USS Charrette (DD-581)

USS Charrette at Boston, Massachusetts on 4 August 1943. NARA # 80G74846.
History
United States
Name:	USS Charrette
Namesake:	George Charrette
Builder:	Boston Navy Yard
Laid down:	20 February 1942
Launched:	3 June 1942
Sponsored by:	Mrs. G. Charrette
Commissioned:	18 May 1943
Decommissioned:	15 January 1947
Struck:	1 September 1975
Identification:	DD-581
Fate:	Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 16 June 1959
Greece
Name:	Velos
Acquired:	16 June 1959
Decommissioned:	26 February 1991
Identification:	D16
Status:	museum ship in Palaio Faliro
General characteristics
Class and type:	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,100 tons standard, 3,050 tons full load
Length:	376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam:	39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
Draft:	17 ft 9 in (5.4 m) with full load (including ASW dome): 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m)
Propulsion:	60,000 shp (45,000 kW) 2 sets of General Electric geared steam turbines, 1 set of 3 for each shaft (cruising, low pressure, high pressure); 4 Foster Wheeler boilers (two furnaces each), maximum steam pressure: 3,619.75 kPa (525 psi), maximum steam temperature: 440,6 °C (825 °F); 2 propellers
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range:	6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement:	United States Navy: 329 Hellenic Navy: 269
Armament:	5 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal guns 4 × 40 mm AA guns, 4 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks (in Greek service) 4 × 127 mm (5 in)/38 cal. guns, 3 × twin 76 mm (3 in)/50 cal. RF AA guns 2× 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns 1 × quintuple 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (for Mk 14 torpedoes), 2 × triple 325 mm (12.8 in) anti-submarine torpedo tubes (for Mk 44-Mk 46 torpedoes), 2 × Hedgehog launchers (Mark 11, 24 bombs each), 1 × depth charge track for 12 Mk 9 depth charges, 12 (2×6) Super RBOC chaffs & flares launchers, 4 FIM-43 Redeye man-portable surface-to-air missiles (after 1976)

USS Charrette (DD-581) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant George Charrette (1867–1938), who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Spanish–American War. Entering service during World War II, she spent her career in the Pacific theatre. Placed in reserve following the war, Charette was transferred to Greece in 1959 and renamed Velos (D16). Velos remained in service until 1991 and was then turned into a museum ship at Palaio Faliro.

Charrette was launched on 3 June 1942 by the Boston Navy Yard, sponsored by Mrs. G. Charrette. The ship was commissioned on 18 May 1943, Commander E. S. Karpe in command.

Charrette cleared New York 20 September 1943 to escort the aircraft carrier Monterey to Pacific service. Arriving at Pearl Harbor 9 October, Charrette took part in training exercises until 10 November, when she put to sea with Task Force 50 (TF 50), for air raids on Japanese bases in the Marshalls. These strikes neutralized enemy air opposition to the landings at Makin and on Tarawa which followed. On 26 November, Charrette joined the screen of the task group assigned to air-cover operations over Makin and Tarawa themselves, providing protection to the assault shipping and support for the Marines ashore. Twelve days later, the destroyer screened battleships in a pounding bombardment on Nauru, then rejoined the aircraft carriers sailing on to Efate. From this base Charrette sailed on 21 December to screen the carriers as they launched strikes against Kavieng, New Ireland, during the three days preceding the assault on Cape Gloucester 26 December. Continuing north, the group arrived at Funafuti 21 January 1944 to prepare for the operations against the Marshall Islands.