DD-365
Cummings II
(DD-365: dp. 1,500; l. 341'4"; b. 35'; dr. 9'10"; s. 36
k.;cpl. 158; a. 5 5", 12 21" tt.; cl. Dale)
The second Cummings (DD-3'65) was launched 11 December 1935 by
United Shipyards, Inc., New York sponsored by Mrs. W. W. Mills,
niece of Lieutenant Commander Cummings; and commissioned 25 November
1936, Commander C. P. Cecil in command.
Departing New York 29 September 1937, Cummings arrived at San
Diego 28 October to join the Battle Force. She participated in the
fleet problem in Hawaiian waters in April 1938 and a Presidential
Fleet Review at San Francisco in July. In 1939 the exercises were
held in the Canal Zone and the Caribbean from January to April.
Returning to San Diego 12 May 1939, Cummings participated in
flotilla and fleet training, and served as plane guard for the
carriers Yorktown (CV-5) and Lexington (CV-2). When the security
patrol was begun on the west coast in 1940, Cummings served on it
intermittently, while continuing to conduct exercises in
antiaircraft and submarine tactics, and target practice.
Cummings was based at Pearl Harbor from 26 April 1940. Except for
a west coast overhaul and a cruise to Tutuila, Samoa; Auckland, New
Zealand; and Tahiti between 4 March and 3 April 1941, Cummings
remained in Hawaiian waters conducting patrols and constantly
exercising and drilling.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941,
Cummings weathered bombs which fell ahead and astern, receiving only
minor casualties from fragments, and sortied on patrol almost
immediately. From 19 December 1941 to 4 May 1942 Cummings escorted
convoys between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco, then sailed between
Suva, Fiji Islands, and Auckland, New Zealand., from 9 June to 13
August on similar duty.
After overhaul at San Francisco, Cummings escorted a convoy to
Noumea, and Wellington, New Zealand in November 1942; then began
patrol and escort missions for the Guadalcanal operation from bases
at Espiritu Santo and Noumea until 17 May 1943 when she sailed to
Auckland, New Zealand, for brief overhaul. Returning to Noumea 4
June, Cummings screened transports to Auckland in July, then served
at Efate from 5 August until 4 September.
Overhauled on the west coast again, Cummings joined TF 94 to
patrol off Adak, Alaska, between 1 and 16 December before returning
to Pearl Harbor 21- December. Assigned to the 5th Fleet, she sortied
on 19 January 1944 for the Marsha.lls operations, accompanying the
carriers for air strikes on Wotje and Eniwetok until 21 February.
Cummings sailed from Majuro 4 March for Trincomalee, Ceylon, where
she rendezvoused 31 March with British ships for exercises. She
sailed 16 April with British Force 70 to screen during air strikes
on Sabang, Sumatra, on 19 April, then returned to Ceylon until 6 May
when she cleared for Exmouth Gulf, Australia. With British Force 66,
she sortied 15 May for air strikes on Soerabaja, Java, then left the
British forces and returned by way of Sydney to Pearl Harbor.
Arriving at San Francisco 7 July 1944, Cummings sailed 21 July to
escort President F. D. Roosevelt embarked in Baltimore (CA-68) to
Pearl Harbor, Adak, and Juneau. The President and his staff came
aboard 8 August for transportation to Seattle and upon arrival
there, 12 August, President Roosevelt broadcast a nationwide address
from the forecastle of Cummings.
Departing Seattle 13 August 1944, Cummings joined TG 12.5 at
Pearl Harbor for an air strike and shore bombardment of Wake Island
on 3 September. With the 3d Fleet, she joined in the bombardment of
Marcus Island on 9 October, then screened the escort carriers as
they launched the supporting air strikes on Luzon, Cebu, Leyte,
Samar, and Negros, during the Leyte landings, and gallantly engaged
the Japanese in the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf. She took part in
the bombardment of Iwo Jima on 11 and 12 November, then returned to
Saipan 21 November for local duty. She interrupted this duty to join
in the repeated strikes on Iwo Jima from 8 December 1944 to 19 March
1945 when she supplied fire support for the invading troops. She was
stationed off Iwo Jima, occasionally escorting convoys to Saipan and
Guam until the end of the war. Her duties included local convoy
escort and control duty, and the important air-sea rescue work that
accompanied the intensified strikes on Okinawa and the Japanese home
islands. She supervised the occupation of Haha Jima on 9 September,
then sailed from Iwo Jima 19 September for San Pedro, Calif., Tampa,
Fla., and Norfolk. Cummings was decommissioned 14 December 1945 and
sold 17 July 1947.
Cummings received seven battle stars for service, during World War
II.
From the DANFS
History.
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