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| USN Fletcher-class destroyer 2,050 Tons 376' 6" x 39' 8" x 17' 9" As Built 5 x 5"/38 cal guns (5x1) 1 x 1.1"/75 cal gun 10 x 21" torpedoes February 1944 5 x 5"/38 cal guns (5x1) 10 x 40mm L/60 gun (5x2) 10 x 21" torpedoes   USN October 1943 |
Ship History Built by Bath Iron Works in Batth, Maine. Laid down Marh 3, 1941 as a Fletcher-class destroyer. Launched February 19, 1942 as USS O'Bannon (DD-450) as the second warship named for 1st Lt. Presley O'Bannon who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, sponsored by Mrs. E. F. Kennedy, descendant of Lieutenant O'Bannon. O'Bannon and sister ship USS Nicholas (DD-449) were the first two Fletchers launched. Commissioned June 26, 1942 in the U.S. Navy (USN) at Boston. PARTIAL HISTORY On April 7, 1942 at 9:51pm off San Cristobal on radar, USS Strong spots a target 9,350 yards away and closed then uses her searchlights to illuminate Japanese submarine RO-34 on the surface and opened fire with her 5" guns scoring at least three hits plus gunfire from her 40mm and 20mm cannons. USS O'Bannon (DD-450) also opened fire. The submarine assumed a downward angle by stern and sank. Afterwards, Strong dropped two patterns of depth charges and her crew observed debris rising to the surface at roughly Lat at 10°05′S Long 162°08′E. PARTIAL HISTORY Next, reassigned to Task Force 67.4 (TF 67.4) under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan as part of the support group, to provide close support for transports bound for Guadalcanal. The force includes heavy cruisers USS San Francisco (CA-38) and USS Portland (CA-33), light cruisers USS Atlanta (CL-51), USS Helena (CL-50) and USS Juneau (CL-52) with destroyers USS Cushing (DD-376), USS Laffey (DD-459), USS Sterett (DD-407), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Aaron Ward (DD-483), USS Barton (DD-599), USS Monssen (DD-436) and USS Fletcher (DD-445). On November 11, 1942 escorted transports to Guadalcanal. On November 12, 1942 in the evening placed into the van of a column as the second of eight destroyers guarding five cruisers under the command of Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan. The U.S. Navy Landing Support Group included USS Cushing (DD-376), USS Laffey (DD-459), USS Sterett (DD-407), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Atlanta (CL-51), USS San Francisco (CA-38) Admiral Callaghan's flagship, USS Portland (CA-33), USS Helena (CL-50), USS Juneau (CL-52). Trailing behind to the southeast is USS Aaron Ward (DD-483), USS Barton (DD-599), USS Monssen (DD-436) and USS Fletcher (DD-445). PARTIAL HISTORY On February 11, 1943 roughly 200 nautical miles south of San Cristobal in the Coral Sea, OS2U Kingfisher from VCS-9 from Helena spots Japanese submarine I-18 and escorting destroyers USS Fletcher and USS O'Bannon (DD-450) intercept. The submarine was sunk by three depth charge attacks by USS Fletcher. PARTIAL HISTORY On March 6, 1943 part of Task Group 68.3 (TG 68.3) with USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS O'Bannon (DD-450) and USS Radford (DD-446) in column to conduct a shore bombardment of Munda Airfield on New Georgia. At 1:41am USS Fletcher opened fire to starboard with USS Nicholas, USS O'Bannon opening fire a minute later. At 1:44am spotted return fire from shore batteries and commenced counter battery fire. PARTIAL HISTORY On July 5, 1943 after midnight, Task Force 18 (TF 18) including Strong were supporting the landing by U.S. Marines at Rice Anchorage and shells targets including Vila-Stanmore on Kolombangara plus Enogai and Bairoko on New Georgia. Meanwhile, Japanese 140mm naval guns on Enogai illuminated the destroyers with star shells, then opened fire with high explosive shells. In response, USS O'Bannon (DD-450) began counter-battery fire in an effort to silence the enemy guns but their shells were soon hitting Strong and caused USS Chevalier (DD-451) to cease rescue operations. On July 6, 1943 at 1:00am the American force entered Kula Gulf with poor visibility and cloud cover. Meanwhile, the Japanese destroyers had already arrived and were unloading on Kolombangara Island. At 1:36am at the start of the Battle of Kula Gulf, the Americans detect the Japanese on radar and close in a line ahead formation with destroyers USS Nicholas and USS O'Bannon (DD-450) ahead of the cruisers off northwest New Georgia. PARTIAL HISTORY On July 12, 1943 at 5:00pm departs Tulagi with U.S. Navy Task Force 18 (TF 18) under the command of Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth three light cruisers USS Honolulu (CL-48), USS St. Louis (CL-49), and HMNZS Leander (75) and ten destroyers USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), Taylor, Jenkins, USS Radford (DD-446), Ralph Talbot, USS Buchanan (DD-484), Maury, USS Woodworth (DD-460), and USS Gwin (DD-433) to intercept a Japanese "Tokyo Express" run bound for Kolombangara. On July 13, 1943 at 1:03am the Allied force spots the Japanese on radar and engaged starting the Battle of Kolombangara (Second Battle of Kula Gulf). PARTIAL HISTORY Naval Battle of Vella Lavella On October 6, 1943 departs with USS Selfridge (DD-357), and USS Chevalier (DD-451) under the command of Captain Frank R. Walker via Kula Gulf bound for northern Vella Lavella to intercept Japanese warships. At 11:30pm the Naval Battle of Vella Lavella begins when they encounter Japanese force of six destroyers and three destroyer transports plus smaller armed craft roughly twelve miles off Marquana Bay as it attempted to evacuate Japanese personnel from Horoniu (Horaniu) on northern Vella Lavella. Despite the enemy's numerical advantage, the trio of destroyers attack. At 10:55pm, the U.S. destroyers made radar contact with the two groups of enemy destroyers. At 10:55pm, the Americans fired a half salvo of torpedoes aimed at the first group of destroyers. At 10:56 the destroyers opened fire at the same force. At 11:00pm, USS Selfridge (DD-357) turned to starboard to engage the second force. At 11:01pm, USS Chevalier (DD-451) was hit by a torpedo from Yūgumo and lost power and began to slow. At 11:02 accidentally rammed by O'Bannon. At 11:04pm, USS Selfridge (DD-357) spotted a torpedo 2,000 yards off the port beam on a parallel course. At 11:05, two more torpedoes were spotted off the port bow and ordered full left rudder but countermanded the order as a torpedo was reported close to starboard bow and instead ordered full right rudder, reducing speed to 25 knots. A few moments later, a torpedo wake crossed the bow from starboard to port within 25 yards and another torpedo was spotted 400 yards away and switched to left full rudder. PARTIAL HISTORY Fate On January 30, 1970 O'Bannon and Nicholas were decommissioned in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor. On June 6, 1970 sold for scrap and broken up two years later. Awards O'Bannon earned 17 battle stars and a Presidentail Unit Citation for her World War II service. References NARA COM 12 Navy Yard Mare Island January 1944 "During the month outstanding repairs were completed on the U.S.S. McCALLA (DD488) and the U.S.S. O'BANNON (DD450) and they were returned to service. The U.S.S. O'BANNON had been in a collision with another vessel in the South Pacific Area in which her bow was stove in to approximately frame ten. In addition, the bow had been twisted in all directions with additional injury to the starboard side in the vicinity of frame thirty. This damage was repaired. Verious improvements to the anti-aircraft batteries and fire control syetem were accomplished together with a thorough overhaul of the entire ship." Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) O'Bannon II (DD-450) NavSource - USS O'Bannon (DD-450 / DDE-450 Destroyer History Foundation - USS O'Bannon Contribute
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