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USS STANLY (DD-478)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NAZR

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, 9 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; Westinghouse Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Charleston Navy Yard September 15 1941.
Launched May 2 1942 and commissioned October 15 1942.
Decommissioned January 15 1947.
Stricken December 1 1970.
Fate Sold December 16 1971 to Chou's Iron & Steel, Taiwan and broken up for scrap.

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Namesake
Stanly 74kFabius Maximus Stanly was born on 15 December 1815 in New Berne, N.C. and was appointed midshipman on 20 December 1831. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 September 1841. During the Mexican War, he was assigned to the Pacific Squadron and participated in the capture of California and the defense of San Francisco. He also took part in several land raids and, on one occasion, led a party of 30 bluejackets on a cannon-spiking raid in the midst of 1,500 enemy troops. He completed his mission successfully, returning to the boats with all his wounded and some prisoners to boot. Stanly commanded the store ship Warren (1852–53), a store ship at San Francisco (1855), the Mare Island Navy Yard, Calif. (1856), and the store ship Supply in the Paraguay expedition (1858–59). In 1860 he commanded the steamer Wyandotte at Key West, Fla., and cooperated with Captain of Engineers Montgomery Meigs to prevent the capture of Fort Taylor by the Secessionists. The James Buchanan administration relieved him from command for his excessive zeal and sent him to the receiving ship Independence at Mare Island Navy Yard. On 19 May 1861 he was promoted to commander, and in 1862–64 he was placed in charge of the steamer Narragansett of the Pacific Squadron, guarding mail steamers between San Francisco and Panama. He received the State Department's thanks for his diplomatic services on the Mexican coast. In 1864 he was on ordnance duty with the Mississippi Squadron and was given command of State of Georgia and cruised off the coast of South Carolina for the duration of the war. Stanly was commissioned captain on 25 July 1866, commodore on 1 July 1870, and rear admiral on 12 February 1874. He was retired from the Navy on 4 June 1874 and died in Washington, D.C., on 5 December 1882. Photo from the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, Inc.Bill Gonyo
USS Stanly (DD-478)
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
WASHINGTON

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the

DESTROYER SQUADRON TWENTY THREE consisting of the USS CHARLES AUSBURNE, USS CLAXTON, USS DYSON, USS SPENCE, USS CONVERSE and USS STANLY

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

"For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces during theSolomon Islands Campaign, from November 1, 1943, to February 23, 1944. Boldlypenetrating submarine-infested waters during a period when Japanese naval and airpower was at its height, Destroyer Squadron TWENTY THREE operated in daringdefiance of repeated attacks by hostile air groups, closing the enemy'sstrongly fortified shores to carry out sustained bombardments against Japanesecoastal defenses and render effective cover and fire support for the majorinvasion operations in this area. Commanded by forceful leaders and manned byaggressive, fearless crews the ships of Squadron TWENTY THREE coordinated as asuperb fighting team; they countered the enemy's fierce aerial bombing attacksand destroyed or routed his planes; they intercepted his surface task forces,sank or damaged his warships by torpedo fire and prevented interference withour transports. The brilliant and heroic record achieved by Destroyer SquadronTWENTY THREE is a distinctive tribute to the valiant fighting spirit of theindividual units in this indomitable combat group and of each skilled andcourageous ship's company."

For the President,

James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy
Stanly 111kUndated, location unknown.Troy Baisch FCC(SW) USN
Stanly 112kUndated, at Mare Island.David Buell
Stanly 60kUndated, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Stanly 147kUS Navy Yard, Charleston, SC. May 2 1942. USS Stanly (DD 478) on day before launching.Mike Mohl
Stanly 244kUS Navy Yard, Charleston, SC. May 2 1942. Spectators' section at launching ceremonies of USS Stanly (DD 478) and USS Pringle (DD 477).Mike Mohl
Stanly 190kUS Navy Yard, Charleston, SC. May 2 1942. Rear Admiral W. H. Allen making opening remarks in connection with Stanly and Pringle launching ceremonies.Mike Mohl
Stanly 167kUS Navy Yard, Charleston, SC. May 2 1942. Capt. Guy E. Baker delivering brief address on the career of the late Rear Admiral Fabius Stanly.Mike Mohl
Stanly 172kIntroductions of Mrs. Elizabeth Stanly Boss, sponsor of Stanly and Mrs. John Stanly, her matron of honor by Rear Admiral Allen.Mike Mohl
Stanly 80kExplosion of a depth charge during acceptance trials of USS Stanly (DD-478) in 1942. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 80-G-31524.Mike Green
pix1/Stanly 88kUSS Stanly (DD-478) at time of delivery approximately October 1942. Photo is from the National Archives and had been retouched by censors to delete Radars, etc. Rick E. Davis
Stanly 75kUSS Stanly (DD-478) in Charleston harbor approximately October 1942. The Stanly at this time was configured to receive a catapult, but she never operated with a catapult being reconfigured to Fleet Destroyer status.Rick E. Davis
Stanly   Stanly   Stanly   tanly
Charleston Navy Yard, December 10 1942, being configured for handling aircraft showing no catapult (she only had one installed for about a week then it was removed), painted up in MS 22, and in the same basic outfit as Pringle.
David Buell
Stanly   Stanly   tanly
Charleston Navy Yard, February 16 1943, interim fit of five 5”/38 mounts and two quintuple torpedo tubes, with not 40MM mount between mounts 53 and 54, painted in MS 21.
David Buell
Stanly 101kUSS Stanly after she was returned to Fleet Destroyer configuration at Charleston NY, SC. Photo is dated February 16 1943. At this time she had this non-standard armament configuration with 5-5”/38cal guns, one twin 40mm gun mount on the fantail and nine 20mm guns. The USS Hutchins, Pringle and Stanly (DD476-478) were the only Fletcher’s to have this same configuration of a twin 40mm on the fantail and only two 20mm guns between the #53 and #54 gun mounts.Rick E. Davis
Stanly 80kMay 14 1943 photo of the Stanly shows that two additional twin 40mm gun mounts have been added, one on either side of the second stack (the fantail mount was retained) for a total of three twin 40mm guns, plus an additional 20mm gun was added on top of her bridge.Rick E. Davis
Stanly 144kUSS Stanly (DD-478), image # 0547813, is shown Anchored off San Francisco, California on 6 October 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 16D.Gerd Matthes/Robert Hurst
Stanly 124kUSS Stanly (DD 478) off Mare Island on November 20 1945. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Stanly 198kUSS Stanly (DD-478) transferring mail to USS Hansford (APA-106) off Saipan, 16 February 1945. The ships are on their voyage to Iwo Jima for the landings there three days later. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 80-G-303887.Mike Green
Stanly 111kForward plan view of USS Stanly (DD 478) at Mare Island on 29 Nov 1945. She was in overhaul from 5 Sep to 29 Nov 1945.Darryl Baker
Stanly 139kAft plan view of USS Stanly (DD 478) at Mare Island on 29 Nov 1945.Darryl Baker

USS STANLY DD-478 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 James Marshall Robinson    Oct 15 1942 - Dec 2 1942 (Later RADM)

LT Ralph Jacob Baum   Dec 2 1942 - Dec 12 1942

CDR Robert William Cavenagh    Dec 12 1942 - Jan 1 1944 (Later RADM)

CDR John Benjamin Morland    Jan 1 1944 - Mar 25 1945

LCDR Richard Shaw Harlan     Mar 25 1945 - Oct 31 1945


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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