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USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779)

USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) was launched on 30 September 1944 by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. Helen K. Boone, wife of Capt. Joel T. Boone, MC, Medical Officer in Command, Naval Hospital Seattle; and commissioned on 26 December 1944, Cmdr. Ray M. Pitts in command.

USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) joined in exercises off the Hawaiian Islands (31 March–21 April 1945), following which, she made for the waters off Okinawa in the Ryūkyū Islands. USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) steamed in company with USS Midway (CVB-41) during part of the large aircraft carrier’s shakedown cruise, and then put in to her new home port of Norfolk, Va. (30 October–2 November). The destroyer sailed from Norfolk as USS Midway’s plane guard off Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (7 November–13 December), and returned to the United States to spend Christmas for upkeep at New York Naval Shipyard. USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) remained in the Caribbean in various escort duties and training. Curtailing her escort duties for a while, the ship embarked midshipmen at Earle, N.J., for a brief training cruise, and then resumed her screening role by escorting battleships USS North Carolina (BB-55) and USS Washington (BB-56).

USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) departed Norfolk in company with the ships of Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 2 on 21 July 1947 for a tour of duty to the Mediterranean Sea. Sailing from Newport, R.I., on 20 July 1948, USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) returned to the Mediterranean and visited Gibraltar, Malta, Naples, Capri, and Sicily, Italy, Palestine, Greece, and Egypt. Despite warnings from multiple intelligence sources the North Koreans invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950. The invaders achieved tactical surprise and their aggression began the Korean War. USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) was consequently recommissioned on 15 November 1950, Cmdr. Harry A. Adams Jr., in command. 

In May USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) began independent operations. She weakened the North Korean fishing industry by sending “Doran’s Raiders,” a detachment of sailors led by Ltjg. William K. Doran, in her 26-foot motor whaleboat against the enemy. The ship stood down the channel of Yokosuka on 21 June 1952.  She sailed across the Indian Ocean, called at the British enclave of Aden the following month, and then steamed northerly courses across the Red Sea, passing dhows and transiting the Suez Canal on 22 July in company with the ships of DesDiv 261. USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) accomplished an overhaul at Portsmouth, and early in 1953 visited Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The destroyer served again in the Mediterranean, as well as in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf (7 August 1959–26 February 1960).

USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) prepared to deploy to the Vietnam War, and on 6 September 1968, she set out with the other three ships of DesDiv 362 for the Panama Canal and points west. Douglas H. Fox deployed to the Vietnam War (16 January–3 September 1969). The destroyer stood out of Norfolk in company with the other ships of DesRon 14, training en route for her return to battle. Douglas H. Fox became a naval reserve training ship on 30 November 1969, subsequently joining the other destroyers of DesRon 30: USS Charles S. Sperry (DD-697), USS Hank (DD-702), and USS Lowry. USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) was stricken and decommissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 15 December 1973. On 1 January 1974, the ship was sold via the Security Assistance Program to the Chilean Navy, which renamed her Ministro Portales (DD.17).

For a complete history of USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779) please see its DANFS page.