USS Gillespie (DD-609) - 1944

1944

On 2 January 1944, she departed Norfolk, Virginia for the Pacific, reaching Funafuti atoll 20 days later, and escorting troop ships thence to Milne Bay, New Guinea, where she put in 7 February. As part of the 7th Fleet the destroyer supported the consolidation of Saidor in late February and escorted LSTs from Cape Sudest, New Guinea, to Cape Gloucester, New Britain, and Los Negros in the Admiralty Islands. On 6 March, the LSTs made landings in Hayne Bay, Los Negros, while Gillespie patrolled from five to fifteen miles off the northeast coast. While acting as a call fire ship for Army forces in Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, she bombarded the eastern tip of Pityilu Island on 14 March and until the 16th continued to support the Manus assault by bombarding installations and gun emplacements on Manus. On 24–25 March, Gillespie bombarded targets on Pityilu, Manus, and Rambutyo Islands, returning to Oro Bay, New Guinea, 26 March.

Training exercises and patrolling occupied her until 27 May, when she lent fire support for the initial landings on Biak Island. From 31 May to 2 June 1944, she served as a fighter director and warning picket off Biak, and bombarded that island. Gillespie came under repeated air attacks, but escaped damage or casualties. Duties in New Guinean waters continued; 5–6 July she bombarded positions on the west coast of Noemfoor Island to speed the advance of the 6th Army toward the Namber Drone area, and 20 July her 5-inchers attacked Insomeken Point and Arimi Island on the east coast of Noemfoor following the initial landings.

Through the summer of 1944, the destroyer continued patrolling and training exercises off New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and was on hand from 15 September to 14 October for screening activities during the amphibious assault on Peleliu in the Palau Islands. Gillespie sailed 14 October 1944 for overhaul at Bremerton, Washington, mooring there 5 November, and after refresher training, sailed from San Diego 3 January 1945. She conducted training exercises at Pearl Harbor and closed Ulithi 8 February, and subsequently as part of the Logistic Support Forces she escorted supply ships and units of the 5th Fleet during the seizure of Iwo Jima.