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| USN Wickes-class destroyer High-Speed transport 1,191 Tons 314' 5" x 30' 11" x 9' 2" 4 x 4" 50 cal guns 2 x 1 pounder guns 4x3 21" torpedo tubes  USN 1942 |
Ship History Built by Fore River Ship Building Company in Quincy, MA. Laid down June 18, 1917 as Wickes-class destroyer. Launched November 11, 1917 as USS Little (Destroyer No. 79) named for U.S. Navy officer George Little who served in the Revolutionary War sponsored by Helen A. Colhoun, the daughter of Edmund R. Colhoun. Commissioned April 6, 1918 in the U.S. Navy (USN) under the command of Commander Joseph K. Taussig. During World War I, on May 5, 1918 departs Norfolk for convoy escort duty off France. On December 26, 1918 returns to the Untied States and escorts U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's party to France. On January 18, 1919 arrives Boston for dry dock and afterwards joins Destroyer Force, Atlantic then escorts Wilson's party back to New York. On November 17, 1919 placed in reserve status with ComDesRon 3 at Philadelphia. On July 17, 1920 designated DD-79. On January 4, 1921 returned to service off the east coast. On July 5, 1922 decommissioned and placed into mothball at Philadelphia. During 1940, converted into a high-speed transport with two boilers removed and troop quarters added plus landing craft. On August 2, 1940 redesignated APD-4. Recommissioned November 4, 1940 under the command of LtCdr K. Earl and joins the Atlantic Fleet patrolling Caribbean Sea until February 1941 then transited the Panama Canal to San Diego arriving March 9, 1941. Returns to the Norfolk on December 1, 1941 for dry dock. Wartime History On February 14, 1942 departs for San Diego as the flagship of TransDiv 12 for repairs and training. On May 17, 1942 placed under the command of Commander Gus B. Lofberg Jr. During late June departs for Midway Atoll then to deployed to the South Pacific. On July 7, 1942 at Nouméa to support the U.S. forces during the Guadalcanal campaign in the Solomon Islands. On August 30, 1942 after delivering supplies to Guadalcanal and witnesses USS Colhoun (APD-2) sunk by D3A Val dive bombers. On September 4, 1942 Little and USS Gregory (APD-3) land a battalion of U.S. Marine Raiders on Savo Island and were to returning to Tulagi Harbor but they opted to remain on patrol between Savo Island and Guadalcanal due to the darkness and low haze that made returning to their anchorage too dangerous at night. Meanwhile, Japanese Navy destroyers Yūdachi, Hatsuyuki and Murakumo landed troops at Taivu on Guadalcanal and were preparing to bombard Henderson Field. Sinking History On September 5, 1942 at 12:56am Little and USS Gregory (APD-3) observe gun flashes and shortly afterwards, four targets were spotted on radar. At the same moment, a PBY Catalina dropped five flares that landed in the vicinity of the two high-speed transports. At 1:00am the Japanese destroyers open fire on the silhouetted both high-speed transports that also return fire. Within minutes, both Little and Gregory are hit by gunfire and on fire. Gregory sank at 1:40am. Little sank about two hours later at 3:40am off Lunga Point on Guadalcanal into Iron Bottom Sound at roughly Lat 9°20'S, Long 160°01'E. During the engagement and sinking, 65 of her crew went missing including Commander Gus B. Lofberg Jr. Awards For her World War II service, Little earned two battle stars. Memorials The missing crew were officially declared dead on September 6, 1943. All earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Lofberg earned a Navy Specially Meritorious Medal, posthumously. References Navy Source USS Little (APD-4) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Gus B. Lofberg Jr. FindAGrave - Cdr Gustave Brynolf “Gus” Lofberg Jr. (photo) Contribute
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