USS Cushing (DD-797)

• Namesake: USS Cushing (DD-797) was named after Lieutenant William B. Cushing, a daring Union naval officer famous for sinking the Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle with a spar torpedo. • Fletcher-class Destroyer: She belonged to the prolific Fletcher-class, the most numerous class of destroyers built by the US during World War II, known for their speed, firepower, and versatility. • Commissioning Date: USS Cushing was launched on September 30, 1943, and commissioned on January 17, 1944, at Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, New York. • World War II Service: Cushing served in the Pacific Theater, participating in major operations such as the Marianas campaign (including Saipan, Tinian, and Guam), the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. • Kamikaze Attack: On April 12, 1945, during the Okinawa campaign, USS Cushing was damaged by a near-miss from a kamikaze attack, suffering casualties but continuing her mission. • Rescue Operations: She rescued survivors from the USS Princeton (CVL-23) after the carrier was hit and sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944. • Postwar Service: After WWII, USS Cushing was decommissioned in 1947 but recommissioned in 1951 to serve during the Korean War era, conducting patrol and training missions in the Pacific. • Nuclear Test Participation: In 1958, she took part in nuclear weapons testing exercises in the Pacific as part of Operation Hardtack I. • Awards: USS Cushing earned six battle stars for her service during World War II, a testament to her active and distinguished combat record. • Final Fate: Decommissioned for the last time in 1960, USS Cushing was sunk as a target off the California coast in 1976, ending her long and storied career.