USSLivermore(DD-429)

History
United States
Name	Livermore
Namesake	Samuel Livermore
Builder	Bath Iron Works
Laid down	6 March 1939
Launched	3 August 1940
Commissioned	7 October 1940
Decommissioned	24 January 1947
Stricken	19 July 1956
Fate	Sold 3 March 1961 for scrapping
General characteristics
Class and type	Gleaves-classdestroyer
Displacement	1,630 tons
Length	341 ft (104 m)waterline, 348 ft 3 in (106.15 m) overall
Beam	36 ft (11 m)
Draft	11 ft 9 in (3.58 m), 17 ft 3 in (207 in) full load
Propulsion	FourBabcock & Wilcoxboilers;General ElectricSR gearedturbines;2 shafts; 50,000 shp (37,000 kW)
Speed	37.5 kn (69.5 km/h; 43.2 mph)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	16 officers, 260 enlisted (war)
Armament	5 ×5 in (130 mm)DPguns, 6 ×.50 cal (12.7 mm)guns, 6 ×20 mmAAguns, 10 ×21 in (533 mm)torpedo tubes, 1 ×depth chargeprojector 2 × depth charge tracks

USSLivermore(DD-429),aGleaves-classdestroyer,was the 1st ship of theUnited States Navyto be named forSamuel Livermore,the first navalchaplainto be honored with a ship in his name.

Originally planned asGrayson,DD-429 was renamedLivermore23 December 1938; laid down 6 March 1939 byBath Iron Works,Bath, Maine;launched 3 August 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Everard M. Upjohn, a descendant of Chaplain Livermore; and commissioned 7 October 1940,Lieutenant CommanderVernon Huberin command.

Service history

Pre World War II

Launched in the aftermath of the fall ofFrance,Livermore,after a brief training period, was assigned 29 April 1941 to the neutrality patrol. With ships like theaircraft carrierWaspand sister destroyers, she escorted as far asIcelandconvoysbound forEngland.There ensued a shadowy undeclared war with Naziwolfpacks.She was on convoy duty with the destroyerKearnywhen the latter was torpedoed on 17 October. The hazards of this duty forLivermorealso included a temporary grounding on 24 November during a storm and having a friendly battery onIcelandfire across the ship.

1942

Theattack on Pearl Harborand full U.S. participation in World War II enlarged the scope of her actions. On 7 April 1942Livermoredeparted New York for the first of many transatlantic escort missions. Completing her second voyage toGreenock,Scotlandon 27 June, she began coastal patrol and convoy duty southward into theCaribbean.

Livermorearrived offMehdia,French Morocco,9 November for thenorth African invasionand was assigned antisubmarine, antiaircraft, and fire support duties. Five days later, the invasion force successfully established ashore, she sailed for Norfolk, arriving 26 November.

1943-1944

The year 1943 began with patrol duty offRecife,Brazil, and concluded with a series of five voyages from 14 April to 17 January 1944 between New York andCasablanca,French Morocco. Her departure fromHampton Roadson 24 January foreshadowed a prolonged stay in the Mediterranean Sea. Two days earlierAlliedforces hadlanded at Anzio,Italy.Livermorearrived off this embattled beachhead on 5 March. She provided both antiaircraft protection and shore bombardment support. After rotation to the convoy run betweenOran,Algeria,andNaples,Italy, she participated in the initial landing in southern France on 16 August. While supportingminesweepersonCavallaire Baywith gunfire,Livermorewas hit by a shore battery. The damage was slight, and her guns silenced the enemy guns.Livermorecontinued on duty in the western Mediterranean until 26 October when she steamed out of Oran for overhaul inNew York Navy Yard.

Convoys escorted

Convoy	Escort Group	Dates	Notes
HX 151		24 Sept-1 Oct 1941	fromNewfoundlandtoIcelandprior to US declaration of war
ON 24		13-15 Oct 1941	from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war
SC 48		16-17 Oct 1941	battle reinforcement prior to US declaration of war
HX 159		10-19 Nov 1941	from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war
ON 39		29 Nov-4 Dec 1941	from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war
AT 18		6-17 Aug 1942	troopships fromNew York CitytoFirth of Clyde

End of World War II and fate

The war ended in Europe whileLivermorewas on the third of a new series of escort crossings between the east coast and Oran. Completing her last transatlantic voyage 29 May, she prepared for duty in the Pacific.

Though she departed New York on 22 June,V-J Dayfound her still training atPearl Harbor.She reachedJapanon 27 September escorting transports carrying soldiers of the Army's98th Divisionfor occupation duty. Her stay in the Orient was relatively brief; for, after several voyages betweenSaipan,thePhilippines,andWakayama, Japan,Livermoresailed 3 November for theAleutians.AtDutch HarborandAttu Island,Alaska,she embarked dischargees for passage toSeattleandSan Francisco.Completing this duty 22 December 1945, she proceeded to the east coast, arriving atCharleston, South Carolinaon 18 January 1946.

Designated for use in the Naval Reserve Training Program, she was placed in commission, in reserve 1 May 1946.Livermorethen decommissioned and was placed "in service" 24 January 1947, and was assigned to Naval Reserve training in the 6th Naval District. She was reassigned to the1st Naval Districton 15 March 1949. While making one of her training cruises. she ran aground off southernCape Codon 30 July 1949. Refloated the next day she proceeded toBostonand was placed out of service 15 May 1950 and inactivated. She was struck from theNaval Vessel Registeron 19 July 1956. From 1956 to late 1958, her hull was used for spare parts and experimental purposes. During this time, she was anchored offIndianhead, Maryland.Upon conclusion of the experimentsLivermorewas sold 3 March 1961 to Potomac Shipwrecking Co.,Pope's Creek, Maryland.She was towed away for scrapping 17 April 1961.

Livermorereceived threebattle starsfor World War II service.

References

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

External links

• navsource.org: USSLivermore
• hazegray.org: USSLivermore