USS Walke (DD-416)

USS Walke (DD-416) was a Sims-class destroyer of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Henry A. Walke. Commissioned in 1940, the destroyer served with distinction in the early Pacific Theater of World War II. Her brief but active career included participation in critical battles like the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, where she was ultimately lost in action.

Construction and commissioning

The ship's keel was laid down on 31 May 1938 at the Boston Navy Yard in Massachusetts. She was launched on 20 October 1939, sponsored by Miss Mary Elizabeth Walke, the granddaughter of the ship's namesake. *Walke* was commissioned into active service on 27 April 1940 under the command of Commander John C. Zahm.

Service history

Following shakedown exercises in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, *Walke* was assigned to the Pacific Fleet in 1941, operating out of Pearl Harbor. She was fortunately at sea during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Throughout early 1942, she conducted escort and patrol duties, including screening the aircraft carrier USS *Lexington* (CV-2) during raids in the South Pacific. She played a supporting role in the pivotal Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Later that year, *Walke* was heavily engaged in the Guadalcanal campaign, providing naval gunfire support for Marine landings and participating in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. In November 1942, she was part of a reinforcement convoy to Guadalcanal, setting the stage for her final action.

Loss

On the night of 14–15 November 1942, during the intense Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, *Walke* was serving as part of a screening force for battleships USS *Washington* (BB-56) and USS *South Dakota* (BB-57). The American force encountered a powerful Imperial Japanese Navy squadron led by the battleship *Kirishima*. In the ensuing close-range night action, *Walke* was struck by a Type 93 torpedo from the Japanese destroyer *Ayanami* and simultaneously engaged by enemy naval gunfire. The torpedo hit caused catastrophic damage, and the ship sank quickly off Savo Island. Of her crew, 82 men, including her commanding officer, Commander Thomas E. Fraser, were lost; survivors were rescued by the destroyer USS *Meade* (DD-602).

Awards

For her wartime service, USS *Walke* (DD-416) was awarded three battle stars, recognizing her participation in the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Her crew members were also eligible for the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Category:Sims-class destroyers Category:Ships built in Boston Category:World War II destroyers of the United States Category:Ships sunk in the Solomon Islands