U.S.S. HAYNSWORTH

USS HAYNSWORTH (DD-700)

Haynsworth(DD-700) was launched 15 April 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Kearny N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. Haynsworth widow of Comdr. Haynsworth; and commissioned 22 June 1944 Comdr. Robert Brodie Jr. in command.

After shakedown in the Caribbean Haynsworth departed New York 20 September escorting Queen Mary with Prime Minister Winston Churchill on board. Rendezvousing with British escorts she returned to New York and sailed 26 September via the Canal Zone and San Pedro arriving Pearl Harbor 20 October. Haynsworth sailed 16 December for Ulithi and joined Vice Admiral J. S. McCain's Fast Carrier Task Force 3S for the final assaults on the Japanese. During the next 3 months she operated with the 3d and 5th Fleets as part of the screen for the Fast Carrier Task Force; the primary mission being to conduct air strikes against strategic Japanese positions along the China coast and Formosa and to harass enemy shipping during the landings at Luzon 9 January 1945.

The day after the invasion was launched Task Force 38 moved into the South China Sea and conducted raids on the China coast and Indochina doing much damage to the enemy. Launching one final raid against Okinawa Haynsworth retired to Ulithi 26 January. She sortied 10 February with Admiral Marc Mitscher's Fast Carrier Force 58 for strikes against airfields factories and shipping in the Tokyo area. Heavy fighter sweeps were launched 16 February to cover the airfields around Tokyo Bay. Despite heavy weather with low ceiling most of the target areas were effectively neutralized. During the afternoon three Japanese picket boats that had evaded detection in thick fog were spotted by Haynsworth and promptly sunk taking 12 prisoners. In addition to damaging aircraft frame and engine plants a number of ships and small craft were attacked and sunk in Tokyo Bay the biggest prize being the 10 600-ton Yamashro Maru.

As the Pacific war approached its climax Haynsworth again sailed from Ulithi for further strikes against Japan. Massive air attacks were launched against airfields on Kyushu and ships in the Inland Sea 18 and 19 March indicting heavy damage on the dwindling Japanese air and sea power. After participating in the bombardment of enemy shore positions on Minami Daito Shima 28 March she sailed for Okinawa. Landings were made on the Japanese fortress April with Task Force 58 providing support and Haynsworth frequently aiding in the destruction of enemy aircraft during the many attacks when "the fleet had come to stay." Only after she was crashed by a kamikaze 6 April did she have to retire to Mare Island via Ulithi for repairs.

After repairs Haynsworth had duty at Treasure Island Calif. as a training ship from 17 July to 5 September. After several months of operations at Pearl Harbor she sailed for the east coast 14 January 1946 reaching Boston 26 April for a year in the Reserve Fleet. Returning to active service in March 1947 Haynsworth based her operations from Algiers La. conducting reserve training cruises in the Gulf and in the Caribbean until the summer of 1949.

Haynsworth sailed 6 September 1949 for her first duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean returning to Norfolk 7 February 1950. She arrived Charleston 10 days later decommissioned there 19 May and joined the Reserve Fleet.

With the expansion of operations due to the Korean War Haynsworth recommissioned at Charleston 22 September 1950 Comdr.. Herbert F. Rommel in command. Following training and operations along the East Coast and in the Caribbean she sailed 3 September 1951 for duty in the Mediterranean.

After more operations on the East Coast and in the Caribbean and a Midshipman cruise to the North Atlantic Haynsworth sailed from Norfolk 2 November 1953 for a round-the-world cruise. While in the Pacific she was assigned duty for 4 months in the Far East with the 7th Fleet a vital peace keeping force in that part of the world. Haynsworth returned to Norfolk 4 June 1954 to resume her support of the 6th fleet. In 1956 with the Suez crisis still unsettled Navy units stood by in the eastern Mediterranean and evacuated U.S. nationals from Egypt. Haynsworth aided the Navy's preparedness in the event of any conflict. Between 1956 and 1960 she made five deployments to the Mediterranean supporting the Navy's peacekeeping role and keeping a watchful eye on the troubled spots of the free world. In 1959 Haynsworth took part in the historic "Operation Inland Seas " commemorating the opening of the mighty St. Lawrence Seaway steaming up the St. Lawrence to Montreal.

Late in 1961 while in the Mediterranean Haynsworth delivered emergency food rations to flood-ravaged Africa; and on 3 October 1962 she stood off Cape Canaveral as a rescue ship and witnessed the take off of astronaut Comdr. Walter Schirra on his historic six-orbital night. Later that month under much more serious circumstances she hastened to the Caribbean and participated in the naval quarantine of Cuba effectively checking the Communists threat to the security of the Western Hemisphere.

In February 1963 Haynsworth deployed to the Mediterranean the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for operations with the 6th Fleet. After returning to Norfolk she embarked midshipmen for an Atlantic cruise from 1 August to 10 September; then underwent overhaul at New Orleans La. and Orange Tex. before arriving Galveston 28 February 1964 to begin duty as a Naval Reserve training ship.

Assigned to Reserve Destroyer Squadron 34 Haynsworth since that time has operated out of Galveston while providing valuable on board training facilities for hundreds of Naval Reservists. Manned by a nucleus crew she has steamed to ports along the Gulf and Atlantic coast and numerous training cruises have carried her into the Caribbean. Into mid-1967 she has continued to bolster the strength of the Navy and the Nation through intense skilled. and effective training which maintains the caliber and readiness of the Naval Reserve.

Haynsworth received three battle stars for World War II service.

[Note: The above USS HAYNSWORTH (DD-700) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS HAYNSWORTH (DD-700) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]