USS Abner Read (DD-526) was a in the service of the United States Navy, named after Lieutenant Commander Abner Read (1821 – 1863), who fought in the American Civil War. The ship fought in World War II, seeing action in the Aleutian Islands Campaign and in 1943 she survived hitting a mine that blew off her stern. After repairs, she returned to service and operated in support of Allied forces in the New Guinea campaign and the Battle of Leyte. She was sunk in an air attack off Leyte on 1 November 1944.

Construction and commissioning

Abner Read was laid down on 30 October 1941 at San Francisco, California, by Bethlehem Steel and launched on 18 August 1942, sponsored by Mrs. John W. Gates. She was commissioned on 5 February 1943.

Service history

Abner Read held shakedown along the California coast into April 1943 then got underway with Task Group (TG) 51.2 for the Aleutian Islands. She assumed patrol duties on 4 May 1943 and on 11 May 1943, shelled targets on Japanese-occupied Attu Island, supporting the United States Army's 7th Division during the Battle of Attu. Abner Read again bombarded Attu on 16 May 1943 before returning to San Diego, California, arriving 31 May 1943.

thumb|left|USS Abner Read lost most of her stern when she struck a [[Naval mine|mine off Kiska Island on 18 August 1943.]]

After two weeks in drydock at San Francisco, Abner Read got underway on 14 June 1943 for Adak, Territory of Alaska. Upon her arrival, she joined Task Force (TF) 16 and began patrolling the waters around Japanese-occupied Kiska Island in the Aleutians. On 22 July 1943, as part of Task Group 16.22, she took part in a bombardment of Kiska. Between 12 and 15 August 1943, Abner Read shelled Kiska in support of Operation Cottage, in which Allied forces landed on Kiska. On 17 August 1943, the American and Canadian forces discovered that Japan had left the island prior to the Allied invasion.

thumb|The damage report of the attack that sank USS Abner Read

Abner Read had been conducting an antisubmarine patrol off Kiska for two days without any sign of the enemy, steaming in a figure-eight pattern, when,

while making 5 knots, she was shaken by an explosion aft at 0150 on 18 August. The nearest Japanese minefield was thought to be away,

Disabled and adrift, Abner Read was in danger of drifting ashore on Kiska or onto more Japanese mines, but the destroyer arrived on the scene and towed her out of danger. Antiaircraft guns blew a wing off the aircraft

Honors

Abner Read received four battle stars for her World War II service.

References

  • Brown, David. Warships Losses of World War Two. Arms and Armour, London, Great Britain, 1990. .

Bibliography

Online resources

  • NavSource – DD-526
  • NOAA - Kiska: Alaska's Underwater Battlefield