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USS FRED T. BERRY (DD-858 / DDE-858)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NFTB

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - CASTLE

CLASS - GEARING As Built.
Displacement 3460 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 390' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 4" (Max)
Armament 6 x 5"/38AA (3x2), 12 x 40mm AA, 11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; Westinghouse Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.8 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, San Pedro, CA July 16 1944.
Launched January 28 1945 and commissioned May 12 1945.
Completed FRAM upgrade October 1961.
Decommissioned and Stricken September 15 1970.
Fate Scuttled off Key West, Florida, May 14 1972.

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Berry 81kFred Thomas Berry, born 23 November 1887 in Logan, Iowa, was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1908. Through much of his early career he specialized in engineering duty, and during World War I commanded McCall (DD-28). He was awarded the Navy Cross for his outstanding performance of duty in this billet. In 1927, he began training in dirigibles, and later commanded the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3). Commander Berry was lost in the crash of Akron (ZRS-4) off the New Jersey coast 4 April 1933.Bill Gonyo
Berry 128kArtist's conception of the Fred T. Berry as she appeared in April 1949 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
Berry 143kUndated, location unknown.-
Berry 21kUndated, location unknown.Wallace Ramberg SN
Berry 79kUndated, location unknown.Wallace Ramberg SN
Berry 22kUndated, location unknown.Wallace Ramberg SN
Berry 22kUndated, location unknown.Wallace Ramberg SN
Berry 57kUndated, Ponta Delgada, Azores.Carlos Manuel Estrela
Berry 72kThe keel laying July 16 1944.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 128kUnder construction January 5 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 93kOn the ways January 26 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 110kOn the ways January 26 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 78kThe Ships sponsor, Mrs. Fred T. Berry, at the christening January 28 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 68kSliding down the ways January 28 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 105kFully afloat and ready for fitting out January 28 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 56kUSS Fred T. Berry (DD-858) while underway off Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Pedro, California, on the day of her commissioning, May 12 1945. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 21.Joseph Wojcik/Robert Hurst
Berry 92kSan Pedro, CA harbor May 18 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 89kSan Pedro, CA harbor May 25 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Berry 90kSan Pedro, CA harbor May 25 1945.Joseph Wojcik
Rogers
0585873
800kUSS Fred T. Berry (DD-858) passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, circa 1945-1946. Photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Berry 106kUSS Fred T. Berry (DD-858) Underway on 15 February 1947. Photographed by Utility Squadron One. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107400Robert Hurst
Berry 166kAmidships looking forward plan view of USS Fred T. Berry (DDE 858) with USS McCaffery (DD 860) at Mare Island on 28 April 1949. Note that Mt. 52 has been removed and replace with a MK 15 Hedgehog ASW rocket launcher.Darryl Baker
Berry 171kAmidships looking aft plan view of USS Fred T. Berry (DDE 858) with USS McCaffery (DD 860) outboard at Mare Island on 28 April 1949.Darryl Baker
Berry 100kBow on view of USS Fred T. Berry (DDE 858) departing Mare Island on 29 April 1949.Darryl Baker
Berry 102kBroadside view of USS Fred T. Berry (DDE 858) off Mare Island on 29 April 1949. She was under repair at Mare Island form 4 Jan to 16 May 1949.Darryl Baker/Robert Hurst
Berry 97kStern view of USS Fred T. Berry (DDE 858) departing Mare Island on 29 April 1949.Darryl Baker
Berry 95kCirca 1953.Marc Piché
Berry 117kThe J. P. Kennedy (DD-850), Fred T. Berry (DD-858) and McCaffery (DD-860) in Genoa, Italy May 6, 1954.Larry Bohn
Berry 76kL-R, USS Keppler (DDE-765), USS Fred T. Berry (DDE-858), USS Norris (DDE-859), USS McCaffery (DDE-860) and USS Harwood (DDE-861 of DesRon 6 steaming through the Caribbean in June 1956.Robert Hurst
Berry 98kUSS Fred T. Berry (DDE-858) underway, circa 1957, location unknown. Photo courtesy of Skyfotos from the 1961-62 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.Robert Hurst
Berry 49kThe photo was taken in 1957-1958, entering Monaco Harbor.Paul D Graf LT. (jg)
Berry 267kUSS Fred T. Berry (DDE-858) sits in Dry Dock 1 at the Boston Naval Shipyard in May 1961 during her FRAM II conversion. U.S. Navy photo, Boston National Historical Park Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-15937.Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Berry 240kAs above.Stephen P. Carlson, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard
Berry 101kBoston 4 July 1961.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 104kAtlantic, September 1965. Pulling away from AO-25 Sabine after fueling.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 133kSeptember, 1965, taken off the east coast, that's Richard up the ship's fueling trunk below the bridge wing.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 125kAs above.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 165kUSS Harlan R. Dickson (DD-708), USS William R. Rush (DD-714), USS Fred T. Berry (DD-858) and USS Yosemite (AD-19) at Newport, RI on September 22 1965.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 254kUSS Fred T. Berry underway on 15 February 1966. She has the typical appearance of a FRAM II-modernized Gearing-class destroyer.  Photo taken by PH 2 C. A. Komperda.  Official U.S. Navy photo VC-1-31399-2-66.Robert Hurst
Berry 82kDeparting Guantanamo Bay Cuba, September 28 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 93kEntering Guantanamo Bay on September 28 1965 when her flag hoist/radio call sign was NBFB.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 71kUSS Fred T. Berry DD-858 at Key West on November 4 1966 when her flag hoisdt/radio call sign was NFTB, the flag hoist/radio call change happened in May 1966.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 218kSouth Boston Naval Annex, November 6 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 56kBoston Naval Shipyard, November 6 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 75kSouth Boston Naval Annex, November 6 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 53kSouth Boston Naval Annex, November 6 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 59kBoston Naval Shipyard, December 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 93kPanama Canal, January 15 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 68kOff Oahu taken 15 Feb 1966, photographer was PH2 C.A. KOMPERDA. The photo number is VC-1-31399-2-66.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 93kMid-Pacific, February 18 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 90kSouth China Sea, March 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 79kTonkin Gulf, June 1966. Capt. Dermody off to lunch with the Admiral. Note the limo.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 93kHong Kong, June 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 89kCapt Fred T. Berry Jr., who at the time was chief of staff of SUBFLOT 7 in Yokosuka, and Cdr Dick Dermody, Commanding Officer of the Fred T. Berry, 14 June 1966.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 109kFueling from Oriskany CV-34, June 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 50kPort Dickson Malaya, July 11 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Dyess 108kUSS Dyess (DD-880) Whale Boat returning to the USS Fred T. Berry (DD-858) in the Aden anchorage, Aden Protectorate July 23 1966.© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 74kEntering The Suez Canal, July 27 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 67kPalma, Majorica, August 1966© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 85kNewport, January 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 129kUSS Sierra (AD-18) at San Juan, Puerto Rico, 26 February 1967 with six destroyers alongside including the Basilone (DD-824), Fiske (DD-842), Davis (DD-937), Richard E Kraus (DD-849), Harwood (DD-861), and the Gyatt (DD-712). Taken from the USS Fred T. Berry (DD-858).© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 106kSan Juan, March 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 43kNewport, May 2 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 88kNaples Italy, May 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 148kMalta, June 27 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 92kMalta, June 27 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 103kValletta, Malta, June 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 58kSalerno Bay, Italy, July 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Berry 96kPonta Delgada, Azores on October 21 1967.Carlos Manuel Estrela
Berry 45kCirca late 1960's.Marc Piché
Berry 182kJust prior to being scuttled as a reef off Key West, FL, May 1972. Official USN photo, Florida Keys Public Libraries image # MM00014649xRobert Hurst
Berry 56kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Berry 155kShip's plaque of the above patch.Tommy Trampp
Berry 61kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Berry 55kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Berry 37kOne of her Squadron patches.Dave Cupples

USS FRED T. BERRY DD-858 / DDE-858 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 Nickolas John Frederick Frank Sr.    May 12 1945 - Aug 6 1945 (Later RADM)

CDR Charles Coston Coley    Aug 6 1945 - Jul 1947

CDR Thomas Kent Bowers    Jul 1947 - Jun 1 1949

CDR Victor Harold Wildt    Jun 1 1949 - May 6 1951

CDR Arthur Montgomery Purdy    May 6 1951 - 1953

CDR Vining Alden Sherman    1953 - 1955

CDR Harry James Kelley    1955 - Oct 1956

CDR Lewis Edwin Davis Jr.    Oct 1956 - 1958

CDR Melvin Rice Downes    1958 - Jun 1960

CDR George Hand Sharp    Jun 1960 - Mar 1962

CDR Edward Lamar Burgess    Mar 1962 - Jun 1963

CDR Francis Bernard Shrake    Jun 1963 - 1964

CDR Richard John Dermody    1964 - Aug 1967

CDR Charles De Armond    Aug 1967 - 1969

CDR Maurice Joseph Shine    Aug 15 1969 - Sep 15 1970


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: John Titsworth
Address: 6 Guilford Lane, Greenwich, CT 06831
Phone: (203)531-6618
E-mail: None


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 Fred T. Berry website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright
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Last Updated 28 January 2022