USS Collett (DD-730)

• Namesake: USS Collett (DD-730) was named after Lieutenant Commander John A. Collett, a naval aviator killed in action during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in 1942. • Class and Launch: USS Collett was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, launched on 5 March 1944 by Bath Iron Works in Maine. • World War II Service: Collett served in the Pacific Theater, participating in major operations such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion of Okinawa. • Kamikaze Attack: On 9 April 1945, during the Okinawa campaign, Collett was hit by a kamikaze plane, causing casualties and damage but remained operational. • Korean War: Collett was recommissioned for the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support and screening aircraft carriers during the conflict. • Operation Crossroads: In 1946, Collett participated in Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, serving as a support and observation vessel. • Cuban Missile Crisis: In October 1962, Collett was deployed as part of the naval quarantine during the Cuban Missile Crisis, enforcing the blockade. • Vietnam War Service: Collett supported operations off the coast of Vietnam, providing naval gunfire support for ground troops and carrier escort duties. • Collision Incident: On 19 August 1966, USS Collett collided with the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CV-34) in the South China Sea, resulting in significant damage but no fatalities. • Transfer to Argentina: After being decommissioned from the US Navy in 1970, Collett was sold to Argentina where she served as ARA Piedra Buena (D-29) until 1988.