to the

 

"First  USS Laffey  (DD 459) Launched October 30, 1941 Bethlehem Steel San Francisco Yard Commissioned March 31, 1942   Sunk late in the Sea Battle of November 12 & 13, 1942, off Guadalcanal   Resting in "Iron Bottom Sound" off Guadalcanal."

Index to the 459

"Second  USS LAFFEY  (DD 724) Launched November 21, 1943 Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine Commissioned February 8, 1944 Final Decommission March 29, 1975   Now proudly afloat  somewhere in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

"Probably no ship has ever survived an attack of the intensity that she experienced"
Samuel Eliot Morison, Naval Historian

Commendations and Battle Ribbons
USS Laffey (DD 724)

Presidential Unit Citations awarded to both the 724 and 459

USS Laffey (DD 459)

Southwest Pacific

September 13 - November 15, 1942

 

USS Laffey (DD 724) 

Okinawa, Radar Picket Station #1

April 16, 1945


 

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This site is dedicated to all destroyers that fought so valiantly in all theatres of World War II and in Korea, and especially to the two USS Laffeys (DD 459 and DD 724) that saw action during these periods.

The USS Laffey (DD 724) is part of the
 Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum
located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, but
she is not presently at Patriots Point.

Laffey Veterans See Repairs!
February 9, 2010


You may have to click more than once!

                  W A R N I N G!        

                                                                         

 
Above is a photo of where the USS Laffey is being held until
a determined place is made for her to return to Patriots Point.

The USS Laffey is NOT at Patriots Point at the present time.

Please do not go there expecting to tour the ship.
She is finished with her facelift and will be a stunning
part of Patriots Point someday.  There are no visitors
being accepted where she is presently docked.

Notification on this web site will be made asap when
the USS Laffey will be back at Patriots Point
proudly resting and open to visitors.  Thanks!

 

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For those of you new to the site, you can navigate its contents in one of three ways: Use the Index Use the Summary of Revisions Click on any of the links The most recent additions and revisions are usually highlighted on the Home Page (see below) The Summary of Revisions gives you a more comprehensive summary of changes

Sign in at our Association Guest Book

 

February 07, 2010
 

 
Laffey Veterans See Repairs:

               1.   Veterans: Lee Hunt, Ari Phoutrides, Sonny Walker.
 2.   Ari being interview while Lee looks on.    
     3.   Sonny presents Joe Lombardi with a plaque.
                   4.   Joe Lombardi accepts the award.                                
            5.   Lee Hunt and Susan Marlowe from Patriots Point.
           6.   Dick Trammel, Executive Director, Patriots Point.
   7.   The repaired USS Laffey DD 724.                  



2009-10 Dry Dock Slide Page
Click:  Here

 

Nation Honors its WWII Heroes
Watch the old black and white video below, two minutes
into it honors the USS Laffey, Commander Becton, and
the 32 men dead or missing from
April 16, 1945, Japanese Kamikaze attacks
Great video from that long ago!
Be patience, it takes sometime to load..


After viewing the video, place your mouse on the top of the    
screen and type in USS Laffey in the blank box, and click the
magnifying glass.  It will then offer more videos of the USS    
Laffey.  Some videos that John Hudak placed on U-tube!       
  Click your mouse on one. After viewing, go back and click on  
the magnifying glass and it will bring the Laffey menu back.  


Below are the Videos of the Kamikaze
attacks to the Laffey April 16, 1945

After viewing this video, place your mouse on the top of the screen   
and type in "Dogfights Kamikaze" in the blank box, and click the    
                 USS Laffey.  Click your mouse on one.  After viewing, go back and click 
   on the magnifying glass and it will bring the same Dogfights Kamikaze
 menu inorder to select a different video.

                                            
Click your mouse:   Japanese Surrender Sept 2, 1945


 Check Out the Ship's Store now with Photos

Day of the Kamikaze wins Gold Award
 

New Entries:

  July 3, 2010 
WWII Veteran Robert Johnson
speaks about our country
Click your mouse here:
Robert Johnson

  June 19, 2010 
Laffey News Letter
Courtesy of Bob Wampler

  May 31, 2010 

Taps: Thomas Fern
Obituary

Taps:  Jimmy L. Saul
Obituary

  April 24, 2010 
Membership Chairman Takes a Bride

  April 23, 2010 
October 16-21 2010:
USS Laffey Reunion Schedule

       2010 USS Laffey Reunion is now Official
Co-Chair Persons:   Gemma McLuckie & Jill Michel

April 22, 2010
Taps: Alfred J. Dorris
Obituary

Guest Book Entries:
Larry E. Montague
Vernon Fields
Michael Greeley
Joseph S. Alexander
Don Prock

  April 17, 2010 
Updated:  Julie Becton

  April 16, 2010 
Click your mouse here:
65th Anniversary April 16, 1945

  December 26, '09 
Articles from 1992-95
Dry Dock issues

  December 04, '09 
2nd Set Dec Dry Dock Photos


Click here:   2009 Dry Dock Photos / Articles Page

  September 27, '09 
Progress at Dry Dock and Photos
From Joseph W. Lombardi




Click on the Photo Below

“The Indestructible USS Laffey”
By Slavomir J. Vodenhal
Radarman 1/C



The Written Book
"The Ship That Would Not Die"
F. Julian Becton

Alex Churchill's Photo:
North Korea - Wonsan Harbor 1952



Click here:  History Channel
"Dogfights" USS Laffey 
Watch the 15 second advertisement
first and then the video will play.
 
   MORE COMMENTS  on the "Dogfights" Video,  What People Have Written
Click on this link:  "Dogfights" USS Laffey" to view a mini-clip interview with Jim Spriggs.
Use your 'back' button to return to the Laffey web site.


Laffey Website Earns Two Awards
 

Visit The LAFFEY Web Site Often...      New Materials are Added...       Questions?     Comments?       E-mail Me...         

Webmaster

Last revised: Sunday, July 25, 2010

Index to Website

Summary of Revisions

As of June 25, 2008