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Naval History and Heritage Command

National Museum of the U.S. Navy

<p>NMUSN:&nbsp; WWII:&nbsp; Italian Campaign:&nbsp; USS Buck (DD 420)</p>

USS Buck (DD-420)

USS Buck (DD-420)

The Sims-class destroyer, USS Buck (DD-420) was commissioned on May 15, 1940, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Her initial assignment was to provide escort for Atlantic convoys.   While serving on such duty in August 1942 off Nova Scotia, she collided with British transport Atwatea.   Following repairs that November at Boston, Massachusetts, Buck returned to convoy duty until receiving orders to serve in the North African Campaign.  Later assigned to the Western Naval Task Force in 1943, she participated in the Allied Invasion of Sicily, followed by the Allied Invasion of Mainland Italy.   While on patrol duty off Salerno, Italy, on October 9, Buck was attacked by German submarine U-616.   Due to damage, the destroyer sank and was abandoned.   The next day, USS Gleaves (DD-423) and Royal Navy LCT-170 rescued the 97 survivors.  

Image:  19-N-23206:   USS Buck (DD-420), port view, off Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1940.   Offical Bureau of Ships Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.