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USS LA VALLETTE (DD-448)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NIDL

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 2 x 40mm, 6 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ. November 27 1941.
Launched June 21 1942 and commissioned August 12 1942.
Decommissioned April 16 1946.
Stricken February 1 1974.
Fate Sold July 26 1974 to Peru - cannibalized for spare parts and hulk scrapped.

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LaVallette 18kElie A. F. La Vallette was one of the first rear admirals appointed when President Lincoln created this rank in July 1862. Born in Alexandria, Va., 3 May 1790, at age 10 he accompanied his father, a chaplain, on a cruise in Philadelphia, commanded by Stephen Decatur. After merchant marine service, be entered the Navy during the War of 1812. As acting lieutenant in Saratoga during the Battle of Lake Champlain, 11 September 1814, he distinguished himself, winning promotion and a medal. He commanded Congress during the Mexican War, directing operations against Guaymas and Urias 19 to 20 November 1847. In the 1850’s he commanded the African, and then the Mediterranean, Squadron. Four months after his appointment as rear admiral, he died 18 November 1862 in Philadelphia.Bill Gonyo/Robert M. Cieri
LaVallette 38kUndated, location unknown.-
LaVallette 30kUndated, USS La Vallette (DD-448) in foreground along with another unidentified US destroyer giving fire support off Morotai. Photos taken from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe.Robert Hurst
LaVallette 153kCommissioning at Brooklyn Navy Yard, August 12 1942. From the Public Relations Department, Third Naval District, New York.David Way
LaVallette 63kOctober 8, 1942 photo of the Fletcher class ship as completed. She is as designed, except for 40mm twin mounts, in place of her original 1.1/75 machine cannons, with an additional mount added aft, and with 20mm replacing her original 0.50 caliber machine guns, she is as near the original design as any of the Fletchers ever were.-
LaVallette   LaVallette   LaVallette
At New York Navy Yard, 08 October 1942.
Ed Zajkowski
LaVallette 398kUnited States Naval Department Bureau of Ships War Torpedo Damage Diagram and Report No. 50. USS La Vallette (DD-448). Damage suffered from torpedo strike on January 30, 1943 off Rennell Island.Mike Green
LaVallette 99kApril 5, 1943 Mare Island Navy Yard photo of exterior view of midship deck house on the USS La Vallette (DD-448), showing forward torpedo tube mount along with damage to expansion joint at frame 108 and to ventilation openings. Source: United States Naval Department Bureau of Ships War Torpedo Damage/Loss Report No. 50.Mike Green
LaVallette 133kTorpedo damage repair to the USS La Vallette (DD-448), as seen on April 16, 1943 at Mare Island Navy Yard. View is looking forward and shows No. 2 boiler in the forward fireroom. Bulkhead 92 ½ has been removed to access and repair the damaged areas of the ship. Source: United States Naval Department Bureau of Ships War Torpedo Damage/Loss Report No. 50.Mike Green
LaVallette 117kLooking aft, exterior hull torpedo damage to the USS La Vallette (DD-448) is seen, as the ship is dry docked at Espiritu Santo. Source: United States Naval Department Bureau of Ships War Torpedo Damage/Loss Report No. 50.Mike Green
LaVallette 137kInterior view of the forward fireroom of the USS La Vallette (DD-448), as seen in April, 1943 at Mare Island Navy Yard. Preparations are being made to repair torpedo damage suffered on January 30, 1943 off Rennell Island. Source: United States Naval Department Bureau of Ships War Torpedo Damage/Loss Report No. 50.Mike Green
LaVallette 114kForward plan view of the USS LaVallette (DD 448) at Mare Island on 19 July 1943. The USS Thatcher (DD 514) is forward of LaVallette.Darryl Baker
LaVallette 103kAft plan view of the USS LaVallette (DD 448) at Mare Island on 19 July 1943.Darryl Baker
LaVallette 110kStern view of the USS LaVallette (DD 448) departing Mare Island on 23 July 1943.Darryl Baker
LaVallette 94kBroadside view of the USS LaVallette (DD 448) off Mare Island after completion of overhual on 23 July 1943. She was in overhaul at the yard from 1 April to 29 July 1943. Darryl Baker
LaVallette 87kBow on view of the USS LaVallette (DD 448) departing Mare Island on 23 July 1943. Other ships in photo from the far left are USS Thatcher (DD 514), USS Caldwell (DD 605) (outboard of Thatcher), and in the distance is the YFB-2.Darryl Baker
LaVallette 89k USS La Vallette (DD-448) underway off Mare Island Navy Yard, California on 23 July 1943. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107293.Christopher Karwowski/Robert Hurst
LaVallette 143kLa Vallette coming alongside a heavy ship during the Marcus Raid, late August 1943. NA 80GK582.John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder
LaVallette 76kUSS La Vallette (DD-448) off Mare Island, 1944. US Naval Institute Photo.Fred Weiss
LaVallette 146kA long view of La Vallette loosing a salvo against White Beach Mindoro, by an Army shutterbug. Photo NA SC260121, December 1944.John Chiquoine
LaVallette   LaVallette
Two views of USS LaVallette coming alongside USS Russell to port. Taken by Ensign Edwin Klump of Russell (DD-414) during the Dec 1944-Jan 1945 Philippines campaign.
John Chiquoine
LaVallette 208kLa Vallete at Mariveles after being damaged by a mine, 14 Feb 1945. From NA, 19GC-DD448.John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder
LaVallette 230kAs above.John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder

USS LA VALLETTE DD-448 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


LCDR Harry Havelock Henderson    Aug 12 1942 - Jun 19 1943

CDR Robert Lee (Bob) Taylor    Jun 6 1943 - Mar 1944

CDR Wells Thompson    Mar 1944 - Aug 1 1945 (Later RADM)

LCDR Edward Isham Gibson    Aug 1 1945 - Oct 1 1945


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: JACK WILKES
Address: 491 SAPP AVE. SW, PELHAM, GA 31779
Phone: (229) 294-8528
E-mail: jackw1@bellsouth.net


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 George S. Eisenberg Page
USS LaVallette Website
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
All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
Last Updated 03 August 2018