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USS YARNALL (DD-541)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NBDA

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 10 x 40mm, 7 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; Allis Chalmers Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco. December 5 1942.
Launched July 25 1943 and commissioned December 30 1943.
Decommissioned January 15 1947 and recommissioned February 28 1951.
Decommissioned September 30 1958.
Stricken January 25 1974.
To Taiwan June 10 1968. Renamed Kun Yang.
Fate Stricken October 16 1999

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-John Joliffe Yarnall was born in Wheeling, Va. (now W.Va.) in 1786 and was appointed midshipman in the Navy on 11 January 1809. Between 1809 and 1812, Yarnall cruised the coastal waters of the United States in Chesapeake and Revenge performing duty that was tantamount to blockading his own country to enforce President Madison's embargo on trade with the European adversaries during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1813, he was transferred to Oliver Hazard Perry's command on the Great Lakes and became the first lieutenant on board Perry's flagship, Lawrence. He participated in the decisive Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813and, though wounded, refused to leave his post during the engagement. When Perry shifted his flag to Niagara during the battle, Lt. Yarnall assumed command of Lawrence. After the battle, he took the squadron's wounded on board and carried them back to Erie for medical attention. For his gallantry in the battle, Yarnall earned Perry's commendation as well as a medal expressing the gratitude of Congress and the country. In the spring of 1815, Yarnall sailed from New York with Stephen Decatur in the frigate Guerriere for the Mediterranean Sea. On 17 June, off the Algerian coast, his ship encountered and captured Meshuda, the flagship of the Algerine "Navy." While defending his country's honor and rights during that engagement, the valiant Yarnall again suffered wounds. Probably because of his wounds, Lt. Yarnall was chosen as the bearer of dispatches from Decatur's squadron to the government in Washington. In July 1815, he embarked in the sloop-of-war Epervier for the voyage home. The warship was last seen on 14 July 1815 as she passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic. Presumably, Yarnall and all others on board went down with her during the transatlantic voyage. He is a direct ancestor of the NavSource Founder and Manager Paul Yarnall.Robert M. Cieri
Yarnall 82kArtist's conception of the Yarnall as she appeared after original construction 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
Yarnall 36kUndated, location unknown.-
Yarnall 69kUndated, location unknown. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 2c.-
Yarnall 78kUndated, World War II Holiday card from the Yarnall.Tim Cunningham
Yarnall 275kUndated, World War II "E" Division Snipes.Tim Cunningham
Yarnall 122k1944, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Yarnall 114kTwo images of the refueling of the destroyer USS Yarnall (DD 541) and underway replenishment taken from the light carrier Independence(CVL 22), 1944-1945. Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum.Bill Gonyo
Yarnall 137kAs above.Bill Gonyo
Yarnall

Yarnall
206k




120k
USS Yarnall and USS Ringgold were involved in a collision at sea during torpedo maneuvering exercises on the morning of March 4,1945 at 0508. Each of their respective divisions had spent February screening fast carrier TG's during operations off mainland Japan, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima, and on that day all were nearing the fleet anchorage at Ulithi. Fleet tugs USS Molala and USS Sioux joined from Ulithi by 0940 and all were screened by USS Schroeder and USS Sigsbee. This is NA 80G356106 and was shot by a VC94 aircraft flying cover from USS Shamrock Bay (CVE84). Ringgold's severed bow section was sunk by Schroeder at 0738; the damaged bow section of Yarnall seen here (80G356106) broke off and sank at 1841 on March 5th.John Chiquoine
Yarnall 113kDistant view of USS Yarnall from USS Schroeder on March 4 or 5,1945, after the collision with Ringgold and before the bow section broke off and sank at 1841 on March 5th. Photo by Dr J J Heimark.John Chiquoine
Yarnall 138kMarch, 1945 after bow broke off during towing. Line being thrown from probably the ARD-13.John De Noma
Yarnall 164kJune 1945, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Yarnall   Yarnall   Yarnall   Yarnall
Ship's Party Invitation - June 6 1945
Barbara Vinsant
Yarnall 94kStern view of USS Yarnall (DD 541) off Mare Island on 11 June 1945.Darryl Baker
Yarnall 85kUSS Yarnall (DD-541) off Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 11 June 1945 (USN Photo No NH 98891).Robert Hurst
Yarnall 102kUSS Yarnall (DD-541) is tugged away from the waterfront at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 11 June 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Photo #: NH 98892.Robert Hurst
Yarnall 119kAmidships looking aft plan view of USS Yarnall (DD 541) at Mare Island on 15 June 1945.Darryl Baker
Yarnall 125kAmidships looking forward plan view of USS Yarnall (DD 541) at Mare Island on 15 June 1945. Ship was in overhaul at the yard from 22 April to 17 June 1945.Darryl Baker
Yarnall 106kView from HMS Belfast on September 29 1951, off the east coast of Korea.Ben Newton (Lt Cdr RN Rtd)/Bill Gonyo
Yarnall 171kA U.S. Navy Douglas AD-4W Skyraider from Composite Squadron VC-11 Det.G approaches the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) off Korea, 3 July 1951. VC-11 Det.G was assigned to Carrier Air Group 102 (CVG-102) aboard the Bonnie Dick for a deployment to Korea from 10 May to 17 December 1951. The Fletcher-class destroyer USS Yarnall (DD-541) is visible in the background. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.038.018.Robert Hurst
Yarnall 97kUSS Yarnall (DD-541) hauls away to starboard after "topping off" from the oiler USS Manatee (AO-58), during replenishment operations off Korea, circa August 1951. USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) is approaching from astern to fill her bunkers next. USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) is refueling on the oiler's opposite side. Photograph was released by Commander Naval Forces Far East under date of 7 August 1951. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Yarnall 62kYarnall crewmen Wetenkamp, Locke, Smith and Kyle in Sasebo 1952.Lloyd W. Haase
Yarnall 88kUSS Yarnall underway in the Pacific, probably between 28 February 1951, when she was recommissioned for Korean War service, and early 1952, when she went into overhaul. Note her peacetime hull number and haze grey paint. She still has her polemast and some 20mm guns (USN Photo No NH 98894).Robert Hurst
Yarnall 42kUSS McDermut (DD-677), USS Yarnall (DD-541), USS Tingey (DD-539) and USS Boyd (DD-544) alongside the USS Piedmont (AD-17) in Sasebo 1952.Lloyd W. Haase
Yarnall 43kBow of the Yarnall riding out rough seas someplace off the coast of Korea, 1952.Lloyd W. Haase
Yarnall 58kRefueling at sea circa 1952.Lloyd W. Haase
Yarnall 55kUSS Delta (AR-9) with the USS McDermut (DD-677), USS Yarnall (DD-541), USS Tingey (DD-539), USS Boyd (DD-544) and USS Horace T. Bass (APD-124) in Sasebo, Japan, 1955.Ted Bojanowski
Yarnall 197kAnother view of the above photo from the collection of SFCM James H Cary.Mike Cary
On Taiwanese Service
Yarnall 88kAs the Taiwanese Kun Yang DD-19 Australia 1969.Marc Piché
Yarnall 38kEight images of the Kun Yang DDG-919 on Republic of China service, circa 1992-1994 by former crewman Liao Wen-chun.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 64kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 57kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 45kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 52kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 54kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 36kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun
Yarnall 51kAs above.Lioa Wen-chun

USS YARNALL DD-541 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


CDR Benjamin Francis Tompkins    Dec 30 1943 - Aug 8 1944 (Later RADM)

CDR James Henry Hogg    Aug 8 1944 - Dec 17 1944 (Later RADM)

CDR James Beattie Denny    Dec 17 1944 - May 5 1946

LCDR George E. Clapp    May 5 1946 - Jan 15 1947

(Decommissioned Jan 15 1947 - Feb 28 1951)

CDR Norvell Gardiner (Bub) Ward    Febv 28 1951 - Jun 18 1952 (Later RADM)

CDR Arthur Frederick Fischer Jr.    Jun 18 1952 - Jun 17 1954

CDR William Anderson Walker III    Jun 17 1954 - Jan 12 1956

CDR Chester Frank Pinkerton    Jan 12 1956 - Feb 25 1958

CDR William Thomas Easton    Feb 25 1958 - Sep 30 1958


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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