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USS HENLEY (DD-391)

CLASS - BAGLEY As Built.
Displacement 2245 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 341' 4" (oa) x 35' 6" x 12' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 5"/38AA, 4 x 0.5" MG, 16 x 21" tt.(4x4).
Machinery, 49,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38.5 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 12 Knots, Crew 158.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Mare Island Navy Yard October 28 1935.
Launched January 12 1937 and commissioned August 14 1937.
Fate Sunk by Japanese Submarine RO-108 off Finschafen, New Guinea, October 3 1943.
17 of her crew were lost with the ship and remain on duty.

    WT1c Thomas Keith Austin (265 87 24)
    Sea1c James Herman Brown (383 09 28)
    SC2c Robert Leonard Bruggensmith V-6, USNR (634 06 95)
    MM3c Russell George Bryce V-6, USNR (622 83 75)
    MM3c Edmund Joseph Burke V-6, USNR (600 56 91)
    WT2c Walter Morvan Dick (356 15 58)
    F1c Edward John Drennam V-6, USNR (706 43 78)
    MM3c Bronislaus Louis Dudek V-6, USNR (723 00 97)
    B1c Stephen Joseph Esterhazy (214 83 29)
    WT1c Clyde Fred Hampton (271 98 20)
    EM1c Horace Luther Johnson V-6, USNR (630 16 39)
    FC1c John Jacob Romans (337 08 06)
    WT2c Walter Harrison Sayers (360 12 05)
    CCStd Carl Scheufele (375 09 31)
    MM3c Hartley William Summerford (283 49 68)
    MM2c Norman Jack Zilm (393 40 19)
LT Robert Hector Ulrich D-V(G), USNR (O-096471)

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Henley 89kThe first, second and fourth Henleys (DD-39, DD-391, DD-762) were named for Robert Henley, born 5 January 1783 in Williamsburg, Ara., son of Leonard and Elizabeth Dandridge Henley and nephew of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington. Appointed a midshipman 8 April 1799, Henley participated in the engagement between Constellation and La Vengeance during the Quasi-War with France 2 February 1800. After service with Preble's squadron in the Mediterranean and a cruise to the East Indies, Henley received his first command, Gunboat No. 5, at Baltimore 9 April 1808. Henley was in command of 2 divisions of 15 gunboats which drove 3 British frigates from Hampton Roads 20 June 1813. Reporting to brig Eagle, he received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal for valiant conduct in the Battle of Lake Champlain 11 September 1814. With the end of-the War of 1812, Henley filled a variety of billets before commanding Hornet against pirates in the West Indies. He captured pirate schooner Moscow off Santo Domingo 29 October 1821. After serving as commandant of the Naval Rendezvous at Norfolk 1822 to 1824, he reported for similar duty at Charleston. Captain Robert Henley died at Sullivan's Island, Charleston, after a short illness 7 October 1828.Bill Gonyo
Henley 51kUndated, location unknown.Frank E. Duzick (CEM) USS-Mugford
Henley 103kUndated, location unknown.Jon Burdett
Henley 141kUndated, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Henley 234kUndated water color painting of Henley.Darryl Baker
Henley 211kUSS Henley (DD-391), at right, and USS Pompano (SS-181), at left, Under construction at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 16 April 1936. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Photo #: 19-N-18021.Robert Hurst
Henley 139kUSS Henley (DD-391), at right, and USS Pompano (SS-181), at left under construction at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 16 April 1936. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-18021 Mike Green
Henley 125kUSS Henley (DD-391) ready for launching, at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 12 January 1937. USS Preston (DD-379) is partially visible through the crane rails, at right. Sign on the overhead crane states: "Capacity ... Main Hoist-80000 lbs ... Aux. Hoist-15000 lbs". Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Fred Weiss
Henley 196kUSS Henley (DD-391) is ready for christening at Mare Island on January 12, 1937. The USS Pompano (SS-181) is on the ways to the right.Darryl Baker
Henley 551kUSS Henley (DD-391) is christened by her sponsor, Miss Beryl Henley Joslin, at Mare Island, 12 January 1937. US Navy Photo DD 391-21-37 from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical MuseumDarryl Baker
Henley 224kUSS Henley (DD-391) sliding down the ways at Mare Island on January 12, 1937. The USS Pompano (SS-181) is on the ways to the right.Darryl Baker
Henley 173kUSS Henley (DD-391) in Mare Island channel after her launching. Tugs assisting are from left to right YMT-10, stern of Navigator (YT-39), visible on the port side of Henley, and YMT-2.Darryl Baker
Henley 150kUSS Henley (DD-391) is on her way to an outfitting berth at Mare Island, 12 January 1937. Tug in the foreground is YTM-10, the double stacks of the tug Navigator (YT-39) are visible aft of Henley's stack and YMT-2 off the bow of the destroyer.Darryl Baker
Henley 132kUSS Henley (DD-391) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island, August 25, 1937. USS Dale (DD-353) is outboard of Henley, with USS Monaghan (DD-354) aft of Henley.Darryl Baker
Henley 546kUSS Henley (DD-391) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 01 October 1937. National Archives photo 19-N-18031, from Bureau of Ships Collection.Fred Weiss / Robert Hurst
Henley 439kUSS Henley (DD-391) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 01 October 1937. Note that she is fitted with her Mark 33 gun director at this time, shortly after commissioning. National Archives photo 19-N-18032, from Bureau of Ships Collection.Fred Weiss / Robert Hurst
Henley 82kUSS Henley (DD-391) in San Pablo Bay, near the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 05 October 1937. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Fred Weiss
Henley 190kUSS Henley (DD-391) in San Pablo Bay west of Mare Island, 05 October 1937.Darryl Baker/Scott Dyben
Henley 539kUSS Henley (DD-391) in San Pablo Bay, near the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 05 October 1937. National Archives photo 19-N-17364, from Bureau of Ships Collection.Robert Hurst
Henley 89kUSS Henley (DD-391) in San Francisco Bay during her trials in Oct 1937. Navy Photo 6259-45Darryl Baker
Henley 98kUSS Henley (DD-391) in San Diego harbor, California, circa 1938. Note that the ship's Mk.33 gun director has been removed. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Henley 111kOperating at sea, circa 1938. Note that the ship's Mk.33 gun director has been removed. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Henley 120kUSS Patterson (DD-392) Moored at the outboard end of a nest of destroyers, 25 April 1938. Other identifiable ships in the group include USS Henley (DD-391) and USS Borie (DD-215). Note that main gun directors have been temporarily removed from atop Patterson's and Henley's pilothouses. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Henley 89kUSS Henley (DD-391) operating at sea with USS Zane (DD-337), 2 May 1938. Note that Henley's Mark 33 gun director is not installed. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Henley 544kUSS Henley (DD-391) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 25 February 1942, with her forward 5"/38 guns pointed on opposite sides of the ship. National Archives photo 19-N-28723, from Bureau of Ships Collection.Fred Weiss / Robert Hurst
Henley 148kUSS Henley (DD-391) at Mare Island Navy Yard, 25 February 1942. National Archives photo 19-N-28721.Mike Green
Henley 69kUSS Henley (DD-391) off Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 26 February 1942. National Archives photo 19-N-28724.Robert Hurst
Henley 103kUSS Henley (DD-391) during battle of Guadalcanal late 1942. Photo courtesy of Arthur R Schreier, Sr., who was aboard during Pearl Harbor attack and remainder of the ship's life.Jon Burdett
Henley 176kUSS Henley (DD-391), as seen looking over the gun barrels of HMAS Australia, February 1943. Source Australian War Memorial, Photo No. 029559.Mike Green
Henley 52kOfficial U.S. Navy photo from ACME. Photo from the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.Bill Gonyo
Henley 166kNewspaper clipping describing the loss of the Henley.Ron Reeves
Henley 521kNewspaper clipping describing the loss of the Henley.Darryl Baker
USS HENLEY DD-391 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website
Commanding Officers
01LCDR Henry Young McCown (USNA 1918)14 August 1937 - 23 May 1938
02LCDR Rutledge Barker Tompkins (USNA 1921-A)23 May 1938 - 14 January 1941
03CDR Robert Hall Smith (USNA 1922)14 January 1941 - 14 August 1942
04LCDR Earl Kendall Van Swearingen (USNA 1927)14 August 1942 - 09 April 1943
05CDR Carlton Rolla Adams (USNA 1930)09 April 1943 - 03 October 1943

Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Contact Name: Richard Douglas
Address:
Phone:
E-mail: henleysteamer@yahoo.com

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Naval Historical Center Pearl Harbor Action Report
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright
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Last Updated 20 June 2019