Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War

United States Navy — Destroyer

USS Downes (DD-375) — service history

This is the full service history. For the vessel's particulars, photograph and specifications, see the entry.

In the words of the US Navy. The account below is reproduced verbatim from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command — a work of the United States Government, in the public domain, and the only text on this site not written here.

Before commissioning

USS Downes (DD-375)
Launch of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Downes (DD-375) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia (USA) on 22 April 1936. USN — Official U.S. Navy photo [1] from the U.S. Navy Norfolk Naval Shipyard — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

John Downes born in 1786 in Canton, Mass., served as acting midshipman from 9 September 1800 and was appointed midshipman 1 June 1802. He rendered distinguished service during the War with Tripoli in 1804 in frigate Congress, and was executive officer for Captain David Porter in Essex during the War of 1812. He commanded Epervier, Guerriere, Ontario and Independ ence, and the Boston Navy Yard, and was Commodore of the Pacific and Mediterranean Squadrons. Captain Downes died at Charlestown, Mass., 11 August 1854.

Interwar 1919–1938

1936

The second Downes (DD-375) was launched 22 April 1936 by Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss S. F. Downes, descendant of Captain Downes; and commissioned 15 January 1937, Commander C. H. Roper in command.

1937

USS Downes (DD-375)
Scope and content: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Downes (DD-375) leaving the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia (USA), after completion, 1 March 1937. Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Downes reached San Diego from Norfolk 24 November 1937, and based there for exercises along the west coast, in the Caribbean, and in the Hawaiian Islands until April 1940, when Pearl Harbor became her home port. In March and April 1941 she joined in a cruise to Samoa, Fiji, and Australia, and visited the west coast later in the year.

Second World War 1939–1945

1941

USS Downes (DD-375)
The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Dry Dock No. 1 at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes . USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett, U.S. Navy (photo 80-G-19943) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, Downes was in drydock with Cassin (DD-372) and Pennsylvania (BB-38). The three came under heavy attack and an incendiary bomb landed between the two destroyers, starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank. Despite heavy strafing, the crews of the two destroyers got their batteries into action, driving off further attacks by Japanese planes. The drydock was flooded in an effort to quench the fires, but the burning oil rose with the water level and when the ammunition and torpedo warheads on board the destroyers began to explode, the two ships were abandoned. Later Cassin slipped from her keel blocks and rested against Downes. Listed at first as complete losses, both of these destroyers lived to fight again.

1942

USS Downes (DD-375)
USS Cassin (DD-372), at left, and USS Downes (DD-375) Under salvage in Drydock Number One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, 23 January 1942. They had been wrecked during the 7 December 1941 Japanese air raid. Photographed from the foremast of USS Raleigh (CL-7), which was undergoing battle damage repairs in the drydock. tormentor4555 — USS Cassin (DD-372) and USS Downes (DD-375) — PDM-owner — Wikimedia Commons

Salvage operations were soon begun on Downes with machinery and other salvageable equipment being shipped to Mare Island Navy Yard. She was officially decommissioned 20 June 1942.

1943

Rebuilt and recommissioned at Mare Island on 15 November 1943, Downes sailed from San Francisco 8 March to escort convoys to Pearl Harbor and on to Majuro, arriving 26 March. She was- assigned to blockade the bypassed Japanese stronghold, Wotje Atoll, until 5 April, then after replenishing at Pearl Harbor, arrived at Eniwetok 6 May for service as harbor entrance control vessel and task unit commander for the offshore patrol. During this duty she rescued a pilot in the lagoon at Eniwetok and four crewmen off Ponape, Caroline Islands. In July Downes began convoy duty from Eniwetok to Saipan in support of the Marianas operation, then patrolled off Tinian during its invasion. She gave fire support during the mopping up operations off Marpi Point, Tinian, and bombarded Aguijan Island. On 9 October she took part in the bombardment of Marcus Island as a diversion for carrier air strikes on the Nansei Shoto.

1944

Downes sailed from Saipan 14 October 1944 to join TG 38.1 2 days later in a search for Japanese ships which Admiral W. F. Halsey hoped to lure into the open with damaged cruisers Canberra (CA-70) and Houston (CL-81). The task group returned to Leyte to support the landings there 20 October. Downes sailed the same day for Ulithi. but was recalled to screen the carriers during the air strikes on the Japanese Fleet in the epic Battle for Leyte Gulf. She was detached again 27 October and sailed to Ulithi for replenishment.

1945

Continuing to Pearl Harbor for overhaul, Downes returned to Ulithi 29 March 1945 escorting a convoy, then sailed for Guam. From 5 April to 5 June she operated in the Marianas on patrol, air-sea rescue, submarine training, and escort duty. She served at Iwo Jima on similar duty from 9 June. With the end of the war, Downes was ordered to return to the United States and sailed from Iwo Jima 19 September with homeward-bound servicemen on board. She touched at San Pedro, Calif., called at Beaumont, Tex., for Navy Day celebrations and arrived at Norfolk 5 November. Downes was decommissioned 17 December 1945, and sold 18 November 1947.

Other photographs

Held for this vessel, and not tied to any part of the account above.

USS Downes (DD-375)
Hospital newspaper Vol. 6, No. 1, January 11, 1947 - Vol. 6, No. 25, June 28, 1947. Subjects: NH Oakland; Nurse Corps; Hospital Corps; Medical Corps; California; Dental Corps; cartoons U.S. Naval Hospital Oakland — https://archive.org/details/TheOakLeaf1947January11June28 https://archive.org/download/TheOakLeaf1947January11June28/TheOakLeaf1947January11-june28_ocr.pdf — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
80-G-32533: Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. USS Downes (DD 375) wrecked in Drydock No.1 following the attack. (9/15/15). National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 80-G-32533 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
80-G-32763: Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Wreckage of USS Cassin (DD 372) and USS Downes (DD 375) in Drydock Number 1. USS Pennsylvania (BB 38) is in the background. (9/9/2015). National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 80-G-32763 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
These records include detailed muster rolls listing all personnel assigned to ships based at Pearl Harbor, 1939-47, as well as reports of changes for sailors transferred to other ships or locations, and those missing or dead. Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
These records include detailed muster rolls listing all personnel assigned to ships based at Pearl Harbor, 1939-47, as well as reports of changes for sailors transferred to other ships or locations, and those missing or dead. Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
These records include detailed muster rolls listing all personnel assigned to ships based at Pearl Harbor, 1939-47, as well as reports of changes for sailors transferred to other ships or locations, and those missing or dead. Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Scope and content: The wartime censor has removed Pennsylvania ´s CXAM radar antenna General notes: Use War and Conflict Number 1138 when ordering a reproduction or requesting information about this image. Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
LC-USZ62-136130: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right di National Museum of the U.S. Navy — LC-USZ62-136130 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Downes (DD-375)
The U.S. Navy destroyers USS Cassin (DD-372) (capsized, right) and USS Downes (DD-375) (left) in Drydock No. 1 at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 7 December 1941, immediatly following the Japanese attack. Both ships had been severely damaged by bomb hits and the resulting fires. In the background, also in Drydock No. 1, is USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), which had received relatively light damage in the r USN — Official U.S. Navy photograph NH 64482 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

References

Every work this entry draws on. There are no numbered markers in the text above: what we hold is the provenance of the page — this history, this article, these photographs.

  1. History Downes II (DD-375) Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History and Heritage Command. A work of the United States Government, in the public domain — the only text on this site reproduced verbatim.
  2. Facts USS Downes (DD-375) Structured facts only — dates, dimensions, armament and fate. No wording is taken from it. Harvested 1 August 2026.
  3. Photograph Uss Downes DD-375 USN — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 63132 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  4. Photograph USS Downes (DD-375), USS Cassin (DD-372) and USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) in Dry Dock No. 1 at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, 7 December 1941 (306533) Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett, U.S. Navy (photo 80-G-19943) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  5. Photograph "Pat Kemp, Pearl Harbor Casualty Receives Treatment at Oak Knoll" article on "Page 4" of issue "8 February 1947" detail, from- The Oak Leaf Vol. 6 (January 11 - June 28, 1947) (IA TheOakLeaf1947January11June28) (page 20 crop) U.S. Naval Hospital Oakland — https://archive.org/details/TheOakLeaf1947January11June28 https://archive.org/download/TheOakLeaf1947January11June28/TheOakLeaf1947January11-june28_ocr.pdf — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  6. Photograph 80-G-32533 (21438791886) National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 80-G-32533 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  7. Photograph 80-G-32763 (21287293222) National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 80-G-32763 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  8. Photograph Downes (DD-375) - Report of Changes, May 1939 - DPLA - 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 (page 1) Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  9. Photograph Downes (DD-375) - Report of Changes, May 1939 - DPLA - 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 (page 2) Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  10. Photograph Downes (DD-375) - Report of Changes, May 1939 - DPLA - 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 (page 3) Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 9/18/1947-1982 — This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by National Archives and Records Administration as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America , via its partner Digital Public Library of America . Record in source catalog DPLA identifier: 2765bf086940eb9030714ec30dc3a864 National Archives Identifier: 112301691 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  11. Photograph Downes (DD375). Starboard side, underway, 01-03-1937 - NARA - 513025 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  12. Photograph Downes (DD375). Starboard side, underway, 01-03-1937 - NARA - 513025 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  13. Photograph Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Wrecked USS DOWNES at left and USS CASSIN at right. In the rear is the USS... - NARA - 520593 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  14. Photograph Jumbled mass of wreckage of the U.S. destroyers Downes (left) and Cassin (right) - NARA - 196244 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  15. Photograph Launch of USS Downes (DD-375) at Norfolk Navy Yard 1936 USN — Official U.S. Navy photo [1] from the U.S. Navy Norfolk Naval Shipyard — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  16. Photograph LC-USZ62-136130 (19310825110) National Museum of the U.S. Navy — LC-USZ62-136130 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  17. Photograph Photograph of the wreckage of the USS Downes, hit by bombs during the attack on Pearl Harbor - NARA - 306547 - cropped Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  18. Photograph Photograph of the wreckage of the USS Downes, hit by bombs during the attack on Pearl Harbor - NARA - 306547 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  19. Photograph Photograph of the wreckage of U.S. destroyers Downes and Cassin in Pearl Harbor - NARA - 306533 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  20. Photograph Photograph of warships damaged at Pearl Harbor - NARA - 306534 Unknown author or not provided — U.S. National Archives and Records Administration — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  21. Photograph USS Cassin (DD-372) and USS Downes (DD-375) (51028783371) tormentor4555 — USS Cassin (DD-372) and USS Downes (DD-375) — PDM-owner — Wikimedia Commons
  22. Photograph USS Cassin (DD-372) and USS Downes (DD-375) wrecked 1941 USN — Official U.S. Navy photograph NH 64482 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons