USS Bristol (DD 453) was a Bristol class destroyer, later absorbed into the Gleaves class, of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Mark Lambert Bristol. She was launched 25 July 1941 by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. Powell Clayton.The destroyer was commissioned on 22 October 1941.
Service history During her first year of service Bristol operated as a patrol and convoy escort in the North Atlantic, making several trans-Atlantic voyages to Ireland. On 22 September 1942, Cmdr John Albert Glick took over command of the ship. On 24 October 1942, she made her first voyage to North Africa, as part of the Operation Torch landings at Fedala, French Morocco (8–17 November). Returning to the United States in late November, she operated out of Norfolk, Virginia until 14 January 1943, when she again steamed to the Mediterranean where, with the exception of one trip to the Panama Canal Zone in April 1943, she served exclusively until 13 October 1943.
While on duty in that area, she took part in Operation Husky (9 July – 17 August 1943) and the Salerno landings (9–21 September). On 11 September 1943, Bristol rescued 70 survivors from the torpedoed destroyer . While performing shore bombardment during the same operation, she destroyed the Italian Navy armed train ("treno armato") T.A. 76/2/T around the port of Licata.
At 04:30 on 13 October 1943, while escorting a convoy to Oran, Algeria, Bristol was struck on the port side at the forward engine room by a single torpedo from U-boat commanded by Waldemar Mehl.Lenton, H.T., American Fleet and Escort Destroyers of World War Two (Doubleday, 1971), Volume 1, p. 90. Bristol was broken in half by the single explosion. No fires resulted, but steam, electrical power, and communications were lost and the ship had to be abandoned. Eight minutes after the explosion the aft section sank, followed four minutes later by the foreparts. Bristol suffered the loss of 52 of her crew; the survivors were rescued by the destroyers and .
Convoys escorted ConvoyEscort GroupDatesNotesHX 179MOEF group A513–22 March 194221 ships escorted without loss from Newfoundland to Northern IrelandON 81MOEF group A530 March–9 April 194213 ships escorted without loss from Northern Ireland to NewfoundlandAT 171–12 July 19426 troopships escorted without loss from New York City to Firth of ClydeUGF 124 October–8 November 194231 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Operation TorchUGF 414–25 January 194321 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean SeaUGF 65–18 March 194322 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean SeaUGS 6battle reinforcement20–22 March 1943Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean Sea; 3 ships torpedoed & sunkGUF 625 March–7 April 194315 ships escorted without loss from Mediterranean Sea to Chesapeake BayUGS 8A17 May–1 June 194380 ships escorted without loss from Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean Sea
Awards Bristol received three battle stars for her World War II service.
References
External links
hazegray.org: USS Bristol