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Hull Number: DD-770

Launch Date: 02/06/1944

Commissioned Date: 07/23/1944

Decommissioned Date: 10/29/1973

Call Sign: NKPS (KOREA)

Voice Call Sign: OTHELLO (WWII), RACEWAY (68), CROW FOOT (KOREA), SNARL CAT


Class: ALLEN M. SUMNER

ALLEN M. SUMNER Class

Data for USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) as of 1945


Length Overall: 376’ 6"

Beam: 40’ 10"

Draft: 14’ 5"

Standard Displacement: 2,200 tons

Full Load Displacement: 3,315 tons

Fuel capacity: 3,293 barrels

Armament:

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

Complement:

20 Officers
325 Enlisted

Propulsion:

4 Boilers
2 General Electric Turbines: 60,000 horsepower

Highest speed on trials: 34.2 knots

Namesake: REIGERT BOLIVAR LOWRY

REIGERT BOLIVAR LOWRY

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016

Reigert Bolivar Lowry was born 14 July 1826 in La Guaira, Venezuela, the son of U.S. Consul Robert K. Lowry. Appointed midshipman 21 January 1840, Lowry in the Mexican War and was a member of Commodore Matthew C. Perry’s expedition to Japan in 1855. He served with distinction in the Civil War, commanding George W. Peabody in the Hatteras Expedition of August 1861, serving as executive officer in Brooklyn during the capture of New Orleans and the first attack on Vicksburg (April‑June 1862), and commanding Sciota in extensive river operations. His last command was Naval Station, New London, and he died at Brooklyn Naval Hospital 25 November 1880.


Disposition:

to Brazil 10/29/1973 as Espirito Santo, Stricken 10/31/1973


A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS LOWRY DD-770

The Tin Can Sailor, January 2016

The Allen M Sumner-class destroyer, LOWRY (DD-770) was laid down in August 1943 at Bethlehem Steel’s San Pedro, California, yard, rushed to her launch in February 1944, and commissioned on 23 July 1944. She was bound for the Pacific and war that December.

From 19 to 29 December, she escorted convoys between Leyte and the Mindoro IsIand beachhead, then became part of a special strike force protecting that island from enemy attacks. In early January 1945, as part of the task force screen, she provided gunfire support during the invasion of Luzon. The LOWRY went on to patrol of the approaches to Linguyen Gulf, guarding the newly won beachhead until 22 January when she left for Ulithi to screen Fast Carrier Task Force 58 on 10 February for air strikes against Honshu in support of the invasion of Iwo Jima.

She was with the carrier force until 21 March when she sailed for Okinawa to screen the support carrier group for that invasion until 29 April when she undertook one of her more hazardous assignments as a radar picket ship off that island. The ship took part in numerous actions with enemy aircraft, the heaviest of which occurred on 28 May. On the date, she was in company with the picket destroyer DREXLER ( DD-741) which was hit by two suicide planes and sank with heavy loss of life. Meanwhile, the LOWRY fought off attackers as she defended the doomed Drexler and, then, stood by to rescue survivors.

The LOWRY continued her picket and screening duties until the end of June 1945, when she was ordered to the South China Sea to cover minesweeping operations after which she was ordered home and arrived San Pedro Bay on 27 July 1945. At the war’s end, the LOWRY joined the occupation forces in Tokyo Bay with Fast Carrier TF 38 on 24 August. During her duty there, she furnished food to Allied prisoners of war until 1 October, when she sailed for Okinawa to embark passengers bound for the United States.

Arriving in San Diego on 21 October 1945 for overhaul and West Coast training, the Lowry got underway on 14 July 1946 for Kwajalein to patrol during the Bikini atom bomb tests. She then headed back to the U.S. and San Diego, arriving on 22 August. She underwent training off the West Coast and in the Hawaiian Islands with a trip in May 1947 to Sydney, Australia, for the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Back in San Diego in June, she was decommissioned 30 June 1947 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

The LOWRY was called back to duty and recommissioned in December 1950, with the outbreak of war in Korea. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, she underwent overhaul in Norfolk and training in the Caribbean and was ready on 22 January 1952 to return the Pacific where she joined the Seventh Fleet, arriving in Yokosuka, Japan, on 27 February. With TF 77, off the east coast of Korea, she engaged in shore bombardment, plane-guard, and screening duty until early April. She went on to similar duty off the west coast of Korea with the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force, TF 95, through May. On 8 June, she rejoined TF 77 for gunfire missions.

By mid August 1952, she was bound for Norfolk where she engaged in training cruises to the Caribbean and off Florida until February 1954. On 1 February 1954, she was headed for the Pacific via the Panama Canal arriving in Yokosuka in early March. Following her return to Norfolk, the LOWRY prepared for her first deployment with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean on 7 November 1956; followed in September 1957 by NATO exercises in the North Atlantic; a third tour with the Sixth Fleet, from August 1959 to February 1960; and a FRAM II overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard until January 1961.

In June 1961, the LOWRY joined Antisubmarine Warfare Task Group Alfa, a special force engaged in research and development for most of the next 4 years. Her operations included the rescue of Astronaut Virgil Grissom upon his successful completion of the second American space flight on 21 July 1961, and the naval quarantine of Cuba which helped to end the Cuban missile crisis of October–November 1962.

In 1965, following routine operations and Mediterranean deployments, the LOWRY received the DASH system which she tested during Atlantic Fleet operational exercises. A Sixth Fleet deployment; duty in Key West as school ship for the Fleet Sonar School; participation in the Midshipmen Exchange Program with the embarkation of several Peruvian midshipmen; a regular overhaul and refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, brought her to April 1968 when she left Norfolk for the Far East on her first Seventh Fleet deployment for the Vietnam conflict. Serving off the coast of Vietnam, she performed plane guard duty and provided naval gunfire support until her return to Norfolk via Bangkok, Thailand, in November 1968. She engaged in routine East Coast operations from 1969 until her decommissioning on 31 October 1973. At that time, she was transferred to Brazil, and renamed to serve as the ESPIRITO SANTO.

A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS LOWRY DD-770

The Tin Can Sailor, January 1989

By Edward L. Zajkowski

USS LOWRY was named for Reigert Bolivar Lowry, a Naval Officer who accompanied Matthew Perry to Japan in 1855 and who served on three ships during the Civil War, commanding two of them. He died in 1880 at the age of 54.

The contract for LOWRY was signed on 7 August 1942 and her keel laid 1 August 1943. The launch date was 6 February 1944. She was sponsored by Ann Lowry and commissioned 23 July 1944. The first C.O. was Cdr. L. H. Martin. The cost of DD-770 was $6,293,250, less than 1/2 of a modern freighter plane. LOWRY was built on the West Coast at Bethlehem Steel Co. in San Pedro, CA. She left there and started her war service escorting ships between South Pacific Islands, this was followed by gunfire support and patrols.

After screening F-58 in February 1945, she prepared for radar picket duty off Okinawa. As everyone knows this was some of the most hazardous duty in DD history. LOWRY had many enemy actions and witnessed her sister ship, USS DREXLER (DD-741), sink on 28 May 1945 after being hit by Kamikazes.

She then drew duty covering mine-sweeping operations in the South China Sea and headed for California arriving in late July. LOWRY once again sailed for Okinawa, but this time to embark passengers for the trip home. LOWRY settled into a peacetime routine and spent two weeks on patrol for Operation Crossroads in Bikini.

The ship decommissioned 30 June 1947, but recommissioned 27 December 1950 under Cdr. C. H. Morison, Jr. She overhauled in Norfolk and began routine duty. In early 1952, she sailed to join the 7th Fleet. This entailed shore bombardment, plane guard and blockading off Korea. She returned home in August.

The next few years involved much training and routine deployments. In September 1957 Cdr. V. M. Dickerson relieved Cdr. R. E. Brega. DD-770 was “FRAM”ed in late 1960. She then participated in astronaut recovery and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Routine Med deployments followed until early 1968, when she left for her third conflict, Vietnam. After seven months of rigorous duty there, she re- turned to Norfolk. She finished her life in the U.S. as a reserve ship in Philadelphia, finally being stricken 31 October 1973 and transferred to the Brazilian Navy. Her name there was Espirito Santo. LOWRY was still active in Brazil as of June 1988.

USS LOWRY (DD-770) was awarded the Navy unit commendation for radar picket duty off Okinawa from 30 April to 22 June 1945 under the command of Cdr. E.S. Miller. In addition she received 4 battle stars for WW II and 2 for Korean Service.

USS LOWRY DD-770 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016

Lowry (DD‑770) was laid down 1 August 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., San Pedro, Calif.; launched 6 February 1944; sponsored by Miss Ann Lowry; and commissioned 23 July 1944, Comdr. L. H. Martin in command.

Lowry cleared San Pedro 26 October 1944 for training at Pearl Harbor and arrived San Pedro Bay 14 December. From 19 to 29 December she escorted convoys between Leyte and the Mindoro Island beachhead, and was also part of a special striking force that helped protect Mindoro from enemy attack. From 2 to 10 January 1945 she operated as an effective task force screen and gunfire support ship in the invasion of Luzon, then patrolled the approaches to Lingayen Gulf guarding the newly won beachhead until sailing for Ulithi 22 January.

The destroyer departed Ulithi 10 February to screen fast carrier TF 58 for air strikes against Honshu in support of the Invasion of Iwo Jima. The force returned to Ulithi 1 March, from which Lowry sailed 21 March for Okinawa to screen the support carrier group for the invasion until 29 April. Lowry then served as radar picket off Okinawa. During this hazardous assignment, the ship engaged in numerous actions with enemy aircraft. The heaviest of these occurred 28 May, when accompanying picket destroyer Drexler (DD‑741) was hit by two suicide planes and sank with heavy loss of life. Lowry, after fighting valiantly to prevent the loss of her companion, stood by to rescue survivors despite the continued presence of enemy aircraft in the area. From 29 June she covered minesweeping operations in the South China Sea, then arrived San Pedro Bay 27 July. For her valiant work as radar picket she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.

Lowry joined fast carrier TF 38 off Tokyo 24 August for occupation duty during which she furnished food to Allied prisoners of war until 1 October, when she sailed for Okinawa to embark passengers for the United States.

Arriving San Diego 21 October for overhaul and west coast training, Lowry left San Francisco 14 July 1946 for Kwajalein to patrol during Operation “Crossroads”, the Bikini atom bomb tests. She was on station from 24 July to 10 August, when she sailed for San Diego, arriving 22 August.

Training off the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands was broken in May 1947 when she visited Sydney, Australia, for the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Returning to San Diego 14 June, she decommissioned 30 June 1947 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Lowry recommissioned 27 December 1950, Comdr. C. H. Morrison, Jr., in command. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, she arrived New York 30 April 1951, was overhauled at Norfolk, and in August began training exercises in the Caribbean, returning to Norfolk 15 November. On 22 January 1952, Lowry sailed, via the Panama Canal, to join the 7th Fleet, arriving Yokosuka 27 February. With TF 77, Lowry served off the east coast of Korea on shore bombardment, plane guard, and screening duty until early April, then had similar duty off the west coast of Korea with TF 95, the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force, through May. On 8 June, she sailed to rejoin TF 77 for gunstrike missions. Sailing via the Suez Canal and the principal Mediterranean ports, Lowry arrived Norfolk 19 August.

Between 19 August 1952 and 1 February 1954, Lowry made training cruises to the Caribbean and off Florida, engaging in intensive exercises to increase her combat efficiency. She departed Norfolk 1 February for her second world cruise, arriving Yokosuka from the Panama Canal 9 March. After a number of simulated combat exercises, including a full‑scale mock invasion of Iwo Jima, she left Yokosuka 29 June for Suez, completing her second circumnavigation at Norfolk 25 August.

Training along the coast and in the Caribbean prepared Lowry for her first deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, for which she left Norfolk 7 November 1956 , returning to Norfolk 28 February 1957 for renewed training and overhaul. She again left Norfolk 3 September for NATO “Strikeback” exercises in the North Atlantic, continuing on to the Mediterranean from which she returned to Norfolk 22 December.

Her third tour with the 6th Fleet, 7 August 1959 to 26 February 1960, was followed by a FRAM II overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, completed 14 January 1961.

In June 1961, Lowry joined Antisubmarine Warfare Task Group Alfa, a special force engaged in research and development. She served in this force for the major part of the next 4 years, which included such operations as the rescue of Astronaut Virgil Grissom successfully completing the second American space flight 21 July 1961, and the Naval Quarantine of Cuba which played the major role in ending the Cuban missile, crisis of October-November 1962.

After her fourth Mediterranean deployment, 18 February 1965 to 12 July, Lowry had the DASH system installed, then participated in a large Atlantic Fleet operational exercises. Her 1966 6th Fleet deployment, 4 March to 12 August, was followed by duty as schoolship for the Fleet Sonar School, Key West. Through most of January and February 1967, Lowry embarked several Peruvian midshipmen for training under the Midshipmen Exchange Program. From 8 May through 22 September she underwent regular overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, followed by refresher training out of the Fleet Training Center, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Lowry departed Norfolk early in April 1968 for the Panama Canal, thence for the Far East on her first 7th Fleet deployment of the Vietnam conflict. Serving off the coast of that troubled country, she performed plane guard, naval gunfire support, and other duties for which the versatile destroyer is well suited. Highlight of port visits was a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. She arrived back at Norfolk 27 November, and continues Atlantic coast operations Into 1969.

Lowry received four battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean service.