U.S. Navy Destroyers Damaged During World War II   Damage to USS Blakeley (DD-150) On 25 May 1942, while patrolling off Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, a German submarine torpedoed Blakeley. The torpedo hit around Frame 20. All of the bow ahead of Frame 30 – about sixty feet – was destroyed. Six men were killed and 21 wounded. The efforts of the crew resulted in the ship being saved. She was brought successfully to Port de France, Martinique, for emergency repairs.    Damage to USS Bache (DD-470) While on picket station on 13 May 1945 off Okinawa, BACHE was attacked by several Japanese suicide planes. One plane struck number two stack and crashed onto the main deck. Its bomb exploded about eight feet above main deck. BACHE’s superstructure and main deck amidships were severely damaged by blast and fragments. Gasoline fires raged around the torpedo mounts but the torpedoes did not detonate. The forward engineroom flooded. All steam and electrical power were lost. Fires were brought under control in about twenty minutes. The ship was towed to Kerama Retto for temporary repairs. Forty-one men had been killed and 32 were wounded.   Damage to USS Braine (DD-630) At 0744 on 27 May 1945, BRAINE was attacked by Japanese "Val" suicide planes while on Picket Station No. 5 off Okinawa. One plane carrying a 550 pound bomb crashed into No. 2 handling room from ahead. The bomb detonated in wardroom. The bridge was seriously damaged and No. 2 handling room was ablaze. Almost simultaneously a second plane carrying a bomb crashed into sick bay. The bomb exploded in the uptake for No. 3 boiler. The after stack was blown clear of the ship and the superstructure from the galley to the torpedo workshop was demolished. Serious fire raged in sick bay. Sixty six were dead, 78 wounded.   Damage to USS Kidd (DD-661) On the afternoon of 11 April 1945, a Japanese plane carrying a bomb crashed through starboard shell plating above the waterline into the forward fireroom. Severe damage was sustained to the boilers. The bomb continued through her port side and detonated just outboard of the shell plating at frame 73. Severe damage to the port side resulted from the bomb. The ship had a considerable reduction in longitudinal (fore and aft) strength. Her forward fireroom, diesel generator room, and messing compartment were flooded. There were 38 dead and 55 wounded.   Damage to USS O'Brien (DD-725) On 25 June 1944 O’BRIEN was providing cover for minesweepers operating off Cherbourg, France. A German "Krupp" shore battery opened up on O’BRIEN. The first salvo was 600 yards long. The second salvo was 300 yards long. The third salvo straddled the ship and one 205mm (about 8-inch) projectile hit in the vicinity of the signal bridge. It detonated at starboard after corner of Combat Information Center. All radars and one 40mm gun mount were put out of commission. Fragment damage occurred to surrounding structure. A small fire broke out. Thirteen men were killed and 19 were wounded.   Damage to USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) On 17 May 1945, while on Picket Station No. 9 off Okinawa, DD-779 was attacked by suicide planes. One struck a radar antenna, the port yardarm, 5-inch mount No. 2, and then crashed into 5-inch mount No. 1. The bomb, which was released just before the crash, penetrated the shield of 5-inch mount No. 2 and detonated on impact with main deck. Fragment and blast damage were sustained but there were no holes below waterline. Some flooding occurred due to ruptured fire mains and sprinklers. Nine died and 35 were wounded. All text and graphics are copyright 1999 by Tin Can Sailors. All rights reserved.