USS Bagley (DD-386)
Bagley at Pearl Harbor in late 1945. Note the trunking around the single stack that distinguished this class. The small numbers on her side denote the location of her hull frames.
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| History | |
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| Name: | USS Bagley (DD-386) |
| Namesake: | Worth Bagley |
| Builder: | Norfolk Naval Shipyard |
| Laid down: | 31 July 1935 |
| Launched: | 3 September 1936 |
| Commissioned: | 12 June 1937 |
| Decommissioned: | 14 June 1946 |
| Struck: | 25 February 1947 |
| Fate: | sold 3 October 1947 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Bagley-class destroyer |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 341 ft 8 in (104.14 m) |
| Beam: | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Draft: |
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| Propulsion: | two propellers, 49,000 shp |
| Speed: | 38.5 knots (71.3 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement: | 251 |
| Armament: | 4 × 5 in/38 cal guns (12 cm), 4 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) guns, 16 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 2 × depth charge tracks |
USS Bagley (DD-386), a Bagley-class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Ensign Worth Bagley, officer during the Spanish–American War, distinguished as the only U.S. naval officer killed in action during that war.
Bagley (DD-386) was laid down on 31 July 1935 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched on 3 September 1936; sponsored by Miss Bella Worth Bagley, sister of Ensign Bagley; and commissioned on 12 June 1937, Lieutenant Commander Earl W. Morris in command.
Bagley worked extensively in the Atlantic before being sent to Pearl Harbor in 1940. She rotated occasionally between there and the Californian coast. By December 1941, Bagley was operating locally out of Pearl Harbor. Frequent exercises with DesDiv 7 were interspersed with carrier task force evolutions centered around Enterprise and Lexington. The pace of these operations intensified as American economic sanctions, instituted in response to Japanese actions in China and French Indochina, provoked Japanese protests. On 3 December during an antiaircraft practice at sea with DesDiv 8, Bagley's starboard side bilge keel tore loose. The destroyer slowed to 10 knots (20 km/h) and changed course for Oahu, mooring at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard the following morning. On 6 December, the warship shifted berths starboard side to berth B-22 in Southeast Loch. By this time, Bagley had gone cold iron, receiving electricity, steam, and fresh water from the dock.
At 0755 on 7 December, shortly before morning colors, Japanese aircraft from six fleet carriers struck the Pacific Fleet as it lay in port at Pearl Harbor. Onboard Bagley, Radio Seaman Recruit Robert P. Coles exited the port side mess decks and saw the Japanese planes attacking Hickam Field. Realizing it was not fleet maneuvers he broke open the 50 caliber forward port ready service locker and opened fire and hit the first two Torpedo Bombers attacking Battleship Row. He was relieved by Chief Gunners Mate Skinner who, as noted in official records, fired at the third plane to attack.
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