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USS KEARNY (DD-432)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NUBF

CLASS - GLEAVES As Built.
Displacement 2395 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 348' 4"(oa) x 36' 1" x 13' 2" (Max)
Armament 4 x 5"/38AA, 6 x 0.5" MG, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 50,000 SHP; General Electric Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 12 Knots, Crew 208.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ. March 1 1939.
Launched March 9 1940 and commissioned September 13 1940.
Decommissioned March 7 1946.
Stricken June 1 1971.
Fate Sold October 6 1972 to Luria Brothers, Philadelphia and broken up for scrap.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Kearny 30kLawrence Kearny was born in Perth Amboy, N.J., 30 November 1789 and appointed Midshipman in the Navy 24 July 1807. Commodore Kearny was known for his tenacity in capturing slave traders in West-Indian waters and his tireless efforts in fighting Greek pirates in the Mediterranean. In the early 1840's he began negotiations with China which opened that country to U.S. trade and pointed the way toward the American "Open Door Policy" a half century later. He later served as Commandant at the Norfolk and New York Naval Shipyards. Retiring 14 November 1861, Commodore Kearny died at Perth Amboy, N. J., 29 November 1868.Bill Gonyo/Robert Kearny
Kearny 180kArtist's conception of the Kearny in cutaway view by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.Navy Yard Associates
Kearny 82kArtist's conception of the Kearny as she appeared in World War II by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.Navy Yard Associates
Kearny 83kUndated, location unknown.Robert M. Cieri
Kearny 103kA series of eight views of the torpedo damage from the Seattle National Archives, Record Group 181, location and date not listed.Tracy White
Kearny 93kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 97kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 101kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 139kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 100kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 94kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 133kAs above.Tracy White
Kearny 229kWire service photo and comments of the same incident as above.Tommy Trampp
Kearny 183kSame incident as above, photo backstamped October 30 1941.Tommy Trampp
Kearny 116kUndated, location unknown.Captain Jerry Mason USN
Kearny 19kLaunching at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., March 9 1940.Ken Garvey
Kearny 102kAt Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. the day before commissioning, September 12 1940.Ken Garvey
Kearny 280kClipping from the NY Journal & American of 13 September 1940 under the headline 'Another Sea Terrier For The U.S. Navy'.Ron Reeves
Kearny 189kAt Brooklyn, NY within a few days of commissioning.David Buell
Kearny 150kCirca 1940, location unknown. From the collections of Ingersol-Rand.Ron Titus/Joe Radigan/Robert Hurst
Kearny 94kUndated (probably 1941-1942), location unknown.Brian York
Kearny 311kNewspaper clipping showing the location where the Kearny was torpedoed. Philadelphia Public Ledger October 1941.Ron Reeves
Kearny 168kUSS Kearney (DD-432) Torpedo Damage Diagram from torpedo strike on 17 October 1941. Source: Structural Repairs in Forward Areas During World War II, Bureau of Ships Navy Department, December, 1949, Plate No. 27.Mike Green
Kearny 101kUSS Kearny (DD-432) in port at Reykjavik, Iceland, on 19 October 1941, two days after she had been torpedoed by the German submarine U-568. USS Monssen (DD-436) is alongside. Note the torpedo hole in Kearny's midships starboard side. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Fred Weiss
Kearny 195kCrew members at rail observing Kearny being warped alongside tender at Reykjavik, Iceland, circa 19 October 1941. Note: quintuple torpedo tubes. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 52283.Mike Green
Kearny 83kAs above.Robert Hurst
Kearny 88kAs above.-
Kearny 185kStarboard stern view of USS Kearny (DD-432) at Reykjavik, Iceland, circa 19 October 1941. Note: open top 5"/38 mount, life rafts and.50 cal machine gun emplacements. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 52286.Mike Green
Kearny 165kOverhead view of USS Kearny (DD-432) looking aft at Reykjavik, Iceland, circa 19 October 1941. Note: quintuple torpedo tube and .50 cal machine gun tubs. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 52287.Mike Green
Kearny 186kLying alongside USS Vulcan (AR-5) in Iceland. While work was going on, the first air-raid alarm for area was sounded. Gunners manned their stations, but the repair work continued. National Archives photo 80-G-425654, NHHC Photograph Collection, Visual-Aid Cards, Ships. Dave Wright
Kearny 105kCrew members of the U.S.S. Kearny take leave of their ship to board an accompanying vessel at an unnamed port. The Kearny was damaged by a torpedo while on patrol southwest of Iceland, but was able to limp into port. OWI Radiophoto from ACME. Photo from the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.Bill Gonyo
Kearny 237kView of torpedo damage in 1941.Ed Zajkowski
Kearny 479kNewspaper clipping from the Washington Evening Star dated November 4 1941.Ron Reeves
Kearny 140kUSS Kearny (DD-432) arrived at the Boston Navy Yard for permanent repairs on 31 December 1941. Probably because this was the first battle damage repair job performed by the yard, it was extensively photographed. The resulting album provides the only comprehensive visual record of such work undertaken by the yard during World War II. This photo and the following ten document the repairs.

The temporary patch installed under the harsh winter conditions of Iceland is seen in this view taken on 3 January 1942. Kearny is berthed at Pier 1 West. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)
Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 100kWhile at Pier 1 West, yard workers cut away the superstructure over the forward fire room to allow access for removal of the damaged machinery. Here, a damaged boiler is lifted out on 6 January. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 96kOn 12 January Kearny was taken into Dry Dock 1 to enable the damaged section of her hull to be completely cut away for repair. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 116kTwo days later, workers have removed all of the hull plates are are working on the remaining frames. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 96kBy 19 January the new fire room was beginning to take shape. The new forward bulkhead is seen in this view. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny
[1]


Kearny
[2]
[1] - 91k



[2] - 108k
Even as workers swarmed over the ship, other yard employees were at work in the shops fabricating new machinery for her. On 27 January a new boiler (1) is lowered into the restored forward fire room (2). (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 107kThis view taken on 31 January shows the progress of hull plate replacement. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 74kBy 9 February, hull repairs had been completed and Kearny had left Dry Dock 1. She is seen here the following day berthed at Pier 1 East, where remaining repair work would be accomplished. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 96kBy 13 February, the deck house and uptake for the forward stack was in place. The extant album on the repair project ends at this point in time. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11621)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 69kFully repaired, USS Kearny is seen steaming in Boston Harbor on 31 March 1942. Within a week, she was back on escort duty in the North Atlantic. (U.S. Navy photograph, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-11620)Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Kearny 189kNewspaper clipping from the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, of 4 May 1942.Ron Reeves
Kearny 25kCirca 1943, location unknown.Ken Garvey
Kearny 128kAug 3 1943, New York, NY.Ed Zajkowski
Kearny 107kAug 3 1943, New York, NY.Ed Zajkowski
Kearny 97kAug 3 1943, New York, NY.Ed Zajkowski
Kearny 136kUSS Kearny (DD-432) approaching Gibraltar from the Atlantic with a 100 ship convoy, circa 1944. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 31, Design 3D. Courtesy of Captain Frank K.B. Wheeler, USN (Retired), 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Photo #: NH 83117.Robert Hurst
Kearny 248kUSS Kearny (DD-432) underway operating in the Atlantic Ocean, 19 January 1945. Photographed by VJ-15. Note that she still has ten torpedo tubes and is wearing measure 32, design 3D camouflage. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 80-G-302259.Mike Green
Click here to see additional image(s) of this ship on our Orange, Texas Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (ISMF) Special Feature page

USS KEARNY DD-432 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


LCDR Anthony Leo Danis    Sep 13 1940 - Nov 25 1941

LCDR Adolph Henry Oswald    Nov 25 1941 - Dec 4 1942

CDR Lindsey Williamson   Dec 4 1942 - Oct 1 1944

CDR Frank Knowles Blasdell Wheeler    Oct 1 1944 - Mar 7 1946


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Tom Barrett
Address: 157 Old Laurel Lane, Franklin, NC 28734
Phone: (828)369-6950
E-mail: None


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
The USS Kearny Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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