22nd Destroyer Division, 1919
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USS Hogan (DD-178/ DMS-6) was a Wickes class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, and the invasions of the Marshalls, Mariannas, Luzon and Iwo Jima.
The Hogan was named after Seaman Hogan, an American sailor who served in the battles between USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere and USS Constitution and HMS Java.
The Hogan was launched at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, on 12 April 1919 and commissioned on 1 October 1919.
The Hogan joined the Pacific Destroyer Force in November 1919, and was part of Division 22 - USS Rizal (DD-174); USS Renshaw (DD-176); USS O'Bannon (DD-177); USS Hogan (DD-178); and USS MacKenzie (DD-175). Between 23 November and 6 February 1920 she took part in general fleet operations along the west coast. Between 25 March and late April she visited Hawaii, before returning to the west coast for five months of gunnery exercises and trial runs. Most of 1921 was spent in experimental torpedo exercises or divisional operations. She was then used to help battleships during torpedo firing exercises. She was decommissioned on 27 May 1922.
The Hogan was recommissioned on 7 August 1940 and converted into a high speed minesweeper, with the designation DMS-6. Between then and December 1941 she took part in minesweeping training and patrol duties in the Caribbean and along the US East Coast.
In December 1941 she provided part of the screen for the new carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) during her shakedown cruise. In January 1942 she was the flagship of both Mine Squadron Seven and Mine Division Nineteen. During this period she was used as a convoy escort in the Caribbean and Atlantic theatres.
In November 1942 the Hogan took part in Operation Torch. She departed from Norfolk on 24 October as part of the Center Force. On 7 November she conducted preliminary sweeps off Fedhala. On the morning of 8 November she was used to guard the transport area. Just after 0500 she intercepted a French steamer being escorted by the armed trawler Victoria. The Hogan ordered both vessels to reverse course, but she was ignored. She then fired a warning burst across the Victoria's bows. The French trawler opened fire and attempted to ram the destroyer. The Hogan then opened fire with her 20mm guns and the French vessels surrendered.
The Hogan spent most of 1943 escort coastal convoys. On 13 November 1943 she departed from Norfolk heading for the Pacific Fleet, where she was allocated to the invasion of the Marshall Islands, the first invasion of pre-war Japanese territory. She sailed for Kwajalein on 16 January 1944 and carried out anti-submarine patrols off Roi, departing on 4 February.
After a period of escort duties, the Hogan took part in the attack on Hollandia. She cleared mines at Humboldt Bay on 18 April, clearing the way for the invasion force. She was then used on shore bombardment and screening duties.
The Hogan took part in the invasion of the Mariannas. She carried out a preliminary sweep around Saipan, and then remained in place off the island during the invasion of 15 June 1944. She came under shore fire, and on 16 June moved to Guam. She then returned to Saipan to join the screen of the transport ships during the battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June 1944), where the Japanese naval air forces were almost wiped out. After a brief trip to Eniwetok the Hogan returned to the Mariannas on 12 July to take part in the invasion of Guam.
After another period of escort duty, this time in the Solomon Islands, the Hogan returned to San Francisco for repairs (5 October-6 November 1944). She returned to the Pacific in time to take part in the landings in Lingayen Gulf on Luzon. She was part of the Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group, and sortied from Leyte Gulf on 2 January 1945. The force came unde kamikaze attack on the way to Luzon, and during operations off the islands. Minesweeping operations in Lingayen Gulf began on 6 January, and four of her fellow minesweepers were damaged or sunk. The Hogan was unhit and returned to Leyte Gulf on 16 January.
On 7 February 1945 the Hogan sortied to take part in the invasion of Iwo Jima. Once again she performed a mix of minesweeping operations, shore bombardments and screening duties. She left Iwo Jima with a force of battleships on 7 March 1945.
This ended her active career. She reached Pearl Harbor on 13 April and San Diego on 3 May 1945, where she began a period of repairs. However on 5 June 1945 she was reclassified as AG-105. After the end of the war she was chosen to act as a target ship, and she was sunk by US bombers off San Diego on 8 November 1945.
The Hogan earned six battle stars during the Second World War, for Operation Torch, the Marshall Islands, Hollandia, the Marianas Islands, Luzon and Iwo Jima.
Displacement (standard) |
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Displacement (loaded) |
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Top Speed |
35kts design |
Engine |
2 shaft Parsons turbines |
Range |
2,500nm at 20kts (design) |
Armour - belt |
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- deck |
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Length |
314ft 4.5in |
Width |
30ft 11.5in |
Armaments |
Four 4in/ 50 guns |
Crew complement |
100 |
Launched |
12 April 1919 |
Commissioned |
1 October 1919 |
Sunk as target |
8 November 1945 |
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.
