USS Marshall (DD-676) - World War II

World War II

Marshall's first big assignment came while she was still on her shakedown cruise off Bermuda. Speeding from that area, she rendezvoused in mid-Atlantic with Iowa, 13 December 1943, to escort President Franklin D. Roosevelt back from the Big Three Conference at Teheran (28 November to 1 December).

On 6 January 1944, Marshall departed New York for Pearl Harbor, arriving on the 28th. She remained at Pearl Harbor, undergoing further training and providing escort services to battle-damaged ships returning for repairs, until mid-March. Then, with Task Group 58.2 (TG 58.2), she sailed for Majuro, arriving on the 20th.

The Fast Carrier Task Force (then 5th Fleet's TF 58, later 3rd Fleet's TF 38), with Marshall taking station in the antisubmarine screen, departed Majuro 22 March to conduct aerial sorties against Palau, 30th, and Woleai, 1 April. Marshall next participated in TF 58's strikes against Japanese installations at Wakde and Hollandia in New Guinea, 21 to 27 April. On the 29th, Truk was the recipient of the forces' aerial message, while on the 30th her battleships commenced the bombardment of Ponape and her cruisers shelled Satawan. In May, the force moved against Wake and Marcus Islands, with Marshall assigned to join in an antishipping sweep north of the latter.

The next month, the task force was called on to support amphibious operations in the Marianas. On the 17th, the force headed west to intercept a Japanese force reported en route to the Marianas to support enemy troops fighting on Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan Islands. On the 19th, the Battle of the Philippine Sea commenced. In the course of the 2-day battle, the Japanese Fleet lost three aircraft carriers and 395 carrier planes (92 percent of her carrier plane strength). Marshall was credited with an assist in splashing two of those planes. For the next month and a half, Marshall continued to support operations in the southern Marianas, interrupted only by participation in the strikes against Chichi Jima and Iwo Jima, 4 July, and against Palau, Ulithi, and Yap, 23 to 27 July.

Marshall returned to Eniwetok in mid-August for voyage repairs and upkeep, departing again on the 23rd for operations in the Palau Islands. As a unit of TF 38 (formerly 58), she took part in the Palau and Philippine operations 6 to 24 September. On 12 September, she picked up 44 Japanese survivors from Natori, sunk 18 August by Hardhead.

After repair and replenishment at newly won Ulithi, Marshall's task group got underway 6 October for strikes against Okinawa, 10th, and Formosa, 12th to 14th. Marshall was then ordered to provide antiaircraft cover for Canberra during airstrikes against enemy strongholds throughout the Philippines. On the 22d, she rejoined her task group in a search for the enemy in the Sibuyan Sea and the Mindoro Strait. On the 25th, the Task Force moved north towards Cape Engaño, while Marshall joined TG 34.5 proceeding to San Bernardino Strait to intercept units of the Japanese Fleet withdrawing from Leyte Gulf. In the first hours of the 26th, Nowaki was sighted and sunk by the group. Returning to the fast carrier force on the 31st, Marshall continued to operate in the Philippines until the end of the year.

The new year, 1945, brought further strikes against the Philippines and, with operations in the South China Sea, against Formosa and the coast of China. On 10 February, Marshall, with TG 58.2, sailed for the enemy's home islands and on the 16th and 17th the carrier planes flew against Tokyo. The force then sped southeast to support the landings on Iwo Jima, returning to the Honshū area for further strikes on the 25th. By 1 March the task force was off Okinawa, commencing strikes in preparation for that campaign. On the 15th, strikes were directed against Kyūshū. On the 19th, Franklin received a direct hit and Marshall joined in the rescue, taking off 212 of her crew, and, on the 20th, escorted the listing ship back to Ulithi.

During the Okinawa campaign Marshall operated as advanced radar picket for her task group and escorted damaged ships to safety, 8 April to 9 May. On 9 May, she departed for Ulithi, continuing on to Leyte and finally San Francisco, arriving 6 July for overhaul. Before completion, the war ended and Marshall inactivated. Decommissioned in December, she was placed in the Reserve Fleet at San Diego.