U.S.S. ABBOT ⭑ DD 629

History

Cruises
- 1943-45 WWII
  - Preface
  - Chapter 1
  - Chapter 2
  - Chapter 3
  - Chapter 4
  - Chapter 5
  - Chapter 6
  - Chapter 7
  - Chapter 8
  - Chapter 9
  - Index
- 1954 World
- 1956 Mediterranean
- 1958 Mediterranean
- 1960 Europe & Asia

Images

Souvenirs

Memories

Fletchers

Misc

Home

Web Site Map

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General

Main entry (introductory slide show) page.
Home page.
About this web site, including information about viewing the Abbot site.
Links to other destroyer-related sites.
Multimedia help; technical assistance for video and audio links, or for the visually, hearing or physically impaired.
Abbot DVD information (DVD is no longer offered for sale).
Glossary of terms found in naval logs.
Searchable dictionary of World War II naval terminology.
Bibliography of published sources. Web sites are listed on the links page.
Guestbook no longer accepts comments, but is still available to read.

Cruise Books

Cruise books home page.
Index to web edition 1943-45.
Preface to the 1943-45 book, including an introduction to the web edition.
1943-45 eBook version (For digital book devices, in ePub format.)
1943-45 Cruise Book Chapters:
History of the U.S.S. Abbot is a pdf copy of the original 1943-45 cruise book. Large file; download before viewing on a slow Internet connection.
World Cruise 1954 cruise book in PDF format.
Mediterranean Cruise 1958 cruise book in PDF format.
Europe and Asia 1960 cruise book in PDF format.

Images & Diagrams

Collections

Abbot’s Pacific War slide show.
Angevine photo collection contains more than 400 images.
World War II Abboteers
1950s Abboteers
Gil Nelson photo collection, 1953-1955.
Frank Laffredo photo collection, 1961-1963.
2003 crew reunion in Baton Rouge, La.

The Ship

About Fletcher-class destroyers.
External overview diagram.
General layout of Fletcher-class destroyers as built.
Booklet of general Fletcher-class building plans.
General layout of Fletcher-class destroyer with Cold War (1950s) modifications.
Interactive blueprint of a Fletcher-class destroyer.
Camouflage paint schemes on Fletcher-class destroyers.
Interactive 1941 blueprint of a proposed post-Fletcher-class destroyer.
Complete as-built blueprints for Fletcher-class destroyers. (In progress.)
The story of the first U.S.S. Abbot (DD 184), 1919-1940.
Cutaway drawing of a Fletcher-class destroyer.
Abbot launch, February 1943.
Abbot shipyard photos, April 1943.
Launch of Abbot.
Abbot underway, 1945 is perhaps the best running shot of Abbot during World War II.
Aerial photo of Abbot.
Abbot off Venice, 1952.
Abbot underway, probably in the 1960s.
Abbot in 1965.
Broadside view of Abbot.
Starboard stern view of Abbot.
Post-refit, late 1951, starboard broadside as Abbot leaves the shipyard.
Starboard bow, 1954.
Starboard running shot, 1954.
Refueling off Naples in 1958.
Cruising about 1959.
Port view, 1960, scanned from Mediterranean cruise book.
Aerial view, 1961, scanned from a souvenir Project Mercury postcard.
Aerial view, 1964 or 1965, with ResDesRon 30.
Awaiting the scrapper’s yard, 1974.
High-resolution images selected from the collection. Suitable for high-quality printing or use as PC wallpaper background.

Events

Chronology.
Collision with Cowpens on 18 October 1943.
Honshu raids, July 1945, with color images and 4-minute film.
Operations against Japan, July-August 1945; 12-minute film.
Torpedo practice, 1950s, color images.
1956 Mediterranean cruise, color images.
Fleet Week, 1960, color image.
Project Mercury, 1961, with color images.
The Last Shot, 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962

Places

Wotje Atoll, modern photo.
U.S. fleet off Majuro, Navy archives photo.
Fletcher-class destroyer in the Philippines.
Visit a Fletcher-class destroyer.

People

Getting started: Looking for an Abbot crewman?
In Memorium.
December 1945 crew photo.
Destroyer Squadron 48.
Lt. Walter R. Baranger profile.
Joe Scarpino aboard Abbot in August 1964.
Muster rolls.
Abbot’s commanding officers:
Lt. (j.g.) Walter R. Baranger, en route to Bath, Maine, 1943.
1944 Officers.
Chief petty officers in the Philippines.
Cdr. Dornin and Lt. Baranger.
Dr. Mrazek.
Lt. Magill.

Artifacts & Souvenirs

The Diving Eagle ship’s logo and where it came from.
Silk parachute fragment from Corregidor given to Abbot’s crew as a souvenir.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in 1946 with a lovely hand-painted sketch.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in June 1943.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in November 1943.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in 1945.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in 1957.
Envelope mailed aboard Abbot in 1958.
Pearl Harbor base pass, 1943.
WWII mess card.
Neptune Card, 1943.
Sea Bag, 1943-45.
Homeward Bound Pennant, August 1945.
Navy Day leaflet, October 1945.
Post-war patch.
Reserve Destroyer Squadron 30 patch.
Post-war matchbook cover.
Stationery packet, probably from the 1950s.
Post-war shoulder patch.
Post-war round patch.
Ratings patches.
Officer ranks.
Enlisted rates (ranks).
Ashtray, Cold War era.
Cast aluminum logo, Cold War era.
Sterling silver chalice, circa 1943.
Vulcan lighter, 1950s.
Zippo lighter, 1959.
Boatswain’s call (pipe).
World War II dogtag.
Bracelet.
Certificate for crossing 180° longitude, 1954.
Flags flown aboard Abbot.

Documents & Newspaper Articles

Index of miscellaneous documents.
Gil Nelson’s documents, 1953-1955.
Gene Gallagher’s documents, 1961-1963.
Launch of Abbot, New York Times article, archive image.
Various editions of The Abbot Dabbler and The Abboteer, the ship’s newsletters. Mimeograph.
Christmas Menu 1943, three pages. Mimeograph.
Captain’s Anniversary Message 1944, by Lt. Cdr. Dornin; marking exactly one year since commissioning. Four pages. Mimeograph.
Know Your Enemy: Japan!, by Anthony Jenkinson; 1942. Pamphlet issued to sailors.
Thanksgiving Menu 1944, three pages. Mimeograph.
Christmas Menu 1944, four pages. Mimeograph.
Smoker, undated (1944 or 1945) boxing match between DesRon 48 rivals Abbot and Walker (DD 517). Mimeograph.
Change of command orders. Francis Ingling relieves Marshall Dornin as commanding officer of Abbot on 14 August 1944. Two pages. Mimeograph.
Life aboard destroyers, New York Times article, archive image.
Kamaishi bombardment, New York Times article, archive image.
Honshu bombardment, New York Times article, archive image.
Official History of U.S.S. Abbot is the Navy’s summary of Abbot’s career.
Biography of Commodore Joel Abbot.
History of the U.S.S. Abbot is a large pdf version of the cruise book.
Abbot’s battle stars.
Abbot’s ribbons and medals.
Navy ribbons and medals chart.
Logs & action reports.
War Diary entry for Cowpens (CV25) collision, 18OCT43.
Muster rolls.
Ship’s history, 1960, given to all crew and midshipment.
Orentation manual, 1960, given to all crew and midshipment. Overview of ship’s operations.

Multimedia

“War Comes To America” From the Why We Fight series, June 1945.
Abbot’s Pacific War slide show.
Collision with Cowpens, 18 October 1943.
Destroyer Life in the Pacific 1943, black & white movie.
Philippines campaign, slide show.
Bombardment of Honshu and other scenes, color movie.
Operations against Japan, July-August 1945; 12-minute film.
Bombardment of Kamaishi, slide show.
Angevine/Loranger collection, World War II slide show.
The 1950s Doc Savage color movies.
The 1954 George Knutson color movies.
The 1957-1958 John Alford color movies.
The 1956-1957 color film including Abbot’s refueling in heavy seas.

Memories & Reunions

Upcoming reunions.
2003 DesRon 43 Reunion, Baton Rouge, La.
2008 Reunion, Charleston, S.C.
2010 Reunion, Portland, Maine.
2012 Reunion, Norfolk, Va.
2014 Reunion, Warwick, R.I.
2016 Reunion, Jacksonville, Fla.
2018 Reunion, Cape Cod, Mass.
2021 Reunion, Cape Cod, Mass.
2023 Final Reunion, Greenbelt, Md.
Memories index
Charlie Angevine (WWII).
Charlie Angevine remembers the Cowpens collision (1943).
Curt Presley (WWII).
John Derr (1960s).
John Alford (1958).
John Kelleher (1964).
John Kelleher (1962-1964).
James Michels (1965).
George Rider and the St. Patrick’s eve tragedy (1956).
George Rider and “Five Degrees From No Return” (1956).
Vittie Sablinskas (WWII).
1945 autograph book.