USS Burns (DD-588)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | USS Burns (DD-588) |
| Namesake: | Hugh Otway Burns |
| Builder: | Charleston Navy Yard |
| Laid down: | 9 May 1942 |
| Launched: | 8 August 1942 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Harry L. Smith |
| Commissioned: | 3 April 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 25 June 1946 |
| Struck: | 1 November 1972 |
| Fate: | Sunk as a target, 20 June 1974 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Fletcher class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 2,050 tons |
| Length: | 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m) |
| Beam: | 39 ft 8 in (12.09 m) |
| Draft: | 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m) |
| Propulsion: | 60,000 shp (45,000 kW) × 2 propellers |
| Speed: | 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range: | 6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement: | 329 |
| Armament: | 5 × 5 in / 38 cal guns (127 mm) 4 × 40 mm AA guns 4 × 20 mm AA guns 10 × 21 in torpedo tubes 6 × depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge tracks |
USS Burns (DD-588), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Captain Hugh Otway Burns (1775–1850), a privateer in the War of 1812.
Hugh Burns was launched 8 August 1942 by Charleston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Harry L. Smith, great-granddaughter of Captain Hugh Burns; and commissioned 3 April 1943, Commander D.T. Eller in command.
Burns arrived at Pearl Harbor 17 September 1943 and after a few weeks of training, embarked upon an outstanding World War II career. Between October 1943 and July 1945, with the exception of a stateside yard period (February–April 1945), Burns participated in the following operations, acting as anti-submarine escort, picket ship, fighter director ship, and aircraft rescue ship:
On 30 January 1944, after picking up three downed American aviators, Burns was off Ujae Atoll en route to rejoin her task group when she came upon a small Japanese convoy. During the ensuing 34-minute battle she succeeded in sinking all four Japanese vessels, a small cargo ship, a medium tanker, and two small, either cargo or escort, ships.
Shortly thereafter Burns, as a unit of Task Group 50.9 (TG 50.9), took part in a surface action off Truk, Caroline Islands (17 February 1944). She assisted in sinking Katori at 07°45' N. 151°20' E., and a trawler before being ordered to track down and dispose of the CH-24, which was accomplished at 1655 in 07°24' N., 150°30' E. Six Japanese survivors were rescued.
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