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Osborne Beeman Wiseman was born on 20 February 1915 in Zanesville, Ohio and was appointed to the Naval Academy on 22 June 1934, graduating on 02 June 1938. After sea duty
in Saratoga (CV 3) and Roe (DD 418), Wiseman was transferred to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Fla., for flight training. Detached on 17 March 1941, having
won his wings, Wiseman joined Bombing Squadron (VB) 3, embarked in Saratoga. After that carrier was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine 1-25 off Oahu on 11 January 1942 and sent
to the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash., for repairs and alterations, her aviation units were transferred ashore to operate from Ford Island. When Yorktown (CV 5) returned
to Pearl Harbor for repair of the damage sustained early in May at the Battle of the Coral Sea, her units were transferred from the ship and replaced by some of Saratoga's old
units; Bombing Squadron 3, Torpedo Squadron 3, and Fighting Squadron 3. Wiseman reported on board Yorktown in time to take part in the pivotal Battle of Midway.
On the first day of the carrier action, 04 June, Lt. (jg.) Wiseman flew two sorties; one against the carrier Soryu that morning and one against Hiryu that afternoon.
The latter, by that point, was the last of the four enemy flattops afloat, and the strike in which Wiseman participated proved to be the coup de grace administered to that ship. Japanese "Zero"
fighters, however, swarmed over the Dauntlesses of VB-3 and VB-6, exacting some measure of revenge for the pounding administered to Hiryu. In that melee, Wiseman's plane was shot
down. Neither he nor his gunner were seen again. Having played a major part in turning the tide of the war in the Pacific, Lt. (jg.) Wiseman was awarded the Navy Cross, posthumously, for his
heroism and devotion to duty.
USS Wiseman (DE 667) (1944-1973) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo Courtesy of Chester County, Pennsylvania Hall of Heroes thanks to David G. Williams - Project Leader) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal.
Assoc. Researcher
Navsource |
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11 January 1945: Charleston, S.C. - USS Wiseman (DE 667) shown departing the Charleston Navy Yard enroute to the Pacific. She had been in the Yard
since early December of '44 being converted into a floating power station. You can see her canvas covered cable reels just forward of the aft 40 mm gun mount.
(U.S. Navy photo #CP-DE-667-19-N-76914, Charleston Navy Yard photo #144-45 from the National Archives and Records Administration, courtesy
of Chris Wright) |
Ed Zajkowski
Narvon, Pa.
and
Chris Wright
Ocean City, N.J. |
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March to August 1945: Manila, the Philippine Islands - USS Wiseman shown providing power at Manila. Arriving on the 23rd of March, she
commenced furnishing power to that nearly demolished city on 13 April and, over the next five and one-half months, provided some 5,806,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. In addition,
Wiseman's evaporators furnished 150,000 gallons of drinking water to Army facilities in the harbor area and to many small craft. Her radios were also utilized to a great extent.
Placed at the disposal of the Navy's port director, the ship's communication outfit was used to handle harbor radio traffic until the director's equipment arrived and was installed ashore.
This series of four photos show the cable running from shore to Wiseman.
(All photos from the National Archives and Records Administration, courtesy of Chris Wright)
(U.S. Navy photo #CP-DE-667-19-N-77272)
(U.S. Navy photo #CP-DE-667-19-N-77285)
(U.S. Navy photo #CP-DE-667-19-N-77286)
(U.S. Navy photo #CP-DE-667-19-N-77301) |
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1946: The United States Navy Buckley class destroyer escort USS Wiseman (DE 667) as converted to a floating power station. The big cable reels are in the
torpedo tube position, but the bridge has not been modified. The quad 40 mm director aft has been shifted to a new pylon-like platform in order to clear the height of the cable reels.
Note all guns and depth charges covered.
(Photo by Real Photographs Co. Ltd, Broadstairs, Kent, England; scanned from American Destroyer Escorts of World War 2, by Peter Elliott) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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undated postwar image |
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undated postwar image |
John Strohmaier |
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undated postwar image |
Tommy Trampp |
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undated postwar image |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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17 January 1956: Mare Island NSY, Vallejo, Cal. - Four destroyer escorts are in dry dock #2 at Mare Island. Back row are:
USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE 442) left and USS William
Seiverling (DE 441) right; front row are: Wiseman, left, and USS Lewis (DE 535) on right.
All were in dock from 15 December 1955 to 18 January 1956 and started overhaul on 28 November 1955. Wiseman completed overhaul on 29 February 1956, Seiverling
& Moore completed on 11 February 1956 and Lewis completed on 9 March 1956.
(U.S. Navy photo #MINSY 27713-1-56) |
Darryl Baker
PNCM, USNR (ret.)
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum |
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1957: Highline transfer from Wiseman to USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE 442). Picture taken
from Moore. |
Joe Radigan
MACM, USN(ret.)
Navsource Archive Manager
Patrol & Mine Warfare Archives |
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1959: Starboard side view of destroyer escort USS Wiseman (DE 667) after a regular overhaul.
(U.S. Navy National Archives photo #USN 1037188 from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive
Navsource |
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circa 1959 - 1960: USS Lewis (DE 535), USS
Currier (DE 700), USS Evans (DE 1023), and Wiseman. |
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