Braine DD- 630

Braine

Born in New York City 18 May 1829, Daniel Lawrence Braine was appointed Midshipman in 1847. He served in Mississippi and John Adams during the Mexican War. During the Civil War he commanded Monticello and took part in an engagement with the rebel battery at Sewell's Point, in the first naval engagement of the war. He also took part in the attack and capture of Forts Hatteras and Clarke and engaged the enemy at Kimmekerk Woods above Cape Hatteras. Between 1873 and 1875 he commanded Juniata on its cruise to Greenland in search of the ill-fated Polaris Expedition. Rear Admiral Braine retired in May 1891 and died at Brooklyn 30 January 1898.

(DD-630: dp. 2050; 1. 376'5"; b. 39'7"; dr. 17'9"; s. 35.2
k.; cpl. 329; a. 5 5", 10 21" TT.; cl. Fletcher)

Braine (DD-630) was launched 7 March 1943 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine; sponsored by Mrs. Daniel L. Braine, wife of a grandson of Rear Admiral Bralne , and commissioned 11 May 1943, Commander J. F. Newman, Jr., in command.

Departing the cast coast in the summer of 1943 Braine sailed via San Francisco to Pearl Harbor as an escort for troop transports. She then proceeded directly to Wake Island where she participated in its bombing and bombardment (5-6 October 1943). Between I and 3 November Braine took part in the initial landings in Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. During the following two months she escorted resupply echelons to the Bougainville beachhead.

On 15 February 1944 Braine participated in the Green Island landing. She steamed into Rabaul Harbor under enemy fire for night shore bombardment of enemy installations (24-25 February). On 20 March she supported landings on EmIrau Island, Bismarck Archipelago. Braine spent the ensuing months in escort work and training for the Marianas Invasion.

On 14 June she took part in the bombardment of Tinian Island and received minor damage from a small caliber shell but continued operations in the Marianas until 23 June. After spending almost a month In the United States she sailed for the Philippines, via Pearl Harbor. Braine rendered fire support during the Leyte landings (20 October) and repelled an enemy air attack on 18 November. From 4 to 15 January 1945 she participated In the Lingayen Gulf landings.

Braine then proceeded to Manila Bay to support landings on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor (14-28 February 1945). She served as a radar picket and support ship for the landing forces at Zamboanga and subsequently at Pollack Harbor, Mindanao (17 March-23 April). She took part in the Okinawa operations as a radar picket ship (16-25 May). On 27 May the destroyer was hit in quick succession by two suicide planes. The first hit forward seriously damaging the bridge and the second hit amidships blowing number two funnel overboard and demolishing the amidships superstructure. Braine retired to Kerama Retto, Ryukyu Islands, for emergency repairs; departed 19 June; and arrived in the United States 19 July 1945.

On 21 July Braine steamed to Boston for repairs and then proceeded to Charleston Navy Yard for inactivation. She was placed out of commission In reserve 26 July 1946 at Charleston.

Recommissioned 6 April 1951, Braine conducted training In the Atlantic and Caribbean and in the spring of 1952 sailed to the Mediterranean for duty with the 6th Fleet. In October she returned to duty in coastal waters. She joined the 6th Fleet again in May 1953 and remained until October. Between October 1953 and 2 November 1954 she underwent a yard period, conducted refresher training in the Caribbean, and local operations in the vicinity of Newport. On 30 November 1954 she departed for the Pacific and became a unit of Cruisers- Destroyers, Pacific Fleet, in mid-December 1954.

Early In January 1955 she proceeded to Yokosuka, Japan, and joined TF 77. Braine participated in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands in February and later operated on the Formosa patrol. She returned to the west coast 19 June 1955.

Braine's next departure from the west coast was on 13 February 1956 to conduct another Western Pacific cruise. She returned to California 22 July 1956 .

The USS BRAINE - DD630 spent the first eight months of 1960 conducting local ASW operations in preparation for joining the USS BENNINGTON - CVS20 as a Hunter Killer Task Group. She deployed for the Western Pacific in company with DesDiv 212 on 2 October. She conducted local ASW operations in the Hawaiian area. The division departed Pearl Harbor on 21 November for HUK operations in the Philippine Islands. During her cruise she made ports of call at Subic Bay, P.I., Hong Kong and Yokosuka, Japan. She departed Yokosuka on 19 April 1961 for San Diego.
The BRAINE conducted local operations in the San Diego area and in June entered the U.S. Naval Shipyard in Long Beach for an extensive overhaul. Following her yard overhaul, she returned to San Diego for a period of underway training designed to prime the ship for deployment to the Western Pacific. On 14 August CDR Robert W. Lowman, USN assumed command.
In January 1962 the BRAINE departed San Diego for the Western Pacific via Pearl Harbor and proceeded to the Philippines in company with DesDiv 212 and the new super carrier USS RANGER. She sailed north to Taiwan for the Formosa Patrol. During the next few months she participated in several joint operations with the British and Australian navies. She visited Yokosuka and Kobe, Japan, Hong Kong and Okinawa. Returning to the United States in July, she was engaged in local operations out of San Diego. In November the BRAINE was ordered to Panama Canal Zone on escort duty during the Cuban crisis, returning to San Diego for tender availability along side the USS DIXIE. CDR Edward A. Williams, USN assumed command on 12 December.
In January 1963 the BRAINE was awarded the DesRon 21 "E" for overall excellence. At the same time, the BRAINE became one of the few ships in the Pacific Fleet to earn a Gold "A" for five consecutive years of outstanding ASW performance. She conducted local ASW operations, ASW school ship and night plane guarding for the USS CONSTELLATION. In June the BRAINE was in San Francisco for plane guarding for the USS MIDWAY and anti-aircraft exercise. On 15 October CDR Robert Juarez, USN assumed command. The BRAINE departed San Diego en route to the Western Pacific with Destroyer Flotilla Nine and proceeded to Subic Bay via Pearl Harbor. She sailed north to Sasebo, Japan for extensive repairs on her hull requiring dry dock. Upon completion of repairs, she proceeded to Kaoshiung, Taiwan to begin Formosa Patrol with DesDiv 212.
The BRAINE operated as a unit of the Seventh Fleet from January to April 1964, participating in Strike Exercises/Comtuex and other operations. During this period she visited Yokosuka and Beppu, Japan; Subic Bay, P.I.; Kaoshiung, Taiwan; Buckner Bay, Okinawa and Hong Kong. She participated in operations in the South China Sea with USS BON HOMME RICHARD - CVA31. She departed Buckner Bay on 30 March for San Diego. In May she conducted training operations in the San Diego area with midshipmen for their summer cruise, with visits to Tacoma, Washington and Port Chicago, California. She spent the latter part of the year in yard overhaul.


Braine earned nine battle stars for her World War II service.