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USS Mertz
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USS Mertz
USS Mertz (DD-691) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1972.
Albert Mertz was born on 26 March 1851 in Richmond, Wisconsin. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1872. Commissioned Ensign on 15 July 1873, he was assigned to the Coast Survey on 26 November 1877 until he returned to regular duty in the Navy on 6 July 1878, serving on the USS Wyoming and USS Alliance, among other ships. Following promotion to Commander on 11 April 1902, he took command of his first ship, USS Newport on 20 July 1903. On 20 December 1909 he reported for duty as commandant, Naval Station Cavite and Olongapo, Philippines. Appointed Rear Admiral 20 October 1910, he departed the Philippines on 3 February 1912 to become Governor of the Naval Home, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 25 March. He retired on 26 March 1913 and died at San Diego, California on 21 July 1936.
Mertz was laid down by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine on 10 May 1943 and launched on 11 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Selma M. Allen, daughter of Rear Admiral Mertz The ship was commissioned at Charlestown, Massachusetts on 19 November 1943.
After shakedown off Bermuda, Mertz departed Norfolk, Virginia, 26 January 1944 for the central Pacific, via the Panama Canal and San Diego, California, arriving at Pearl Harbor 5 March. On 9 March, the destroyer got underway for the Marshall Islands as convoy escort, arriving Majuro Atoll 6 days later. Mertz sailed on 22 March to join TG 58.2 and on 26 March and act as escort back to Majuro. En route on 31 March, she caught a Japanese maru at 0600 in the glare of her searchlights. The enemy merchant ship maneuvered to get away, only to go down under the hail of 5-inch (127 mm) projectiles from Mertz. The task group reached Majuro 6 April. Five days later Mertz steamed for the New Hebrides as a screen for the escort carrier Barnes, arriving at Espiritu Santo on 15 April.
In mid-May, the destroyer returned to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the Marianas campaign. She took fire support and patrol station close ashore to Saipan on 14 June, pounding gun emplacements in the daytime and at night maintaining illumination over the enemy lines until 22 June, when she began screening convoys.
Mertz participated in the occupations of Peleliu and of Angaur in the Palau Islands, arriving 10 September. She retired to Manus, Admiralty Islands, on 23 September to prepare for the invasion of Leyte, Philippines.
On 20 October, D-Day for the Leyte landing forces, Mertz escorted landing craft through air attacks to the beach and later in the day patrolled off Dinagat Island at the entrance to Leyte Gulf. Early in the morning of 25 October as the Japanese Southern Force approached Leyte Gulf through the Mindanao Sea, Mertz and McNair patrolled between Desolation Point and Homonhon Island, lest the enemy fleet choose to steam north along the east coast of Dinagat Island to attack the Allied beachhead. When the Japanese entered Surigao Strait, Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf’s force met and destroyed the enemy armada in the classic "crossing-of-the-T" maneuver known as the Battle of Surigao Strait, part of the overall Battle of Leyte Gulf. Later that same day Mertz splashed a Zero at several hundred yards with heavy machinegun fire.
With the Leyte beachhead established, the destroyer got underway 26 October for Hollandia, New Guinea, anchoring in Humboldt Bay on the 30th to replenish. She got underway for Leyte again 9 November escorting a reinforcement convoy arriving 5 days later. Mertz then continued on to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, to join a task unit staging for the daring expedition through the Sulu Sea, controlled by the enemy since early 1942, to capture Mindoro. The American ships had to contend with both a typhoon and heavy air attacks. Mertz splashed a Ki-43 ("Oscar") 15 December and assisted in the destruction of several others. Departing San Pedro Bay 4 January 1945, she made another voyage through the Sulu Sea, to support the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf on 9 January before returning to San Pedro Bay on 16 January.
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USS Mertz
USS Mertz (DD-691) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1972.
Albert Mertz was born on 26 March 1851 in Richmond, Wisconsin. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1872. Commissioned Ensign on 15 July 1873, he was assigned to the Coast Survey on 26 November 1877 until he returned to regular duty in the Navy on 6 July 1878, serving on the USS Wyoming and USS Alliance, among other ships. Following promotion to Commander on 11 April 1902, he took command of his first ship, USS Newport on 20 July 1903. On 20 December 1909 he reported for duty as commandant, Naval Station Cavite and Olongapo, Philippines. Appointed Rear Admiral 20 October 1910, he departed the Philippines on 3 February 1912 to become Governor of the Naval Home, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 25 March. He retired on 26 March 1913 and died at San Diego, California on 21 July 1936.
Mertz was laid down by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine on 10 May 1943 and launched on 11 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Selma M. Allen, daughter of Rear Admiral Mertz The ship was commissioned at Charlestown, Massachusetts on 19 November 1943.
After shakedown off Bermuda, Mertz departed Norfolk, Virginia, 26 January 1944 for the central Pacific, via the Panama Canal and San Diego, California, arriving at Pearl Harbor 5 March. On 9 March, the destroyer got underway for the Marshall Islands as convoy escort, arriving Majuro Atoll 6 days later. Mertz sailed on 22 March to join TG 58.2 and on 26 March and act as escort back to Majuro. En route on 31 March, she caught a Japanese maru at 0600 in the glare of her searchlights. The enemy merchant ship maneuvered to get away, only to go down under the hail of 5-inch (127 mm) projectiles from Mertz. The task group reached Majuro 6 April. Five days later Mertz steamed for the New Hebrides as a screen for the escort carrier Barnes, arriving at Espiritu Santo on 15 April.
In mid-May, the destroyer returned to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the Marianas campaign. She took fire support and patrol station close ashore to Saipan on 14 June, pounding gun emplacements in the daytime and at night maintaining illumination over the enemy lines until 22 June, when she began screening convoys.
Mertz participated in the occupations of Peleliu and of Angaur in the Palau Islands, arriving 10 September. She retired to Manus, Admiralty Islands, on 23 September to prepare for the invasion of Leyte, Philippines.
On 20 October, D-Day for the Leyte landing forces, Mertz escorted landing craft through air attacks to the beach and later in the day patrolled off Dinagat Island at the entrance to Leyte Gulf. Early in the morning of 25 October as the Japanese Southern Force approached Leyte Gulf through the Mindanao Sea, Mertz and McNair patrolled between Desolation Point and Homonhon Island, lest the enemy fleet choose to steam north along the east coast of Dinagat Island to attack the Allied beachhead. When the Japanese entered Surigao Strait, Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf’s force met and destroyed the enemy armada in the classic "crossing-of-the-T" maneuver known as the Battle of Surigao Strait, part of the overall Battle of Leyte Gulf. Later that same day Mertz splashed a Zero at several hundred yards with heavy machinegun fire.
With the Leyte beachhead established, the destroyer got underway 26 October for Hollandia, New Guinea, anchoring in Humboldt Bay on the 30th to replenish. She got underway for Leyte again 9 November escorting a reinforcement convoy arriving 5 days later. Mertz then continued on to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, to join a task unit staging for the daring expedition through the Sulu Sea, controlled by the enemy since early 1942, to capture Mindoro. The American ships had to contend with both a typhoon and heavy air attacks. Mertz splashed a Ki-43 ("Oscar") 15 December and assisted in the destruction of several others. Departing San Pedro Bay 4 January 1945, she made another voyage through the Sulu Sea, to support the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf on 9 January before returning to San Pedro Bay on 16 January.
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