Hull Number: DD-791
Launch Date: 05/20/1946
Class: GEARING
GEARING Class
Data for USS Gearing (DD-710) as of 1945
Length Overall: 390’ 6"
Beam: 40’ 10"
Draft: 14’ 4"
Standard Displacement: 2,425 tons
Full Load Displacement: 3,479 tons
Fuel capacity: 4,647 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: 34.6 knots
Namesake: ALLEN LANG SEAMAN
ALLEN LANG SEAMAN
Wikipedia (as of 2024)
Allen Lang Seaman was born on 21 December 1916 at New Haven, Connecticut, and educated at Duke University.[1] He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 15 August 1938 and was ordered to Naval Air Station Pensacola as an Aviation Cadet five months later. Designated a Naval Aviator on 19 October 1939, he was commissioned Ensign in the Naval Reserve on 24 November.
After service in several patrol squadrons, he was assigned to a bomber squadron in May 1943. He flew many missions including long range reconnaissance and bombing missions in support of major task force strikes in October 1943 against Wake Island, for which he was awarded the Air Medal, and missions in support of the Allied thrust toward Hollandia, New Guinea, in April 1944, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[2]
Appointed Lieutenant Commander on 15 April 1944, Seaman was declared missing in action on 1 May 1944 after inflicting substantial damage on enemy land and sea forces in the New Guinea area despite damage to his own aircraft. For that action and for his judgment and skill in crash landing his plane in such a manner as to save several members of his crew, he was awarded the Navy Cross. Declared dead as of 1 May 1944, he was also awarded, posthumously, a 5/16 inch star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for the skill, leadership, and courage he consistently showed in pressing home, with great accuracy, low level strikes against enemy installations and shipping in the New Guinea area from November 1943 to March 1944.
Disposition:
Construction cancelled 01/07/1946. Contracted reinstated. Construction suspended 02/11/1946 and hulk delivered incomplete for layup on 06/25/1946. Stricken 3/1/1961. Sold on 09/12/1961 to a First Steel and Ship Co., New York City for $56,659.00. Scrapped. Bow used to repair the USS AMMEN (DD-527)