USSMcCalla(DD-488)

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS McCalla.

History
United States
Name	McCalla
Builder	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down	15 September 1941
Launched	20 March 1942
Commissioned	27 May 1942
Decommissioned	29 April 1949
Fate	ToTurkish Navy29 April 1949
Stricken	7 June 1949
Turkey
Name	Giresun
Acquired	29 April 1949
Commissioned	29 April 1949
Stricken	1973
Fate	Scrapped, 1973
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 (37,000 kW); 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

USSMcCalla(DD-488),aGleaves-classdestroyer,was the second ship of theUnited States Navyto be named forBowman H. McCalla,who served during theSpanish–American Warand would eventually attain the rank ofrear admiral.

Construction and commissioning

McCallawas laid down 15 September 1941 by theFederal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.,Kearny, New Jerseyandlaunchedon 20 March 1942; sponsored by Mary MacArthur (Mrs.Arthur MacArthur), the daughter of R.Adm. McCalla The ship wascommissionedon 27 May 1942.

Service history

1942

During shakedownMcCallaundertook her first war assignment, escorting a New York-boundconvoyfromCape May, New Jersey,19 July 1942. On 3 August, she formally reported at Norfolk for briefantisubmarine(ASW) employment along the mid Atlantic coast. Two weeks later she escorted oilers toArubaand continued on to the Pacific, reporting to Commander,South Pacific Area(ComSoPac) 28 September atNouméa.

McCallaimmediately joined in thecampaign for the Solomons.On 7 October she Joined Task Force 64 (TF 64),Rear AdmiralNorman Scott'scruiserforce, then protectingtransportscarrying supplies and reinforcements tomarinesonGuadalcanal.Ordered to search for and destroy enemy ships andlanding craft,the force patrolled primarily north of the island. On the nights of 11 and 13 October, they encountered a Japanese force offCape Esperanceunder Rear AdmiralAritomo Gotōconvoying reinforcements to Guadalcanal. In theensuing battleboth forces accomplished their missions, but the cost to the Japanese was greater. Admiral Gotō was killed,heavy cruiserFurutakaand destroyerFubukiwere lost, and heavy cruiserAobawas forced to return to Japan for repairs. In addition, as they attempted to rescue survivors the next day, two Japanese destroyers,MurakumoandNatsugumo,were sunk by aircraft fromHenderson Field.Admiral Scott's force lost the destroyerDuncan,while damage to the cruiserBoiserequired navy yard repairs.McCallarescued 195ofDuncan's crew, and captured three Japanese sailors.

As thecampaign for Guadalcanalextended,McCalla's anti-shipping activities continued. On 2 November, shedepth chargedan area in which submarine contact had been made. On 25 November, she was cruising offTassafaronga Pointwhen a number of landing boats were reported maneuvering along the coast;McCalladestroyed 40 of the Japanese craft.

1943

During the first half of 1943McCallasailed among theFiji,New Hebrides,andSolomon Islandsperforming plane guard, escort and antisubmarine patrol duties. Toward the end of June theNew Georgia campaignbegan.McCalladepartedEfateon 26 June to escort troop transports toRendova Island.On 30 June, after the landings, the force was attacked by Japanese aircraft. As the first wave,torpedo planes,pressed in, the transportMcCawleywas torpedoed.McCalla's guns splashed one with two possibles; in the second wave,dive bombers,they splashed one and assisted with another kill. She then rescued 98 ofMcCawley's crew.

By 5 July,McCallawas back in theNew Georgiaarea to screen the landing ofMarine RaidersatRice Anchorage.On 9 July, she took part in the bombardment ofMundaairfield and then returned to escort and antisubmarine work.

At the end of SeptemberMcCallaand the destroyerPattersoncollided, with serious damage toMcCalla'sbow.Temporary repairs were effected atPurvis Bay,Florida Island,before she departed for shipyard repairs atMare Island Naval Shipyard.While en route, she rescued 868 survivors of the torpedoedtroop transportSSCape San Juan.

1944–1946

Ready for war duty again by 8 January 1944,McCallagot underway for the South Pacific. A month later she was atMajuroto resume ASW operations and escort assignments in theMarshalls.On 24 April she returned toPearl Harborforaircraft carriergroup exercises and upon her return to Majuro, 30 May, was attached to fast carrierTF 58.Until the end of October she operated as a unit in the fast carrier screen, participating in strikes on theMarianas,Bonins,Palaus,Philippines,Formosa,andOkinawa.

McCallareturned to escort work 24 October and for the next four months conducted convoys between ports onUlithi,Eniwetok,Pelelieu,Manus,andLeyte.At Leyte in mid-February 1945 she commenced interisland escort duties in the Philippines, extending her range to theNetherlands East Indiesin June. Early in July she received her last World War II assignment, mopping-up operations in the westernCarolines.

On 22 July, she got underway forPortland, Oregon,arriving 9 August for overhaul preparatory to deactivation. By the end of January 1946 she was en route toCharleston, South Carolina.There she decommissioned 17 May and entered theAtlantic Reserve Fleet.

McCallareceived 10battle starsfor World War II service.

TCGGiresun(D 345)

Recommissioned 11 December 1948,McCallaprepared for transferring to theTurkish Navy.She took several short cruises up and down the Atlantic coast with a nucleus Turkish crew aboard for training purposes. Then, in the spring of 1949 she sailed forTurkeywhere she decommissioned 29 April 1949, transferred to the Turkish Navy and recommissioned the same day asTCGGiresun(D 345).Giresunwas stricken and scrapped in 1973.

References

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

External links

• USSMcCallawebsiteatDestroyer History Foundation
• history.navy.mil: USSMcCalla
• navsource.org: USSMcCalla
• hazegray.org: USSMcCalla