View source for USS Macomb

{{Short description|Gleaves-class destroyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = [[File:USS Macomb (DD-458) off Boston in 1942.jpg|300px|USS Macomb (DD-458) off Boston in 1942.]]
| Ship caption = USS Macomb (DD-458) off Boston in 1942.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|1954}}
| Ship name = USS ''Macomb''
| Ship namesake = [[William H. Macomb|William H.]] and [[David B. Macomb]]
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = [[Bath Iron Works]]
| Ship laid down = 3 September 1940
| Ship launched = 23 September 1941
| Ship commissioned = 26 January 1942
| Ship identification = DD-458
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = yes
| Ship reclassified = DMS-23, 15 November 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = yes
| Ship decommissioned = 19 October 1954
| Ship fate = *Transferred to [[Japan]],
*19 October 1954
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = yes
| Ship struck = 1 February 1970
| Ship honours = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = title
| Ship country = Japan
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Japan|naval}}
| Ship name = JDS ''Hatakaze''
| Ship namesake = 
| Ship acquired = 19 October 1954
| Ship commissioned = 
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship struck = 
| Ship honours = 
| Ship identification = DD-182
| Ship fate = Returned to U.S., 1969; sold to Republic of China, 1970
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = title
| Ship country = Taiwan
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Republic of China|naval}}
| Ship name = ROCS ''Hsien Yang''<ref name=Janes-73>{{cite Jane's||310|1973 ships}}</ref>
| Ship namesake = 
| Ship acquired = 1970<ref name=Janes-73 />
| Ship commissioned = 
| Ship decommissioned = 1974<ref name=Janes-78>{{cite Jane's||440|1977 ships}}</ref>
| Ship identification = DD-16
| Ship struck = Converted to dockside training ship<ref name=Janes-78 />
| Ship fate = Cannibalized for spare parts.
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Gleaves|destroyer}}
| Ship displacement = 2,230 tons
| Ship length = {{convert|348|ft|2|in|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = &nbsp; {{convert|36|ft|1|in|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = &nbsp; {{convert|15|ft|8|in|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *{{convert|50000|shp|kW|abbr=on}};
*4 boilers;
*2 propellers
| Ship speed = {{convert|35|kn|km/h|0}}
| Ship range = *{{convert|6500|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn|abbr=on}}
| Ship complement = 208
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *4 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}]] [[dual purpose gun|DP]] guns,
*5 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] [[antiaircraft|AA]] guns,
*5 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] AA guns,
*5 × [[Mark 15 torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s,
*6 × [[K-gun|depth charge projectors]],
*2 × depth charge tracks
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

'''USS ''Macomb'' (DD-458/DMS-23)''' was a {{sclass|Gleaves|destroyer}} of the [[United States Navy]], named for Commodore [[William H. Macomb]] (1819–1872) and Rear Admiral [[David B. Macomb]] (1827–1911).

''Macomb'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 3 September 1940 by the [[Bath Iron Works]] Corp., [[Bath, Maine]] and [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 23 September 1941; cosponsored by Mrs. Ryland W. Greene and her sister, Mrs. Edward H. Chew, granddaughters of Commodore William H. Macomb. The destroyer [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 26 January 1942.

==Service history==

=== Atlantic service ===

Following shakedown, she operated off the east coast escorting [[convoy]]s and [[aircraft carrier]]s. These convoy missions took ''Macomb'' south to the northern coast of [[South America]], east to the [[West Africa]]n coast, and north to [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]]. Standing out of [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] on 5 July 1942, ''Macomb'' escorted a [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] transport and an English ship to [[Greenock]], [[Scotland]], arriving 12 July. She operated between Scotland and [[Iceland]] making one round-trip voyage to [[New York City|New York]] for availability, until 25 September 1942, when she anchored at [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk, Virginia]] Departing Norfolk on 11 October, she screened aircraft carrier anti-submarine patrols in the [[Caribbean]] until heading for the [[north Africa]]n coast 7 November. Arriving on the 11th, she acted as carrier screen during the [[Operation Torch|landings at Casablanca]] and returned to Boston after the landings were secure.

After overhaul at Boston, ''Macomb'' again operated as convoy escort along the east coast and in the Caribbean. Following a cruise which took her close to the coast of north Africa, the destroyer commenced operating out of [[Naval Station Argentia|NS Argentia]], [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland]], on [[North Atlantic]] patrol. While on this patrol her convoy and antisubmarine duties took her to Iceland and England. During this early 1943 period, [[Kriegsmarine|German]] [[submarine]]s were extremely active, sinking many Allied ships with their "[[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolf pack]]s".

In August 1943 ''Macomb'' returned from a tour of duty with the [[British Home Fleet]] and operated again off the Atlantic seaboard with only one break until mid-1944. On this one exception she made an uneventful cruise to the [[Azores]]; [[Freetown]], [[Sierra Leone]]; [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]]; and [[Bermuda]] before returning to Boston in late December.

On 20 April 1944, the destroyer got underway for the Mediterranean where she operated off the [[Algeria]]n coast on antisubmarine duty. On 18 May, just before midnight, she commenced a 72-hour submarine chase that ended when {{GS|U-616||2}} was blasted to the surface by ''Macomb''{{'}}s [[depth charge]]s and then sunk by her guns. In mid-August 1944 she took part in the [[Operation Dragoon|invasion of southern France]], returning to antisubmarine patrol afterward ''Macomb'' arrived at [[Charleston Navy Yard]] 9 November for conversion to a [[destroyer minesweeper]].

=== Pacific service ===
====Okinawa====
Redesignated '''DMS-23''', 15 November, she joined [[Mine Squadron 20]] (MineRon&nbsp;20) and, after refresher training, departed for the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II|Pacific]] 3 January 1945. Arriving in the western Pacific in mid-March, Mine Squadron 20 Joined Task Group 52.2 (TG&nbsp;52.2) and steamed toward [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. They were the first task group to enter Okinawan waters and remained until after the completion of the operations. Only one of the 11 ships in the squadron escaped ''[[kamikaze]]'' hits, and one, {{USS|Emmons|DD-457|2}}, was sunk on 8 April. The squadron suffered some 300 casualties, including over 100 killed.
''Macomb'', participating in the entire campaign, shot down many enemy planes. On 27 April, in the early predawn hours, an enemy aircraft raid was picked up by her [[radar]]. For an hour ''Macomb'' fired almost continuously while maneuvering at top speed; three planes were splashed. Her luck ran out on 3 May during a twilight enemy raid. She downed one Japanese plane but a second came in fast and crashed into her, causing extensive damage and killing 7 men.<ref>R.Rielly "Kamikaze Attacks of World War II" 2011; p.282</ref> For this campaign, ''Macomb'' was awarded the [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for having, "...by her own aggressiveness and the courage and skill of her officers and men, contributed essentially to the success of the Okinawa invasion..."

''Macomb'' proceeded to [[Saipan]] for battle repairs following the 3 May engagement. Soon after the repairs were completed, the war's end was announced. ''Macomb'' rendezvoused with the [[U.S. 3rd Fleet|3d Fleet]] on 13 August en route to the Japanese home islands. On 29 August, Just ahead of the [[battleship]]s {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}} and {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|2}}, she dropped anchor in [[Tokyo Bay]], where she was witness to the formal surrender.

Leaving Tokyo Bay on 4 September 1945, she commenced sweeping [[Naval mine|mines]] in the Japanese area, off Okinawa, near the entrance to the [[Yellow Sea]], and in the [[Chosen Straits]].

=== 1945 &ndash; 1954 ===
[[File:USS Macomb;0545804.jpg|thumb|USS ''Macomb'' after conversion to a high speed minesweeper.]]
Departing [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo, Japan]], on 5 December 1945, ''Macomb'' steamed for Norfolk, Va., and [[U.S. Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]] duty. In June, 1948, [[Naval Station Charleston|Charleston, South Carolina]], become her home port, and until September 1949, ''Macomb'' went on patrols and took part in exercises along the eastern coasts of the United States and [[Canada]] and in the Caribbean. By the 1950s, Macomb had her Torpedo tubes and aft main 5inch gun removed.

On 8 September 1949, ''Macomb'' departed Charleston for the first of three brief tours of duty with the [[U.S. 6th Fleet|6th Fleet]] in the Mediterranean. She returned to Charleston on 13 October. Her second trip to the Mediterranean came in 1951, 20 March to 5 October, the third, 22 April to 24 October 1953. During each cruise ''Macomb'' participated in the 6th Fleet exercises and operations, lending support to American diplomatic efforts at settling the unstable political situations then existent in many of the Mediterranean countries.

=== Foreign service 1954 &ndash; 1978 ===

{{Other ships|Japanese destroyer Hatakaze}}

In July 1954, ''Macomb'' was placed in reserve. On 19 October she was decommissioned and transferred to the [[Japan]]ese Government, becoming '''''Hatakaze'' (DD-182)''' in the [[Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force]]. Her removed aft 5-inch gun was returned to the aft in the 1960s, though Macomb's second 5-inch gun was removed.
The former ''Macomb'' was returned to U.S. custody in 1969. She was then sold to the [[Republic of China]] on 6 August 1970, to replace the former ''Gleaves''-class destroyer {{USS|Rodman|DD-456|2}} (which had been damaged after running aground) as '''ROCS ''Hsien Yang'' (DD-16)'''.<ref name=Janes-73 /> The former ''Macomb'' was decommissioned in 1972, struck in 1974, and was serving as a dockside training ship through 1978.<ref name=Janes-78 />

{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}

== Battle stars ==
''Macomb'' received five [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/macomb.html}}

== External links ==
*[http://destroyerhistory.org/benson-gleavesclass/ussmacomb/ USS ''Macomb'' website] at [http://destroyerhistory.org/ Destroyer History Foundation]
*{{navsource|05/458|Macomb}}
*[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd458txt.htm  hazegray.org:     USS ''Macomb'']

{{Gleaves class destroyer|others}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macomb (Dd-458)}}
[[Category:Gleaves-class destroyers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bath, Maine]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Gleaves-class destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]]
[[Category:Gleaves-class destroyers of the Republic of China Navy]]