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"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 at Patriots Point, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, 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.
The USS Laffey is now berth in her new home.




 
Above is a photo of the USS Laffey, berth in her new home, across
the pier from the USS Yorktown, Patriots Point, FINALLY!!

Keep in mind... The USS Laffey is not yet open to the public!
She is not stable in the mud where the submarine, Clamagore
once was...  A new gang plank needs to be build, electricity,
water, and sewage restored.  These facilities are not aboard.

When the USS Laffey is open to the PUBLIC...
It will be posted here as soon as we know. 
Sonny Walker, President, USS Laffey Association.



 

Dear Old Friends and Mates:

Looking back, 40 years +, at our time on board, the incredible sights at sea and the places that we traveled, who would have thought, at the time, that this would eventually be, not only the most decorated ship of the Atlantic fleet, but ultimately enshrined and the last of its kind in the world. Literally, "The Ship That Wouldn't Die".

Unique to those of us who had the experience of riding the waves on this ship, being a 'tin can sailor' and the memories that we have, I personally feel blessed and privileged to not only to have been your shipmate but to know that, in spite of lives transient, ever changing landscapes of the old making way for the new, that we will have this ships real presence, I believe, for the rest of our lives, to share stories with our grand children, family and friends and they can actually revisit Grandpa's ship in their life times.

A piece of their history from the Greatest Generation.
Looking forward to our next correspondence.
Until then, may you and yours be well and in God's care.

Sincerely and respectfully,
Dennis Colusci


ATTENTION ALL HANDS:

On Wednesday morning, January 12, 2012. a crews towed the USS Laffey from North Charleston, under the Ravenel Bridge and to its new berth at the Naval and Maritime Museum.

"We've been waiting for this day for quite a number of years now. I'm looking forward to having the Laffey back," says Bob Wampler who was a radioman aboard the USS Laffey from 1962 to 1965."It's just wonderful to hav...e her back after all these years." "The ship was a very historic vessel, sustained severe damage at the Battle of Okinowa in April of 1945," Wampler said. "It's a piece of history and it's the only one of the Sumner Class Destroyers that's still alive and floating. The rest are all gone, either scrapped, sold, or used for target practice."

The history behind the Laffey has many excited for her return.

"They were built quick and built cheap for World War II," said Mac Burdette, executive director at Patriots Point. "This was in service all the way through Vietnam, and she not only served in the Pacific in World War II, but she actually participated in the Normandy invasion, she took out two German bunkers sailing close to the coast of Normandy, so she's really unusual in that regard. She's cool."

The USS Laffey is known as "The ship that would not die" because she didn't sink despite Japanese bombs and kamikaze attacks during the war.

More than two years and about $9 million dollars later, "The ship that would not die" has finally come back home to Patriots Point, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina!

 

First Video:



Second Video:





 

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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 with Photos

Day of the Kamikaze wins Gold Award

New Entries:

  Feb 03, 2012 
Obituary:  McLin 'Anne' Jones

   Jan 31, 2012  
The 'New'
USS Laffey Ship Store

  Jan 25, 2012 

Newspaper Article:
Portland Press Herald

Videos:
Bob Wampler - Dave Harhager Reports
Ken Rohloff Reports
Laffey Returns to Patriots Point

Guest Book Entries:
Charles W. Horton & Nick D'Archangelo &
Stephen M. Hanyok & Robert Seeley &
Gary Barylski & Deb Davis &
 George W. Little & Bob Malsch &
James F. Horn & Mark Reasoner &
 Will Rogers & John Moale III

Interesting Comments: 
Laffey Returns to Patriots Point

  Jan 19, 2012 
Taps: Gerard Liebertz Sr.
Obituary

  Jan 6, 2012 
Taps: Wendell Vann Teachey, Sr.
Obituary

  November 8, 2011 
Ernest E. Belk  Obituary and Service Record


  October 25, 2011 
Video:
Kamikaze Dogfights History Channel

  October 20, 2011 
Video: 
Destroyermen Life Aboard a US Destroyer

  July 27, 2011 
Taps:  Robert Irving Karr
Obituary

  July 25, 2011 
Chris Kirhagis License Plate Story

May 14, 2011
  USS Laffey Playing Cards 

  May 07, 2011   
April Mini Work Party Photos

  March 01, 2011 
Gary Barlow
Guest Book Entry

  February 08, 2011 
Robert Knippenburg's
Old Photos

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


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


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: Friday, February 03, 2012

Index to Website

Summary of Revisions

As of June 25, 2008