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Hull Number: DD-417

Launch Date: 06/01/1939

Commissioned Date: 03/05/1940

Decommissioned Date: 11/09/1945

Call Sign: NITS


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: ROBERT MORRIS

ROBERT MORRIS

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, August 2015

Robert Morris, born in Liverpool, England, 20 January 1734, emigrated to Maryland in 1747. The next year he moved to Philadelphia where, after brief schooling, he entered the service of the Willings, shipping merchants. Rising to partnership in 1754, Morris rapidly attained great power and influence in the commercial and political life of America. Appointed to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety in June 1775, he was extremely active, arming both Pennsylvanian and Continental forces. Joining the Continental Congress in November 1776, he was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Morris’ key role in the financial affairs of the new nation led to his appointment as Superintendent of Finance in May 1781 and Agent of Marine that September. His extraordinary skill in both offices greatly contributed to American success in the Revolution. A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Morris served in the U.S. Senate 1789‑1795, but declined to stand for reelection. He continued his leadership in business and banking until impoverished when values of his extensive land holdings collapsed. Morris died in Philadelphia 8 May 1806.


Disposition:

Stricken 11/28/1945. Sold for scrap.


A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS MORRIS DD-417

The Tin Can Sailor, April 2007

The DD-417 was the seventh vessel named in honor of Robert Morris, patriot, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and financier of the American Revolution. She was launched on 1 June 1939 and was commissioned on 5 March 1940.

As the flagship of Destroyer Squadron 2, the MORRIS joined the North Atlantic Patrol in the summer of 1941 and in early November, she and the squadron escorted a major convoy transporting 22,000 British troops from Britain to Nova Scotia, the first leg of its voyage to Basra in the Near East. Following Pearl Harbor, she went into the Charleston naval shipyard to be fitted out with the first fire control radar installed on a destroyer and on 3 January 1942, was underway for the Pacific. The MORRIS joined Task Force 17 and on 16 March, sailed for the Coral Sea to guard the carriers as their planes struck enemy shipping at Tulagi and in the Lousiade Archipelago. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May, she splashed one enemy plane and damaged two others while screening the YORKTOWN (CV-5) and LEXINGTON (CV-2). When the latter was heavily damaged, she pulled alongside to rescue some 500 survivors. Damage received during the rescue forced her to return to Pearl Harbor where hurried repairs readied her for the Battle of Midway a month later. In that action, she again went to the aid of a sinking carrier and rescued more than 500 survivors of the YORKTOWN.

In late August 1942, she joined Task Force 61 for the landings on Guadalcanal. For the next two months, she screened carriers and patrolled among the Solomons. On 25 October, following a three-day independent sweep through the Gilberts, she rejoined Task Force 17 and took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz. During the battle, she destroyed six aircraft and once more rescued the crew of a sinking carrier, this time the HORNET, from which she took on 550 survivors. After retiring to Espiritu Santo for repairs to her superstructure damaged during the rescue, she was back in the Guadalcanal area, as screen and plane guard for the ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and on escort duty with the RUSSELL (DD-414).

In May 1943, she took part in the capture and occupation of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians, and then returned to San Francisco for overhaul. In November, she joined the FRANKS (DD-554), HUGHES (DD-410), MAURY (DD-401), GRIDLEY (DD-380), and HULL (DD-350), escorting the LISCOME BAY, CORAL SEA, and CORREGIDOR during the Gilbert Islands offensive. For a fourth time, she was called to rescue survivors of a doomed carrier when, on 23 November 1943, an enemy submarine torpedoed the LISCOME BAY, which took 650 of her crew with her to the bottom.

The MORRIS continued with the task force as it pushed north to the Marshall Islands. There, on 30 January 1944, she led a column of warships in a shore bombardment mission against Wotje. Later, in action off Kwajalein Atoll, she provided close fire support off Namur, wiping out a Japanese force attempting a counter attack from an adjacent island. In mid-February, the MORRIS left Kwajalein and steamed with Task Group 51.11 to support the occupation of Eniwetok. Arriving on 17 February, she continued carrier operations through the 24th when she sailed for Pearl Harbor.

On 16 October 1944, with Task Group 8.6, she escorted transports bound for the Leyte Gulf. After safely delivering the transports and their reinforcements on the 21st, she took up her antiaircraft station and for several days, faced her first kamikaze attacks. Throughout the next month, the MORRIS continued to escort troops and supplies to Leyte. With the dawn of 1945, she was en route to Luzon. Arriving in early January, she participated in the pre-invasion bombardment and then provided fire support during the landings on 9 January. For 18 days, she patrolled, bombarded, and fought off kamikazes.

After Luzon, the MORRIS prepared for Okinawa, arriving off Keramo Retto with Task Group 51.11 on 1 April 1945. For the next five days, she escorted transports and oilers and cruised in various assigned sectors on antiaircraft and antisubmarine patrols. On 6 April, while patrolling station A-11, a “Kate” carrying either a heavy bomb or torpedo closed in on her. The MORRIS’s gunners scored hits and set the plane afire, but could not stop it. Shortly after 1815, it crashed into the ship on the port side, between the No. 1 and No. 2 guns. Fires caused by the explosions spread quickly. Two hours were needed to bring them under control with another thirty minutes to extinguish them. The MORRIS returned to Keramo Retto for temporary repairs and then headed for San Francisco where, on 18 June, she entered the Hunters Point Dry Dock. Declared unfit for further service, she was decommissioned on 9 November and struck from the navy’s list on 28 November. She was sold to Franklin Shipwrecking on 2 August 1947 and resold to the National Metal and Steel Corporation on 17 July 1949.

USS MORRIS DD-417 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, August 2015

The seventh Morris (DD‑417) was laid down at the navy yard, Norfolk, Va., 7 June 1938; launched 1 June 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Charles R. Nutter, great‑granddaughter of Commodore Charles Morris; and commissioned 5 March 1940, Comdr. H. B. Jarrett in command.

Morris, flagship of DesRon 2, followed her shakedown with routine training schedules until the summer of 1941 when she joined the North Atlantic Patrol. With the entry of the United States into World War II, she entered the Charleston, N.C., Navy Yard, where she was equipped with the first fire control radar to be installed on a destroyer. By 3 January 1942 she was underway for Pearl Harbor, rejoining her squadron there at the end of February. Attached to TF 17, the destroyer sailed 16 March, for Noumea, and into her first major enemy engagement, the Battle of Coral Sea. Prior to the battle, she guarded the carriers of the task force as their planes struck at enemy shipping in Tulagi Harbor and in the Lousiade Archipelago. During the 4‑day battle, 4 to 8 May, she splashed one enemy plane and damaged two while screening Yorktown and Lexington and, when the latter was heavily damaged, pulled alongside to rescue some 500 survivors. Damage received during the rescue forced her back to Pearl Harbor where hurried repairs put her back into condition for the Battle of Midway a month later. In that action she again pulled alongside a sinking carrier, Yorktown, to rescue over 500 survivors.

Morris-s next action came in late August when she joined TF 61 in support of the Guadalcanal campaign. For the next 2 months she screened carriers and patrolled among the Solomons. On 25 October, following a 3‑day independent sweep through the Gilberts, she rejoined TF 17 and took part in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. During the action she destroyed six aircraft and once more came to the rescue of a sinking carrier, this time Hornet from which she took on 550 survivors. As in other rescue operations her superstructure was damaged, but, after repairs at Espiritu Santo, she was back in the Guadalcanal area, first operating with Enterprise and then as supply unit escort to the Russel.

In May 1943 Morris departed the southern Pacific and sailed north to support the capture and occupation of Attu and Kiska, the Aleutian end of the Japanese ribbon defense. Thence, after the Kiska operation, she returned to San Francisco for a 7‑week overhaul. In November she again joined an air support group escorting Liscome Bay, Coral Sea, and Corregidor in the Gilbert Islands offensive, during which, for a fourth time, she went to aid a sinking carrier, Liscome Bay. As the task forces pressed further into the central Pacific, Morris sailed with them into the Marshalls. On 30 January 1944 she led a column of warships in a shore bombardment mission against Wotje. Thence she steamed to Kwajalein Atoll, where, while providing close fire support off Namur, she wiped out a Japanese counterattack force from an adjacent island. In mid‑February she departed Kwajalein and moved with TG 51.11 to support the seizure and occupation of Eniwetok. Arriving on the 17th, she continued carrier operations through the 24th when she sailed for Pearl Harbor.

DD‑417 returned to combat in April 1944, when as a unit of the 7th Fleet she took part in all the western New Guinea landings, beginning with Hollandia. In May and June she give fire support in the Toem‑Wakde‑Sarmi areas and then during the Biak Island operation. In July she went against enemy guns on Noemfoor Island and then at Cape Sansapor. In August she participated in operations against Halmahera and Morotai and then began preparations for the initial invasion of the Philippines.

On 16 October, with TG 8.6, she got underway for Leyte Gulf. Safely delivering her charges, transports with the first reinforcement groups aboard, on the 21st, she took up anti‑aircraft station and, for several days, experienced meetings with the newest Japanese tactics, the kamikaze. Throughout the next month she continued to escort troops and supplies to Leyte. With the dawn of the new year, 1945, she was enroute north for the Luzon operations. Arriving within the week she participated in preinvasion bombardment and then provided fire support during the landings on the 9th. For 18 days she patrolled, bombarded and fought off kamikazes.

Detached from the 7th Fleet after Luzon, Morris rejoined the 5th Fleet and prepared for Okinawa. On 1 April she arrived off Kerama Retto with TG 51.11. For the next 5 days she escorted transports and oilers and cruised in various assigned sectors on antiaircraft and antisubmarine patrols. On the 6th, while patrolling station A‑11, a “Kate,” carrying either a heavy bomb or torpedo, closed in on her. Morris’ guns scored hits and set the plane afire, but could not stop it. Shortly after 1815 it crashed into the ship on the portside, between the No. 1 and No. 2 guns. Fires caused by the explosions spread quickly. Two hours were needed to bring them under control with another 30 minutes to extinguish them. Morris then returned to Kerama Retto where temporary repairs somewhat corrected her demolished bow and subsequent draft of 18 feet 3 inches, her large protrusion of plating on the starboard side and her damaged steering. On 22 May she started out across the Pacific and on 18 June entered the Hunters Point Drydock, San Francisco. Declared neither seaworthy nor habitable, she was decommissioned 9 November; struck from the Naval Register 28 November; stripped and sold to Franklin Shipwrecking 2 August 1947 and then resold to the National Metal & Steel Corp., Terminal Island, Calif., 17 July 1949.

Morris received 15 battle stars for her action in World War II.