Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
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Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69k | William David Porter, son of Commodore David Porter and elder brother of Admiral David Dixon Porter, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on 10 March 1808. He entered the Navy as a Midshipman in January 1823 and attained the rank of Lieutenant at the end of 1833. He was retired in September 1855, but was later reinstated on active duty with the rank of Commander. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, he was commanding the sloop of war USS Saint Mary's. Late in 1861, Porter took command of the newly-converted gunboat New Era, serving in the Mississippi River area with the Army's Western Gunboat Flotilla. He renamed her Essex, after his father's old ship of the War of 1812. During late 1861 and early 1862, he had Essex further modified and took her into action on a number of occasions, distinguishing himself for his courageous conduct. After the gunboat was damaged in action with Fort Henry, Tennessee, in February 1862, Porter had the ship virtually rebuilt. He then commanded her in further combat undertakings, including the destruction of the Confederate ironclad Arkansas. A controversial figure in the Navy, Porter received the rank of Commodore in recognition of his achievements, but was detached from Essex in September 1862 and had no further assignments afloat. He died on 1 May 1864. Photo #: NH 47209. Commodore William D. Porter, USN, line engraving by John Chester Buttre, after an 1863 photograph taken by Fredricks & Company. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 102k | Artist's conception of the Porter as she appeared in late 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 | |
| 78k | Artist's conception of a cutaway view of the Porter 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 | |
| 233k | The William D Porter dressed in colors on shipways#5. Apparently this is just before her launch ceremony, ConSteel Corp, Orange,TX. Photo is cited September 27 1942, NA 19GC. | Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine | |
| 124k | USS William D. Porter (DD-579) as completed by Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, TX. WILLIAM D. PORTER was completed with three twin 40-mm mounts and eleven 20-mm guns. Official USN Photo from the DD-579 folder 19-LCM Group at NARA. | Rick E. Davis | |
| 84k | USS William D. Porter (DD-579) as modified by Charleston Navy Yard to the five twin 40-mm mounts and seven 20-mm guns configuration on September 24 1943. Official USN Photo from the DD-579 folder 19-LCM Group at NARA. | Rick E. Davis | |
 
 Charleston Navy Yard, September 24 1943. | David Buell | |||
| 137k | In Massacre Bay, Attu, Aleutian Islands, with other destroyers, 9 June 1944. Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 14d. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. | Fred Weiss | |
| 110k | USS William D. Porter (DD-579) sinking after she was near-missed by a "Kamikaze" suicide aircraft off Okinawa, 10 June 1945. USS LCS-122 is standing by. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss | |
| 83k | Sinking after she was near-missed by a "Kamikaze" suicide aircraft off Okinawa, 10 June 1945. USS LCS-86 and another LCS are alongside, taking off her crew. Though not actually hit by the enemy plane, William D. Porter received fatal underwater damage from the near-by explosion. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fred Weiss | |
| 75k | Photo of the sinking of the Porter from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe. | Robert Hurst | |
| 69k | Photo of the sinking of the Porter from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe. | Robert Hurst | |
| 66k | Photo of the sinking of the Porter from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe. | Robert Hurst | |
LCDR Wilfred Aves Walter Jul 6 1943 - Nov 14 1943 (Later RADM) CDR Charles Melville Keyes Nov 14 1943 - Jun 10 1945
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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