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USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833/DDR-833) 

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833/DDR-833) 

USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833) was launched 25 March 1945 by Bath Iron Works Corp.; sponsored by Miss Audrey Irene Thomas, sister of Sergeant Thomas; and commissioned 29 May 1945, Comdr. Robert T. S. Keith in command.

After shakedown along the East Coast and in the Caribbean USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 transited the Panama Canal and joined the Western Pacific Forces supporting the occupation of Japan and Korea at war's end. After operations with the 7th Fleet out of Japan during most of 1946 and patrol duty in Korean waters, she sailed late November via Guam and Pearl Harbor, arriving San Diego 21 December. USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 sailed 6 January 1947 via the Canal Zone arriving Newport, R.I., 6 February. Between February 1947 and 22 May 1950 she conducted operations along the East Coast and in the Caribbean and made three deployments with the 6th Fleet to the Mediterranean. During the latter part of 1948 she was assigned duty as a Naval Academy practice ship, giving 6-day antisubmarine indoctrinations.

USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 departed 5 May 1954 for her fourth tour in the Far East. After operating in the Philippines and out of Yokosuka, she proceeded 23 July to Kaoshiung, Formosa, to take up patrol duty. Returning to Long Beach 5 December, she spent the next 5 months operating with carrier Kearsarge in that area. From 14 June 1955 to 1 March 1958 USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 made three more deployments to the Far East. During these tours she operated with the fast carrier task forces and had duty on the Taiwan Patrol, helping to stabilize the Chinese situation and protect vital American interests.

In the summer of 1970, USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 served as a school and training ship for NROTC midshipmen. In late August, the warship failed a final service inspection and was immediately tapped for inactivation. USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 decommissioned at San Diego on 4 December 1970. She was struck from the Navy list 1 February 1974 and transferred to the Republic of Taiwan through the Security Assistance Program (SAP) on 1 June 1974. 

For a complete history of USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833 please see its DANFS page.