USS Reid (DD-369) - History

History

Reid was laid down 25 June 1934 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey; launched 11 January 1936; sponsored by Mrs. Beatrice Reid Power; and commissioned 2 November 1936, Captain Robert B. Carney in command.

From 1937 into 1941, Reid participated in training and fleet maneuvers in the Atlantic and Pacific. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Reid's gunners fired at the Japanese planes, and downed one of them. After the attack, Reid patrolled off the Hawaiian Islands, Palmyra Atoll, and Johnston Island during December. In January 1942, she escorted a convoy to San Francisco, California. Returning to Hawaii for more patrol duty, she later steamed to Midway Island, and then twice more escorted convoys from Pearl Harbor to San Francisco.

Departing Pearl Harbor on 22 May 1942, Reid steamed north to bombard Japanese positions on Kiska Island, Alaska on 7 August 1942. She supported landings at Adak, Alaska, 30 August 1942, and sank by gunfire the Japanese submarine RO-61 on 31 August 1942. After transferring five Japanese prisoners to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, she patrolled near New Caledonia, Samoa, and the Fiji Islands during October and November 1942.

Departing Suva Harbor, Fiji Islands on Christmas Day 1942, she escorted Army troops to Guadalcanal before guarding a convoy to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. In January 1943, she bombarded several enemy locations on Guadalcanal.

After patrols in the Solomon Islands, Reid provided radar information and fighter direction for landings at Lae, New Guinea, 4 September 1943. While supporting landings at Finschhafen, New Guinea on 22 September 1943, she downed two enemy planes.

Following patrol and escort duty off New Guinea, she sailed from Buna Roads, New Guinea, to escort troop transports for landings at Arawe, New Britain, 15 December 1943. She protected landings at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, on 26 December 1943, and at Saidor, New Guinea, 2 January 1944. She guarded landings at Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands, 29 February 1943, and at Hollandia, New Guinea, 22 April 1943. Her guns supported landings at Wakde Island 17 May 1943, at Biak on the 27 May 1943, and at Noemfoor Island, New Guinea, 2 July 1943.

Departing Pearl Harbor 29 August, she supported air strikes against Wake Island 3 September. After patrols off Leyte, Philippine Islands in November, she steamed to Ormoc Bay, Leyte, Philippines. She supported landings there 7 December, and escorted the damaged Lamson (DD-367) toward Leyte Gulf.