USS Corry (DD-463) being towed after launch, 1941 |
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USS Corry (DD-463) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, served with the British Home Fleet in 1943, and helped sink U-801 in 1944 before becoming the largest US warship sunk on D-Day.
The second Corry (DD-463) was launched 28 July 1941 at the Charleston Navy Yard when she was sponsored by Miss Jean Constance Corry. She was commissioned on 18 December 1941 and joined the Atlantic Fleet.
The Corry was named after William Merrill Corry, a Naval Aviator who died of woulds he suffered while attempting to save his pilot after an air crash on 3 October 1920.
The Corry 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 the those ships all of the Bristol class ships joined the Livermore/ Gleaves class.
1942
On 14 April the Corry and Aaron Ward (DD-483) escorted the Augusta (CL-31) from Casco Bay as she carried out experiments firing her turret guns against a drone simulating a torpedo plane approach
From 18-21 May 1942 the Corry carried out special operations at Annapolis with Radio Washington.
On 21 May she sailed to escort SS Queen Elizabeth into New York, arriving on 22 May.
She made an escort voyage to Bermuda, then joined the Augusta’s formation on its way back from Trinidad. On 26 May the Augusta and Corry were detached from the group and sent to Hampton Roads, arriving on 28 May. On 31 May the Augusta, Corry and Forrest (DD-461) departed for Newport, arriving on 1 June. On 2 June the August and Corry sailed to calibrate their radio direction finders in the waters west of Brenton Reef Lightship. Later on the day they were joined by the Ranger and the small group moved to Argentia, Newfoundland, arriving on 5 June. On 17-18 June the Augusta, Corry and Ellyson formed an antisubmarine screen off Argentia.
The Corry rejoined her group at Newport on 1 July and was mainly used on coastal patrol and escort missions from then until 19 October, with some trips to Caribbean ports. On 23-25 August she escorted the Augusta from Chesapeake Bay to Newport, then back to Norfolk on 31 August.
On 19 October she reached Bermuda where she joined the forces being gathered for Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa. On 25 October she left Bermuda as part of the screen of the carrier Ranger (CV-4). She supported the carrier during the landings at Casablanca, before departing for Norfolk on 16 November.
After an overhaul she returned to coastal and Caribbean duties.
1943
This ended on 13 February 1943 shen she left Norfolk to escort a convoy to North Africa, returning on 6 March. She then resumed operations in the western Atlantic.
On 11 August she departed for Scotland, where she joined the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. She took part in two operations to cover the sailing of convoys heading to Russia.
On 4 October she provided part of the screen for USS Ranger (CV-4), during Operation Leader, an attack on German shipping in Bode Harbour, Norway.
On 3 December she returned to Boston. On 24 December she left Boston to carry out an escort run to New Orleans and Panama. This
1944
She carried out similar escort missions until 16 February 1944.
On 16 February the Corry left Norfolk as part of TG 21.16, an anti-submarine hunter-killer group built around USS Block Island (CVE-21) escorted by Bronstein (DE-189), Bostwick (DE-103), Breeman (DE-104) and Thomas (DE-102) and the Corry. On the night of 29 February the group detected a U-boat, which turned out to be part of a large group of fifteen submarines spread out along a 100 mile long line. In the resulting battle the Bronstein sank U-603 and Thomas and Bostwick sank U-709. The Block Island group reached Casablanca on 8 March.
On 11 March the Corry left Casablanca as part of the hunter-killer group built around USS Block Island (CVE-21). On 16 March the group’s aircraft and ships (including Bronstein (DE-189) attacked U-801 to the west of Cape Verdes. When the submarine was forced to the surface on 17 March the Corry sank her with gunfire. She then picked up 47 survivors from the submarine.
On 19 March aircraft from the Block Island sank U-1059, which had been caught on the surface with many of her crew having a morning swim. The Corry rushed to the area to rescue one survivor from an Avenger that had been shot down in the attack, and eight German survivors.
On 30 March the Corry reached Boston where she underwent an overhaul. This was followed by a short period of training.
On 20 April 1944 the Corry left Norfolk to move to Britain to join the fleet gathering to support the D-Day invasion.
On the night of 5-6 June the Corry escorted heavy ships and transports across the channel, then moved to the area of San Marcouf Island to provide fire support. However by 6.30 she was coming under heavy German fire, and at 0633 she hit a mine which exploded below her engineering spaces. All power was lost, she broke in two, her forward engine room and fire room and aft fire room all flooded and the order to abandon ship was given at 0641. She sank within 30 minutes of hitting the mine. Twenty four of her crew were killed. The survivors remained in the water in the danger zone for two hours until they were rescued by Fitch (DD-462), Hobson (DD-464), Butler (DD-636), and PT-199. The Corry was the largest US ship lost on D-Day.
Corry received five battle stars for World War II service, for North Africa, the Norway Raid of October 1943, Task Group 21.16, sinking U-801and Normandy.
Displacement (standard) |
1,630t design |
Displacement (loaded) |
2,395t |
Top Speed |
35kts design |
Engine |
2-shaft Westinghouse turbines |
Range |
6500nm at 12kt design |
Length |
348ft 3in |
Width |
36ft 1in |
Armaments |
Five 5in/38 guns |
Crew complement |
208 |
Laid down |
|
Launched |
28 July 1941 |
Commissioned |
18 December 1941 |
Sunk |
6 June 1944 |
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.
USS Corry (DD-463) rescuing survivors from U-801