USS WALLACE L. LIND DD-703 Ship History
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Published 1963)
WALLACE L. LIND (DD-703) was laid down on 14 February 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co Kearny N.J.; launched on 14 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. WALLACE L. LIND; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 8 September 1944, Comdr. G. DeMetropolis in command.
Shakedown, which took WALLACE L. LIND from the New York Navy Yard to Bermuda and back, extended through 2 November 1944. Departing Virginia en route to the Pacific on 14 November, she transited the Panama Canal on the 27th and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 13 December and underwent upkeep and training exercises. WALLACE L. LIND and TRACY (DM-19) took leave of Hawaii on 23 December, escorting ENTERPRISE (CV-6) to Ulithi. TRACY left the formation and proceeded to Eniwetok, and she was replaced by FRAZIER (DD-607).
On 6 January 1946, the destroyer made rendezvous with Fast Carrier Task Force 38 under Admiral W. F. Halsey, Commander, 3d Fleet in NEW JERSEY (BB-62). Air strikes against Luzon began on 6 January 1945 and were followed by strikes against Formosa, Saigon, the Pescadore Islands, and Hong Kong. Photo reconnaissance planes surveyed Okinawa Gunto in preparation for the upcoming invasion. On 23 January, WALLACE L. LIND left the area north of Luzon and arrived at Ulithi three days later for upkeep.
The destroyer reported for duty with Task Force (TF) 58, a fast carrier task force, on 11 February 1945. On 16 February, carrier planes conducted raids in the Tokyo area and, the following afternoon, retired toward Iwo Jima, with the carrier planes conducting air searches en route.
On 19 February 1945, the carriers launched aircraft as cover for the initial landing of troops on Iwo Jima. These operations continued through 25 February when strikes again commenced against Tokyo. During the above actions, WALLACE L. LIND was assigned to screen the carriers and to assist in mail deliveries and transfer of personnel.
WALLACE L. LIND’s destroyer group departed the Honshu area on 27 February and set course for Okinawa, arriving four days later. On 1 March, this vessel acted as a plane guard for strikes against Okinawa and Minami Daito. Upon recovery of the strike planes, the task group set course for Ulithi, Caroline Islands.
After a period of routine upkeep, drydock, and availability, WALLACE L. LIND set course for Kyushu, where the first air strikes were launched on 18 March. Numerous enemy aircraft appeared sporadically throughout this first day. The second day saw strikes and sweeps against Kyushu targets, as well as a special sweep on Kii Suido. Two Japanese planes closed the formation, and the destroyer opened fire. Both planes were destroyed by gunfire.
WALLACE L. LIND departed the area on 19 March. The destroyer temporarily joined a unit which proceeded to execute shore bombardment against Minami Daito on 28 March. The following day, strikes were launched against airfields on Kyushu. LIND exploded two floating mines and fired on an enemy torpedo plane which crashed shortly afterward. While commencing a southerly retirement, WALLACE L. LIND executed a strike against Amami Gunto en route.
On 30 and 31 March 1945, strikes and sweeps over Okinawa Gunto provided cover for D day landing operations. The operations in that area continued, with intermittent strikes against Amami Gunto and refueling and rearming operations, throughout April. On 7 April, dawn search planes reported contact with units of the Japanese Fleet consisting of one battleship (later identified as YAMATO), two light cruisers, and eight destroyers. All available planes of the three task groups, totaling 380, were launched to make the strike. Upon their return, they reported sinking the battleship, both cruisers, and three destroyers. During the month of April, WALLACE L. LIND destroyed two enemy planes and made three assists.
The month of May was spent participating in strikes against Okinawa Gunto, Kyushu, and the Amami O’Shima-Kikai Jima area. WALLACE L. LIND performed various duties ranging from screening the carriers to recovering downed pilots. During these operations, Japanese kamikaze planes dove on TF 58, hitting both ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and BUNKER HILL (CV-17). The destroyer participated in one shore bombardment, sank three mines, shot down three Japanese planes, and had two assists.
This marked the end of a period of continuous steaming from 14 March 1945 when WALLACE L. LIND started from Ulithi with TF 58 in support of the Okinawa occupation. On 1 June, WALLACE L. LIND arrived at San Pedro Bay, Philippines, and went alongside DIXIE (AD14) for availability through 12 June. The remainder of June was spent in various training exercises and getting the ship ready for sea.
On 1 July 1945, WALLACE L. LIND, in company with ships of Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 62, got underway from San Pedro Bay in advance of the heavy ships of Task Group (TG) 38.3 to provide an antisubmarine screen for their sortie. Nine days later the vessel arrived at the area off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, and the task group launched strikes against the Tokyo plains area. WALLACE L. LIND assumed duty as a picket station, then acted as a communication link between task groups. On 14 July 1945, she joined the carrier strikes on the east coast of Honshu and the northern Honshu-Hokkaido target area.
After refueling east of the Bonin Islands, WALLACE L. LIND returned to the operating area off the east coast of Kyushu on 24 July. She was then in position to act as a picket in the “Able Day” strikes against the Kure area. On 30 July, the task group launched strikes at air installations in the Tokyo-Nagoya area. The next day, the ships retired on a southerly course for replenishment. On 8 August, planes hit northern Honshu and Hokkaido as well as the Tokyo plains area. WALLACE L. LIND received official word that the war with Japan had ceased on 15 August 1945. The task group moved to the southeast of Tokyo with all ships taking precautions against attacking enemy aircraft which persisted, in some cases, despite the war’s end.
On 1 September, the destroyer went alongside SHANGRI-LA (CV-38) and took on board Vice Admiral John H. Towers and staff and then transported them to Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies. Vice Admiral Towers shifted his flag from SHANGRI-LA to WALLACE L. LIND and, upon completion of the ceremonies the following day, returned to SHANGRI-LA.
The destroyer took part in maintaining air patrols and searches over northern Japan in connection with the occupation; then, on 21 September, set course for Eniwetok. She underwent availability through 6 October and spent the remainder of the month in upkeep and training exercises in Tokyo Bay.
WALLACE L. LIND and JOHN W. WEEKS (DD-701) departed Tokyo Bay on 31 October for Sasebo, Japan, where she spent the final months of 1945 operating between Sasebo and Okinawa. On 5 January 1946, the destroyer stopped briefly at Eniwetok before commencing her homeward journey. She arrived at her home port of Norfolk, Va., on 19 February 1946, after stopping at Pearl Harbor and San Francisco and transiting the Panama Canal.
From 9 March through 26 April, WALLACE L. LIND underwent tender availability, a leave period, and training at Casco Bay, Maine. She then traveled to Charleston, S.C., where she underwent restricted availability and operated with JOHN W. WEEKS until 12 July when her home port was changed to New Orleans. WALLACE L. LIND then commenced Naval Reserve training cruises in the Caribbean. This type of operations characterized her activity for the next several years.
On 7 January 1949, the destroyer returned to Norfolk, Va., and conducted operations out of that port until 6 September. The next day, she made rendezvous with TF 89 and commenced a Mediterranean cruise which lasted through 26 January 1950 when she returned to Norfolk, Va.
WALLACE L. LIND spent the greater part of 1950 engaged in training operations and a cruise to the Caribbean. On 6 September, the destroyer sailed for the Far East and the Korean War. The ship arrived off the coast of Korea on 13 October and centered her movements around Wonsan Harbor, then under siege, with frequent interruptions for blockade patrol and bombardment missions in the vicinity of Songjin and Hungnam.
During the period 17 to 24 December, WALLACE L. LIND took part as an active member of what was said by many to be one of the mightiest naval forces ever assembled in short range support of ground forces. This was in the defense of Hungnam and in the support of the eventual evacuation.
Throughout the entire month of January 1951, WALLACE L. LIND operated as a member of the East Korea Blockade Group and attended to duties such as naval gunfire support and support of minesweeping operations.
The destroyer spent February conducting special intelligence missions which included shore bombardment, fire support, and screening duties in the area of Kangnung and placing intelligence teams ashore in the areas of Wonsan, Chaho, and Chongjin. The ship conducted many gunfire support missions against targets spotted by these intelligence teams. On 20 February, WALLACE L. LIND, along with OZBOURN (DD-846) and CHARLES S. SPERRY (DD-697), engaged in the rescue of a pilot who had crash-landed in Wonsan harbor. While the three ships were attempting rescue operations, shore batteries opened fire on them, and WALLACE L. LIND successfully returned fire.
On 15 March 1951, a seven-ship naval bombardment of the Wonsan district resulted in reported enemy casualties of some 6,000. The following afternoon, shore batteries fired at the ships in the harbor, and counterbattery fire from the destroyers began in a matter of seconds. Gun positions were taken under fire, and several explosions were noted on the peninsula. On 17 March, WALLACE L. LIND patrolled independently from Wonsan south along the coast. The ship took the city of Kosong under fire and exposed and silenced a camouflaged shore battery located south of Suwon Dan lighthouse.
WALLACE L. LIND departed the Korean area on 9 May 1951 and arrived at Pearl Harbor 10 days later, having stopped at Yokosuka and Midway en route. She transited the Panama Canal and arrived at Norfolk, Va., on 9 June.
After a brief trip to New York, the destroyer departed Norfolk on 26 August 1952 for a Mediterranean deployment. She returned to Norfolk on 4 February 1953 and spent several months in her home port. On 19 November, the destroyer departed for refresher training at Guantanamo, returning on 14 December to spend the holiday season at Norfolk. On 4 January 1954, the ship returned to the Guantanamo area for the remainder of the month. On 31 January 1954, WALLACE L. LIND returned to Norfolk where she remained through 10 May. Commencing 11 May, the destroyer operated off the Middle Atlantic coast and returned to her home port nine days later. On 1 June, she set course for Key West and operated in that area and the Gulf of Honduras until the 25th of June when she arrived back at Norfolk and remained there until 7 September. At that time, she again made a brief cruise off the Middle Atlantic coast before departing on a transatlantic voyage.
On 22 September, WALLACE L. LIND arrived at Lisbon, Portugal. After a stay of five days, the destroyer departed for a brief stop at Bermuda before returning to Norfolk on 8 October. She took part in Operation “Lantflex 1-55” which ran from 20 to 29 October. On 1 November, the ship returned to Norfolk and remained at her home port through the 1t of May 1955.
On 2 May 1955, WALLACE L. LIND got underway for a cruise to several European countries including England, Scotland, France, Germany, and Portugal as well as Reykjavik, Iceland. While in Germany, the crew had the pleasure of sailing through the Kiel Canal to participate in the International Sailing Regatta. The destroyer returned to Norfolk, Va., on 19 August and remained in port until 10 October when she set course for Philadelphia, Pa., where she underwent an extensive overhaul which lasted through 12 February 1956.
The destroyer then returned to her home port and spent several weeks before departing for Guantanamo and various training exercises which lasted through 23 March 1956. On 27 March, the ship returned to Norfolk and conducted operations in the Virginia capes.
