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| USN Sims Class Destroyer 1,570 Tons (Standard) 2,211 Tons (Full Load) 347' 11" x 35' 7" x 17' 4" 4 x 5" 38 caliber gun 4x2 Quad 21" torpedo tubes 4 x .50 cal MG 2 x Depth Charge Tracks with 10 depth charges  USN 1941 |
Ship History Built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Laid down July 15, 1937 as a Sims Class Destroyer. Launched April 8, 1939 as USS Sims (DD-409) named for William Sims sponsored by Mrs. William S. Sims. Commissioned August 1, 1939 in the U.S. Navy and assigned to captain Lieutenant Commander W. A. Griswold. Sinking History On May 7, 1942 at the start of the Battle of the Coral Sea USS Sims was operating in the Coral Sea escorting USS Neosho AO-23. The pair were spotted by B5N Kate EI-302 and B5N Kate EI-306 and and misidentified the oiler as an aircraft carrier. The pair were targeted by two waves of Japanese carrier aircraft including high level bombers and D3A Val dive bombers. At 11:15am,Sims was targed by D3A Val dive bombers from Shōkaku scored at least three bomb hits with one that caused the boiler to explode and rapidly sank while breaking apart. Most of the crew went down with the destroyer. Fates of the Crew Only fourteen crew survived the sinking. Fourteen swam for USS Neosho (AO-23) that was damaged but still afloat. Rescue On May 11, 1942 fourteen survivors from Sims were rescued by USS Henley (DD-391) when it reached USS Neosho (AO-23) and rescued 109 survivors. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Battle of the Coral Sea 29 April–8 May 1942 NavSource - USS Sims (DD-409) Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units 1937–42 (2008) pages 65-67 Contribute
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