USS Cassin Young (DD-793)

USS Cassin Young (DD-793) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy named for Captain Cassin Young, a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Commissioned during World War II, the destroyer saw extensive combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations, surviving two separate kamikaze attacks. Following the war, she was modernized and continued to serve through the Korean War and the Cold War before being preserved as a museum ship at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston.

Construction and commissioning

The ship's keel was laid down on 18 March 1943 at the San Pedro shipyard of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. She was launched on 12 September 1943, sponsored by Eleanor Young, the widow of Captain Young. USS Cassin Young was commissioned into active service on 31 December 1943 under the command of Commander E. R. Durgin.

Service history

Following shakedown exercises off the coast of California, Cassin Young transited the Panama Canal and reported for duty with the U.S. Pacific Fleet in May 1944. She was immediately assigned to Task Force 58, the Navy's fast carrier task force, providing vital anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare screening for aircraft carriers such as USS ''Enterprise'' and USS ''Lexington'' during major campaigns. Her combat operations included the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the invasion of Okinawa. During the fierce fighting around Okinawa in April 1945, she was struck by a kamikaze aircraft, suffering significant casualties and damage but remaining afloat. After repairs at Ulithi and Manila, she returned to the Okinawa screen, where she was hit by a second kamikaze on 29 July 1945. Following the surrender of Japan, Cassin Young assisted in occupation duties before returning to the United States. She was decommissioned and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in May 1946.

In 1951, during the Korean War, Cassin Young was recommissioned after undergoing a major Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul. This modernization added new radar, sonar, and weapon systems, including ASROC launchers. She subsequently served with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and with the Pacific Fleet in the Western Pacific. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she participated in numerous NATO exercises, conducted naval gunfire support training, and performed search and rescue duties. Her final decommissioning occurred on 29 April 1960, and she was transferred to the Boston National Historical Park as a permanent memorial.

Awards and legacy

For her World War II service, Cassin Young earned seven battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation. She is preserved as a National Historic Landmark and is berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard within the Boston National Historical Park, across from the USS Constitution. The ship serves as a museum, educating the public about naval history, the experiences of sailors during World War II, and the technological evolution of destroyers.

Specifications

As built, Cassin Young displaced 2,050 tons standard and 2,924 tons at full load. Her propulsion plant consisted of four Babcock & Wilcox boilers feeding two General Electric steam turbines, generating 60,000 shaft horsepower and driving two propellers for a top speed of over 35 knots. Her main armament comprised five 5-inch/38 caliber guns in single mounts, ten 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, seven 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes. Her FRAM II modernization in the 1950s replaced much of her anti-aircraft weaponry with twin 3-inch/50 caliber guns and added an ASROC launcher and advanced sonar systems. Her complement included approximately 329 officers and enlisted men.

Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy Category:Museum ships in Massachusetts Category:National Historic Landmarks in Boston Category:Ships built in California Category:World War II destroyers of the United States