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| USN Clemson-class destroyer 1,190 Tons 314' 4" x 31' 9" x 9' 3" 4 x 4" 50 cal guns 1 x 3" 50 cal gun 12 x 21" torpedo tubes  USN prewar  USN February 19, 1942  Phil Bradley 2002  Goh Loon 2008 |
Ship History Built by William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia, PA. Laid down September 9, 1919. Launched April 6, 1920 as USS Peary (DD-226) named in honor of Admiral Robert E. Peary sponsored by Edward Stafford daughter of Admiral Peary. Commissioned October 22, 1920 in the U.S. Navy (USN). During 1922, assigned to the Far East. Between 1923–1931 patrolled the Yangtze River in China. Afterwards had annual deployments in China to protect American interest until the start of the Pacific War. Wartime History On December 10, 1941 moored at Cavite alongside the central wharf for an overhaul when Japanese bombers bombed the area. During the air raid, hit by a bomb in the superstructure and the foremast was snapped off and shrapnel hit the bridge, fire-control platform and many of the crew were killed and injured including Commander Harry Keith who was badly wounded also the Executive Officer. During the bombing, minesweeper USS Whippoorwill (AM-35) towed her away and USS Pillsbury (DD-227) came alongside with fire hoses to extinguish the fames aboard within five minutes. Afterwards, Commander Keith was replaced by LtCdr Bermingham. On December 26, 1941 bombed by Japanese bombers damaged by near misses in Manila Bay from Japanese bombers. On December 27, 1941 Peary departed Manila Bay bound for Java. While passing Campomanes Bay off Negros again and the crew camouflaged the destroyer with greet paint on the deck and palm fronds to avoid being spotted by Japanese planes. During the day, five passed overheard and after sunset departs via the Celebes Sea bound for Makassar Strait. On December 28, 1941 while transiting through the Molucca Passage, spotted by a Japanese four engine flying boat and shadowed. In the early afternoon targeted by three bombers over a two hour period dropping bombs and two torpedoes, one passing only 500 yards off the bow and two others missed the stern by only 10 yards. Afterwards, the bombers withdrew. In fact, the bombers were Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hudsons from No. 2 Squadron that mistakenly attacked the destroyer off Kina on Celebes (Sulawesi). Before the Battle of Sunda Strait, Peary joined the Allied Navy force helping to escort USS Houston CA-30. Afterwards, evacuated to Darwin Harbor. Sinking History On February 19, 1942 docked in Darwin Harbor when Japanese carrier planes strike Darwin. At 10:00am during the air raid, hit by two bombs. The first bomb wrecked the fantail and tearing off the depth charge racks and propeller guards, flooding the engine room. The second bomb was an incendiary and it crashed into the galley setting the ship ablaze. The damage control parties and the gunners kept up the fight for the next three hours as the planes kept coming at them. But another bomb hit, maiming the brave ship once more. Then a fourth bomb crashed into the forward magazine and finally a fifth, another incendiary, striking the after engine room. Dragging her shattered fantail, the Peary was dead in the water and at 1:00pm and broke up and sank. As she went down by the stern, her machine guns continued to fire at enemy aircraft. Aboard, ninety-one of her crew went down with the ship, the U.S. Navy's greatest loss of life in Australian waters. Shipwreck During the 1950's one of the 4" gun made by Root & Van Dervoort Engineering Co., East Moline, Illinois was recovered from the wreck by Carl Atkinson and restored by the Royal Australian Navy. Afterwards, this gun was installed as a memorial at Bicentennial Park off the Esplanade at Darwin. A single .7.7mm Lewis machine gun was salvaged from the shipwreck and is today part of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Memorials The 91 dead were officially declared dead on February 20, 1943. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. The crew are also memorialized on a plaque in Darwin. The restored 4" naval gun and a memorial plaque are displayed at Bicentennial Park off the Esplanade at Darwin overlooking Darwin Harbor and the location where the destroyer was sunk. The memorial plaque reads: "USS Peary DD 226 In remembrance of these men who lost their lives February 19, 1942 during the bombing of Darwin, Australia by Japanese aircraft." The plaque also lists the ninety-one lost in the sinking. A second memorial plaque reads: "A Story of Sacrifice Darwin Harbour is the resting place for the U.S. destroyer Peary sunk on 19th February 1942 by Japan's Pearl Harbour veterans. This 4 inch gun was salvaged from the Peary in the 1950's by diver Carl Atkinson (dec.). It was restored by the RAN for the Northern Territory's 1992 War Service Memorial Year and now points towards the Peary's grave. This plaque was unveiled by the Chief Minister The Hon. Marshall Peron MLA on 29th January 1992 in the presence of Peary survivors Dallas Widick and Melvin Duke and a colour guard from the U.S. frigate Robert E. Peary. The wartime Peary came under repeated fire from December 1941 - February 1942. In her last action she sank with her guns still blazing and represents the U.S. Navy's greatest loss of life in Australian waters. Her gallant sacrifice is forever part of Darwin's history." References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Peary (DD-226) National Archives of Australia (NAA) "Darwin narrative - Royal Australian Air Force attack on USS PEARY (NAA: A9695, 449) Barcode 30045431 Centralian Advocate - Alice Springs "Sunken 'Peary' Located Darwin Air Raid Echo" November 5, 1948 "The Sunken American destroyer Peary (lost in Darwin Harbor in the first raid in February 1942) has been located by an American L.S.T. vessel this week. The American ship is in the service of the American Army Graves Registration Organization and is collecting bodies of American service men killed during the war, to transport them back to America for re-burial. It is also understood that there is a quantity of bullion aboard the sunken Peary but official circles are reticent on this matter. The American L.S.T. caused a flurry when berthing in Darwin on Sunday preparatory to beginning its successful search for the sunken destroyer. The L.S.T. bumped the Darwin jetty, and then caromed off against the sunken Neptuna (another air raid victim). No damage was done." Loss of DD-226 USS Peary by Phil Bradley USS Peary DD-226 Crew MIA/KIA February 20, 1942 USS Peary Memorial via Wayback Machine August 18, 2002 Contribute
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