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USS Knapp (DD-653)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Knapp (DD-653)

USS Knapp (DD-653) was laid down 8 March 1943 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched 10 July 1943; sponsored by Misses Margaret L. and Mary C. Knapp; and commissioned 16 September 1943, Comdr. Frank Virden in command.

After shakedown out of Bermuda, USS Knapp (DD-653) departed Boston 26 November for the Pacific arriving Pearl Harbor 21 December. She departed Pearl Harbor 16 January with the mighty carriers of Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 58 for the Marshall Islands invasion. At sea on this duty from 16 January until 12 February when she put in to Majuro, USS Knapp (DD-653) also bombarded Kwajalein Island. USS Knapp (DD-653) continued her screening as carriers launched raids on Truk 16-17 February and on bases in the Marianas from 21 to 22 February, then sailed from Majuro to Espiritu Santo to screen carriers providing air cover for the seizure of Emirau Island from 20 to 25 March and raiding the Palaus, Yap, and Woleai from 30 March to 1 April.

Following replenishment at Majuro in May USS Knapp (DD-653) joined and screened carriers during operations against Saipan. On 19 June Knapp guarded her force during the momentous air Battle of the Philippine Sea in which Japan's air power was annihilated. USS Knapp (DD-653) steamed out of Eniwetok for the invasion of the Palaus 30 August screening five battleships and later rendezvous with carriers USS Langley, USS Lexington, USS Essex, and USS Princeton before their deadly strikes at targets in the Palaus during the bloody struggle to take Peleliu. USS Knapp (DD-653) sailed for the Western Pacific 23 April arriving off Okinawa 27 May 1945. She served on dangerous and demanding duty as radar picket ship until 26 June. Three days later she joined carrier Task Force 39 for the final series of raids against the Japanese home island. 

She sailed for the United States 5 December and arrived at San Diego 21 December 1945. Shortly thereafter USS Knapp (DD-653) sailed via the Panama Canal for Boston arriving 17 January 1946. She sailed for Charleston, S.C., 2 April and decommissioned 5 July 1946. USS Knapp (DD-653) recommissioned 3 May 1951 when the outbreak of the Korean conflict necessitated more naval vessels. She served in the Atlantic Fleet working out of Newport, R.I. USS Knapp (DD-653) cruised in the Caribbean from 20 July to 13 September when she pulled into Charleston, where she was refitted with modern equipment then sailed 4 February 1952 with a task force to England, Norway, and Germany. USS Knapp (DD-653) made a voyage to the Mediterranean 22 November visiting ports in Italy, Turkey, and Spain. 

USS Knapp (DD-653) sailed from Newport for San Diego arriving 15 December. She got underway 4 January 1955 for the Western Pacific and patrolled the Bast China Sea and the Formosa Straits until the first part of June when she returned to San Diego 19 June 1955. After operations along the California coast USS Knapp (DD-653) returned to the Far East 27 January 1956, visited ports of Kobe, Subic Bay, Buckners Bay and patrolled the Formosa Straits showing off to the Communists our interests in that part of the world before returning San Diego 31 May 1956.

For a complete history of USS Knapp (DD-653) please see its DANFS page.