Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Tags
Related Content
Topic
  • Boats-Ships--Destroyer
Document Type
  • Artifact
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials

War Record Plaque from USS Wadleigh (DD-689) 


Historic Plaque from USS Wadleigh 1943

Title: Plaque, War Record, USS Wadleigh (DD-689)
Accession #: NHHC 1962-155-B
Circa: 1945
Size: 18 x 43
Medium: Brass
Location: Headquarters Artifact Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command

One war record plaque from the USS Wadleigh (DD-689). The rectangular bronze plaque is embossed with “USS Wadleigh 1943 / The First Ship of the Fleet to Bear the Name / Submarine 1944 / Saipan Invasion 1944 / Tinian Invasion 1944 / Palau Invasion 1944 / Okinawa Invasion 1945 / Operations Against Japan 1945.” There is a star in each corner of the plaque. 

This plaque commemorates some of the major engagements Wadleigh participated in during World War II. Though not included on this plaque, soon after her commissioning in 1943, Wadleigh joined two other destroyers to escort USS Iowa carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his return to the US following the Cairo Conference. 

USS Wadleigh was moored near USS Missouri when Japan signed the official surrender accords aboard the Missouri on 2 September 1945. Wadleigh’s service continued after the war until she was decommissioned on 28 June 1962.

Published: Thu Apr 16 11:10:16 EDT 2020