About this Unit
USS Strong (DD-758) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer in the United States Navy, commissioned on March 8, 1945. Named after Rear Admiral James H. Strong, the ship served during the final months of World War II, conducting operations in the Pacific theater. After the war, USS Strong participated in occupation duties in East Asia and supported United Nations forces during the Korean War, providing gunfire support and screening for carrier task forces. The destroyer continued to serve through the Cold War era, performing training and patrol missions, before being decommissioned in 1973.
Historical Facts
• Namesake: USS Strong (DD-758) was named in honor of Rear Admiral James H. Strong, who distinguished himself at the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War.
• Class and Type: She was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, a class known for improved anti-aircraft capabilities and better seakeeping over their predecessors.
• Commissioning: USS Strong was commissioned on 8 March 1945, near the end of World War II, at the Bethlehem Steel Company in San Francisco, California.
• World War II Service: Though commissioned during WWII, she saw only brief service in the Pacific as the war ended shortly after her arrival, performing occupation and patrol duties off Japan.
• Korean War Action: The destroyer served valiantly during the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support, screening aircraft carriers, and participating in blockade operations along the Korean Peninsula.
• Notable Rescue: On 16 September 1950, USS Strong rescued 18 survivors from the South Korean steamer Chinnampo, which had been sunk by enemy action during Korean War operations.
• Cold War Deployments: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she took part in numerous peacetime deployments, including patrols in the Taiwan Strait and participation in Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) exercises.
• Vietnam War Service: USS Strong provided naval gunfire support during the Vietnam War, assisting ground forces and conducting search and rescue operations for downed pilots.
• Modernization: In the early 1960s, she underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) upgrades, which extended her service life and improved her anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
• Final Fate: Decommissioned on 31 October 1973, USS Strong was transferred to Greece, where she served as HS Apostolis (D216) until being scrapped in the 1990s.
