USS Hank (DD-702)

• Namesake: USS Hank (DD-702) was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander William Edwin Hank, a distinguished U.S. Navy officer who was killed in action during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. • Class and Launch: USS Hank was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, launched on 21 January 1944 and commissioned on 28 August 1944 at Kearny, New Jersey. • World War II Service: Hank joined the Pacific Fleet late in World War II, participating in major operations including the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa as part of the Fast Carrier Task Force. • Kamikaze Attack: On 11 April 1945, while screening aircraft carriers off Okinawa, Hank narrowly escaped serious damage from kamikaze attack, with a bomb exploding close aboard and causing minor damage. • Tokyo Bay: USS Hank was present in Tokyo Bay during the formal Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945, marking the end of World War II. • Korean War Service: Reactivated for the Korean War, Hank provided gunfire support for United Nations troops ashore, performed blockade duties, and escorted carriers off the Korean coast. • Nuclear Test Support: In 1946, Hank took part in Operation Crossroads, providing support for the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. • Cold War Deployments: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, USS Hank was deployed multiple times in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean, participating in NATO exercises and showing the flag during tense periods of the Cold War. • Transfer to Argentina: Decommissioned and struck from the U.S. Navy list in 1972, she was transferred to the Argentine Navy and renamed ARA Seguí (D-25), serving until 1983. • Awards: USS Hank received several battle stars for her service in World War II and the Korean War, recognizing her crew’s valor and dedication in combat.