Allied Warships

USS Harding (DD 625)

Destroyer of the Bristol class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	Bristol
Pennant	DD 625
Built by	Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)
Ordered	16 Dec 1940
Laid down	22 Jul 1941
Launched	28 Jun 1942
Commissioned	25 May 1943
End service	2 Nov 1945
History	Converted to High Speed Minesweeper DMS-28 on 15 November 1944. Heavily damaged by Japanese kamikaze aircraft on 16 April 1945, 22 of her crew were killed. Decommissioned 2 November 1945. Stricken 16 November 1945. Sold 16 April 1947 and broken up for scrap.

Commands listed for USS Harding (DD 625)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	T/Cdr. George Goldston Palmer, USN	25 May 1943	4 Sep 1944
2	Lt.Cdr. Donald Brewster Ramage, USN	4 Sep 1944	2 Nov 1945 (1)

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Notable events involving Harding include:

29 Oct 1943

Convoy GUS 20.

This convoy departed Alexandria on 29 October 1943.

On departure from Alexandria the convoy was made up of the following ships; Billy Mitchell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Binger Hermann (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Cape Howe (British, 6999 GRT, built 1943), Charles A. Warfield (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), City of Delhi (British, 7443 GRT, built 1925), City of Keelung (British, 5186 GRT, built 1919), Clan Murdoch (British, 5950 GRT, built 1919), Edward Canby (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Edward L. Grant (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Empire Adur (British, 1479 GRT, built 1920), Empire Stour (British, 4678 GRT, built 1930), Ephraim W. Baughman (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Fort Carillon (British, 7129 GRT, built 1943), Fort Dease Lake (British, 7126 GRT, built 1943), Fort Erie (British, 7128 GRT, built 1943), Fort Fidler (British, 7127 GRT, built 1943), Fort Frederick (British, 7135 GRT, built 1942), Frontenac (British, 7148 GRT, built 1943), Hutchinson I Cone (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James Shields (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John Hart (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Kaimata (British, 5269 GRT, built 1931), Oliver Wolcott (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Peebles (British, 4982 GRT, built 1936), President de Vogue (Norwegian (tanker), 9320 GRT, built 1935), Roger Sherman (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Samuel Seabury (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Shirrabank (British, 7274 GRT, built 1940), Stephen T. Mather (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Tatra (Norwegian, 4766 GRT, built 1937), Thomas J. Jarvis (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Trevelyan (British, 7292 GRT, built 1943), Turkistan (British, 6935 GRT, built 1939), Washington Irving (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), William Grayson (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942) and William Tilghman (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942).

On departure from Alexandria the convoy was escorted by the corvettes HMS Delphinium (Cdr. V.F. Smith, DSO, RD, RNR), RHS Apostolis, RHS Sakhtouris, auxiliary A/S trawler HMS Wolborough (T/Lt. G.A. Hartnell, RNR) and the auxiliary A/S whaler HMS Klo (?).

On 2 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Augusta after having been detached from the convoy; Cape Howe, City of Delhi, Clan Murdoch, Fort Carillon, Fort Dease Lake, Fort Erie, Fort Fidler, Fort Frederick, Frontenac, President de Vogue and Trevelyan while the following ships joined the convoy coming from Augusta; Ambrose E. Burnside (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Antonia (Dutch (tanker), 3357 GRT, built 1938), Audun (Norwegian, 1304 GRT, built 1925), Danio (Norwegian, 3496 GRT, built 1924), Derwenthall (British, 4934 GRT, built 1940), Empire Rival (British, 7045 GRT, built 1943), Empire Usk (British, 3229 GRT, built 1918), Esso Charleston (American (tanker), 7949 GRT, built 1938), Fernmoor (), Fort Albany (British, 7131 GRT, built 1943), Fort Charnisay (British, 7133 GRT, built 1943), Fort Maurepas (British, 7133 GRT, built 1942), Fort McPherson (British, 7132 GRT, built 1943), Gleniffer (British, 9559 GRT, built 1919), Henry Barnard (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Howard A. Kelly (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Jacob H. Gallinger (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James M. Wayne (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James W. Fannin (American, 7244 GRT, built 1943), John Clarke (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Josiah Bartlett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Lou Gehrig (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Petter (Norwegian (tanker), 9109 GRT, built 1935), Rallus (British, 1871 GRT, built 1922), Richard Bassett (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Solomon Juneau (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Stephen A. Douglas (American, 7219 GRT, built 1942), Suncrest (British, 5117 GRT, built 1940), Thomas Hart Benton (American, 7187 GRT, built 1943) and William Few (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942).

On 3 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Malta after having been detached from the convoy; Empire Stour and Petter while the Empire Snipe (British, 2497 GRT, built 1919) joined the convoy coming from Malta.

On 4 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Malta after having been detached from the convoy; Antonia, Audun, Fort McPherson and Rallus while following ships joined the convoy coming from Bizerta; Clark Mills (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Eli Whitney (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Elihu Yale (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), George Handley (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Grenville M. Dodge (American, 7194 GRT, built 1942), Henry Ward Beecher (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), J.E.B. Stuart (American, 7196 GRT, built 1942), John Sullivan (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Jonathan Grout (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Joseph T. Robinson (American, 7196 GRT, built 1942), Lesto (British, 1893 GRT, 1918), Louisa M. Alcott (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Macuba (Dutch (tanker), 8249 GRT, built 1931), Montebello (Italian, 570 GRT, built 1918), Moses Austin (American, 7244 GRT, built 1943), Oliver Hazard Perry (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Paine Wingate (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Robert H. Harrison (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Smith Thompson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Thomas R. Mashall (American, 7200 GRT, built 1943), Torborg (Norwegian (tanker), 6042 GRT, built 1921) and West Durfee (American, 5522 GRT, built 1918). Also joining the convoy was the HMS LST 11 (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.H. Hummel, RNR).

On 4 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Bone after having been detached from the convoy; Danio and Empire Rival while following ships joined the convoy coming from Bone; Empire Guinevere (British, 7072 GRT, built 1942), John Carver (American, 7176 GRT, 1942) and Thelma (Norwegian (tanker), 8297 GRT, built 1937).

On 4 November 1943, the Empire Guinevere arrived at Augusta after having been detached from the convoy.

On 5 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Bougie after having been detached from the convoy; Derwenthall, Fort Charnisay and Gleniffer.

On 5 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Algiers after having been detached from the convoy; Empire Snipe, Fernmoor, Lesto, Montebello and Thelma while the following ships joined the convoy coming from Algiers; Baron Ruthven (British, 3178 GRT, built 1925), Bralanta (Norwegian (tanker), 9608 GRT, built 1936), Empire Cormotant (British, 5760 GRT, built 1942), Gulfhawk (American (tanker), 10217 GRT, built 1928), Marsa (British, 4405 GRT, built 1928), Memphis City (American, 5686 GRT, built 1921) and Pan Aruba (Norwegian, 9231 GRT, built 1931).

On 6 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Oran after having been detached from the convoy; Henry Barnard, James M. Wayne, James W. Fannin, Marsa and Thomas Hart Benton as well as HMS LST 11 while the following ships joined the convoy coming from Oran; Albert C. Ritchie (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Baron Napier (British, 3559 GRT, built 1930), Cleveland Abbe (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Gideon Welles (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James McCosh (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James W. Nesmith (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Joseph H. Nicholson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Lambert Cadwallader (), Leiv Eiriksson (Norwegian (tanker), 9952 GRT, built 1936), Mount Baker (American, 6022 GRT, built 1940), Richard Jordan Gatling (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Thomas B. Robertson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Tide Water (American (tanker), 8886 GRT, built 1930) and Tristram Dalton (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942). Also the stores ship USS Merak (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Cawthon, USN) joined the convoy.

On 6 November 1943, the destroyer HMS Anthony (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wallace, DSC, RN) departed Gibraltar to join the convoy while it was still in the Mediterranean.

On 7 November 1943, the Empire Cormorant arrived at Oran after after having straggled from the convoy.

On 7 November 1943, the following ships arrived at Gibraltar after having been detached from the convoy; Baron Ruthven, City of Keelung, Empire Usk, Fort Albany, Fort Maurepas, Kaimata, Peebles and Turkistan while the following ships joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar; Helen Hunt Jackson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Matt W. Ransom (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Scottish Monarch (British, 7004 GRT, built 1943) and Wolverine (American, 4990 GRT, built 1919). Also joining from Gibraltar were the damaged light cruisers HMS Cleopatra (Cdr. M.J. Ross, DSC, RN) and HMS Uganda (Capt. W.G. Andrewes, RN) which were to take passage to the USA to undergo full repairs there.

Also the current escort; HMS Anthony, HMS Delphinium, RHS Apostolis, RHS Sakhtouris, HMS Wolborough and HMS Klo arrived at Gibraltar after having been relieved by the destroyers HMS Antelope (Cdr. J.G. Gould, RN), HMS Inglefield (Cdr. C.F.H. Churchill, DSC, RN), HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN) and the armed yacht HMS Thalassa (T/A/Lt.Cdr. S.G. Barnes, RNR).

On 7 November 1943, the destroyers USS Baldwin (T/Cdr. G. Knuepfer, USN, with COMTASKFOR 66 / COMDESDIV 36, T/Capt. W.J. Marshall, USN, on board), USS Harding (T/Cdr. G.G. Palmer, USN), USS Satterlee (T/Lt.Cdr. J.F. Witherow, Jr., USN), USS Thompson (T/Cdr. L.A. Ellis, USN) and minesweepers USS Tide (Lt.Cdr. A. Robinson, USNR) and USS Threat (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Ferrill, USNR) departed Casablanca to make rendezvous with the convoy which was made on the 8th when they relieved the British escort which then parted company and proceeded to Gibraltar.

Later on 8 November 1944, the following ships joined the convoy coming from Casablanca which they had departed earlier in the day; Fort la Maune (British, 7130 GRT, built 1942), George W. Woodward (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James Gunn (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), John M. Morehead (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Peter J. McGuire (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942). With them was also the naval tanker USS Chepachet (Cdr. H.R. Adams, USNR). They were escorted by the destroyers USS McCormick (T/Lt.Cdr. F.A. Brock, USN, USS Broome (T/Lt. C.S. Arthur, Jr., USN) and the patrol vessel USS PC-481 (Lt. N.W Roeder, USNR). The destroyers then joined the convoy while the patrol vessel set course to return to Casablanca taking the Baron Napier with her.

On 11 November 1943, USS Chepachet fuelled all six destroyers of the escort.

On 13 November 1943, two ships joined coming from the Azores, these were the following; Cape Clear (British, 5085 GRT, built 1939) and Empire Outpost (British, 6978 GRT, built 1943). Their trawler escort did not join the convoy.

On 17 November 1943, USS Chepachet fuelled all six destroyers of the escort.

On 21 November 1943, USS Chepachet was detached to the Azores. To escort her there the destroyer escorts USS Ricketts (Lt.Cdr. G.L. Rollins, USCG) and USS Harveson (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Stinson, USCG) had arrived on the scene.

On 22 November 1943, the convoy split up into the ' Hapton Roads, Baltimore and Philadelphia Section ' escorted by USS Harding, USS Satterlee, USS Tide and USS Threat and the ' New York Section ' with the remainder of the escorts.

The sections arrived at their destinations on 24 November 1943.