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USS MONSSEN (DD-798)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NTTK

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; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel , Staten Island NY June 1 1943.
Launched October 30 1943 and commissioned February 14 1944.
Decommissioned April 30 1946, recommissioned October 31 1951.
Decommissioned December 11 1957.
Stricken February 1 1963.
Berthed at Boston, Monssen was being transfered to Philadelphia
when her tow line parted on March 6 1962 and ran aground at Beach Haven N.J.
Salvaged after 6 weeks.
Fate Sold October 21 1963 to Union Minerals & Alloy, New York and broken up for scrap.

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Monssen 111kMons Monssen was born at Bergen, Norway, on 20 January 1867. He enlisted in the United States Navy in about 1890 and by 1904 had risen in rank to Chief Gunner's Mate. On 13 April 1904, while he was serving in the battleship Missouri, the ship suffered a tragic fire in her after twelve-inch gun turret that killed 36 of her crew. Chief Monssen entered the burning powder magazine below the turret and fought the blaze by throwing water on it until a hose was passed to him. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for this act of heroism and a month later was appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer. Gunner Monssen served in USS Yankee and USS Iowa during the next three years. He was then stationed ashore in the New York area before returning to sea between 1909 and 1912 in the battleship Connecticut. Promoted to Chief Gunner in 1910 and commissioned in the rank of Lieutenant in 1918, his subsequent assignments were all in shore stations, including the New York Navy Yard during 1910-1914 and 1918-1924; the Naval Stations at Cavite and Olongapo, Philippine Islands, in 1914-1917; and the Naval Mine depot at New London, Connecticut, in 1924-1925. He retired from active duty in December 1925 and made his home in Brooklyn, New York. Lieutenant Mons Monssen died at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital on 10 February 1930. Photo #: NH 97949. Gunner Mons Monssen, USN (seated, # 22) on board USS Iowa (Battleship # 4), 1906. Cropped from Photo # NH 97948. Others present include (as numbered and identified on the original print): 13. Surgeon Moulton K. Johnson; 14. Lieutenant Duncan M. Wood; 15. Lieutenant George K. Pettengill; 16. Ensign David A. Weaver; 21. unidentified Warrant Officer; 23. Boatswain John P. Judge. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Bill Gonyo
Monssen 77kArtist's conception of the Monssen 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
Monssen 81kUndated, medical aid being given in the ward room of USS Monssen (DD-798) while supporting the land forces during the battle for Saipan. Photo and text taken from "United States Destroyer Operations of World War II" by Theodore Roscoe.Robert Hurst
Monssen 127kNaval Gun Fire Support (NGFS) plan for the invasion of Saipan on June 15 1944.Wayne VanDerVoort
Monssen 115kUSS Monssen (DD-798) off Staten Island, New York, upon completion of construction by the Bethlehem Steel Company's Staten Island Shipyard, 12 February 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Monssen 147kAft plan view of USS Monssen (DD 798), outboard, and USS Howorth (DD 592), inboard, at Mare Island on 4 December 1945.Darryl Baker
Monssen 82kForward plan view of USS Monssen (DD 798), outboard, and USS Howorth (DD 592), inboard, at Mare Island on 4 December 1945. Monssen was in overhaul at the yard from 1 Oct to 5 Dec 1945.Darryl Baker
Monssen 198kDecember 4 1945 at Mare Island.Ed Zajkowski
Monssen 186kMothballed Fletcher-class destroyers such as the USS Monssen (DD-798) are being recommissioned as the conflict in Korea heats up in the early 1950's. Photo courtesy of Life magazine.Bill Gonyo
Monssen 159kUSS Monssen (DD-798) underway soon after she was recommissioned, circa 1951-1952. The ship is still essentially in her late World War II configuration, with ten torpedo tubes, 20mm guns, and wartime radars. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Monssen 88kPhoto #: 80-G-625694: USS Monssen (DD-798) underway off Newport, Rhode Island, on 17 July 1953. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Scott Dyben
Monssen 208kIn Italian waters on December 23 1956.Carlo Martinelli
Monssen 75kNew York, NY May 18 1957.Marc Piché
Monssen 91kSouth Boston , August 1960© Richard Leonhardt
Monssen 84kTaken by Brian's Dad who was in the Coast Guard, Beach Haven, NJ March 1962.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 77kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 86kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 63kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 71kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 109kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 82kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 82kAs above.Brian Kroenung
Monssen 87kAs above.Brian Kroenung
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Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen
Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen
Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen
Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen
Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen   Monssen
Monssen   Monssen
Transferred to the Philadelphia Reserve Group in 1962, MONSSEN was being towed down the coast when the towline parted in heavy seas, 6 March. With seas running 10 to 15 feet and wind gusting to 50 knots, she went aground at Beach Haven Inlet, N.J., remaining there for 6 weeks before being pulled off and completing her journey.
Mike Murphy
Monssen 225kThe Reserve Fleet destroyer USS Monssen (DD-798) high and dry on a new Jersey beach. Scanned from Mud, Muscle and Miracles by Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN and Commander William I Milwee, Jr., USN, (Ret.).Robert Hurst
Monssen 108kDrawing of the pulling arrangements that freed Monssen. Scanned from Mud, Muscle and Miracles by Captain Charles A. Bartholomew, USN and Commander William I Milwee, Jr., USN, (Ret.).Robert Hurst
Monssen 99kApril 20 1962 in Philadelphia Navy Yard after grounding.Ed Zajkowski
Monssen 198kApril 20 1962, just arrived at Philadelphia Navy Yard after being aground off New Jersey for weeks.Ed Zajkowski
Monssen 45kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Monssen 142kMonssen's actual stern name-plate, salvaged when the ship was scrapped, now on display at Freedom Park, Omaha, Nebraska.D.J. Gallagher

USS MONSSEN DD-798 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 Bernhardt Alois Feutsch    Feb 14 1944 - Jul 21 1944
CDR Charles Kniese Bergin    Jul 21 1944 - Dec 8 1944 (Later RADM)
CDR Everett George Sanderson    Dec 8 1944 - Apr 30 1946
(Decommissioned Apr 30 1946 - Oct 31 1951)
CDR Charles Rutter Norris Jr.    Oct 31 1951 - 1953
CDR Walter Louis Phaler    1953 - Mar 13 1954
CDR Paul Edward Glenn    Mar 13 1954 - 1956
CDR Samuel Lloyd Collins    1956 - Sep 1957

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Red Lemster
Address: PO Box 356, Smiths Grove, KY 42171
Phone: (270)791-5825
E-mail: lemstermarj2@gmail.com


Note About Contacts.

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.


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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