photo BLUE387.jpg
U.S. destroyers remove the crew from the fatally-damaged HMAS Canberra, off Guadalcanal at about 0630 on the morning of 9 August 1942, following the Battle of Savo Island. USS Blue (DD-387) is alongside Canberra's port bow, as USS Patterson (DD-392) approaches from astern.
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DD-387
The first BLUE (DD-387) was launched 27 may 1937 by Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss Kate Lilly Blue, sister of Admiral Blue; and commissioned 14 August 1937, Lieutenant Commander J. Wright in command.
After spending her first year in shakedown and training cruises along the east coast and in the Caribbean, BLUE sailed for the Pacific in August 1938 to become flagship of Destroyer Division 7, Battle Force. She exercised with the Battle Fleet in west coast waters until April 1940 when she accompanied her division to Pearl Harbor. Except for an overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard (February-March 1941) and exercises out of San Diego during April, she remained based at Pearl Harbor until war broke out.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 caught BLUE in port but she safely made her way to sea with only four officers on board (all Ensigns). She served with the offshore patrol in the approaches to Pearl Harbor during December 1941-January 1942 and then joined ENTERPRISE (CV-6) for the attacks at Wotje, Maloelap, Kwajalein Atolls, Marshall Islands (1 February 1942) and the Wake Island attack (24 February). During March-June 1942 BLUE escorted convoys between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco and then proceeded to Wellington, New Zealand, where she arrived 18 July. She joined TG 62.2 for the invasion of Guadalcanal (7 August), providing fire-support and screening. Although present, she took no active part in the Battle of Savo Island (9 August). After patrolling off Noumea, New Caledonia, (13-17 August), BLUE returned to Guadalcanal, arriving 21 August. At 0359, 22 August, while patrolling in Iron Bottom Sound she was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer KAWAKAZE. The explosion wrecked BLUE's main engines, shafts, and steering gear, as well as killing nine men and wounding 21. Throughout the 22nd and 23rd unsuccessful attempts were made to tow BLUE to Tulagi. She was scuttled at 2221 on 23 August 1942 after valiant attempts to save her failed.
BLUE (DD-387) received five battle stars for her nine months service in World War II.
U873
Date of Action: 16 May 1945
USCG Unit(s) Involved: USS Durant and Vance
Sinking/Capture/Assist? Surrender
Location of event: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Credit by US Navy? Yes
Enemy warship's Commanding Officer: Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Steinhoff
Enemy casualties: None
USCG casualties: None
Misc: U873 surrendered to the Coast Guard-manned USS Durant DE389 and USS Vance DE387
On 2 May 1945, USS Vance DE387 departed
New York with her last Mediterranean-bound convoy. On the morning of
11 May-four days after Germany had surrendered -Vance sighted a light
up ahead in the convoy and rang down full speed to investigate.
Upon closing the light, the destroyer escort discovered a surfaced
U-boat, U873, which had been at sea for
50 days. While the submarine began to run, Vance hailed the erstwhile
enemy in German by bullhorn, ordering the submariners to heave to.
Vance placed a prize crew on board the captured U-boat who delivered the
prize at Portsmouth, NH, on the 16th.
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