USS HIGBEE ( DD806 )

• Named After a Female Naval Officer: USS Higbee (DD-806) was the first US Navy warship named after a female member of the Naval service, Chief Nurse Lenah S. Higbee, one of the original members of the Navy Nurse Corps and its second Superintendent. • Gearing-Class Destroyer: Higbee was a Gearing-class destroyer, one of the most numerous and important classes of destroyers used by the US Navy during and after World War II. • World War II Service: Commissioned in January 1945, USS Higbee joined the Pacific Fleet for the final months of World War II, participating in convoy escort and screening operations. • Survived a Kamikaze Attack: On April 14, 1945, Higbee was damaged by a Japanese bomb off Okinawa. The after gun mount (manned entirely by women at the time as a publicity stunt) was hit, causing casualties but not sinking the ship. • Korean War Action: Higbee served three tours in the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support for United Nations forces and screening aircraft carriers. • Vietnam War Operations: Higbee participated in multiple deployments during the Vietnam War, conducting shore bombardments and supporting carrier operations. • 1972 Bombing Incident: On April 19, 1972, during the Vietnam War, Higbee was struck by a North Vietnamese MiG-17’s bomb—the first time a US Navy ship was bombed by enemy aircraft since World War II. The bomb destroyed her aft 5-inch gun mount. • Rapid Repairs at Sea: After the 1972 bombing, the crew rapidly repaired the damage, and Higbee was back in action within days, demonstrating the resilience and skill of her sailors. • Nicknamed "Leaping Lenah": USS Higbee earned the affectionate nickname "Leaping Lenah" in honor of her namesake and her crew’s fighting spirit. • Decommissioning and Fate: Higbee was decommissioned in July 1979 after over 34 years of service and was later sold for scrap in 1986, having earned 8 battle stars for World War II, 7 for the Korean War, and 7 for the Vietnam War.