Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
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
	154k	Artist's conception of the Laffey as built in a cutaway view 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
	98k	Artist's conception of the Laffey as she appeared after FRAM II overhaul 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
	33k	Undated, location unknown.		Howard Longstreth
	81k	Undated, World War II image.		Captain Jerry Mason USN
	63k	Undated postcard Copyright © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.		Mike Smolinski
	61k	Undated postcard Copyright © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.		Mike Smolinski
	56k	Commander Frederick Julian Becton, USN, first commanding officer of the USS Laffey. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association.		Bill Gonyo
	108k	Undated, location unknown.		Bill Gonyo
	184k	Undated, location unknown.		Wolfgang Hechler
	23k	Undated, location unknown.		Tommy Trampp
	141k	Undated, location unknown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	142k	Undated, location unknown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	69k	Undated, location unknown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	66k	Miss Beatrice F. Laffey, daughter of Seaman Laffey, poses for a picture on launching day Nov. 21, 1943. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	107k	The Sponsor's party pose for a group photo following the launching of the USS Laffey (DD-724). Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	89k	Miss Beatrice F. Laffey, daughter of Seaman Laffey, breaks the traditional bottle of Champaign during the launching of the USS Laffey. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	113k	USS Laffey (DD-724) being launched on November 21, 1943 at Bath, Maine. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	105k	Newly launched USS Laffey (DD-724). Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	118k	USS Laffey (DD-724) just before commissioning day February 8 1944. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	65k	August 8 1944, location unknown.		-
	122k	USS Tallulah (AO-50) transferring a Japanese pilot picked up by USS Laffey (DD-724) (seen on the far side of the ship) to USS Enterprise (CV-6), 12 November 1944. Tallulah was transferring aviation fuel to the carrier for strikes on Luzon the next day. US National Archives Photo # 80-G-288433, a US Navy Photo now in the collections of the National Archives at College Park, MD.		Tracy White
	144k	On the evening of April 13, 1945, USS Laffey received its orders assigning it to Radar Picket Station #1. Early the next morning, Laffey replenished her ammunition at Kerama Retto from LST 582. This picture was taken as Laffey pulled away from the LST by Al Carkin, MOMM2/c. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	95k	Laffey as she appeared after the Japanese air attack off Okinawa on April 15 1945 when she was struck by four bombs and five kamikaze aircraft resulting in 103 casualties: 32 dead and 71 wounded. Photographed from USS PCE-851 on Okinawa Radar picket station. Courtesy of F S Bayley, NHC NH 78233.		Rev. Douglas R. Harrington
	203k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. Shown here is a starboard side view of No. 3 5" mount. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75430.		Mike Green
	174k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. Seen here is the bomb hole, port side aft. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75437.		Mike Green
	167k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. Shown here is bomb damage on starboard side abreast of bridge. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75427.		Mike Green
	68k	A view of where one of the kamikazes ripped through the thin waist-level shield around the three 20-mm guns on Laffey's fantail, killing and wounding many, destroying the guns, and wrecking the mount before it continued on to impact against 5" twin Mount 53. Courtesy of the USS Laffey Association.		Bill Gonyo
	56k	USS Laffey (DD-724) in dock showing damage sustained after being hit by Japanese Kamikaze off Okinawa. Photo from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe.		Robert Hurst
	185k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. This view shows exterior damage to wardroom bulkhead on starboard side. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75423.		Mike Green
	221k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. This view is of Group 21 20mm gun on starboard side, abreast of the bridge. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75436.		Mike Green
	221k	USS Laffey (DD-724) severely damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits on April 16, 1945. In action some 30 miles north of Okinawa. This view is of Group 21 20mm gun on starboard side, abreast of the bridge. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 75436.		Mike Green
	728k	USS Laffey (DD-724) on display at the Tacoma Municipal Dock on 25 May 1945. The ship has just returned from Okinawa where she survived being hit by five kamikazes and four bombs. The ship will be repaired at Todd Shipyards and has been described as being 'riddled like a sieve' above the waterline with her hull and superstructure twisted by the impacts. Tacoma Public Library, Richard Studios, D19953-4		Mike Green
	728k	USS Laffey (DD-724) on display at the Tacoma Municipal Dock on 31 May 1945. The ship has just returned from Okinawa where she survived being hit by five kamikazes and four bombs. The ship will be repaired at Todd Shipyards and has been described as being 'riddled like a sieve' above the waterline with her hull and superstructure twisted by the impacts. Tacoma Public Library, Richard Studios, D19953-8		Mike Green
	173k	Port bow view of the USS Laffey (DD-724) off Melbourne, Australia on 22 May 1947. State Library Victoria, Photo No. H91.108/2423		Mike Green
	161k	The USS Laffey being re-commissioned on January 26, 1951. Photo courtesy of the USS Laffey Association		Bill Gonyo
	173k	USS Laffey (DD-724) moored pierside Norfolk, Virginia in January 1952.		Bill Gonyo
	102k	In 1952 Laffey carried the flag of ComDesRon 26, Captain William H. Whiteside. On 28 April 1952 the Laffey, together with Maddox, was ordered to Wonsan Harbor in North Korea. On the 30th of April, both ships were taken under fire by the enemy shore batteries. During a 6 hour period, approximately 420 shells bracketed both vessels, with neither of the destroyers receiving a direct hit. During this same period, the Laffey expended over 1,000 rounds of 5" shells - an amount later recorded as the longest ship-to-shore bombardment of the Korean War. For this action, the Laffey received her second Presidential Unit Citation. " Although frequently subjected to hostile fire in Wonsan Harbor while embarked in his flagship, the U.S.S. LAFFEY, Captain Whiteside conducted a series of daring counter battery duels with the enemy and was greatly instrumental in the success achieved by his ship. By his inspiring leadership, sound judgment and zealous devotion to duty throughout, Captain Whiteside contributed materially to the success of the Naval blockade of the east coast of Korea and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Signed: Dan A. Kimball, Secretary of the Navy"		Bill Gonyo
A series of images of the Laffey on 8-9 April 1961 coming to the SS Dara disaster and rendering assistance along with the three British frigates LOCH RUTHVEN, LOCH FYNE and LOCH ALVIE. At dawn on April 9 Laffey went alongside the Dara to fight fires and check for survivors. While alongside, the Dara began listing toward the Laffey causing some damage to Laffey's port side and forcing her to back off. A fire-fighting party sent by boat continued to fight the fire until noon when the Laffey was ordered to withdraw from the scene. From the Bill Blackstock Collection, contributed by his daughter Anna Hall.				Robert Hall
	122k	March 26 1964.		Fred Weiss
	78k	1967 off Vietnam.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	97k	June 1969 Grand Harbor, Malta.		Robert Hurst
	130k	The USS Stickell (DD-888) and the USS Laffey (DD-724) at the D&S Piers in Norfolk in 1974.		Vince Venincasa
Decommissioning pamphlet - March 25, 1975				Ron Reeves
	98k	Charleston South Carolina, August 1981.		© Richard Leonhardt
	93k	Charleston South Carolina, August 1981.		© Richard Leonhardt
	97k	Charleston South Carolina, 1989.		Wendell McLaughlin
	55k	As a memorial in Charleston June 14 2001.		Steve Schar
	54k	Scenes from Snipe country in 2007.		Robert Hall
	57k	As above.		Robert Hall
	60k	As above.		Robert Hall
	58k	As above.		Robert Hall
	54k	As above.		Robert Hall
	58k	As above.		Robert Hall
	75k	Laffey's scoreboard. Photo by Bruce Wilkins.		Bill Gonyo
	60k	Patriot's Point, 2007.		Robert Hall
	54k	A bow on image of the Laffey at Patriot's Point.		George Harper/Ron Reeves
Overhaul of the USS Laffey - August to December 2009 thanks to Joseph W. Lombardi
A slide show of the final fantail work
An update from Joe Lombardi early November 2009 It has been awhile since my last update, but as you can imagine, it has been very busy and fruitful. The hull is now completely re-plated with 3/8” steel. The machinery spaces (B-1 & B-2) are now completed and signed off as being officially accepted. All wasted transverse and longitudinal frames, keel and bulkheads from the machinery spaces have been removed and new framing/bulkhead plating installed as needed. While you probably would not serve dinner to guests below a boiler these spaces are now immaculate, strong and sorted out. The hull has been plated up to the 13’ waterline, well above the current waterline to remove any riveted seams and to replace the badly pitted shell plating found when the doubler plates were removed. A decision was made to replace the keelson from the stem to the end of the skeg as this was also riveted plating. When doubler plating over the keel blocks was removed, many sections were badly deteriorated and holed; the decision was made to re-plate to eliminate any possible leakage down the road and is the correct decision being that no Band-Aids were to be installed. Other tasking coming up is to coat all interior shell plating, bulkheads and frames with two coats of epoxy and a stripe coat for sharp edges and welds. This will ensure the interior is rust-free for many years down the road. This tasking is being done now to preclude the presence of condensation that would have compromised the coating system had it been applied once the ship was waterborne. Once all of the keelson work is completed the exterior of the ship will be hydroblasted, primed and painted with a high end, zinc rich epoxy premium coating. More on that later as we move ahead. The Detyens fabrication, dockmasters, rigging and welding crews and the MMIF fabrication/welding crews that have done this work deserve a BZ (in Navy parlance) for a job well done. I very much enjoyed the visit by Sonny (and his cohorts) of the LAFFEY ASSOCIATION; they were treated to a briefing and a walk around the drydock. My hope is that they came away from their visit with increased resolve to again instill their passion for this vessel to others. Theirs is quite a story of rigor, stamina and determination against all odds and should be required reading for all. Joseph W. Lombardi, AMS
An update from Joe Lombardi mid November 2009 We’re just about through with the steel fabrication with small pieces to be fitted forward at the keel and production welding to be done on the keelson surrounding the skeg. The seams will be red dye sprayed on Sunday for final sign-off on Monday. At that point the boat is turned over to the paint crew. The paint crew has commenced hydro-blasting the topsides and will have the hull completed by Sunday. A final washdown will be Monday with the lower hull primer coats (2) to be painted. The boottop will have two coats of International 300V primer and be top coated with a single coat of International PSX 700 black Polysiloxane from the 13’ waterline down 8’ to cover the wind/waterline area. This massive protective belt of paint will ensure that there is no corrosion at the waterline for many years to come. The freeboard area will receive a single coat of International 300V primer and a single coat of International PSX 700 haze grey polysiloxane. These coating systems are the best on the market and far surpass the typical silicon alkyd paint typically used by museum and active ships. The inside of the vessel will have two coats of International 262 off white epoxy coats forward and aft of the enginerooms for all new plating and frames installed. The four machinery spaces will have two coats of terra cotta red EURONAVY epoxy coats installed on all new plating, frames and bulkheads in the four machinery spaces. Again, these are the premium coating systems available and will ensure the newly installed steel will be in good shape for years to come. It’s time to make LAFFEY shine again. Joseph W. Lombardi, AMS
An update from Joe Lombardi early December 2009 The Sumner-Class destroyer U.S.S. LAFFEY was fleeted and floated on her new hull bottom this past Tuesday at Detyens Shipyard, N. Charleston, SC after a lengthy restoration. This marks a new beginning for this very important and historic vessel and an important restoration effort by Patriots Point Development Corporation. U.S. COATINGS did a fine job in preparing the vessel for the follow-on work by the shipyard; this firm is now engaged with the interior lower space painting/preservation work. The Detyens Shipyard and MMIF steel fabrication crew, welders, riggers, cleaners, fire watches, painters, dockmasters did a masterful job in removing the Ό” steel doubler plate that covered 81% of her original shell plating, itself badly corroded. They then removed that original plating to bare frames and bulkheads from the 13’ waterline down to and including the keelson, bow to stern. All rivet seams, sea chests and overboard discharges previously below the waterline were removed or plated over. The entire hull was sheathed in new 3/8” A-036 mild steel plate and welded. I might add that the shipyard superintendent for Detyens, Mr. Eric Williams, performed magic in keeping to the schedule. Well done! The four machinery spaces had required extensive repairs and wholesale replacement of the five transverse bulkheads, longitudinal and transverse frames. The keel was largely replaced from Frame 72 to Frame # 148; a very difficult and dangerous endeavor. The reefer flats and other areas aboard were extensively restored with new plating. The shaft packing glands and rudder posts were repacked with new flax packing and tightened into the stops. External covers were welded over the shaft tubes and shafts to prevent any additional water from entering the ship. Both anchor chains, 10 & 12 shots with both 4,000 lb. Baldt anchors were hydroblasted, primed and painted and re-inserted into the chain lockers and hawse pipes. The hull was hydroblasted to SSPC-6 profile. The freeboard from the sheer to the waterline was coated with a single coat of INTERNATIONAL 300V primer and one coat of INTERNATIONAL POLYSILOXANE haze gray topcoat. The boottop (or waterline) was coated with two coats of 14 mil INTERNATIONAL 300V primer coats and a single coat of black INTERNATIONAL POLYSILOXANE. All lettering and draft marks have been completed. The hull bottom below the 5’ waterline was coated with two 14 mil coats of INTERNATIONAL 262 primer. Zinc sacrificial anodes will be hung over the sides to protect the hull from galvanic corrosion until a permanent impressed cathodic protection system can be installed at her permanent berth at Patriots Point. The interior was washed down and coated with two 14 mil coats of INTERNATIONAL 300V primer coats in the spaces fore and aft of the machinery flats. The new steel bulkheads, frames and foundations within the machinery spaces received two coats of EURONAVY epoxy primer coats to preserve these interior scantlings. LAFFEY launches in the near future and that schedule will be forthcoming/announced by Patriots Point. I have enjoyed immensely the cooperation of all of the great crew at Patriots Point; they did such a masterful job in keeping LAFFEY afloat for the better part of eight months until a shipyard berth was possible; much is owed to them for their care of the ship. It was my privilege to serve as Project Manager for this progression. All Hail LAFFEY! She looks like a toy soldier! Joseph W. Lombardi, AMS
	38k	A series of 3 views of the Laffey moving to the State Port Authority Pier in May 2010.		Ron Reeves
	48k	As above.		Ron Reeves
	33k	As above.		Ron Reeves
	67k	At her temporary home in Shipyard Creek, Charleston, SC, July 2011.		Ron Reeves
Return to Patriots Point - January 25 2012				-
Views of the Laffey at Patriots Point, SC - March 9 2014.				Denise Middleton
	138k	Laffey at Patriots Point, SC.		Joshua Tickle
	49k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	47k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	40k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	31k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
Click here to see our Special Feature - Interior Views of Sumner Class Destroyers as Built

CDR Frederick Julian Becton    Feb 8 1944 - Jun 24 1945 (Later RADM)

CDR Odale Dabney (Muddy) Waters Jr.    Jun 24 1945 - 1946 (Later RADM)

CDR Benjamin Cornelius Fulgum    1946 - Nov 1946

CDR Donald Stanley Cramer    Nov 1946 - Jun 30 1947

(Decommissioned Jun 30 1947 - Jan 26 1952)

CDR Charles Holovak    Jan 26 1951 - Feb 10 1951

CDR Henry Jackson Conger    Feb 10 1951 - Jul 1 1953

CDR Herschel Vernon Sellers Jr.    Jul 1 1953 - Jan 1955

CDR Norman Edward Chalmers    Jan 1955 - Jun 1956

CDR John Anthony McTighe    Jun 1956 - 1958

CDR Harry Leo Clark Jr.    1958 - 1960

CDR John Parks Tazewell    1960 - 1962

CDR Theodore Sawick    1962 - Sep 12 1963

CDR Harry Melville Rogers    Sep 12 1963 - Feb 12 1965

CDR Norman Lewis Kaufman    Feb 12 1965 - 1966

CDR George Harold Davis    1966 - Sep 3 1968

CDR Thomas Randolph Cotten Jr.    Sep 3 1968 - Feb 2 1970

CDR John Francis Stader    Feb 2 1970 - Aug 20 1971

CDR Harry Wagner Konkel    Aug 20 1971 - Mar 26 1972

CDR George Roush McKee Jr.    Mar 26 1972 - Oct 25 1973

CDR John Bisset Shewmaker    Oct 25 1973 - Mar 29 1975