Naval History and Heritage Command

USS Jenkins (DD-447) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J., on 27 November 1941; launched on 21 June 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Marion Parker Embry; and commissioned on 31 July 1942, Lt. Comdr. H. F. Miller in command.

After a training period during the summer of 1942, USS Jenkins (DD-447) departed Casco Bay, Maine, on 24 October as escort to a convoy headed for the North African campaign. She screened heavy ships during the shore bombardment, as the attack force arrived off Casablanca on 8 November. Following the successful assault, the destroyer returned to New York on 19 November to prepare for action in the Pacific. USS Jenkins (DD-447) was dispatched on 18 July to a position 100 miles south of Santa Cruz Island to assist damaged seaplane tender USS Chincoteague. Although under attack from enemy bombers, the destroyer escorted USS Chincoteague back to Espiritu Santo.

During the next four months USS Jenkins (DD-447) engaged in escort duty, training exercises, and preparations for the Gilbert Islands campaign. She joined the screen of Rear Adm. W. A. Radford's Northern Carrier Group which bombed Makin and Tarawa during the landings on 15 November. Then the destroyer sailed with the carrier force to attack Kwajalein and Wotje in the Marshalls on 4 December. During these raids the carrier USS Lexington was hit by a torpedo, and USS Jenkins (DD-447) was assigned to escort her back to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 9 December.

USS Jenkins (DD-447) operated with the refueling group through February, and conducted shore bombardment on Bougainville during March. She departed Seeadler Harbor on 20 April to rendezvous with Task Force 77 for amphibious operations at Hollandia and Aitape. The landings took place on 22 April, and their successful conclusion gave American Pacific forces another base from which to unleash further attacks on remaining enemy held islands. She departed Subic Bay on 24 April to cover minesweeping and amphibious operations in the Celebes Sea off Borneo. USS Jenkins (DD-447) struck a mine off Takaran Island on 30 April and sailed into Subic Bay for repairs. On 18 June she sailed for the United States to complete repairs, arriving San Pedro on 8 July. She remained on the West Coast through the duration of the war. The battle-scarred destroyer decommissioned at San Diego on 1 May 1946.

The outbreak of the Korean conflict necessitated additional naval strength to maintain America's worldwide commitments. USS Jenkins (DD-447) recommissioned as an antisubmarine destroyer (DDE-447) on 2 November 1951 under the command of Comdr. C. F. McGivern. She departed San Diego on 25 February 1952 for a training period at Pearl Harbor. Upon completion of training, she arrived Japan 12 June; and during the summer she operated with Task Force 77 which furnished air support for the ground forces in Korea. USS Jenkins (DDE-447) also engaged in patrol duties off Korea and Formosa before returning to her home port Pearl Harbor on 5 December.

USS Jenkins (DDE-447) operated out of Pearl until 10 November 1953 when she sailed for another Far Eastern tour. This cruise was highlighted by Korean and Formosan patrols before returning to Pearl Harbor on 15 June. From 1954 through 1963, USS Jenkins (DDE-447) sailed annually to the Far East for peacekeeping operations with the 7th Fleet. In her 1958 deployment the Seventh Fleet was on ready alert, as the Chinese Communists commenced harassment of the Chinese Nationalist islands of Quemoy and Matsu. Tapped for inactivation on 7 April, USS Jenkins (DDE-447) decommissioned at San Diego on 2 July 1969 and was stricken from the Navy list that same day.

For a complete history of USS Jenkins (DD-447/DDE-447) please see its DANFS page.