Эсминец USS Laffey: Героическая гибель в бою

Benson class destroyer

USS Laffey (DD 459) was a of the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first destroyer named for Seaman Bartlett Laffey. She was lost in action on 13 November 1942.

Laffey was laid down on 13 January 1941 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company at San Francisco, California. She was launched 30 October 1941, sponsored by Miss Eleanor G. Forgerty, granddaughter of Seaman Laffey; and commissioned on 31 March 1942, Lieutenant Commander William E. Hank in command.

After shakedown off the west coast, Laffey headed for the war zone via Pearl Harbor, arriving at Efate on 28 August 1942. She steamed in the antisubmarine screen until she joined Task Force 18 on 6 September. When the flagship— the aircraft carrier Wasp—was sunk on 15 September, Laffey rescued survivors and returned them to Espiritu Santo. She sailed with Task Force 64 and touched at Noumea, New Caledonia, on 18 September. Laffey unleashed her torpedoes and, using all her firepower, raked the battleship's bridge, Admiral Abe was thereafter limited in his ability to direct his ships for the rest of the battle. With a battleship on her stern, a second on her port beam, and the destroyers Yukikaze and Terizuki on her port bow, Laffey fought the Japanese ships with the three remaining main battery guns in a no quarter duel at point blank range. She was hit by a shell from Hiei. Then, a torpedo fired from Yukikaze hit aft, blowing her fantail clean off, which served as the final blow as Laffey was put out of action. As the order to abandon ship was passed, a violent explosion ripped the destroyer apart and she sank immediately with heavy loss of life.

Laffey was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her performance in the South Pacific, and three battle stars for service in World War II.