiry, the Allied Navy Signal Book was changed. A special signal was to be put into use for carriers during aircraft operations. The court of inquiry also stated in its findings that, in the future, proposed schedules for aircraft launching and recovery should be provided to the vessels performing plane guard duties.

The court of inquiry also noted thatWasp,Rodman,andHobsonwere all running without normal marinenavigation lights,just red aircraft warning lights on top of their masts.

USS Hobson Memorial, Charleston, SC

In 1954, theUSS Hobson Memorial Societyerected an obelisk memorial of Salisbury Pink granite, quarried fromSalisbury, North Carolina,at the city whereHobsonhad been built 14 years earlier,Charleston, South Carolina.The memorial is dedicated to the 176 men of theHobsonwho perished in the collision withWasp.Surrounding the obelisk are stones from each of the 38 states where the men came from. Their names are inscribed and can also be seen in the 1954 dedication program for the memorial.

Honors and awards

Hobsonreceived sixbattle starsfor World War II service, five in the European theater and one in the Asiatic Pacific theater, and shared in thePresidential Unit Citationawarded to the ships in theBogueantisubmarine task group in the Atlantic, for the period 26 February to 25 March 1944.

Hobson's engagements were:

• Allied landing at Casablance, French Morocco – 8 Nov. 1942;
• Carrier strike at Bodo, Norway – Oct. 1943;
• Sank German submarineU-575– 13 March 1944;
• Allied Landing at Normandy, France – 6 June 1944;
• Allied Landing- Southern France – 15 August 1944; and
• American Landing at Okinawa, Japan – April 1945.

Hobson's captain, Lt. Cdr. Loveland, was awarded theLegion of Meritwith Combat "V" for his exceptionally meritorious conduct for depth-charging and subsequently sinking theU-575on 13 March 1944 after it surfaced. For his gallantry in action at the Normandy D-Day amphibious assault on Utah Beach and later at the bombardment of German defenses at Cherbourg, Loveland was awarded theSilver Star.He was awarded theNavy and Marine Corps Medalfor heroism and meritorious performance of duty in the face of great danger during theHobson's attempted rescue and successful towing operation of the mined SSJohns HopkinsoffMarseilles, France,on 2 October 1944.For his extraordinary heroism during the attack at Okinawa,Hobson's commanding officer, Lt. Cdr. Manning, was awarded theNavy Cross.Also for the Okinawa action,Hobson's executive officer, Lt. Vogel, was awarded theBronze Starand her engineer officer, Lt. (j.g.) Martin J. Cavanaugh, Jr., andChief Machinist's Mate,Howard B. Farris, were awarded theSilver Star.

See also

• USSFrank E. Evans,sunk in acollisionwithHMASMelbournein 1969.

References

• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.

External links

• Photo galleryof USSHobsonat NavSource Naval History
• "USS Hobson".DANFS archive via hazegray.org.
• Hobson-Wasp Collision Collection, 1952–1953 MS 245held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy
• "USS Hobson Memorial, Charleston, S.C."flickr.May 2013.