USS Radford (DD-446)
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| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 2,050 tons |
| Length: | 376.4 ft (114.7 m) |
| Beam: | 39.6 ft (12.1 m) |
| Draft: | 13.8 ft (4.2 m) |
| Propulsion: | 60,000 SHP (45 MW); 2 propellors |
| Speed: | 38 knot (70 km/h) |
| Range: | 6500 NM (12,000 km) @ 15 knot |
| Complement: | 329 |
| Armament: | 5 × 5 in/38 guns, 10 × 40 mm AA guns, 7 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in torpedo tubes |
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USS Radford (DD-446), named for Rear Admiral William Radford, was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Radford was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny in New Jersey on 2 October 1941, launched on 3 May 1942 by Mrs. Francois E. Matthes and commissioned on 22 July 1942.
Radford participated in the Battle of Kolombangara and the Battle of Kula Gulf, engaged in an offensive sweep against the Tokyo Express, received Presidential Unit Citation for rescue of 468 survivors from Helena (CL-50), attacked and sank the Japanese submarine I-40 on 25 November 1943, Received Presidential Unit Citation from Philippines Government, was decommissioned on 17 January 1946 and placed in reserve at San Francisco.
Radford was recommissioned on 17 October 1949, operated with the Seventh Fleet in support of United Nations Forces during the Korean War, alternated operations along the west coast and in Hawaiian waters with annual deployments to the western Pacific with the Seventh Fleet, underwent an extensive Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard in 1960, and participated in Sea Dragon and Market Time operations, patrolled on search and rescue duties and carried out Naval Gunfire Support missions during the conflict in Vietnam.
Received 12 battle stars for World War II service, 5 battle stars for the Korean War, 4 for the Vietnam War, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
USS Radford was decommissioned at San Francisco and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 10 November 1969, and sold for scrap in October 1970.
See USS Radford for other ships of this name.
External links
- USS Radford National Naval Museum located in Newcomerstown, Ohio (http://www.ussradford466.org)