USS Fletcher (DD-445)
The lead ship of her 175-destroyer class, USS Fletcher (DD-445) was commissioned on June 30, 1942. Quickly departing for the Pacific, she joined the Guadalcanal Campaign in October and participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November. Following her time in the Solomon Islands, Fletcher supported the landings at Gilbert Islands in 1943 and the Marshall Island Campaign in 1944. That October, she participated in the Philippine Liberation, which continued with support for the landings at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. She remained as support in the Philippines until May. Decommissioned in January 1947, Fletcher was recommissioned with a focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and was reclassified as (DDE-445) in October 1949. During the Korean War, she provided gunfire support during the Inchon Invasion in September 1950 and returned a year later to again provide support. Following the war, she was based in the Pacific. In June 1962, she was reclassified to (DD-445). Decommissioned in August 1969, Fletcher was sold for scrapping in February 1972.
A recreated bridge from Fletcher was on display In Harm's Way (Pacific Section) of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy.
Image: 80-G-15837: USS Fletcher (DD-445), 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
