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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # NH 67302:  USS Macdonough steaming off San Diego, California, September 1936

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Macdonough (DD-351), 1935-1946

USS Macdonough, a 1395-ton Farragut class destroyer, was built at the Boston Navy Yard. She was commissioned in March 1935 and shook down with a voyage to Europe and South America before beginning regular fleet operations in the Pacific. Pearl Harbor became her home port in 1939 and she was moored there on 7 December 1941 when the Japanese surprise attack took place. During the ensuing Pacific war's first several months, Macdonough was employed on patrol and escort duties between the U.S. west coast, Hawaii and the south Pacific. In the war's first major offensive operation, the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi in early August 1942, the destroyer operated with USS Saratoga , and stayed in that carrier's screen in subsequent weeks, taking part in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and the engagement with a Japanese submarine that resulted in Saratoga being torpedoed at the end of August.

During September, October and November 1942, Macdonough supported the ongoing Guadalcanal Campaign with shore bombardment and escort services. Following an overhaul, in April 1943 she joined the forces undertaking the campaign to recover the Aleutian Islands, but was damaged in a collision that put her back in the shipyard until September. She participated in the invasions of Makin in November 1943 and the Marshall Islands in January-February 1944. On 15 February, while off Kwajalein Atoll, Macdonough assisted in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-40.

After the Marshalls were taken, Macdonough took part in central Pacific carrier strikes and New Guinea amphibious assaults. On 30 April 1944 she helped destroy another enemy submarine, the RO-45. While engaged in the Marianas invasion from early June until early August, she bombarded shore positions, supported underwater demolition teams, made anti-submarine patrols and served as an escort for carrier task forces. Later in the year, she shepherded transports during the Leyte landings, stood guard in southern Philippines waters and escorted logistics shipping.

Macdonough was overhauled during the first part of 1945, then served as a radar picket ship and escort in the central and western Pacific. She returned to the United States in early September, immediately after the war ended, and soon went on to the east coast. Decommissioned in October 1945, USS Macdonough was sold for scrapping in December 1946.

This page features selected views of USS Macdonough (DD-351).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 60642

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Off the Boston Navy Yard, 14 June 1935.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67301

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Steaming in another destroyer's wake during maneuvers staged for Movietone News off San Diego, California, by Destroyer Squadron Twenty (DesRon 20) 14 September 1936.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67302

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Steaming in another destroyer's wake, during an exhibition staged for Movietone News by Destroyer Squadron Twenty (DesRon 20) off San Diego, California, 14 September 1936.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 127KB; 570 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97954

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


At sea, circa 1935-1937.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 74326

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Underway at sea, circa 1935-1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 109KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 42540

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Aproaching an anchorage in the lower end of Iliuliuk Bay, off Rocky Point, in the Aleutian Islands, 27 April 1937.
Photographed from USS Dewey (DD-349).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 575 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 74273

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Underway in harbor, 11 April 1938.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 131KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-30319

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Plan view of the ship's starboard side, forward, while she was at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 29 May 1942.
Note details of motor boat (lower left), pilothouse and main battery gun director.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 128KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 19-N-39996

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 17 January 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 595 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 19-N-40001

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Plan view of the ship's port side, forward, while she was at the Mare Island Navy Yard, 16 January 1943.
Note: 5"/38 shielded pedestal gun mounts; fire control radar atop the gun director; 5"/38 loading practice machine between the smokestacks; and life rafts.
Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 19-N-50870

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 3 September 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 590 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-276746

USS Macdonough (DD-351)


At sea in December 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

Note: In addition to the views presented above:

  • Photo # NH 83109, a chart of ship locations during the 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, locates USS Macdonough (mis-spelled "McDonough") in the middle center part of the image, just to the north of Ford Island in a "nest" with five other ships.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 9 May 2002