USS Buchanan (DD-484)

The Buchanan (DD-484) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, fighting at the battle of Savo Island and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the New Georgia campaign, the invasion of the Palau Islands and the return to the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, before transferring to the Turkish navy in 1949, finally retiring in 1976.

USS Aeron Ward (DD-483) and USS Buchanan (DD-484) being launched, 1941

The Buchanan was named after Franklin Buchanan, who set up and then became the first superintendent of the new naval school at Annapolis, then served in the Mexican War but on the Confederate side in the Civil War.

The Buchanan was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co of Kearny, N. J, launched on 22 November 1941 when she was sponsored by Admiral Buchanan’s great-granddaughter Miss Hildreth Meiere and commissioned on 21 March 1942.

The Buchanan was originally classified as a Bristol class ship, which were built with four 5in guns instead of the five installed on the Livermore/ Gleaves class. However after the fifth gun was removed from those ships all of the Bristol class ships joined the Livermore/ Gleaves class.

1942

The Buchanan departed for the Pacific on 28 May 1942.

The Buchanan joined the fleet that was gathered to support the landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi. On 7-8 August the Buchanan and Monssen supported the 2nd Marine Regiment as it landed on Gavutu and Tanambago Islands, two tiny islands to the east of Tulagi.

On 9 August she was present during the Battle of Savo Island. In the aftermath of the battle she helped with the efforts to save the damaged cruiser Astoria (CA-34), reaching her at 11.30. However the damage was too severe, and instead the Buchanan helped rescue the salvage crew of 325 men who had gone back onboard the cruiser in an attempt to save here. She also helped rescued survivors from the cruisers Quincy (CA-39), Vincennes (CA-44), and HMAS Canberra, which were also lost in the battle.

In September she was part of the screen of the Wasp (CV-7) as the carrier moved to Noumea. She was then part of TF 64.2 during the occupation of Funafuti Island in the Ellice Islands.

The Buchanan fought as part of TG 64.2 during the Battle of Cape Esperance (11-12 October).

The Buchanan was present at the very start of the complex Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. However on 12 November she was hit by friendly fire during a Japanese air attack on TF 67 as it was unloading troops on Guadalcanal and forced to retreat.

Once her repairs were complete she was assigned to convoy escort duty.

1943

This ended in February 1943. She was sent to Sydney, Australia, to allow her crew some much needed leave. She then joined TF 15, which returned to the waters around Guadalcanal. On 30 April 1943, while operating in the screen of a convoy, she ran aground of the south coast of Guadalcanal. It took three tugs and the removal of heavy gear and ammo to float her again and she had to go to Espiritu Santo for repairs.

The repairs were completed in time for the Buchanan to take part in the New Georgia campaign. On 30 June she supported the landings on Rendova Island, just off the shores of New Georgia. During the landings she dualed with the Japanese guns on Munda Point on New Georgia. The Buchanan and Farenholt were credited with silencing seven Japanese gun batteries during this engagement

USS Buchanan (DD-484) refuels from USS Wasp (CV-7), 1942

On 9 July the Buchanan, Farenholt, McCalla and Ralph Talbot carried out a bombardment of the Japanese positions on Munda Point to support an attack by the 43rd Infantry Division.

On the night of 11-12 July she took part in a larger bombardment of the Munda area, after Japanese troops got between the 169th and 172nd infantry regiments. The bombardment started with 40 minutes of fire from four cruisers. After half an hour the Farenholt and Buchanan joined the bombardment, and continued on for forty minutes, giving a total of one hour of bombardment.

The Buchanan fought at the battle of Kolombangara (13 July). During that battle she turned to avoid torpedoes and instead collided with the Woodworth (DD-460), suffering damage to her bow. She had to retreat to Noumea for repairs.

Once these repairs were completed the Buchanan was used to convoy ships to Noumea, Espiritu Santo and Guadalancal. On 1-11 November she took part in the operations around Bougainville and the Treasury Island, supporting strikes on Rabaul and Buka-Bonis.

1944

On 8 and 13 January 1944 she took part in TF 38’s bombardment of Shortland Island and Bougainville.

On 22 January the Buchanan was on her way from Purvis Bay to Espiritu Santo when she received an SOS from the fleet oiler Cache (AO-67) which had just been torpedoed by Ro-37. The Buchanan found the submarine on the surface 150 miles to the east-southeast of San Cristobal. The submarine submerged and over the next three hours the Buchanan dropped 53 depth charges. Ro-37 was sunk with the loss of all hands. The Japanese Navy declared her lost on 17 February.

From 15 February-1 March she took part in the campaign in the fighting in the Bismarck Archipelago. She covered the landings on Green Island and bombarded Kavieng, Rabaul and New Ireland. She then departed for an overhaul at Mare Island.

The overhaul was completed by 19 June 1944, when she was photographed painted in camouflage measure 31 design 3D (pictures from 1942 show her in camouflage measure 12 (modified)).

From 6 September-14 October she took part in the invasion of the southern Palau Islands.

On 8 October she rescued eight of the eleven crew of a PBM patrol aircraft that had made a forced landing in the Kossol Passage, Palau.

Until 10 November she patrolled off the Denges Passage, in an attempt to stop any Japanese reinforcements reaching Peleliu from nearby Ngeregong. On 10 November she was relieved by the Wintle (DE-25). 

From 14-16 December she supported strikes on Luzon.

The Buchanan was caught at sea during Typhoon Cobra (18 December), which saw the worst loss of life to a natural disaster in US naval history. She was damaged during the typhoon but survived.

1945

After these repairs were completed she rejoined the fleet in time to take part in attacks on Luzon, Formosa and the coast of China (6-16 January 1945) to support the landings on Luzon.

From 15 February- 5 March she supported the invasion of Iwo Jima.

From 16 March-30 June she supported the 3rd and 5th Fleet during their carrier raids and supported the invasion of Okinawa.

From 10 July-15 August she supported the 3rd Fleet during its operations against Japan.

On 29 August she escorted South Dakota (BB-57) into Tokyo Bay. On 1 September she carried Admirals Nimitz and Halsey from their flagships to Yokohama to meet with MacArthur, then returned them to the fleet.

On 2 September she carried General MacArthur from the pierside to the Missouri (BB-63) where he accepted to Japanese surrender. The Buchanan then returned MacArthur to Yokohama.

The Buchanan remained on occupation in the Far East until 8 October when she departed for San Francisco.

Post-War

The Buchanan was placed out of commission into the reserve at Charleston on 21 May 1946.

The Buchanan was selected to be transferred to the Turkish navy. She was recommissioned on 11 December 1948 and underwent a shakedown cruise and refresher training for her new Turkish crew. On 29 March she departed for Golcuk, Turkey, and on 28 April 1949 she was handed over to the Turkish Navy. She served as the Gelibolu (D 346) until she finally retired in 1976.

Buchanan received the Presidential Unit Citation and 16 battle stars for her World War II service, for the Guadalcanal landings, capture and defence of Guadalcanal, Cape Esperance, naval battleof Guadalcanal, consolidation of the Solomons, New Georgia, Bismarck Archipelago, Treasury Islands/ Bougainville, the Western Caroline Islands, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, operations against Japan and sinking Ro-37.

U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann . The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.

Help - F.A.Q. - Contact Us - Search - Recent - About Us - Privacy