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DEDICATION This web site is dedicated to the CREW, both enlisted and officers, our Commanding Officers and Commodores, who contributed their utmost efforts to the successful completion of our job - the war. While the WILKES didn't become famous, it provided us all with a common purpose-our determination to fight the ship successfully and to complete any job assigned to us and to the ship. Also our gratitude to all those, who helped us in our mission. The shipyard workers, who built and repaired our ship, the many people, who made the ammo, guns, all types of supplies and food, we needed. The hundreds of auxiliary ships and their crews, both Navy and civilian, who gave us fuel, ammo, food, supplies, repair and moral support. The crews of the many combat ships, we operated with, from battleships and carriers to PT boats, especially the destroyers in our Squadron and Division. Not forgetting our wives, families and friends, who sent us mail, packages and remembered us in their thoughts and prayers. FOREWARD The pages that follow, chronicle the activities and experiences of a World War ll destroyer, the USS CHARLES E. WILKES (DD 441), and members of her crew, from her commissioning at the Boston Naval Shipyard on 22 April 1941 until 4 March 1946, when she was placed on the Navy's inactive list. The book was written and published through the cooperative efforts of her crew, who served aboard her during ferocious storms in the Atlantic, a perilous grounding in Newfoundland, and scores of actions against the German, French, Italian and Japanese naval, ground, and air forces. The WILKES war time service was unique. Although she served continuously from before Pearl Harbor, until after the surrender of Japan, not a single member of her crew lost his life, due to enemy action. This is all the more remarkable, when viewed in the context of Theodore Roscoe's tribute in his book "United States Destroyer Operations in World War ll" - Naval Institute - 1953: "Destroyer--Workhorse of the Fleet--submarine-hunter, convoy escort, troop transport, minesweeper and minelayer, bombardment and fire support ship for amphibious operations, anti-aircraft and antisubmarine screen for ships and task forces--and in the ultimate crisis, sacrificial offering for the safety of other ships--destroyers and destroyer escorts participated in more operations and theaters of war than any other ship type." WILKES was a first team participant in this panorama of assignments for over four years and, with the exception of mine laying operations, served in every role mentioned in Roscoe's tribute to the utility of destroyers. We, who served in the WILKES, will acknowledge a certain amount of indefinable "luck", as with Divine assistance, works best when supplemented with dedication, training, teamwork, leadership,--- all factors that make up a capable fighting ship. The WILKES demonstrated, over a period of fifty-eight months--her entire commissioned life--that she was a tough ship, manned with able and determined fighting men, capable of defending herself, while inflicting damage on enemy ships, planes, and shore batteries/troops, and always returning safely to port or anchorage with her crew and "halo" intact. "Mission Accomplished." PROLOGUE SIGN ON WITH ME! THE STATURE OF OUR HOMELAND IS NO MORE THAN THE
MEASURE OF OURSELVES! OUR JOB IS TO KEEP HER FREE! OUR WILL IS TO KEEP THE
TORCH OF FREEDOM BURNING FOR ALL! TO THIS SOLEMN PURPOSE WE CALL ON THE
YOUNG, THE BRAVE, THE STRONG AND THE FREE! This stirring call to arms could well have again posted in April 1941, by LCDR John D. Kelsey USN, as he took command of the USS CHARLES E. WILKES (DD 441) in Boston. With war raging in Europe, in the North Atlantic and in Asia, this destroyer, capable of 38 knots, would have fulfilled Jones' request to his fledgling government that "- - - I be given a fast ship, for I intend to go in harms' way." The men who manned the WILKES on 22 April 1941, were tempered to hardship by a severe economic depression and were ready emotionally and physically to join in molding the WILKES into a fighting ship, that would, in less than five years, steam many tens of thousands of miles and fire a like number of shells, in training, and at enemy ships, aircraft, shore batteries and troops, while engaged in scores of wartime operations. WILKES and her crew would earn ten battle stars, countless accolades - - "WELL DONE WILKES"- - and campaign ribbons from the Atlantic, European/Mediterranean, Pacific and Philippine theaters of operations and the Victory Medal. Her almost five year Odyssey would include close-up battles with enemy submarines, shore batteries, bomber and suicide planes, cruisers, and destroyers, and shore based artillery, in every major theater of World War ll. Near misses - - many, from enemy torpedoes, shells and bombs, but the WILKES trained and fought under the adage that the "best defense is a good offense." This philosophy worked for the ship and crew from Argentia to Iceland, to Ireland, to Scotland, to the Caribbean Islands, to Casablanca, in the Mediterranean, and off dozens of hostile islands in the Southwest and Central Pacific. The NAVY HYMN applies to all seaman of all nations and ages and is worthy of reflection: Eternal Father! strong to save, O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood O Trinity of love and power! |
