1945
Halligan's next assignment was supporting the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf. Operating as part of Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf's powerful support forces, she departed the Palaus 1 January 1945, transited Surigao Strait 3 January, and steamed through the Sulu Sea bound for the western coast of Luzon. Penetrating deep into enemy-held territory, the fleet was subjected to extensive kamikaze attacks. Ommaney Bay was severely hit 4 January; and after her survivors were rescued, the burning carrier was sunk by torpedoes fired by Burns. The following day Japanese planes resumed their attacks; despite withering anti-aircraft fire which shot down most of the attackers, suicide planes damaged several ships during an afternoon attack. Halligan shot down one kamikaze 5 January, then sent rescue and repair parties to assist damaged Stafford.
Arriving off Lingayen Gulf 7 January, Halligan screened escort carriers and patrolled in search of enemy submarines during the important Lingayen landings 9 January. She remained off the Luzon coast until 17 January when she sailed for Leyte as part of the screen for six escort carriers. Arriving Leyte Gulf 22 January, she sailed for Ulithi the next day and arrived 25 January to prepare for the invasion of Iwo Jima.
Assigned duty as fire support and shore bombardment ship, Halligan departed Ulithi 10 February; and, after conducting simulated shore bombardment at Tinian, Marianas, she departed Saipan 12 February for Iwo Jima. On 17 February she served as lifeguard ship north of Iwo Jima during preinvasion air strikes. At dawn she sighted and took under fire a Japanese twin-engined bomber, which attacked the ship from the port bow. Hit repeatedly by accurate gunfire, the attacker dropped a large bomb which landed about 100 yards off the port bow and failed to explode. Burning as it passed over the ship, the enemy plane crashed more than a mile away.
Halligan closed to within 2,700 yards (2.5 km) of the shore of Iwo Jima 19 February; and, as the first wave of Marines headed for the beach, she joined other ships in providing a heavy support barrage. Her guns destroyed a Japanese shore battery, and she spent much of D-Day pounding assigned target areas in support of the main landings. Later that day she joined other destroyers screening for escort carriers, and during the remainder of her duty off Iwo Jima she served as a screen and plane guard ship for offshore carrier operations.
One of the last destroyers to return from the Iwo Jima operation, Halligan arrived Ulithi in mid-March. She was soon underway again, this time as part of the mighty fleet steaming for the invasion of Okinawa—gateway to the heart of the Japanese Empire. Assigned to a fire support unit, she arrived off the southwestern part of Okinawa 25 March and began patrolling between Okinawa and Kerama Retto. In addition she covered minesweepers during sweep operations through waters which had been heavily mined with irregular patterns.
Halligan continued her offshore patrols 26 March. At about 18:35 a tremendous explosion rocked the ship, sending smoke and debris 200 feet in the air. The destroyer had hit a moored mine head on, exploding the forward magazines and blowing off the forward section of the ship including the bridge, back to the forward stack. PC-1128 and USS LSM(R)-194 arrived soon after the explosion to aid survivors. Ensign Richard L. Gardner, the senior surviving officer who was uninjured organized rescue parties and directed the evacuation of the living to waiting rescue vessels. Finally, he gave the order to abandon ship as the smoking hulk drifted helplessly.
The gallant Halligan, veteran of so many important operations in the Pacific, lost half of her crew of 300 in the disaster; and only 2 of her 21 officers survived. The abandoned destroyer drifted aground on Tokashiki a small island west of Okinawa, the following day. There the hulk was further battered by pounding surf and enemy shore batteries. Her name was struck from the Navy List 28 April 1945, and in 1957 her hulk was donated to the government of the Ryukyu Islands.
Halligan received six battle stars for World War II service.
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