Stoddard History Project

know more about 2020 nike and adidas soccer cleats news,check shopcleat and wpsoccer.

History Project

Stoddard History Project - Research and Record

The Stoddard History Project

This is a project designed to capture as much history from living shipmates as we can. The first step was completed by shipmate Neal Pearson (ET1 Stoddard 67-68). What you see below is the FIRST pass at the WWII Timeline of events. Neal went through the Stoddard website and browsed other places on the web and organized the events by date. Now we know there are some more pieces of history locked up in the brains of our shipmates and we hope to fill in the blanks of this sheet. This will expand up through the other Service Years and provide a complete collection of audio/video comments about each action.

Statement of Work

Create a computer based audio visual presentation that depicts the full history of the USS Stoddard, DD-566.

Organize historical events in spreadsheet by “era.”
1. Need and creation of the Fletcher Class destroyer
2. WWII
3. Korean War
4. Cold War
5. Vietnam War
6. Weapons Test
7. Final Fate
Determine key events to highlight.
Commit to a 640 pixel wide display window and select tools.
Develop the technical process to gather the audio and video information.
1. Use email and web where possible.
2. Use direct download of audio clips by volunteers
Determine shipmate speakers to interview for each era.
Determine Naval Historical Center assistance required.
Confirm participation with speakers.
Create a storyboard for presentation.
Organize worksheets for gathering data.
Get volunteers to assist in different cities.
Coordinate and gather audio/video/photos to insert
Combine and create the first pass.
Final product completed by Dec. 15, 2008.

To be a success this project will require shipmates to volunteer with the sound bites and video snippits that need collected. If you can help give me an call or an email at 360-437-0125 or email dwithers@rodaxwireless.com

If you wish to use the US Post Office, mail to:
     Dan Withers
     1400 E. Ludlow Ridge Road
     Port Ludlow, WA 98365

What happens next?

This list will be emailed to all WWII shipmate email addresses that we have. If the WWII shipmates can look over the timeline and make any corrections or additions that are needed, that would be great. If you recall participating in one or many of these events, please consider making some written notes and decide if you would like to participate as a audio voice recorded, or an audio voice and a short video clip telling your piece of the history to camera. It is our hope to get many clips with video that cover each event. If you want to refer to a line do so with the line number on the left. I will start inserting sub-lines in between as we get them.

If you can help in any way, or want to help but not sure how, just let us know and we will find a project.

USS Stoddard (DD-566) History Timeline (as of 08-23-2011)
Line#	Day	Mo	Yr	Event	Location/Notes

A	10	3	1943	Keel Layed	Seattle, WA - Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation

B	19	11	1943	Launched	Seattle, WA

C	15	4	1944	Commissioned

D	15	4	1944	Command	CDR Horace “Iron Mike” Myers assumes command

E		6	1944	Shakedown Training	San Diego, Ca

F	16	7	1944	Screened a convoy to Pearl Harbor	Seattle, WA

G	29	7	1944	Arrived	Pearl Harbor

H	8	8	1944	Joined Task Force (TF) 94 (or 92) per Hurst	Adak, Alaska - Trenton (C-11), Concord (C-10), Richmond (CL-9), and destroyers of Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 57

I	14	8	1944	Battle Mission (Weather Turnback)	Kuril Islands - Harass Japanese outposts in the Kuril Islands

J	21	8	1944	TF94 renamed TF92	Adak, Alaska

K	26	8	1944	Battle Mission (Weather Turnback)	Kuril Islands - Harass Japanese outposts in the Kuril Islands

L	28	8	1944	Laid up	Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska,

M	21	11	1944	Pounded Japanese installations	Matsuwa is an island in the central Kuril Islands - damaging the airfields and other installations heavily

N	25	11	1944	Returned to Attu	Attu/Adak

O	1	12	1944	Routed to Dutch harbor w/DesDiv 113	Dutch Harbor

P		12	1944	Change of Command	CDR George Paul Unmacht assumes command from CDR Horace “Iron Mike” Myers

Q	13	12	1944	Enroute to Japan's Kuril defenses	Enroute Kuril

R	3	1	1945	Swept Kuril defenses	Kuril Islands

S	5	1	1945	Bombarded Surabachi Wan area of Paramushiro	Kuril Islands - severely damaging canning installations and airfields

T	13	1	1945	Return	Dutch Harbor

U	16	1	1945	Headed south for operational training	To Pearl Harbor - Stoddard and Rowe (DD-564)

V	22	1	1945	10 Day Rest Period	Pearl Harbor

W	7	2	1945	Back to Attu	To Attu

X	13	2	1945	Arrived Attu and joined with group	Massacre Bay (Attu) Gathering for the bombardment of Kuabu Zaki

Y	16	2	1945	Heading for Action	To Kuril Islands

Z	18	2	1945	Bombarded the island until midnight	Paramushiro

AA	20	2	1945	Back at Attu	Attu

AB	23	2	1945	Shifted to Adak for supplies and repairs	Adak, Alaska

AC	8	3	1945	Returned to Attu	Attu

AD	15	3	1945	hit Matsuwa	Matsuwa

AE	1	4	1945	Begin task force exercises	Near Adak

AF	17	4	1945	End task force exercises	Attu

AG	18	4	1945	Departed Aleutians chain - Heading to Pearl	To Pearl Harbor - DesDiv 13

AH	24	4	1945	Arrived in Pearl Harbor	Pearl Harbor

AI	25	4	1945	recreation in the islands and….	Hawaii Area - preparation for assignment to Okinawa and the Fast Carrier Task Force

AJ	10	5	1945	conducted operational training	Hawaii Area

AK	11	5	1945	sailed from Pearl Harbor	To Ulithi - in the screen of Ticonderoga (CV 14), bound for Ulithi

AL	17	5	1945	Screening for Ticonderoga	Maloelap Atoll area Ticonderoga's air group got in a little live ammunition practice on 17 May, when they struck the Japan

AM	22	5	1945	task group reached the lagoon at Ulithi	Ulithi Atoll (also know as Urushi, or Mackenzie Island) is a coral atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia, in the western Pacific Ocean

AN	29	5	1945	Departed to take up station off of Okinawa	To Okinawa

AO	2	6	1945	Arrived at radar picket station	Off Okinawa Though the Okinawa campaign was rapidly nearing its conclusion, the proximity of airfields in Japan and on Formosa allowed enemy air power to continue to make life unpleasant for the ships around the island. True, the deluge of kamikazes had abated, but the skies continued to shower significant numbers of suicide planes.

AP	4	6	1945	Assisted Cargo Ships	Near Japan - covered the withdrawal of several cargo ships on 4 June during a typhoon-evasion maneuver and then returned to her station

AQ	7	6	1945	Picket Duty -two planes attacked	Off Okinawa -both were sent hurtling into the sea before they could reach the ships

AR	16	6	1945	Picket Duty nearing end	Off Okinawa - During her tour of duty on the picket line, Stoddard claimed two Japanese planes for herself, two assists, and one probable kill.

AS	17	6	1945	Enroute to Philippines	To San Pedro Bay - in the screen of Mississippi (BB-41). San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The largest city on the bay is Tacloban City, the capital of Leyte province.

AT	20	6	1945	passed through Surigao Strait into Leyte Gulf	San Pedro Bay

AU	21	6	1945	underwent repairs and took on provisions	San Pedro Bay - For the remainder of the month

AV	1	7	1945	screen of TF 38, the Fast Carrier Task Force	to Japanese Home Islands - For the next 45 days, she guarded the carriers as their planes made repeated strikes on the Japanese home islands.

AW	6	7	1945	was credited with shooting down two Kamikazes	Off Okinawa

AX	23	7	1945	join DesDiv 113 in bombardment of Chi Chi Jima	Bonins

AY	15	8	1945	Cessation of Hostilities

AZ	16	8	1945	with TF 38 to cover the occupation forces	waters near Japan

BA	17	8	1945	Stoddard in Tokyo Bay	Tokyo Bay

BB	2	9	1945	Surrender ceremonies	Tokyo Bay - representatives from the Empire of Japan signed Japanese Instrument of Surrender in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri.

BC	21	9	1945	Cleared Japanese Waters	Enroute to Eniwetok

BD	7	10	1945	Availability at Eniwetok	Marshall Islands

BE	8	10	1945	returned for training exercises until November

BF	18	11	1945	departed Japan for the United States	Enroute to US via San Diego

BG	22	11	1945	Thanksgiving Day - Underway from Japan to San Diego

BH	18	12	1945	transited the Panama Canal	Panama Canal

BI	23	12	1945	Arrived Philadelphia

BJ	24	12	1945	Yard Overhaul	Philadelphia

BK	18	2	1946	Change of Command	CDR Orville (Ollie) Liebschner assumes command from CDR George Paul Unmacht

BL		4	1946	ferried personnel to Charleston, S.C.	Charleston, SC

BM	10	6	1946	Change of Command	LCDR William James Hurst assumes command from CDR Orville (Ollie) Liebschner

BN	8	7	1946	inactivation overhaul	Charleston, SC - Charleston Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

BO	9	1	1947	Decommissioned (Mothballed) (Hurst 7/1/47)	Charleston, SC

From January 9, 1947 until November 1950 USS Stoddard remained inactive berthed with Charleston Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet

BP		11	1950	Reactivated	Fitted out of Charleston SC and Newport RI

BQ	9	3	1951	Recommissioned

BR	9	3	1951	Command	CDR Eli Thomas Reich assumes command

BS			1951	Shakedown cruises	Newport, RI and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

BT		10	1951	Overhaul	Overhaul and modernization in Boston

BU		1	1952	Overhaul continued(Boston)	(#3) 5 inch mount, 20 and 40 mm mounts and forward torpedo rack removed

BV		2	1952	Overhaul continued(Boston)	01 level amidships and aft replaced with aluminum structure –removed guns replaced with radar controlled 3 inch 50’s – Hedge Hogs installed behind (#2) 5 inch mount

BW		3	1952		Stoddard returned to home port of Newport, RI

BX	17	4	1952	Change of Command	CDR John Baumeister Jr. assumes command from CDR Eli Thomas Reich

BY	26	4	1952	Hobson Accident	Stoddard, Braine, and Mullany were relieved by Rodman and Hobson plane guarding for the Wasp Wasp turned into wind and Hobson went straight Hobson was cut in half- 175 crew members perished and Hobson sunk

BZ		4	1952	Six Month MED Cruise	Stoddard Cruise to Mediterranean Sea with Sixth Fleet – Steamed with Carrier USS Coral Sea

CA		9	1952	Returned from MED Cruise	Returned from MED Cruise

CB		4	1953	Six Month MED Cruise	Annual duty with Task Force-Entered port of Split, Yugoslavia – President Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia was so impressed with the Stoddard and crew, the crew was entertained by hosts in the city.

CC		9	1953	Returned from MED Cruise	Returned from MED Cruise

CD			1954	Overhaul	Overhaul in Philadelphia

CE	19	3	1954	Change of Command	CDR John Blount Nelson assumes command from CDR John Baumeister Jr.

CF		12	1954	Home Port Change	Destroyer Squadron 21 transfers its home port from Newport, RI to San Diego, CA- Stoddard transits Panama Canal to San Diego

CG		1	1955	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard participated in the evacuation of Chinese Nationalists from the Tachen Islands

CH		9	1955	Change of Command	CDR Jacob Vincent Heimark assumes command from CDR John Blount Nelson

CI			1956	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard steamed to Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, Kaohsiung,Taiwan- Subic Bay, Hong Kong, Sasebo and Yokosuka- Cruised to Robert Island (Parcel Islands) which was reported as being invaded by Chinese but proved not to be true.

CJ		1	1957	Change of Command	CDR Claude Lloyd Reeves assumes command from CDR Jacob Vincent Heimark

CK			1957	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard steamed to Pearl Harbor and Pago Pago Stoddard then crossed the equator for Australia with stops in Sidney, Perth and Darwin. Stoddard then steamed to Subic Bay for repairs, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong and Okinawa then on to sea patrol near Quemoy and Matsu off the coast of China. Yokosuka, Sasebo, Midway and Pearl Harbor then back to San Diego.

CL			1958	Change of Command	CDR Robert T. Hanley assumes command from CDR Claude Lloyd Reeves

CM			1958	Westpac Cruise	Westpac cruise included a stop in Australia. Stoddard participated in the evacuation of Quemoy and Matsu off the Chinese coast that were claimed by Communist China and Nationalist China.

CN			1959	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard was part of task force designed as an Anti-Submarine (ASW) Group. Cruise included stops in Okinawa, Yokosuka, Subic Bay, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung. The US had an agreement with Nationalist China to do sea patrol for defense against invasion from Communist China.

CO			1960	Change of Command	CDR James Richard Collier assumes command from CDR Robert T. Hanley

CP			1960	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard left Pearl Harbor enroute to Westpac and had to stop to rescue several young men adrift in a small boat. One of the men rescued was the son of the mayor of Honolulu. Another event occurred as a freighter loaded with manganese ore was sinking off the northern tip of Luzon, Philippines. Their crew was taken aboard and then taken to Manila Bay.

CQ			1961	Overhaul (Long Beach)	In shipyard at Long Beach, CA for overhaul and modifications

CR			1961	Westpac Cruise	The Laotian crisis brought her to Southeast Asia area.

CS	4	6	1962	Change of Command	CDR Charles Louis Wall assumes command from CDR James Richard Collier

CT			1962	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard headed back to Westpac no longer designed as Anti-Submarine (ASW) group. The situation in Southeast Asia had changed and Vietnam was becoming a hot spot. Stoddard operated with carrier the USS Lexington off Vietnam coast to Gulf of Siam. The purpose was to evacuate US embassy employees and civilians from Laos. Evacuees were delivered to Manila on board the USS Lexington.

CU			1962	Escort	Stoddard escorts a convoy of Marines from Camp Pendleton to the Panama Canal for the Cuban Missile Crisis.

CV			1963 1964	Westpac Cruise	Performed exercises with Flotilla Nine on way to West Pac. Made stops in Hawaii, Sasabo, Kaohsiung before patrolling Straits of Taiwan. On to Hong Kong and Yokosuka before return to San Diego

CW	18	2	1964	Change of Command	CDR Theodore L. Morgan assumes command from CDR Charles Louis Wall

CX		6	1965	Change of Command	CDR Charles Kenneth Presgrove assumes command from CDR Theodore L. Morgan

CY	4	6	1965	Westpac Cruise	Stoddard began operating along coast of Vietnam. Gunfire support for American and South Vietnamese troops. Upkeep in Japan on to Hong Kong then plane guarding for USS Independence. On to Sasabo then back to San Diego .

CZ	25	7	1965	Press Release	Stoddard and USS Craig joined forces for mass fire mission against Viet cong in I Corp area of Vietnam. Area is the CA DE Song River about eight miles from Danang Harbor. Stoddard fired for four nights shooting 281 rounds of 5” shells.

DA		10	1966	Change of Command	CDR Robert Carhart Conolly II assumes command from CDR Charles Kenneth Presgrove

DB	5	11	1966 1967	Westpac Cruise	Hawaii, Yokosuka then Subic Bay. Gunfire Support off Vietnam. Plane guard for USS Kitty Hawk Participated in Operation ”Sea Dragon” Stoddard sank 26 small craft and dueled with shore batteries. Plane guard for USS Hancock. Stops in Sasabo, Yokosuka, midway and pearl Harbor before returning to San Diego.

DC	17	3	1967	Attempted rescue of downed pilot	Stoddard assisted in rescue of downed pilot near mouth of Song Giap River. Under intense fire from shore battery Stoddard was hit and sustain damage to hull above water line on starboard side.

DD		5	1967	Midshipman Cruise	During May and June training for Naval Academy Midshipman

DE	22	9	1967	Overhaul (Long Beach)	Stoddard in for overhaul in Long Beach shipyard Completed 5 December 1967

DF	10	6	1968	Westpac Cruise	Fuel stops at Midway and Guam. Arrived in Subic Bay 3 July 1968. Plane guard for USS America. Gunfire support in vicinity of Hue, RVN. Stops in Kaosiung, Hong Kong and Sasabo. Returning to San Diego 7 December 1968

DG		10	1968	Change of Command	CDR James Ernest Lacy assumes command from CDR Robert Carhart Conolly II in Sasabo, Japan

DH	26	9	1969	Decommissioned	Placed in Pacific Reserve Fleet – Mare Island CA.


DI	1	6	1975	Struck from Naval Vessel Register	Stoddard was last Fletcher Class to be struck from Naval Vessel Register

DJ	30	6	1976	Transferred	Ex-Stoddard transferred from Mare Island to Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, CA Modified and used as target ship for Tomahawk Project.

DK		11	1983	Test Ship	A block O Phalanx installed for testing.

DL		11	1984	Test Ship	A block baseline O Phalanx installed and tested before returning to Port Hueneme unscated in September 1985.

DM		10	1985	Test Ship	A block baseline O Phalanx installed on fantail and tested for six months returning to Port Hueneme with barely a scratch.

DN			1989 1990	Test Ship	Block I baseline Phalanx with new special software and new kitchen and quarters installed. During testing no less than forty-three targets from subsonic BQM drones to supersonic vandals attacked Ex-Stoddard to no avail. The Knowledge and experience gained from these tests would not have been possible without the help of this fine ship.

DO	22	7	1997	Final Fate	Ex-Stoddard was towed by USS Salvor to a position near the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Seal Team One installed charges which sank her.

[ Home ] [ Top ]