Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
nearly all of her crew were lost with the ship and remain on duty.
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Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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| No Photo Available | - | Bartlett Laffey, born in Ireland in 1841, enlisted in the Navy 17 March 1862 and was assigned to stern wheel gunboat Marmora. On 5 March 1864, the Confederates launched a heavy attack on Union positions at Yazoo City, Miss. In the midst of heated battle Laffey landed a 12-pound howitzer and her crew. Despite enemy rifle fire which cut up the gun carriage and severed the rammer, Laffey bravely stood by his gun and contributed greatly to turning back the flerce Confederate assault. Seaman Laffey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous stand. He died at Chelsea, Mass., 22 March 1901. | Robert M. Cieri | |
| 82k | Artist's conception of the Laffey 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 | |
| 238k | San Francisco, October 30 1941, first of a long line of destroyers and cruisers to be launched at the San Francisco yard of the Bethlehem Steel Company, the destroyer U.S.S. Laffey skids down the ways to the sea. The Laffey is a 1700-ton craft of the Bristol class. Her principal armament consists of five five-inch guns and 10 21-inch torpedo tubes. Acme Photos. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 60k | Launching of the USS Laffey (DD-459) on Oct. 30, 1941 at Bethlehem Steel in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 857k | USS Laffey (DD-459) alongside a cruiser (either Salt Lake City or Pensacola) with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. Wasp had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September 1942. Note Laffey's smokestacks, Searchlight, mainmast, depth charges, and fully outfitted liferaft. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives, photo 80-G-13612. | Original: Fred Weiss Replacement: Robert Hurst | |
| 102k | USS Laffey (DD-459) steams alongside another U.S. Navy ship, while at sea in the south Pacific on 4 September 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 84k | USS Laffey (DD-459) in harbor, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board. Wasp had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September 1942. Cruiser in the left background is USS Helena (CL-50), with a destroyer tied to her starboard side. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 124k | USS Laffey (DD-459) maneuvering alongside a cruiser (either Salt Lake City or Pensacola), with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. Wasp had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September 1942. Cruiser in the right background is USS Juneau (CL-52). Note the aircraft catapult on the cruiser from which the photo was taken. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 109k | USS Laffey (DD-459) Fitting out, at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, San Francisco, California, 3 January 1942. Note the bright metal finish of her pilothouse and smokestacks, and the city skyline in the distance. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 139k | USS Laffey (DD-459) In harbor, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board. Wasp had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 15 September 1942. Cruiser in the center background is USS Juneau (CL-52). Note Laffey's 5"/38 guns, depth charges, and life rafts. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the UNITED STATES SHIP USS LAFFEY (DD-459) for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For outstanding performance during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Southwest Pacific area, 15 September to 13 November 1942. Braving hostile file to rescue survivors in submarine-infested waters, the LAFFEY, after fighting effectively in the Battle of Cape Esperance, successfully repelled an aerial torpedo attack, and although badly crippled and set afire, inflicted severe damage on Japanese naval units off Savo Island. Eventually succumbing to her wounds after the enemy had fled in defeat, she left behind her an illustrious example of heroic fighting spirit." For the President, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy | Bill Gonyo | |||
| 147k | Map of Iron Bottom Sound indicating where ships were sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal. | Ron Reeves | |
LCDR William Edwin Hank Mar 31 1942 - Nov 13 1942
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.
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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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