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USS Waldron, a 2200-ton Allen M. Sumner class destroyer built at Kearny, New Jersey, was commissioned in June 1944. Following shakedown in the Atlantic, she joined the Pacific Fleet the following October and arrived in the Western Pacific war zone before year's end. During the remainder of World War II, she operated with the fast carrier task forces during their raids on enemy targets in the Philippines, the Asian mainland, Formosa, Iwo Jima, the Ryukyus and the Japanese home islands. On 18 February 1945, Waldron rammed and sank a Japanese picket boat.
When hostilities ceased in August 1945, Waldron remained in the Western Pacific, supporting occupation activities. She returned to the United States early in 1946 and was assigned to the Atlantic. She spent the rest of the decade mainly engaged in training Naval Reservists in the Caribbean area, but made one deployment to Europe before decommissioning in May 1950. Waldron's time in reserve was cut short by the outbreak of the Korean War, and she recommissioned in November 1950. During the next twelve years, she operated in the Atlantic and in European waters, but made one Far Eastern deployment in 1953-54.
Waldron was extensively modernized in 1962, then resumed her Atlantic Fleet career, punctuated by a single tour of duty off Vietnam in 1967-68. She decommissioned in October 1973 and was transferred to Columbia. Renamed Santander, she served in the Columbian Navy until 1984.
USS Waldron was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, who was killed in action on 4 June 1942 while leading Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) during the Battle of Midway.
This page features views of USS Waldron (DD-699).
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
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Photo #: NH 96832 USS Waldron (DD-699) Underway on 13 July 1944, during her shakedown period. Note dense white smoke issuing from her after stack. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96833 USS Waldron (DD-699) Pitching her forefoot out of the water, while operating in heavy Atlantic seas, 31 September 1953. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96835-KN (Color) USS Waldron (DD-699) At sea in 1964, following her "FRAM II" modernization. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96834 USS Waldron (DD-699) At sea, 21 July 1964. Photographed by Photographer's Mate First Class Arthur W. Giberson. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 82286 USS Waldron (DD-699) Photographed during the 1960s, following her "FRAM II" modernization. She is carrying an odd antenna on her helicopter landing deck. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 625 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96837 USS Waldron (DD-699) Coming alongside USS Mispillion (AO-105) to refuel, while operating in the Gulf of Tonkin, October 1967. Note Mispillion's "customer service" sign in the foreground and signal lamp at left. Photographed by Photographer's Mate First Class Don Grantham. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 118KB; 600 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96836 USS Waldron (DD-699) View looking forward from the pilothouse, as the ship takes spray over her bow while steaming in the Atlantic, 22 March 1969. Note antennas mounted atop 5"/38 twin gun mounts 52 & 51. Photographed by Photographer's Mate Third Class P.C. Snyder. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 112KB; 740 x 525 pixels |
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Historical Center home page.12 May 1999