Tribute to USS Fletcher DD-445

[DeanDanforth1]

This is a great video with the color ww2 footage. I am currently building of RC model of this ship. Where did you get the video footage?

5 stars

[DeanDanforth1]

Great video. I am an master modeler and am currently building a model of the Melvin which will be r/c'd. Where did you get the high quality WW2 color footage?

You get to be a 5 star admiral for this one.

[satchthemo]

Thanks for another project on the Fletcher. We helped put her to sleep in San Diego in '69. What a great ship to ride! YeeHah!

[Bullettube]

Good to see that the tradition lives on. My dad served on a DD (Walke) and a DE(O'Neil) but he always preferred the DD. He told me;"our ship could roll, yaw and pitch all at the same time and when they left the dock it really got bad!" But the DDs had twin rudders and 4 screws so they were easier to con (he was a yeoman) and that being longer they were easier riding then the "little cans". The smaller crew made for greater camaraderie and less formality between the officers and enlisted men.

[charbilly2005]

Thank you.

[bismarck098]

The true work horses of any navy. God speed.

[Catalina65389]

I talked to a man today who had a USS Fletcher hat on. He was there when she was launched and served on her during WWII. He had some very interisting stories to tell about Guadalcanal.

[randy946]

@Catalina65389 I may know him. Send me a private message if you want, I'd like to know who he is.

[neguper]

I served aboard the USS Cony DD508 from 63 to 66 as an FT. Wonderful ship sometimes no so great duty, fun in rough weather, alot of fun during firing exercises. I was a radar operator in the MK 37 main battery Director which was atop the pilot house. She was sunk in the Carribean.

[rackasaurus]

My dad was on DD-564 the USS Rowe during Korea. Said he saw the Fletcher (DD-445) hundreds of times. Showed him this video. Laughed when he saw the replenishment at sea part of the clip as though it was fun, but yet a real pain. Said the middle turret was actually pretty handy when they would fire at the coastline on a hillside or something. Said you really felt it when they did a torpedo run, 'cause they had to get it up to about 30 or 40 knots and the whole ship would just shake.

[randy946]

@rackasaurus There's nothing wrong with your dad's memory, it's VERY accurate.

[svenska1946]

Beautiful pictures!!..Thank You

[SamEEboy711]

zyworski the middle cannon is for when the ship goes brodside

[JungleJimAB9AB]

Outstanding contribution. Thank you for posting this well made historical tribute to the fighting ships and sailors of this awesome class of War winning vessels.

[jshkorn]

The Fletcher is by far one of the most beautiful vessels of the World war two period. thanks for making the video

[Zyworski]

I never could understand the reasoning behind having that middle gun house, couldn't fire forwards, couldn't fire backwards. It seems to me the weight and space used by that middle turret could be better spent on anti aircraft, anti submarine, torpedoes, or thicker deck armor, anything.

[randy946]

@Zyworski Almost all the Fletcher's had that middle 5 inch gun removed in later modifications and replaced with torpedo tubes or other weaponry. During the period when I served, the mid to late 1960s, only two of the Fletchers that I know of still had the WWII 5-gun configuration. Wedderburn and Boyd.

[Robkat3751]

@randy946 Gregory, DD802 still had the center aft turret

[rackasaurus]

@Zyworski Broadsides. More armament. They were glad they had it when they needed it.

[t328]

great film! my dad was on the fletcher 42-45 was on it when she was hit bye shore arty off corigodor put in cmh papers on seaman bigalow his mother recived the medal dad spent almost 22 years in the navy 1937-1958 19 major battles all pacific duty.made cw2 passed away 4-3-81 J.W. BEL I REMEMBER THE DAYS OF IRON MEN AND WOODEN SHIPS

[svenska1946]

my first duty station was aboard the USS Pritchett DD561.......

[falsedawn2]

@svenska1946

I have a photo of the Pritchett in my Picasa web album which my Dad took from the USS Ranger in 1968. Go to picasaweb dot google dot com and do a search for USS Pritchett.

[maxgotborred]

my dad was on this ship but left so he could raise a family

[TheZuikaku]

The fighting Flechers!

[yantiwidodo]

well my grandfather use a submarine in WWII

[bossit55]

My Uncle Joey served on the Halford DD480 during WW2. Great tribute.

[sebasjust]

Nice video. My father served two years as a sonarist on the McGowan DD678. The first crew in Spain. Nice memories of this years.

[Taospark]

The Fletcher may have been one of the most important, powerful, flexible, and most of all durable destroyer class not just in American naval history but all naval history. (The last Fletcher to leave service was the John Rodger redubbed Cuitlahuac in 2001, and is being fought over to return her to the States.)

Thanks for your video.

[Robkat3751]

@Taospark It doesn't look to good for the Rodgers. Sad isn't it.

[waaamuseum]

Very well done video. Thanks! I served over two years on the USS Fletcher from 1964 to late 1966. We were with the USS Hornet at Yankee Station. The Fletcher class in a classic in the annals of naval history, and this video is a good tribute.

[squarebob62]

Thanks for the speedy reply and kudos to Charlie Walker. The results of your collaboration is inspiring. You guys have set the bar very high.

Thanks again.

[squarebob62]

Thanks Randy, I have some of my own super 8mm film (from the USS Mansfield DD728, 1967-'68) to put on here. I've been stumped by the 'copyrighted' music problem. You just gave me new inspiration. Great choice.

How did you get it approved. Is that you playing the piano? ;-) Also, nice job of digitizing and editing. Mine, let's just say, it has a lot of character....

[randy946]

Of all my videos, only this and one other belong to someone else and were posted with permission. I served on the DD-445 in the late 1960s and helped furnish some of the material used in the video. The video itself and music come from the clip's author, Charlie Walker of Las Vegas, a veteran of USS Fletcher, DD-992, and has operated a video company in the past. I'm pretty sure the music is something he created with one of his programs, or else a generic no-royalty clip free to use.

[sailersteven]

Thank you, Chuck (DD992)... Fantastic editing.

Steve

OSC USN (Ret)

[J23yrne]

Thank you again randy946 for putting this all together.

[J23yrne]

Thank you.

Do you know what ship is shown at 2:13?

Is it the DD630 the USS Braine ?

The angle of the guns match that from photos taken May 27 1945.

[randy946]

I'm not sure what ship that is but it probably is but it could well be the Braine.

[urss2]

VERY NICE

[hohotaiwei]

Great job, wonderful historical footage, thank you for sharing.