Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
United States Navy — Destroyer DD-852

USS Leonard F. Mason

Gearing-class destroyer

USS Leonard F. Mason
PHC C.C. Curtis, USN — U.S. Navy photo KN-21911 from Navsource.org ; Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107131 (b/w) from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — DD-852 The U.S. Navy destroyser USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) underway in 1974.

Service

  1. United States Navy as Leonard F. Mason28 June 1946 — 2 November 1976
  2. as Lai Yang25 May 1978 — 16 February 2000
Full service history About 626 words
Gearing-class destroyer Particulars
Name
USS Leonard F. Mason
Pennant / hull number
DD-852
Namesake
Leonard Foster Mason
Builder
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down
6 August 1945
Launched
4 January 1946
Commissioned
28 June 1946
Decommissioned
2 November 1976
Struck
2 November 1976
Fate
Sunk as artificial reef, 11 April 2003 (2003)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, standard
2,425 long tons (2,464 t)
Length
118.87 m (390 ft)
Beam
12.5 m (41 ft)
Draught
5.49 m (18 ft)
Speed
35 knots (64.8 km/h, 40.3 mph)
Range
4,500 nmi (8,334 km)
Complement
336
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

Leonard Foster Mason, born Middleboro, Ky., 22 February 1920, enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 1943. Promoted to private first class in March 1943, Mason was sent to the Pacific war zone in October.

During the landing on Guam 22 July 1944, two enemy machineguns opened fire on Mason's platoon. Although mortally wounded, Mason cleared out the hostile position, acting on his own initiative. His heroic act in the face of almost certain death enabled his platoon to accomplish its mission. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) was laid down 2 May 1945 by the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; launched 4 January 1946; sponsored by Mrs. Hillery Mason, mother of Private First Class Mason; and commissioned 28 June 1946, Comdr. S. D. B. Merrill in command.

Continue to the full service history About 626 words

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Leonard F. Mason (DD-852)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • Geared turbines, 2 shafts, 65464 shp
Armament
  • As built :
  • 6 × 5"/38 caliber guns
  • 12 × 40 mm AA guns
  • 11 × 20 mm AA guns
  • 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 6 × depth charge projectors
  • 2 × depth charge tracks
  • From 1973 :
  • 2 × twin 5"/38 caliber guns
  • Torpedo launchers
  • ASROC
  • CHAFFROC
  • Chaparral SAM
  • 50-calibre machine guns

Sister ships

30 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Leonard F. Mason on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Service history reproduced verbatim from Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) , Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships — public domain, a work of the United States Government.
  • Photograph: PHC C.C. Curtis, USN — U.S. Navy photo KN-21911 from Navsource.org ; Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107131 (b/w) from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons