USS Balch (DD-363)

• Namesake: USS Balch (DD-363) was named after Admiral George Beall Balch, a distinguished officer who served in the US Navy during the 19th century, including the Civil War. • Class and Type: She was a Porter-class destroyer, one of only eight of this class, which were among the largest and most powerful US destroyers built before World War II. • Commissioning: USS Balch was launched on 24 March 1936 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned on 20 October 1936. • Pearl Harbor: On December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Balch was at sea with the USS Enterprise task force, thus avoiding damage and immediately entering wartime operations. • Doolittle Raid: Balch served as a screen for the aircraft carrier USS Hornet during the famous Doolittle Raid in April 1942, the first air raid to strike the Japanese home islands in World War II. • Battle of Midway: Balch took part in the pivotal Battle of Midway in June 1942, rescuing survivors from the stricken USS Yorktown (CV-5), saving 545 men from the water. • Service in Aleutians: The destroyer participated in the Aleutian Islands campaign, including bombardments and convoy escort duties in the harsh North Pacific environment. • Atlantic and Mediterranean Operations: In 1944, she was transferred to the Atlantic, where she escorted convoys and supported landings in southern France during Operation Dragoon. • Awards: USS Balch received six battle stars for her service in World War II, reflecting her involvement in key Pacific and Atlantic operations. • Decommissioning and Fate: Balch was decommissioned on 19 October 1945 and sold for scrap in 1946, ending nearly a decade of service that spanned peace and global conflict.