Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	61k 84k	Hugh William Hadley was born 17 February 1901 at Moro, Oregon, and was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1918. Commissioned Ensign 29 May 1922, he served on board many ships, including Pennsylvania and S-27, and various shore stations in the prewar years. After serving as Executive Officer of Roper 1936-1939 and on board Maryland 1941-1942, he was appointed Commander and assigned to command Transport Division 12 in the Pacific. Hadley's attack transports made nightly runs into Guadalcanal to support American troops there, and while on board Little 5 September 1942 Hadley was surprised by three Japanese destroyers off Lunga Point. His outgunned ship fought valiantly, but was sunk along with attack transport Gregory. Commander Hadley was killed in the action and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his outstanding performance in the bitter Solomons campaign.		Bill Gonyo/Taho Hugh Birdwell
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the UNITED STATES SHIP USS HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774) for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For extraordinary heroism in action as Fighter Direction Ship on Radar Picket Station Number 15 during an attack by approximately 100 enemy Japanese planes, forty miles northwest of the Okinawa Transport Area, May 11, 1945. Fighting valiantly against waves of hostile suicide and dive-bombing planes plunging toward her from all directions, the U.S.S. HUGH HADLEY sent up relentless barrages of antiaircraft fire during one of the most furious air-sea battles of the war. Repeatedly finding her targets, she destroyed twenty enemy planes, skillfully directed her Combat Air Patrol in shooting down at least forty others and, by her vigilance and superb battle readiness, avoided damage to herself until subjected to a coordinated attack by ten Japanese planes. Assisting in the destruction of all ten of these, she was crashed by one bomb and three suicide planes with devastating effect. With all engineering spaces flooded and with a fire raging amidships, the gallant officers and men of the HUGH W. HADLEY fought desperately against almost insurmountable odds and, by their indomitable determination, fortitude and skill, brought the damage under control, enabling their ship to be towed to port and saved. Her brilliant performance in this action reflects the highest credit upon the HUGH W. HADLEY and the United States Naval Service."				Bill Gonyo
	19k	Undated, location unknown. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 25d.		-
	30k	USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) off Okinawa, undated.		Robert Hurst
	104k	The Christening ceremony July 16 1944 at San Pedro with Mrs. Marion E. Hadley breaking the champagne on the bow.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	104k	The Hadley on the ways during the launching, July 16 1944, at San Pedro.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	120k	First time inthe water, July 16 1944, at San Pedro.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	149k	The Commissioning ceremony November 25 1944 at San Pedro.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	167k	December 1944, location unknown.		Ed Zajkowski/Taho Hugh Birdwell
	66k	USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774), seen after completion, in the outer harbour, San Pedro, California, 11 December 1944. US National Archives, 19-N-LCM. Photo # 19-N-75462.		Robert Hurst
	95k	San Diego, CA area 23 December 1944 to 20 February 1945 period. From the LTJG Douglas G. Aitken collection.		Hugh Hudson
	166k 202k	Highline transfers of a sailor and LCDR Dwight William Rife, Senior Battalion Medical Officer from one of the LSTs in the convoy (there were 9 LSTs plus an unknown number of escorts) to the Hadley.		Bob Johnson
	423k	Battle damage diagram dated May 11 1945. Source: Navy Department Library: Destroyer Gunfire, Bomb and Kamikaze Damage Report; War Damage Report No. 51.		Mike Green
	104k	Radar Picket Station 15 off Okinawa on 11 May 1945. "Starboard side pumping was futile. Bomb exploded beneath the ship humping the keel about 54 inches with many holes, breaking both shafts, driving one back into the rudder." Report of LTJG Douglas G. Aitkin.		Hugh Hudson
	136k	Looking aft at portside: nothing is left of the quad 40MM except the geared base ring. The mount crew was KIA. From the LTJG Douglas G. Aitken collection.		Hugh Hudson
	119k	Damage to the starboard side. From the LTJG Douglas G. Aitken collection.		Hugh Hudson
	138k	Starboard side of the aft deck house. From the LTJG Douglas G. Aitken collection.		Hugh Hudson
	130k	Top of the aft deck house. From the LTJG Douglas G. Aitken collection.		Hugh Hudson
	173k	The Hadley's Scoreboard after operations off Okinawa.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	117k	The Hadley's commemerative Scoreboard restored by Capt Doug Aiken USN (ret).		Taho Hugh Birdwell
	299k	Commemerative plaque at the National Museum of The Pacific War at the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, TX. It was dedicated in 2003.		Taho Hugh Birdwell
Click here to see our Special Feature - Interior Views of Sumner Class Destroyers as Built

CDR Leonard C. Chamberlain    Nov 25 1944 - Jan 13 1945 (Later RADM)
CDR Baron Joseph Mullaney     Jan 13 1945 - Jun 19 1945 (Later RADM)
LCDR Roy Arthur Newton    Jun 19 1945 - Sep 1945 
LCDR Robert Marvin Brownlie    Sep 1945 - Dec 15 1945

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