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USS McKEE (DD-575)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NAVN

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1945) - RATTLETRAP

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 6 x 40mm, 10/11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Consolidated Steel, Orange TX March 2 1942.
Launched August 2 1942 and commissioned March 31 1943.
Decommissioned February 25 1946.
Stricken October 1 1970.
Fate Sold January 2 1974 and broken up for scrap.
Click On Image
For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By
Namesake
McKee 63kPhoto #: NH 66327, Lieutenant Hugh W. McKee, USN photograph taken on board USS Colorado (1858-1885) in June 1871, shortly before his death in combat with Korean forces on 11 June. This a retouched, heavily cropped image taken from the left side of the view seen in Photo # NH 63679. It appears to have been copied from a published source. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart
USS McKee (DD-575)
McKee 248kThe christening party of USS Mckee on 02 August 1942 was Mr. and Mrs. H. Cranfill, Mrs. Harry B. Hird, Mrs. E.B. Perry, Mrs. W.S. Elkin, Mrs. Thomas F. Coyle, Capt. Harry Hird, Ret., and Mrs. Richard A. Asbury, cousin of the ship's namesake.John Chiquoine
McKee 202kNewspaper view of Mrs Richard A. Asbury christening McKee on 02 August 1942.John Chiquoine
McKee 262kNewspaper view from The Orange Leader showing the launching of USS McKee on 02 August 1942.John Chiquoine
McKee 107kMcKee at the fitting out pier at Consolidated Steel, Orange Texas, February 1943. Archives 19N LCM.Dave Schroeder/John Chiquoine
McKee 97kSoon to be USS McKee (DD-575) fitting out on the Sabine River at ConSteel, Orange TX, February 1943. Young (DD-580) and Wickes (DD-578) are in the upriver berth. NARA 19N LCM.Dave Schroeder/John Chiquoine
McKee 121kMcKee fitting out at Consolidated Steel Corp, Orange TX, March 1943. John Chiquoine
McKee 129kMarch 1943 surface detail from the Sabine River fitting out pier at Consolidated Steel, Orange,TX. She was the seventh tin can completed and the first Orange-built with the expanded 6-40mm / 11-20mm / three mk49 director AA battery. Main battery radar not yet arrived, and she has a locally fashioned 20mm platform ahead of the pilot house. NA19LCM.John Chiquoine
McKee   McKee   McKee   McKee
USS McKee in Sabine Pass, March 1943, enroute from Orange to Galveston for her initial drydocking. NA 19N44266-70.		David Buell/John Chiquoine
McKee 135kCharleston Navy Yard, 11 June 1943.David Buell
McKee 153kAs above.David Buell
McKee
0557557		 110kUSS McKee (DD-575) and USS Dashiell (DD-659) steaming in exercises off Oahu with TG59.19 between 09 and 13 August, 1943. Photographed from USS Yorktown (CV-10) by Lt Charles Kerlee, USNR. During the three weeks after 27 July 1943, the arriving Squadron 25 ships had brought out Yorktown, Lexington, and three CVL's from the East coast. Once at Pearl they were specifically trained to run with new offensive raid operations.
National Archives 80-GK-15840		John Chiquoine
McKee   McKee   McKee
USS McKee brings rescued pilot LT(jg) Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr., A-V(N) USNR, back to USS Essex the morning after the Marcus Raid, 02 September 1943. This raid was the first occasion the new Essex fast carriers and their escorts made a hit and run offensive attack, and the first of many destroyer rescues of Essex fast carrier airmen in a live combat theater. Hadden had made a forced landing at sea in F6F 9-F-5 the afternoon of 30 August when his arresting hook failed. NA 80G333180, 80G333181.		John Chiquoine
McKee
0557556		 816kLT(jg) Hadden looking bemused after his boatswain's chair journey back to Essex, 02 September 1943. Note the photographer at lower right, who probably shot the above three photos.
National Archives 80-G-33182		John Chiquoine
McKee 188kUSS McKee in company of USS Harrison in fire support activity off Agana, Guam, July 1944. Photo by T McCann.John Chiquoine
McKee 131kPhoto #: NH 103695, USS McKee (DD-575) steaming toward the entrance of Chesapeake Bay (position 37 00'N, 75 26'W, course 270) at time 1647Q on 3 July 1943. Photographed from a Blimp of Squadron ZP-14, based as Naval Air Station Weeksville, North Carolina. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 54kPhoto #: 80-G-K-15840, USS McKee (DD-575) steams with another destroyer off Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, during training exercises in the summer of 1943. Photographed from on board USS Yorktown (CV-10) by Lieutenant Charles Kerlee, USNR. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Tony Cowart
McKee 109kUSS McKee (DD-575) patrolling off the western Samar coast during the first morning of the Leyte landings, 20 October 1944. McKee and Harrison shot up several Jap camps that friendly Filippinos pointed out to them. Both cans sent their new friends back to their villages with piles of clothes, cigarettes, and some treats. Finding few threats, both were withdrawn to cover transports by mid-afternoon.
Photo by CTM Tom McCann, USS Harrison.		John Chiquoine
McKee 132kUSS MCKEE seen during post-overhaul trials from Mare Island, CA, 28 December 1944. A new paint scheme is incomplete on both sides. An ECM equipment mast and Mounts 41 and 42 have been installed.John Chiquoine
McKee 141kAs above.John Chiquoine
McKee 75kPhoto #: NH 103696, USS McKee (DD-575) in San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 68kPhoto #: NH 103697, USS McKee (DD-575) photographed from directly ahead while in San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944. Goat Island and the Bay Bridge are visible in the distance. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 73kPhoto #: NH 103698, USS McKee (DD-575) photographed from directly astern while in San Francisco Bay, California, 28 December 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 238kUSS MCKEE midships areas during Mare Island overhaul 30 December 1944. John Chiquoine
McKee 97kPhoto #: NH 103700, USS McKee (DD-575) plan view, amidships looking forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 30 December 1944. Note her forward quintuple torpedo tube mount and torpedo davit, 26-foot motor whaleboat on davits and floater nets in bins on each side of her forward smokestack. White outlines mark recent alterations of the ship. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 116kAft plan view of USS McKee (DD 575) at Mare Island on 30 December 1944.Darryl Baker
McKee 112kUSS McKee (DD-575) plan view, forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 30 December 1944. USS Kidd (DD-661) is tied up to McKee's port side. White outlines mark recent alterations of the ship.Darryl Baker/Robert Hurst
McKee 154kMcKee wrapping up her Mare Island overhaul, 30 December 1944. Stbd bow surface. From DD575 19LCM.John Chiquoine
McKee 63kMcKee in a swell, as seen from from Harrison (DD-573), 1945 photo by Tom McCann. J Chiquoine collection. John Chiquoine
McKee 151kUSS McKee coming alongside Harrison, spring 1945. Photo by T McCann.John Chiquoine
McKee 152kView of activity aboard McKee and Indiana in TG38.1 during February 1945 while off mainland Japan and Iwo Jima, by Combat Photo Unit 6. NA 80G307076.John Chiquoine
McKee 231kView aft of McKee in a turn to starboard while in TG38.1 during February 1945. By Combat Photo Unit 6, NA 80G307077.John Chiquoine
McKee View of topside activity and shipboard equipment aboard McKee, 26 February 1945 in TG58.1. Photo by Lyle Hansen CPU6, NA 80G307084.John Chiquoine and Rick E. Davis
McKee 72kPhoto #: 80-G-K-3222, USS McKee (DD-575) underway in the waters near Okinawa on 01 March 1945, while operating with Task Force 58. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Tony Cowart
McKee 129kPhoto #: 80-G-K-3507, USS Tomahawk (AO-88) refueling USS McKee (DD-575) at sea in the western Pacific, 04 March 1945. Photographed from on board McKee, whose starboard waist 40mm twin gun mount is visible on the right. Tomahawk's camouflage is Measure 32, Design 3AO. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Tony Cowart
McKee 105kPhoto #: NH 103702, Destroyer Squadron 25 entering Ulithi anchorage, Caroline Islands, with other units of Task Force 58, 05 March 1945. Photographed from on board USS McKee (DD-575). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 135kUSS McKee in TG 58.1 formation to port of USS Hornet in mid-day AA action 16 April 1945. A couple minutes earlier McKee had splashed the kamikaze whose smoke trail in the distance. NA 80G327511.John Chiquoine
McKee 90kAA Action view of Mckee obscured by her own gunsmoke after firing at kamikaze in TG58.1 formation, 16 April 1945. By Bennington, NARA 80G327503.John Chiquoine
McKee 53kPhoto #: NH 103701, USS McKee (DD-575) operating at sea in the Ryukyus area with Task Force 58, 26 April 1945. USS Bennington (CV-20) is in the left background. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee   McKee
USS McKee coming alongside USS Belleau Wood in TG 58.1, April 26 1945. Photo by Lyle Hansen, CPU6. NA 80G320272 and 320273.		John Chiquoine and Rick E. Davis
McKee 149kUSS McKee exploding mine 12 May 1945 in TG 58.1, as seen from USS Bennington. NA 80G331177.John Chiquoine
McKee 16kView and photo by USS Wasp, 16 August 1945 in TG38.1. Distributed to crew.Joe
McKee 92kMcKee in the anchorage at Pearl Harbor when just arrived from WestPac, September 1945. Photo from a shipmate on USS LST-662.John Chiquoine
McKee 158kUSS McKee alongside USS Sigsbee kicking up a spray while returning to the US East Coast October 1945. Photo by Lt Gordon Barrett. Many shipmates had bought tourist box cameras while coming thru CocoSolo on Oct 10th.Joe
McKee   McKee
McKee's main battery director and equipment, late in 1945, by a shipboard shutterbug.		John Chiquoine
McKee 113kPhoto #: NH 103703, USS McKee (DD-575) laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Orange, Texas, circa 1969-1974. USS Middlesex County (LST-983) is at right, also in "mothballs". Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
McKee 91kView of McKee with Schroeder (DD-501) to starboard in disposals at NISMF Orange TX, 1972. By Scott Lynch.John Chiquoine
Click here to see additional image(s) of this ship on our Orange, Texas Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (ISMF) Special Feature page
USS McKEE DD-575 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR John Joseph Greytak    Mar 31 1943 - May 19 1944

CDR Russell Bowes Allen    May 19 1944 - Sep 4 1945 (Later RADM)

LCDR Victor Bernard Graff    Sep 4 1945 - Feb 25 1946
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Contact Name: John Chiquoine
Address: 323 Wellington Road, West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: (610)692-2627
E-mail: dd573@aol.com

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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This page was created by Fred Willishaw (ex ARG-4, AS-11 & DD-692) and is maintained by David L. Wright
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Last Updated 31 December 2021