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USS ROOKS (DD-804)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NTNA

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; Westinghouse Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding, Seattle. October 27 1943.
Launched June 6 1944 and commissioned September 2 1944.
Decommissioned June 11 1946, recommissioned May 19 1951.
Decommissioned June 28 1962.
Stricken September 1 1975.
To Chile July 26 1962, renamed Cochrane.
Fate Stricken and broken up for scrap in 1983.

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Rooks 75kAlbert Harold Rooks was born in Colton, Washington, on 29 December 1891. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1910 and was commissioned in the rank of ensign upon graduation in June 1914. During the next seven years, among them the First World War years of 1917-18, he served in several ships and commanded the submarines A-5, F-2 and H-4. In 1921, Lieutenant Rooks joined the staff of the Twelfth Naval District, at San Francisco, California, remaining there until 1925, the year he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. He next spent three years on board the battleship New Mexico, followed by duty at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1930, he helped commission the new cruiser Northampton and served in her until 1933, when he returned to the Naval Academy for a second tour. In February 1936 Commander Rooks placed the new destroyer Phelps in commission and remained as her Commanding Officer until 1938. His next assignment was as a student at the Naval War College, and, upon completion of his studies, he served on that institution's staff. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in June 1940, while still at the War College. In 1941 Rooks took command of the heavy cruiser Houston (CA-30), flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. He took his ship through the painfully difficult first three months of the Pacific War, when the Asiatic Fleet and its British and Dutch counterparts fought desperately against an overwhelming Japanese onslaught into Southeast Asia, the Philippines and the East Indies. Both Houston and her gallant Commanding Officer were lost in the Battle of Sunda Strait, on 28 February - 1 March 1942. For his courage and professionalism during the Netherlands East Indies Campaign, Captain Rooks was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Photo #: NH 93156. Captain Albert H. Rooks, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Houston (CA-30), inspecting his ship's crew, circa 1940-1941. Courtesy of Otto Schwartz, USS Houston Association, 1982. U.S. Naval Historical Center PhotographBill Gonyo
Rooks 102kArtist's conception of the Rooks 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
Rooks 175kUndated, location unknown. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 6d.Jay W. Milliken,MMFN ,Aft. Eng.Rm. 1950s
Rooks 61kUndated, location unknown. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 11d.Jay W. Milliken,MMFN ,Aft. Eng.Rm. 1950s
Rooks 51kUndated, location unknown.Jay W. Milliken,MMFN ,Aft. Eng.Rm. 1950s
Rooks 77kUndated, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Rooks 219kUndated, location unknown.David Buell
Rooks 178kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Rooks 197kUSS Rooks coming alongside USS California, summer 1945. NA 80G374267.John Chiquoine
Rooks 194kUSS Harry E Hubbard (DD-748) being maneuvered by tugs to the pier in preparation to be demothballed and placed back into service in the early 1950's with the USS Hunt (DD-674), USS Hickox (DD-673), USS Bullard (DD-660) and USS Rooks (DD-804) in the right background. Photo courtesy of Life magazine.Bill Gonyo
Rooks 94kCirca 1950, USS The Sullivans (DD-537), USS Rooks (DD-804) and an unknown oiler.David Buell
Rooks 160kSeptember 20 1952, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Rooks 125kIn a nest with the USS Shenandoah (AD-26) in Souda Bay, Crete during August 1958.Pete Bahr
Rooks 120kWater over the bow in the Mediterranean in September 1958.Pete Bahr
Rooks 183kRefueling in the Mediterranean in September 1958.Pete Bahr
Rooks 98kCirca 1959, location unknown.Marc Piché
Rooks 156kCirca 1959-1961, on escort duty in the Mediterranean as seen from the USS Wadleigh (DD-689).Romppainen
Rooks 232kTaken from the USS Essex CVS-9 in October of 1960, location unknown.Paul A. Williams, ET2C, USS Rooks, 1960-1961
Rooks 63kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
On Chilean Service
Rooks 143kThomas Alexander Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Marquess of Maranhão. Born in Annsfield, near Hamilton, 14 December 1775; died in London, 31 October 1860. Known as Lord Cochrane. He was a British radical politician, naval officer and innovator. Considered to be one of the boldest and most successful British captains of the wars of the French revolution, which led the French to nickname him "le loup des mers" (the wolf of the seas). After being discharged from the Royal Navy he served in the navies of Chile, Brazil and Greece.Francisco Javier Santos Vazquez
Rooks 73kUndated, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Rooks 193kCochrane (DD 15, ex-USS Rooks) underway in 1969, location unknown. Chilean Navy, official. Image from the 1969-70 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.Robert Hurst

USS ROOKS DD-804 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 Robert Feree Martin    Sep 2 1944 - Feb 16 1945
CDR Joseph Aloysius McGoldrick    Feb 16 1945 - Jun 11 1946 (Later RADM)
(Decommissioned Jun 11 1946 - May 19 1951)
CDR Lyle Eugene Strickler    May 19 1951 - Apr 30 1952
CDR Carl Redmond Dwyer    Apr 30 1952 - May 1953
CDR Norman Ingvar Lee Jr.    May 1953 - Jan 31 1955
CDR Donald Leonard Lassell    Jan 31 1955 - Jun 23 1957
CDR Rogers Lucien Black    Jun 23 1957 - May 20 1959
CDR John Thomas Murray    May 20 1959 - Mar 12 1961
CDR William Harris Pattillo    Mar 12 1961 - Jun 28 1962

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

None Located
Contact Name: Art Aubrey
Address: 65 Myano Lane, Stamford, CT 06902
Phone: (203)323-2769
E-mail: ammen527@optonline.net


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
USS Rooks Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website


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