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USS Rupertus DD-851

David Andersen

In case you don't have it, here is the official history of the Rupertus. As of my last contact with the Greek Naval authorities, the Rupertus, now renamed, is still being used by the Greek Navy, basically as a decoy. In 1976, the Naval History Division, Dept. of the Navy, published the "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships." The Rupertus is described in Vol., VI, pages 171-2, as follows: Rupertus (DD 851) was laid down 2 May 1945 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy Mass.: launched 21 Sept. 1945; sponsored by Mrs. William H. Rupertus; and commissioned 8 Mar. 1946, Comdr. William C. F. Robards in command. Following shakedown off Guantanamo Bay and visits to various east coast ports, Rupertus transited the Panama Canal and steamed to San Francisco.

Since 1946 she has alternated deployments to the western Pacific with operations off the West coast of the United States. On her first deployment in 1947 she operated throughout the Far East, but particularly at Tsingtao, China. In the eastern Pacific throughout 1948, she returned to Tsingtao in 1949 only to be one of the last three American ships to leave port before it fell to the Communists. Returning to San Diego in Dec. for operations in the eastern Pacific and overhaul, she departed San Diego 13 Nov. 1950 to operate with U. N. forces off Korea. She escorted carrier Sicily from Sasebo to Hungnmam, Korea; then, from 14 May 1951, operated with blockade and escort TF 95 off the West coast of Korea and in the Yellow Sea. Leaving TF 95 and steaming to Wonsan, Rupertus spent 10 days off the coast near Songju and fired thousands of rounds of ammunition at shore targets. Rupertus saw continuous combat service until 4 July 1951, when she returned to Inchon during the armistice talks. Returning to San Diego 8 Aug. 1951, Rupertus steamed out again to rejoin the 7th Fleet 23 Feb. 1952. Operating first with carrier TF 77, she then departed to bombard the Hungnam-Hannum area with Manchester and rescued a pilot from Boxer while under heavy Communist shore battery fire. Rupertus put into Long Beach Naval Shipyard for overhaul on 6 Oct. Departing San Diego for the western Pacific again 16 May 1953, Rupertus screened Bremerton (CA-130) in TF 77, participated in shore bombardment missions off Korea, conducted hunter-killer exercises, trained Chinese Nationalist naval students in Formosan waters, and participated in the centennial celebration of Commodore M. C. Perry's first visit to Japan, before returning to San Diego.

After the Korean truce, Rupertus continued her annual deployments to WestPac until 1960 when she was assigned Yokosuka as a home port. In WestPac for almost three consecutive years, she operated off Vietnam during the Communist advance there in Apr. 1961. Rupertus returned to San Francisco 13 Dec. 1962, and following a FRAM I overhaul, which replaced her WW II armament with a modern integrated ASW weapons system including ASROC and DASH, she then entered her temporary home port of Long Beach, CA. On 26 May 1964 she again steamed for Yokosuka, Taiwan Patrol and after the Aug. Tonkin Gulf incident, the South China Sea. Remaining in the Far East, in Jun. 1965 she participated in operations supporting Gemini IV space flight; then returned to Vietnam waters for "Market Time" operations, boarding and inspecting many boats and ships off South Vietnam in search of Communist contraband; and provided naval gunfire support to U. S. forces in Vietnam. Operations on Taiwan Patrol and in the South China Sea continued throughout 1966, interrupted by participation in GT-9A recovery operations in May and June. Rupertus, again home ported at Long Beach, arrived there 3 Aug. 1966.

A year later she sailed for the Far East again, arriving Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin in July. With Forrestal (CVA-59) when a series of explosions temporarily disabled the giant carrier on 29 July, Rupertus maneuvered to within 20 feet of the crippled ship and remained alongside for a period of three hours assisting in fighting fires, cooling magazines, and rescuing personnel thrown into the sea. Rupertus then participated in "Sea Dragon" operations involving the interdiction of waterborne logistics craft staging from North Vietnam ports, and drew enemy fire off Dong Hoi, North Vietnam, which resulted in minor shrapnel hits. Assigned to gunfire support off South Vietnam in Oct., she returned to Long Beach on 4 Dec.

Following overhaul and exercises off the Cal. Coast, Rupertus again got underway for WestPact on 3 July 1968. She arrived in her homeport, Yokosuka, 22 Jul., and assumed naval gunfire support responsibilities off South Vietnam on 14 Aug. Taking up "Sea Dragon" duties on 29 Aug., she again came under fire from enemy coastal defense sites. After serving as part of the Appollo 7 recovery team, she returned to duties off Vietnam and then plane guard duty off Korea, winding up 1968 in Yokosuka. Continuing to operate throughout the Far East during 1969, part of that time off Vietnam, Rupertus returned to San Diego 15 Aug. 1970. She remained in San Diego for the rest of 1970, spending much of the time in dry-dock. Both 1971 and 1972 brought Rupertus a WestPac cruise, each of about six months duration and alternated with operations in the San Diego area. Soon after her return from the second of these latest deployments, in the spring of 1973, she underwent an INSURV inspection which resulted in her being declared unfit for further service.

Rupertus was offered to the Hellenic Navy on a loan basis and she was decommissioned 10 Jul. 1973. Concurrent with her decommissioning, she was transferred to the Hellenic Navy and recommissioned a Kountouriotis (D-213). Rupertus earned seven battle stars for service in the Korean Conflict. The end.

 

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