Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
27 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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| Namesake |
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| 87k | Aaron Ward was born on 10 October 1851 in Philadelphia, Pa. Following graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1871, he was ordered to California on the Pacific station. He next served in Brooklyn in the West Indies from 1873 to 1874, before reporting to Franklin on the European station. Ward served a tour of duty at the Naval Academy from 1876 to 1879. Next he served with the Constitution training squadron in 1879 through 1882. Ward was occupied with various professional duties at the torpedo station in Newport, R.I., and the New York Navy Yard through 1885. From 1885 to 1888 he was stationed in Hartford and Monongehela on the Pacific station. Between 1889 and 1894, Ward served as naval attaché in Paris, Berlin, and St. Petersburg. He sailed with New York in the West Indies and Brazil until 1894, and in San Francisco in the Mediterranean through 1896. During the Spanish-American War, Ward commanded Wasp. Commended for gallantry, he was advanced to lieutenant commander for conspicuous service at the Battle of Santiago. He then commanded Panther for a year in the West Indies, followed by service as chief of staff to the Asiatic station commander. From 1901 to 1908, Ward commanded Yorktown, Don Juan de Austria, and Pennsylvania successively. He served for one year as supervisor of the harbor at New York before becoming an aide to the Secretary of the Navy in 1909. In 1910 Ward was promoted to rear admiral. In 1911 he became second in command of the Atlantic Fleet. Rear Admiral Ward retired on 10 October 1913. He died on 5 July 1918, and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. | Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri/Bill Gonyo | |
| USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) |
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| 88k | Photo #: NH 57706. Miss Hilda Ward, daughter of Rear Admiral Aaron Ward, christens the ship named in honor of her father, during launching ceremonies at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company shipyard, Kearny, New Jersey, 22 November 1941. Assisting her is Lieutenant Commander George A. Holderness, Jr. Rear Admiral Harold G. Bowen is standing at left. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 150k | Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJ November 22 1941 launching of the USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) and the USS Buchanan (DD-484). AP Wirephoto. | David Buell | |
| 104k | USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) Afloat immediately after she was launched, at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company shipyard, Kearny, New Jersey, 22 November 1941. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fred Weiss | |
| 118k | USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) -- at left -- and USS Buchanan (DD-484) Ready for launching, at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company shipyard, Kearny, New Jersey, on 22 November 1941. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Fred Weiss | |
| 80k | The USS Aaron ward (DD-483) berthed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on 4 May 1942. She shows a good example of the correctly applied US Navy Measure 12 Modified camouflage (USN courtesy of Floating Drydock). | Robert Hurst | |
| 160k | View on board, looking aft from the bow, while the ship was in New York Harbor on 15 May 1942. Note her forward 5"/38 gun mounts, with 5" powder canisters stacked on deck nearby; and Mark 37 gun director, with "FD" radar antenna, atop the pilothouse. The tug Robert Aikman and a Navy covered lighter (YF) are alongside. Fort Richmond, on Staten Island, is visible in the right distance. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. | Fred Weiss | |
| 82k | Probably photographed in New York Harbor, circa 15 May 1942. This image has been retouched by wartime censors to remove radar antennas atop the gun director and foremast. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 36k | Approaching USS Wasp (CV-7) on 17 August 1942, during transfer of guard mail in the Solomon Islands area. Note that her port anchor is missing, probably removed as a weight-saving measure. Also note her Measure 12 (modified) camouflage. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Robert Hurst | |
| 77k | Task Force 18 in Tulagi Harbor, Solomon Islands, shortly before departing hurriedly to avoid the large-scale Japanese air attack that marked the beginning of the "I" Operation, 7 April 1943. Photographed from USS Fletcher (DD-445). USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) is partially visible at left. She was fatally damaged in this air attack and sank near Tulagi during salvage attempts. Light cruiser in center is USS Honolulu (CL-48). USS Saint Louis (CL-49) is behind her, to the right, with a Fletcher class destroyer beyond. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Photo #: NH 97810. | Robert Hurst | |
| 269k | Battle damage diagram dated April 7 1943. Source: Navy Department Library: Destroyer Gunfire, Bomb and Kamikaze Damage Report; War Damage Report No. 51. | Mike Green | |
| 147k | Map of Iron Bottom Sound indicating where ships were sunk during the Battle of Guadacanal. | Ron Reeves | |
CDR Orville Francis Gregor Mar 4 1942 - 1943 LCDR Frederick Julian Becton Feb 18 1943 - Apr 7 1943 (Later RADM)
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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