USS Nicholas (DD-449)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | Nicholas |
| Namesake: | Major Samuel Nicholas |
| Ordered: | 28 June 1940 |
| Builder: | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down: | 3 March 1941 |
| Launched: | 19 February 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 4 June 1942 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 January 1970 |
| Struck: | 30 January 1970 |
| Honors and awards: |
30 battle stars |
| Fate: | sold for scrap, October 1970 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Fletcher-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 2,050 tons |
| Length: | 376 ft 6 in (114.7 m) |
| Beam: | 39 ft 8 in (12.1 m) |
| Draft: | 17 ft 9 in (5.4 m) |
| Propulsion: | 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers |
| Speed: | 35 knots (65 km/h) |
| Range: | 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt |
| Complement: | 336 |
| Armament: |
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USS Nicholas (DD/DDE-449) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, which served through most of World War II, and for 27 years and two more wars after. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas.
Nicholas was laid down 3 March 1941 by the Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine, launched 19 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward B. Tryon, descendant of Major Nicholas; and commissioned 4 June 1942, Lieutenant Commander William D. Brown in command.
Destined to serve in the Pacific through three armed conflicts, Nicholas, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 21 (DesRon 21), departed New York City 23 August 1942, sailing in the screen of Washington (BB-56), transited the Panama Canal, and continued on to the Central Pacific, arriving at Espiritu Santo 27 September. Three days later she began escorting Guadalcanal-bound troop and supply convoys. Into 1943 she screened the convoys assembled at Espiritu Santo and Nouméa to "Cactus" area (Guadalcanal and Tulagi), guarded them as they off-loaded and then returned the vessels to their departure point. Periodically assigned to offensive duties she also conducted antisubmarine hunter-killer missions off Allied harbors, sweeps of "the Slot", bombarded shore targets and performed gunfire support missions for Marine and Army units as they pushed toward the Tenamba River and total control of the long embattled island.
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