USS TRATHEN

• 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.