Some 80 years ago today, the magnificence of the brand-new Fletcher-class destroyer USS Leutze (DD-481), seen off her birthplace– the Puget Sound Navy Yard– on 2 April 1944. She wears Camouflage Measure 31 Design 16D, which is reflected in the calm waters.
National Archives photo 19-N-63358
Same as the above, 19-N-63359
The only ship named in honor of the Prussian-born RADM Eugene H. C. Leutze (USNA 1867, interrupted by Civil War service), USS Leutze (DD-481) was laid down on 3 June 1941 at Bremerton by Puget Sound Navy Yard, launched on 29 October 1942– christened by the granddaughter of the ship’s namesake– and commissioned on 4 March 1944. The above images were taken while on her shakedown period.
Shipping west in June to join the famed tin cans of DESRON 56, Leutze was active in the capture and occupation of South Palau Islands, made a daring nighttime torpedo attack against Nishimura’s battleships in the Surigao Straits, supported the Leyte landings, the Lingayen Gulf landings, and the capture of Iwo Jima.
It was off Okinawa in April 1945– just over a year after the above two images had been snapped– Leutze went to the rescue of a fellow destroyer, the burning USS Newcomb (DD-586).
After tying off to her sister and helping save that nearly destroyed warship, Leutze suffered her own brush with the Divine Wind.
As noted by DANFS:
Suddenly, through the fire and smoke, another Zeke appeared 2,500 yards off the port bow, flying 100 feet above the sea towards Newcomb’s bridge. With the other destroyer close aboard on her port side, Leutze’s shot was once again blocked, and her gunners could only watch as Newcomb’s two forward five-inch guns under local control fired at their nemesis. At 1815 with the plane now 1,000 yards from Newcomb, a five-inch shell exploded beneath the kamikaze’s left wing, knocking the aircraft off its course and causing it to skim across Newcomb’s deck and then strike Leutze at water level on her port quarter. A large explosion thought to be from a 500-pound bomb on the plane ripped her hull open to the sea, and water poured into the destroyer’s aft engine room and several other compartments astern. The blast also jammed the ship’s rudder full to the right, resulting in lost steering control, and also sparked a fire in the No. 4 handling room, which the sprinkler system extinguished quickly. While one repair crew continued to help fight Newcomb’s fires, the other two crews quickly went below decks to stem the flooding in their own ship.
Five minutes after the impact, Leutze’s crewmen began to jettison all extra topside weight. They also lowered the motor whaleboat to retrieve any men who had gone overboard and put two life rafts over the side to pick up survivors from Newcomb. Ten minutes later, at 1830, the destroyer’s fantail was already awash, indicative of serious flooding. Commanding officer Grabowsky informed CTF 54 at 1836 that his ship was in danger of sinking and requested help. With destroyer Beale (DD-471) now on the scene to aid Newcomb, Leutze discontinued assistance to her burning sister and gingerly moved ahead on a single engine, her stern section shuddering badly. Valiantly fighting to remain afloat, the crew jettisoned all depth charges and torpedoes on safe setting to save weight. With the destroyer’s after fuel and diesel tanks 100% full, the captain issued the order to pump the tanks at 1840. Meanwhile, the damage control parties continued to throw excess weight overboard and shored up the bulkheads of damaged compartments.
The emergency measures taken likely saved the ship. By 1900, the crew had stemmed the flooding and shortly thereafter regained steering control, and an hour later, the fantail had risen two feet above the waterline. Most fortunately, Leutze experienced no further air attacks as damage control efforts continued throughout the night. Lt. Grabowsky praised his crew for their resolve and fearlessness during the events of 6 April. “It is with the greatest pride that the Commanding Officer reports that under these extreme circumstances, the conduct of all hands was courageous in the highest sense of the word and could serve as an outstanding example of steadfastness under fire,” he wrote in his action report.
USS Leutze (DD 481) hit by a Japanese plane at Okinawa, Ryukyu Island, which was marred by anti-aircraft smoke at the instant the plane hit. Photograph released April 12, 1945. 80-G-322421
The famous DD-481 in Karamo Retto on 9 April 1945 following a kamikaze attack, at Okinawa. Courtesy of Turner collection. NH 69110
Towed to Kerama Retto anchorage and slowly repaired enough over three months to return under steam to California, she arrived at Hunters Point on 3 August 1945 but was deemed uneconomical to repair with the break out of peace and was scrapped in New Jersey in 1947.
Leutze earned all 5 of her battle stars.