USS Robert H. Smith (DM-23)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Name: | Robert H. Smith |
| Namesake: | Robert H. Smith |
| Builder: | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down: | 10 January 1944 |
| Launched: | 25 May 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 4 August 1944 |
| Identification: | DD-735 |
| Reclassified: | DM-23, 19 July 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 29 January 1947 |
| Struck: | 26 February 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Robert H. Smith-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 2,200 tons |
| Length: | 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m) |
| Beam: | 40 ft 10 in (12.45 m) |
| Draft: | 18 ft 10 in (5.74 m) |
| Speed: | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
| Complement: | 363 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
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USS Robert H. Smith (DD-735/DM-23) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer minelayers in the United States Navy. She was named for naval officer Robert H. Smith.
Robert H. Smith was laid down on 10 January 1944 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine and launched on 25 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Robert Holmes Smith. The vessel was redesignated DM-23 on 19 July 1944; and commissioned on 4 August 1944, Commander Henry Farrow in command.
Following shakedown off Bermuda, the new destroyer minelayer transited the Panama Canal with a Pacific-bound convoy 28 November, arriving at San Pedro 9 December and Pearl Harbor 21 December.
On 27 January 1945, Robert H. Smith sailed as escort for a convoy of the 5th Amphibious Corps bound for Iwo Jima. During final amphibious rehearsals off Saipan, she rescued the crew of a downed B-29. She arrived off Iwo Jima early in the morning of D-day, 19 February 1945. For most of the next three weeks, she served on radar picket station 50 miles north of the island, controlling CAP and reporting radar contacts. She also bombarded Japanese shore positions and acted as a screening ship for the night retirement formations.
Robert H. Smith departed Iwo Jima on 9 March and escorted a group of merchantmen as far as Saipan; and then sailed for Ulithi, arriving there 13 March. On 25 March she arrived off Kerama Retto with a group of minesweepers. During the pre-assault period, when she was twice attacked by kamikazes, Robert H. Smith acted as support ship for minesweepers, as radar picket ship, and as screening ship in night retirement formations. During the landings she screened the transport area; then departed 5 April with a convoy for Guam. On her return 21 April, she undertook six weeks of radar picket duty, undergoing numerous air attacks and downing five planes. On 4 June Robert H. Smith completed her radar picket duty. She spent a few more days screening the Okinawa transport area and supporting the amphibious attack on Iheya Point.
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