USS JOHN HOOD DD-655

A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS JOHN HOOD DD-655

The Tin Can Sailor, July 2011

A survivor of shipwrecks and the Spanish-American and Russo-Japanese Wars, as well as                   revolutions in Haiti and Central America, RADM John Hood commanded seven U.S. warships. Launched during World War II, the destroyer bearing his name had an equally distinguished career. The JOHN HOOD (DD‑655) was a FLETCHER-class destroyer. She was laid down on 12 October 1942 by the Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, Alabama, and was launched 25 October 1943. The HOOD was commissioned 7 June 1944, with CDR Thomas J. Thornhill in command.

Following her shakedown in the Caribbean, the new destroyer headed for the Pacific on 21 August 1944, arriving at Mare Island on 6 September. She set out almost immediately for the Aleutian Islands and duty with the U.S. forces in the North Pacific and arrived at Adak, Alaska, on 18 September. The HOOD joined DesRon 57 operating with Rear Admiral J. L. McCrea=s Task Force 92.                   She served out the rest of the war patrolling the stormy waters of the North Pacific. Her primary offensive mission was to harass and threaten enemy outposts in the Kurile Islands, more than 600 miles west of Attu, the most westerly of the Aleutian Islands. Operating well beyond the range of friendly air cover, the task force made nine sorties against the Kuriles and five offensive sweeps in the Sea of Okhotsk. Throughout, the ships were hampered by bad weather. Undaunted, the JOHN HOOD was the only ship of the task force that participated in every sortie until the war=s end.

In November she engaged in the bombardment of the Japanese base on Matasuwa, causing considerable damage to the installation. She continued sorties and patrol operations in the Kuriles through the winter and spring of 1945. While patrolling in the Sea of Okhotsk on 25 June 1945, the HOOD came upon an enemy convoy carrying reinforcements to the badly battered Japanese garrisons. The destroyer assisted in sinking one cargo ship and is believed to have sunk another. On 11 August her task group conducted one of the final naval operations of the war by destroying another enemy convoy.

With the end hostilities, she steamed to Adak to prepare for occupation duties. The HOOD left Adak on 31 August with a large force headed for Northern Japan. The battle-tested destroyer remained in Northern Japanese waters with the occupation forces until 18 November when she got underway for home. She arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, on 22 December and remained there until she was decommissioned on 3 July 1946 to enter the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

The HOOD was recommissioned on 3 August 1951, with CDR S. P. Gantz at the helm, and immediately underwent major modifications that prepared her for modern fleet operations. Her modernization complete, she left Norfolk on 29 June 1952 for an around‑the-world cruise that included peace‑keeping patrols with the Seventhth Fleet off the coast of Korea. She returned to Norfolk on 6 February 1954 for repairs and coastal training operations before sailing on 5 November 1955 for Mediterranean duty with the Sixth Fleet during which she weathered a storm. Upon returning to Norfolk 26 February 1956, the destroyer underwent a yard period for repairs                   to her storm-damaged mast. She then got underway for a midshipmen training cruise that                   summer. During the tense Suez crisis in the fall, she sailed to Lisbon with Task Force 26 to stand by for action if needed. By December she was steaming home through the Virginia Capes.

The year 1957 saw the HOOD in training exercises along the Atlantic coast followed by another Sixth Fleet cruise to patrol the turbulent Middle Eastern waters. Early in 1958, she began                   training cruises, then operated with the fleet sonar school and engaged in ASW exercises before being transferred to the reserve destroyer squadron at New York on 1 October 1959. She continued training reservists until 1 August 1961, when President Kennedy ordered a callup of reservists when the construction of the Berlin Wall caused a major Cold War crisis. The strong American, English, and French response to the communist challenge prevented a major conflict. As tensions eased, the HOOD resumed her duties as a reserve-training destroyer in New York in August 1962.

The warship was decommissioned in June 1964, remaining in reserve until stricken from the navy=s list on 1 December 1974. She was sold for scrap to Luria Bros. & Company of Cleveland, Ohio, on 12 April 1976 and removed from navy custody by the end of that month. The JOHN HOOD received one battle star for her World War II service.

USS JOHN HOOD DD-655 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, March 2016

John Hood (DD-655) was laid down 12 October 1942 by Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, Ala.; launched 25 October 1943; sponsored by Miss Amelia O’Neal; and commissioned 7 June 1944, Comdr. Thomas J. Thronhill in command.

After shakedown in the Caribbean, the new destroyer departed for the Pacific 21 August 1944, arriving Mare Island 6 September. She sailed on to the Aleutian Islands for duty with the North Pacific Forces, arriving Adak 18 September. John Hood joined Destroyer Squadron 57 of Rear Admiral J. L. McCrea’s Task Force 92 and served her entire war career in the stormy waters of the North Pacific guarding our vital northern “back door.” The principal offensive missions were to harass and threaten the enemy outposts in the Kurile Islands, more than 600 miles westward of Attu. In carrying out this mission, the Task Force made nine sorties against the Kuriles and five offensive sweeps in the Sea of Okhotsk, hampered by bad weather, and well beyond the range of friendly air cover. John Hood was the only ship of the task force which participated in every sortie from reporting through the end of the war.

In November she engaged in the bombardment of the Japanese base on Matasuwa, causing considerable damage to the installation. She continued sorties and patrol operations in the Kuriles through the winter and spring of 1945. While patrolling in the Sea of Okhotsk 25 June 1945, John Hood encountered an enemy convoy attempting last minute reinforcements to the badly battered Japanese garrisons. The destroyer assisted in sinking one cargo ship and probable sinking of another. On 11 August her task group conducted one of the final naval operations of the war by destroying another enemy convoy.

Following the cessation of hostilities, she steamed to Adak to prepare for occupation duties. John Hood departed Adak 31 August with a large force headed for Northern Japan. The battle tested destroyer remained in Northern Japanese waters with the occupations forces until she turned homeward 18 November. She arrived Charleston, S.C., 22 December and remained there until she decommissioned 3 July 1946 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet

John Hood recommissioned 3 August 1951, Comdr. S. P. Gantz in command. Following commissioning she received major modifications to enable her to assume a place in the modern fleet.

John Hood departed Norfolk 29 June for an around-world cruise, including peace-keeping patrols with the 7th Fleet off the coast of Korea. She returned to Norfolk 6 February 1954 for repairs and coastal training operations before sailing 5 November 1955 for Mediterranean duty with the 6th Fleet. Upon returning to Norfolk 26 February 1956, the destroyer received repairs to her storm damaged mast and then trained midshipmen in the summer. During the tense Suez crisis in the fall she sailed with Task Force 26 to Lisbon to be ready for action if needed and returned to the Virginia Capes in December.

Following training exercises along the Atlantic coast, and another 6th Fleet cruise 1957 in the still turbulent Mideastern waters, John Hood commenced training cruises in early 1958. She operated with Fleet Sonar School and engaged in ASW exercises before being transferred to the Reserve Destroyer Squadron at New York 1 October 1959. She continued training reservists until 1 August 1961, when President Kennedy ordered a callup of reservists to bolster the nation’s military strength during the Berlin crisis. The American answer to the communist challenge prevented a major conflict; and, as the crisis subsided, John Hood resumed duties as a reserve training destroyer at New York in August 1962.

The warship decommissioned in June 1964, remaining in reserve until stricken from the Navy List on 1 December 1974. She was sold for scrap to Luria Bros. & Co., Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, on 12 April 1976 and removed from Navy custody by the end of that month.

John Hood received one battle star for World War II service.