USS Flusser (DD-368) - World War II

World War II

Based at Pearl Harbor, she took part in intensive training operations with ships of all types, and on 5 December 1941 put to sea screening Lexington (CV-2). Thus away from base at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Flusser's force sought the retiring Japanese after the attack, then returned to their devastated home port 12 December. Through April 1942, Flusser sailed on convoy escort duty between Pearl Harbor and the west coast, and then cleared for Palmyra Atoll, where on 21 April she landed a small marine garrison. Continuing on, she began a period of escort and patrol service out of various southwest Pacific ports, on several occasions putting in to Australian ports.

Overhauled at Pearl Harbor between July 1942 and February 1943, Flusser returned to escort, antisubmarine, and training operations in the southern Solomon Islands. After replenishing at Pearl Harbor between 25 July and 4 August 1942, Flusser returned to Efate 17 August to resume escort and patrol operations to the Fiji Islands, Espiritu Santo, Samoa, and Tonga, returning to Pearl Harbor for overhaul between September and February 1943. Once more at Espiritu Santo 17 February, Flusser again escorted convoys of auxiliaries as well as warships among southwest Pacific bases, to and from Australia, and to Guadalcanal. She returned from Australia to Milne Bay 22 August, and based here for the New Guinea operation. Participating in the landings at Lae and Finschhafen, she conducted preinvasion bombardment, gave fire support cover to the assaults, escorted reinforcement and re-supply convoys, and on 22 September, attacked and sank three Japanese barges at Finschhafen. Flusser next participated in the bombardment and landing at Arawe, New Britain, and had similar duty in the occupation of Cape Gloucester and Saidor.