Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War

United States Navy — Destroyer

USS Samuel N. Moore — 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 Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) off the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 30 August 1963, following a regular overhaul. Note that she received almost no modifications. The only modernizations visible arethe tripod mast with AN/SPS-6 radar, Mark 56 fire control radar aft and two Mark 32 torpedo launchers. U.S. Navy Burau of Ships photo 19-NN - DD-747 Samuel N. Moore - 166584 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Samuel Nobre Moore was born on 7 September 1891 in Washington, D.C. Entering the Naval Academy in 1909, he was commissioned Ensign in 1913.

From April 1914 to February 1915, he served on board Hopkins and participated in the occupation of Veracruz. He served in Nicholson (DD-52) from May 1915 to January 1917, and in Michigan (BB-27) while the United States participated in World War I.

During the interwar period, he held numerous naval posts ashore and at sea with the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Fleets. In command of Destroyer Division 21 from September 1937 into 1939, Moore organized the New England section of the Neutrality Patrol in late 1939. He took command of Quincy (CA-39) on 20 May 1942 and died on the night of 8-9 August 1942 when that cruiser was sunk while fighting in the Battle of Savo Island.

Second World War 1939–1945

1943

Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) was laid down on 30 September 1943 by the Bethlehem Steel Company Shipbuilding Yard, Staten Island, N.Y.; launched on 23 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Samuel N. Moore; and commissioned on 24 June 1944, Comdr. Horatio A. Lincoln in command.

1944

USS Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway, circa in 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 11A. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-N-67987 available at Destroyerhistory.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Following shakedown off Bermuda, the new destroyer steamed, via the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor, to the Pacific war zone, arriving at Ulithi on 3 November 1944. There she joined the Fast Carrier Task Force and defended Vice Admiral Mitscher's flattops from enemy aircraft and submarines. The carriers that she guarded launched numerous air strikes against Japanese positions in the Philippines, the Ryukyus, Formosa, the Pescadores, Indochina, China, and the Japanese home islands. She was damaged by a typhoon on 5 June 1945. In an attack on the night of 22 and 23 July, she launched torpedoes at enemy shipping off the east entrance to Sagami Wan, Japan. She rescued one aviator on 10 June and two more on 18 July.

Korean War period 1950–1953

1950

USS Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway circa the late 1940s or early 1950s. The photograph was received by the U.S. Naval Photographic Center in December 1959, but was taken several years earlier, before the 20 mm guns were removed. U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107145 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

After Japan capitulated, Samuel N. Moore aided occupation forces, visiting Shanghai and Tsingtao, China, and Pusan, Korea. From 1947 into 1950, she operated off the west coast. Departing San Diego on 1 May 1950, she steamed to the western Pacific.

1951

In response to Communist aggression in Korea, she headed north from Hong Kong on 27 June. During the summer and fall, she served off Korea, before returning to San Diego on 11 February 1951. Sailing again for the Far East on 1 December, she guarded carriers and bombarded enemy shore installations in Korea from February to May 1952 before returning to San Diego on 26 June. Steaming from Long Beach on 2 February 1953, she returned to Korea. Defending the fast carriers again, she visited Koje Island in March. In April, she aided the defense of Yang-do Island and patrolled near Chongjin; in May, she fought enemy shore batteries at Wonsan Harbor. In June, she patrolled the Taiwan Strait; and, in July, she provided shore bombardment off Korea. After the end of fighting in Korea, she returned to Long Beach on 30 August.

Cold War 1954–1963

1954

Departing Long Beach on 4 May 1954, she cruised with antisubmarine forces in the western Pacific; patrolled Taiwan Strait, and visited the Tachen Islands on 19 August, before returning to Long Beach on 5 December.

From 1955 through 1959, she made annual deployments to the western Pacific, visiting the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan. In 1960 and 1961, she served with a specialized antisubmarine task force in the western Pacific, before conducting operations off the west coast in 1962 and 1963.

Vietnam War period 1964–1975

1964

From 13 March to 2 October 1964, Samuel N. Moore was away from Long Beach on another deployment to the western Pacific. In August, during the crisis following the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Samuel N. Moore supplied ammunition to Maddox (DD-731), and transferred documents from Maddox and Turner Joy (DD-951) to Ticonderoga (CVA-14).

1965

Sailing from the west coast for the western Pacific on 28 September 1965, she provided gunfire support off Vietnam, operated as a plane guard in the South China Sea, and fired on targets in the Mekong Delta, before returning to Long Beach on 8 April. Getting underway again for the western Pacific on 28 March 1967, she patrolled off North Vietnam, as part of Operation "Sea Dragon," and protected aircraft carriers in Tonkin Gulf, before arriving at Long Beach on 20 September. Underway from Long Beach to the western Pacific on 18 July 1968, she again guarded carriers in the Tonkin Gulf before returning to Long Beach on 26 February 1969.

1969

USS Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway to Tacoma, Washington (USA), for service with the U.S Naval Reserve. She only served a an NRF ship from April to 24 October 1969. She was decommissioned and sold to Taiwan, where she served as Heng Yang (DD-2) until 1995. U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy All Hands magazine September 1969 , p. 43 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

In April, she became a Naval Reserve training ship at Tacoma, Wash. Decommissioned on 24 October, she was struck from the Navy list that day. She was sold on 10 December 1969 to the Republic of China, in whose navy she served as Heng Yang (ex-DD-2, ex-DD-976, DD-902) until disposed of in 1993.

Samuel N. Moore received five battle stars for World War II, three battle stars for Korea, and seven battle stars for Vietnam.

Other photographs

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

USS Samuel N. Moore
Captain Samuel N. Moore, USN U. S. Navy Official Photo — Naval History and Heritage Command , Photo #: 80-G-K-13910 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Samuel N. Moore
Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Ships. 9/18/1947-5/1/1966 — 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: 81638479d8e1993ea16f10e791f8021c National Archives Identifier: 24743537 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer tender USS Piedmont (AD-17), with destroyers alongside at Yokosuka, Japan. The photo was taken before any of the destroyers entered the FRAM moderization program. Ships moored at the pier are (l-r): USS Walker (DD-517), USS Taylor (DD-468), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS James E. Kyes (DD-787), USS McMorris (DE-1036), USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836) and USS Rupertus (DD-851). U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy All Hands magazine April 1963 , pp. 35 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Samuel N. Moore
USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) insignia Unknown author — https://www.navsource.net/archives/05/747.htm — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Samuel N. Moore
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) is refueled from the aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CVS-37). Princeton was deployed to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean from 8 July 1957 to 12 February 1958. U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo [1] from the USS Princeton (CVS-37) 1957-1958 cruise book available at Navysite.de — 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 Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) 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 Samuel N. Moore Structured facts only — dates, dimensions, armament and fate. No wording is taken from it. Harvested 1 August 2026.
  3. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway at sea, circa in the late 1950s (NH 73466) Unknown author — U.S. Navy photo NH 73466 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  4. Photograph Samuel N. Moore (ca. 1941) U. S. Navy Official Photo — Naval History and Heritage Command , Photo #: 80-G-K-13910 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  5. Photograph DD-747 Samuel N. Moore - DPLA - 81638479d8e1993ea16f10e791f8021c Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Bureau of Ships. 9/18/1947-5/1/1966 — 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: 81638479d8e1993ea16f10e791f8021c National Archives Identifier: 24743537 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  6. Photograph USS Piedmont (AD-17) with destroyers at Yokosuka c1960 U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy All Hands magazine April 1963 , pp. 35 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  7. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) insignia Unknown author — https://www.navsource.net/archives/05/747.htm — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  8. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) off the San Francisco Naval Shipyard on 30 August 1963 U.S. Navy Burau of Ships photo 19-NN - DD-747 Samuel N. Moore - 166584 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  9. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway c1950 U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 107145 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  10. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway in 1969 U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy All Hands magazine September 1969 , p. 43 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  11. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway in the Pacific Ocean, circa in 1957 U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo [1] from the USS Princeton (CVS-37) 1957-1958 cruise book available at Navysite.de — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  12. Photograph USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) underway, circa in 1944 (19-N-67987) U.S. Navy — Official U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-N-67987 available at Destroyerhistory.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons