Photographs of the USS Laffey (DD 459) in the South Pacific Theatre

Courtesy of Tom Fern

 

DD 459 in the Pacific Theatre

In harbor, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board.

The Wasp had been sunk by a Japanese submarine (I-19), on 15 September 1942

 

 

DD 459 in the Pacific Theatre

Steaming alongside another US Navy ship - probably a carrier - taking on fuel.  At sea on 4 September 1942

 

 

DD 459 in the Pacific Theatre

Maneuvering alongside a cruiser (either Salt Lake City or Pensacola), with survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) on board, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides.  Note the engines in reverse

Cruiser in the right bacfkground is the USS Juneau (CL-52)

 

 

DD 459 in the Pacific Theatre

A haunting picture

The Laffey alongside a cruiser (either Salt Lake City or Pensacola) with survivors of the USS Wasp (CV-7) on board. 

Among these survivors there were members of the 459 crew that would eventually lose their lives in subsequent actions.

Note the fully outfitted life raft.

 

 

A closeup of the survivors

 

 

 

A Short Action Summary

Operating with U.S. cruisers and destroyers, Laffey took part in two night gun anbd torpdo battless near

Guadalcanal.  In the first, the Battle of Cape Esperance on 11-12 October 1942, she helped repulse a

Japanese bombardment group.  A month later, on the night of 12-13 November, she participated in the

first surface action of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.  As part of the van group of the U. S. battle line,

she engaged the Japanese battleships Hiei and Kirishima, then was torpedoed in the stern by the destroyer

Teruzuki.  USS Laffey was sunk shortly, thereafter, when her after ammunition magazines exploded.

 

USS Laffey's wreck was discovered and examined in the mid-1992, nearly a half mile below the surface of

Iron Bottom Sound, off Guadalcanal.  She is upright and largely intact from the bow to amdships, but her

after third had disappeared.  Both forward 5-inch guns are trained out to port, and her amidship's superstructure

bears a hole where a Japanese 14-inch battleship projectile passed through her in the darkness of

13 November 1942

 

Return to Home Page