Chevalier II (DD-805)
Born in Providence, R.I., 7 March 1889, Godfrey DeCourcelles Chevalier graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1910. He was appointed a Naval Air Pilot 7 November 1915 and a Naval Aviator 7 November 1918. In 1916 he participated in the installation of the first real catapult used in the Navy and piloted the first plane to be launched by catapult, from North Carolina. In November 1917 he commanded the first naval air station in France, at Dunkerque and for World War I service was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1922 he was attached to Langley, in connection with fitting her out. On 26 October 1922 Lieutenant Commander Chevalier flew plane No. 606 which made the first landing on Langley's deck. This distinguished pioneer of naval aviation died at the Norfolk Naval Hospital 14 November 1922 as a result of injuries sustained in an airplane crash.
II
The second Chevalier (DD-805) was launched 29 October 1944 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Mrs. G. DeC. Chevalier; and commissioned 9 January 1945, Commander F. Wolsieffer in command.
Chevalier cleared Guantanamo Bay 18 June 1945, and reached Pearl Harbor 9 July. On the 24th, she sailed to join in the bombardment of Wake on 1 August, arriving at Eniwetok next day. She joined TF 38 off Honshu 18 August, and with her force entered Tokyo Bay 26 August. After patrol and escort assignments supporting occupation activities in the Marianas and Philippines, Chevalier sailed from Saipan 25 March 1946 for San Diego, arriving 11 April.
Before the Korean War, Chevalier completed tours of duty in the western Pacific in 1946-7, and 1948-9, and maintained her readiness through local operations from San Diego. On 18 March 1949, she was reclassified DDR, radar picket destroyer, and during the summer and fall of 1949 operated in the Hawaiian Islands. During the Korean War, she served actively in the Far East between 6 July 1950 and 25 March 1951; 15 October 1951 and 31 May 1952: and 2 January 1953 and 22 August 1953. Her duty during the major portion of each tour was to join the protective screen of TF 77, the carrier force which launched almost continuous raids on Northern Korea. She also sailed on protective patrol in the Taiwan Straits.
Chevalier's post-war operating schedule has alternated tours of duty with the guardian 7th Fleet with necessary overhaul and training activities along the west coast. In 1954, 1955, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, and 1960, she sailed for the visits to Far Eastern and Australian ports, patrol duty in the Taiwan Straits, and exercises off Japan, Okinawa, and in the Philippines which are a part of Far Eastern deployment.
Chevalier received one battle star for World War II service, and nine for Korean War service.
