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Hull Number: DD-412

Launch Date: 02/04/1939

Commissioned Date: 08/11/1939


Class: SIMS

SIMS Class

Data for USS Hughes (DD-410) as of 1945


Length Overall: 348' 4"

Beam: 36' 0

Draft: 13' 4"

Standard Displacement: 1,570 tons

Full Load Displacement: 2,465 tons

Fuel capacity: 2,929 barrels

Armament:

Four 5″/38 caliber guns
Two 40mm twin anti-aircraft mounts
Two 21″ quadruple torpedo tubes

Complement:

16 Officers
235 Enlisted

Propulsion:

3 Boilers
2 Westinghouse Turbines: 50,000 horsepower

Highest speed on trials: 38.7 knots

Namesake: CHARLES HAZELTINE HAMMANN

CHARLES HAZELTINE HAMMANN

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, July 2019

Charles Hazeltine Hammann was born in Baltimore, Md., 16 March 1892, and was appointed to the provisional rank of Ensign, Naval Reserve, Flying Corps, 14 October 1918, while serving overseas. Ens. Hammann was awarded the Medal of Honor, when, as a pilot of a seaplane 21 August 1918, off the coast of Italy, he dived down and landed next to a downed fellowpllot, brought him aboard, and although his plane was not designed for the double load, brought him to safety amid constant danger of attack by Austrian planes. Hazeltine was killed while on active duty at Langley Field, Va., 14 June 1919.


Disposition:

Sunk 06/06/1942, by torpedo from I-168, during Battle of Midway, at 30 deg 36 min N., 176 deg 34 min W. At the time HAMMANN was tied up alongside YORKTOWN (CV-5), helping the carrier fight fires.


A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS HAMMANN DD-412

The Tin Can Sailors, April 2000

Navy pilot Charles H. Hammann earned the Medal of Honor during World War I when he ignored the danger and landed his seaplane off the Italian coast to rescue a fellow pilot. The first HAMMANN (DD-412) was launched on 4 February 1939 and was commissioned 11 August 1939. During her first two years, the new destroyer participated in training and readiness operations off both U.S. coasts. In early November 1941, she joined eight other destroyers of Destroyer Squadron Two as the escort for a convoy transporting 22,000 British troops from the British Isles to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the first leg of its voyage to Basra in the Near East. She was at Iceland on 7 December 1941, and quickly returned to Norfolk for fuel and supplies before leaving for the Pacific on 1 January 1942. The HAMMANN left San Francisco headed for the South Pacific on 25 February. She sailed with Rear Admiral F. J. Fletcher’s Task Force 17 formed around the carriers YORKTOWN (CV-5) and LEXINGTON (CV-2).

The destroyer took part in training maneuvers in the New Caledonia area during early March. Then, on the 27th, she left with the task force for the Coral Sea as screening ship and plane guard for the LEXINGTON. Returning to Tongatabu on 20 April, the task force assembled again on 27 April for a surprise air raid on Japanese invasion forces on Tulagi.

While screening the carriers during the air raids of 4 May, the HAMMANN was sent to rescue two of the YORKTOWN’s pilots downed on Guadalcanal some forty miles to the north. Steaming at full speed, she arrived at dusk and sighted a parachute on the beach. A rescue team put the motor whaleboat over the side, but dangerous surf prevented it from landing. Consequently, Boatswain’s Mate Second, A. S. Jason and Coxswain G. W. Knapp, Jr., went into the water with life lines from the boat and brought both pilots to safety.

Four days later, on 8 May, U.S. and Japanese ships and planes clashed in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval engagement fought entirely on both sides between ships and aircraft. During the enemy air raids, the HAMMANN screened the carriers, firing furiously at attacking Japanese torpedo planes. No sooner had the torpedo planes retired than dive bombers appeared overhead. One dropped a bomb that exploded a scant 200 yards off the HAMMANN’s starboard bow. Meanwhile, the LEXINGTON, which had taken two devastating torpedo hits, was first thought to be under control. Suddenly, just before 1300, a series of internal explosion sealed her fate. As the order was given to abandon ship, the HAMMANN, MORRIS, and ANDERSON stood by to receive survivors. The HAMMANN pulled nearly 500 men from the water. That night, the destroyer PHELPS (DD-360) torpedoed the “Lady Lex” and sent her to the bottom.

Later that month the ships of Task Force 17 raced for Pearl Harbor for a feverish three-day round of repairs and replenishment and were underway again on 30 May for the Battle of Midway. During the great air battle of 4 June, the HAMMANN screened the YORKTOWN, helping to shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. Nonetheless, the carrier took two torpedo hits and had to be abandoned that afternoon. The HAMMANN again picked up survivors in the water, including the YORKTOWN’s skipper, and transferred them to larger ships.

On the morning of 6 June, efforts were mounted to save the stricken carrier and the HAMMANN moved alongside to transfer a damage control party and provide hoses and water for firefighting, power, and other services. The salvage party was making excellent progress when a Japanese submarine penetrated the protective screen and at 1535 loosed four torpedoes. Aboard the destroyer, her machine crews saw the torpedoes coming and opened fire, hoping to explode them before they reached the two ships lying helplessly in their paths. With only seconds to respond, the HAMMANN’s crew did all they could to get their ship out of the way, but all they could really do was watch as two torpedoes missed them entirely and one passed under the HAMMANN and hit the YORKTOWN. The fourth, however, was right on target and hit the destroyer amidships, breaking her back.

Debris from the explosion rained down and the ships lurched apart. The HAMMANN settled with sickening speed as her crew struggled to lower the life rafts. On her fantail, First Class Torpedoman Berlyn Kimbrel took precious seconds to check the safety setting of the depth charges and to toss life jackets to others. His heroic effort left him no time to escape. Just four minutes after she was hit, the HAMMANN went down. Kimbrel and many others already in the water were killed by a violent underwater explosion, bringing the death toll to more than eighty. Those who survived were taken aboard the BENHAM (DD-397) and BALCH (DD-363). The HAMMANN was joined the following morning by the YORKTOWN, which capsized and sank at 0701. The U.S. Navy and the crews of the two warships paid dearly for their contribution to the first decisive defeat inflicted on the Japanese.

USS HAMMANN DD-412 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, July 2019

The first Hammann (DD-412) was launched by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydoek Co., Kearny, N.J., 4 February 1939; sponsored by Miss Lillian Hammann; and commissioned 11 August 1939, Comdr. A. E. True in command.

Hammann conducted shakedown off the East Coast and for the next 2 years participated in training and readiness operations off both coasts. At Iceland 7 December 1941 when war began, she quickly returned to Norfolk, Va., for fuel and supplies, and departed 6 January 1942 for the Pacific. She arrived San Francisco 22 January via the Panama Canal and sailed 25 February with Vice Admiral Fletcher’s Task Force 17 for action in the South Pacific.

The destroyer took part in training maneuvers in the New Caledonia area during early March, and on the 27th the Task Force departed for the Coral Sea. Hammann acted as screening ship and plane guard for Lexington, Returning to Tongatabu 20 April, the Task Force sortled again into the Coral Sea 27 April for a surprise air raid on Japanese Invasion forces on Tulagi.

While screening the carriers during the air raids of 4 May, Hammann was directed to rescue two fighter pilots downed on Guadalcanal, some 40 miles to the north. Steaming at full speed, the destroyer arrived at dusk and sighted a marker on the beach, which proved to be a parachute. The motor whaleboat was put over the side, but dangerous surf prevented it from landing. Consequently, the pilots were recovered with the use of lines from the boat. This accomplished, an attempt was made to destroy the wreckage of the aircraft, but the rough water made this impossible; Hammann returned to Lexington’s screen from this successful operation that night.

Four days later, 8 May, came the main action of the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval engagement fought entirely on both sides between aircraft and ships. During the exchange of air attacks, Hammann screened the carriers, firing furously at Japanese torpedo planes as they attacked. Just as the torpedo planes retired, dive bombers appeared, one exploding a bomb a scant 200 yards off Hammann’s starboard bow. Lexington, which had taken two devastating torpedo hits to port, was first thought to be under control, tout a large internal explosion shortly before 1300, followed later by others, sealed her fate. As the order was given to abandon ship, Hammann, Morris, and Anderson stood by to receive survivors. The destroyer picked up nearly 500 men from the water before the gallant “Lady Lex” went down the night of 8 May, torpedoed by destroyer Phelps.

The Battle of the Coral Sea, that checked the Japanese advance to the southeast was over, but new demands called far to the north. Under urgent orders from Admiral Nimitz to meet a new threat, Hammann steamed with the Task Force at high speed to Pearl Harbor, arriving 27 May. Working feverishly to repair and replenish the force got underway 30 May to take part in one of the decisive battles of history, Midway. Steaming to meet the overwhelming Japanese fleet, the carriers with their protecting destroyers and cruisers, sped to the northeast just in time. No better example exists in the war of the flexibility and mobility of naval power and the great results that can follow.

During the great air battle of 4 June, Hammann screened Yorktown, helping to shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. But the carrier took two torpedo lilts and, listing heavily, was abandoned that afternoon. Hammann again picked up survivors in the water, including Yorktown’s skipper, Captain Buckmaster, and transferred them to the larger ships. Next morning, however, efforts were mounted to save the stricken carrier, a skeleton crew returned on board, and attempts were made to tow her to safety. Hammann came alongside 6 June to transfer a damage control party. The destroyer then lay alongside, providing hoses and water for flrefighting, power, and other services while tied up next to Yorktown.

The salvage party was making excellent progress when the protective screen was penetrated by a Japanese submarine after noon on 6 June. Four torpedoes were loosed; two missed, one passed under Hammann and hit Yorktown, and the fourth hit the destroyer amidships, breaking her back.

As the debris from the explosion rained down and the ships lurched apart, it was apparent that the valiant Hammann was doomed. As she settled with sickening quickness, life rafts were lowered and rescue efforts began by ships in company. The ship sank in just 4 minutes, and following the sinking a violent underwater explosion caused many deaths in the water, bringing the toll in dead to over 80. Survivors were taken on board Benham and Balch.

Hammann thus was lost after taking a distinguished part in two of the most important Pacific battles, turning points in the war and history. The action at Midway was a victory of intelligence bravely applied by Admiral Nimitz and his Fleet, the first really smashing defeat inflicted on the Japanese.

Hammann received two battle stars for service in World War II.