About this Unit
USS Trathen (DD-530) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1943 during World War II. Named after Lieutenant Commander James Trathen, the ship played a vital role in the Pacific Theater, participating in major operations such as the Marianas, Leyte, and Okinawa campaigns. Trathen provided naval gunfire support, screened aircraft carriers, and conducted anti-aircraft and anti-submarine patrols, earning 13 battle stars for her wartime service. After the war, she was decommissioned in 1946, briefly recommissioned for the Korean War, and was finally decommissioned in 1965.
Historical Facts
• USS Trathen (DD-530) was a Fletcher-class destroyer built for the U.S. Navy during World War II and named in honor of Lieutenant Commander James Trathen, a notable Civil War naval officer.
• She was launched on July 22, 1942, by the Bethlehem Steel Company in San Francisco, California, and commissioned on May 28, 1943.
• During World War II, USS Trathen participated in numerous major Pacific campaigns, including the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, Marianas, and Leyte Gulf operations.
• Trathen was credited with shooting down several Japanese aircraft and providing valuable anti-aircraft and gunfire support during amphibious landings.
• On October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Trathen assisted in the rescue of survivors from the USS Princeton (CVL-23) after it was struck by a Japanese bomb.
• The destroyer survived multiple kamikaze attacks and near-misses, sustaining only minor damage during her service in the Pacific Theater.
• After World War II, USS Trathen was decommissioned but later recommissioned for service during the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support and screening for aircraft carriers.
• She earned a total of 13 battle stars for her service in World War II and an additional 5 battle stars for her service during the Korean War, marking her as one of the more decorated destroyers of her class.
• USS Trathen was decommissioned for the final time on April 14, 1965, and was eventually sunk as a target off the coast of California in 1969.
• The legacy of the USS Trathen and her crew is commemorated by veterans' associations and through her battle honors, which reflect her significant contributions to U.S. naval history.
