View source for USS Hambleton

{{Short description|Gleaves-class destroyer}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Hambleton (DD-455) underway in February 1944 (7321565).jpg
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1955}}
|Ship name=''Hambleton''
|Ship namesake=[[Samuel Hambleton (United States Navy officer)|Samuel Hambleton]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.]]
|Ship laid down=16 December 1940
|Ship launched=26 September 1941
|Ship commissioned=22 December 1941
|Ship identification=DD-455
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship reclassified=DMS-20, 15 November 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header= yes
|Ship decommissioned=15 January 1955
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 June 1971
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=*Sold for scrap,
*22 November 1972
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Gleaves|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=2,200 tons
|Ship length={{convert|347|ft|11|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|36|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|15|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*{{convert|50,000|shp|abbr=on}};
*2 propellers
|Ship speed={{convert|35|kn|abbr=on}}
|Ship range=*{{convert|6,500|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=272
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*4 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}]] [[dual purpose gun]]s,
*4 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]]s,
*5 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s,
*5 × [[Mark 15 torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s,
*6 × [[K-gun|depth charge projectors]],
*2 × depth charge tracks
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
{{No footnotes|date=November 2022}}
'''USS ''Hambleton'' (DD-455/DMS-20)''' was a {{sclass|Gleaves|destroyer}} of the [[United States Navy]], named for Purser [[Samuel Hambleton (United States Navy officer)|Samuel Hambleton]] (1777–1851).

''Hambleton'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] by the [[Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.]], [[Kearny, New Jersey]], on 16 December 1940 and [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 26 September 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Nannie Hambleton Martin, great grandniece of Samuel Hambleton. The destroyer was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 22 December 1941.

==Service history==

===1942-1943===
Departing [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk]] on 31 January 1942, in company with {{USS|Emmons|DD-457|2}}, ''Hambleton'' began a shakedown, unique in wartime, that took her through the [[Panama Canal]] to [[Callao]], Peru; [[Valparaiso]], Chile; [[Guayaquil]], Ecuador; [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]], Colombia; and [[Balboa, Panama|Balboa]], [[Panama Canal Zone]] She was diverted for antisubmarine search north of [[Cuba]] in early March, and on 15 March 1942 rescued six men on a life raft who had survived the torpedoing of {{SS|Ceibra||2}}. After antisubmarine patrol along the East Coast and intensive training in [[Casco Bay]], [[Maine]], ''Hambleton'' sailed as escort to the [[cruiser]] {{USS|Augusta|CA-31|2}} and [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|2}} on 14 April. Reaching Africa's [[Gold Coast (region)|Gold Coast]] on 10 May, ''Ranger'' launched her cargo of [[Curtiss P-40]]s for the North African fighting and headed back to the [[West Indies]]. In heavy rain and low visibility on 17 May, ''Hambleton'' collided with {{USS|Ellyson|DD-454|2}} and had to proceed to [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]] and then [[Charleston Navy Yard]] for repairs.

''Hambleton'' joined a fast [[Troopship|troop transport]] out of [[New York City|New York]] on 1 July, sailed for Ireland and arrived on 11 July. Immediately she reported for duty with the Joint British and American Naval Forces In Europe. With [[Royal Navy]] personnel on board as communications liaison, she conducted antisubmarine patrols and served as plane guard for the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Duke of York|17|2}} through August. She then returned to the United States for duty along the coast in preparation for [[Operation Torch]], the forthcoming invasion of North Africa.

[[File:USS Hambleton (DD-455) torpedoed in November 1942.jpg|thumb|left|''Hambleton'' after being torpedoed in November 1942.]]

''Hambleton'' joined the invasion fleet on 28 October, and as part of [[Admiral]] [[H. Kent Hewitt]]'s Western Naval Task Force, she screened the [[escort carrier]] {{USS|Sangamon|CVE-26|2}} during operations against airfields in [[French Morocco]] on [[D-Day]], 8 November. As she lay anchored by {{USS|Winooski|AO-38|2}} off [[Mohammedia|Fedala]] in the evening of 11 November 1942, ''Hambleton'' was struck amidships on the port side by a [[torpedo]] fired by the {{GS|U-173}}. With all power gone, the destroyer took a 12 degree list to starboard as her damage control parties worked swiftly to jettison topside weights and shore up weakened bulkheads. The crippled ship was towed to [[Casablanca]] for temporary repairs in the floating dry dock sunk just the day before. [[Seabees]] cut the ship in two, removed a {{convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} section of her damaged hull, then joined the two remaining halves together. Escorted by a tug, ''Hambleton'' reached [[Boston Navy Yard|Boston]] 28 June 1943 for permanent repairs.

===1944===
====Normandy invasion====
After a second shakedown in the Caribbean and training along the East Coast, ''Hambleton'' escorted a convoy to [[Oran]] in April 1944, and began to prepare for her role in the [[invasion of Normandy|Normandy invasion]]. Operating in the Western Mediterranean with seven other destroyers and British scout planes, she sank the {{GS|U-616}} on 17 May after an intensive 4-day pursuit of the German marauder. From the Mediterranean ''Hambleton'' sailed to [[Plymouth]], England, staging area for the epochal invasion. She escorted a large convoy of [[Landing Ship, Tank|LST]]s to the landing areas on 7 June, D-Day plus 1, and remained off [[Omaha Beach]] for critical shore bombardment and screening duties. In the early morning hours of 9 June, ''Hambleton''{{'}}s radar picked up several contacts, soon determined to be Nazi [[E-boat]]s. Her guns blazing, ''Hambleton'' set out after the enemy. In a 4-hour running gun battle, she sank one and severely damaged another of the five German boats. After returning for provisions at [[Portland Harbour|Portland]], England, ''Hambleton'' was back on the line for the [[Bombardment of Cherbourg]] 25 June.

''Hambleton'' departed [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]] on 4 July, and steamed to the Mediterranean, touching Oran, [[Algeria]], 10 July and reaching [[Naples]], Italy, on 15 July. On 11 August, she participated in the bombardment of shore positions on the southern coast of France prior to [[Operation Dragoon|Operation Anvil]], the invasion of that vital area. ''Hambleton'' remained in the Mediterranean for patrol and screening duty until sailing to Boston on 25 October.

====Conversion to Destroyer/Minesweeper====
Arriving Boston on 8 November, the battle-training destroyer was converted into a [[high speed minesweeper]] and redesignated '''DMS-20''' on 15 November.

===1945===
====Okinawa====
[[File:USS Hambleton (DMS-20) at sea c1944.jpg|thumb|''Hambleton'' after conversion to a high-speed minesweeper.]]
''Hambleton'' emerged from the yard 13 December and sailed for the Pacific 30 December. Steaming via [[San Diego]], [[Pearl Harbor]], and [[Eniwetok]], she arrived [[Ulithi]] 9 March 1945, to prepare for the [[Battle of Okinawa|invasion of Okinawa]], the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific. Departing on 19 March, she arrived off [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], the gateway to the heart of the [[Japanese Empire]], 23 March. Prior to the invasion 1 April, she cleared channels and anchorages for the 1,200 ships taking part in the invasion. During the long campaign that followed, she operated off Okinawa to sweep, screen, patrol, and provide fire support. She was under almost constant attack from the air. Although damaged on 3 April by a ''[[kamikaze]]'', which splashed close aboard her port quarter, ''Hambleton'' remained on duty as part of the fleet that had come to the [[Ryukyu Islands]].

With Okinawa nearly secured, ''Hambleton'' and her [[sister ship]]s deployed to the [[East China Sea]] in mid-July to begin massive sweeping of [[naval mine|mines]] of this area. In a month they cleared more than {{convert|600|mi|km}} from the {{convert|7200|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} area in one of the largest sweep operations yet launched. ''Hambleton'' was in the East China Sea for a second such mission when Japanese acceptance of peace terms was announced 15 August. Joining Admiral [[William F. Halsey]]'s [[United States Third Fleet|3rd Fleet]] off Tokyo, ''Hambleton'' steamed into [[Tokyo Bay]] 28 August to clear the way for the occupation forces. In the next few months ''Hambleton'' swept a total of 184 mines from Japanese minefields in various straits and channels. During this period she rode out four [[typhoon]]s, one of which battered her with {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=on}} waves. Departing Japanese waters 20 November, ''Hambleton'' steamed via Eniwetok, Pearl Harbor, and San Diego to Norfolk arriving late December.

===1946–1955===
Based at [[Naval Station Charleston|Charleston, South Carolina]], the veteran minesweeper maintained an operational pattern that kept her prepared for the emerging [[Cold War]] struggle. During the next decade ''Hambleton'' participated in fleet and tactical exercises in the Caribbean and along the East Coast. In 1949, 1952, and 1954 she deployed to the Mediterranean and operated with the [[United States Sixth Fleet|6th Fleet]] from the shores of North Africa to the turbulent Middle East.

After returning to Charleston from her third Mediterranean cruise on 6 July 1954, ''Hambleton'' decommissioned on 15 January 1955, and entered the [[Atlantic Reserve Fleet]]. She was reclassified '''DD-455''' the same day.

''Hambleton'' was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 1 June 1971. She was sold 22 November 1972 and broken up for scrap.

==Awards==
''Hambleton'' received seven [[battle star]]s for World War II service.

==References==
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/hambleton.html}}

==External links==
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/455.htm navsource.org: USS ''Hambleton'']
*[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd455txt.htm hazegray.org: USS ''Hambleton'']

{{Gleaves class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hambleton (Dd-455)}}
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:Gleaves-class destroyers of the United States Navy]]