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USS MURPHY (DD-603)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NAGQ

CLASS - BENSON As Built.
Displacement 2395 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 348' 4"(oa) x 36' 1" x 13' 2" (Max)
Armament 4 x 5"/38AA, 6 x 0.5" MG, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 50,000 SHP; Bethlehem Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 12 Knots, Crew 208.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island, NY May 19 1941.
Launched April 29 1942 and commissioned July 27 1942.
Collision at sea with the SS Bulkoil October 21 1943. The story of the collision
is part of a History Channel "Deep Sea Detectives" episode entitled "Destroyer Down."
Decommissioned March 9 1946.
Stricken November 1 1970.
Fate Sold October 6 1972 and broken up for scrap.
38 of her crew were lost and remain on duty.

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Murphy 231kJohn McLeod Murphy, civil engineer, was born 14 February 1827 in Westchester County, N.Y., and was appointed midshipman 10 August 1841. Resigning as a passed midshipman 10 May 1852. He served in the war with Mexico, and in 1851 was detailed as hydrographic assistant on Major John G. Barnard’s survey of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In 1853 he visited Mexico, and in 1855 he was surveyor of the city of New York. He was constructing engineer of the Brooklyn Navy-Yard in 1856. In the later year he was commissioned colonel of New York engineers, and took part in the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac until the close of 1862. He was appointed acting lieutenant, USN, 4 December 1862 and took command of gunboat Carondelet 4 March 1863, skippering that ship during the joint Army-Navy Expedition in Steele’s Bayou under Rear Adm. David D. Porter, 18 to 24 March, in which he landed with two boat howitzers and 300 men near Rolling Fork to hold that place until the Union ships could cover it with their guns. He next took Carondelet off Vicksburg engaging batteries at that Confederate fortress many times from 18 May to 3 July, being commended by Admiral Porter for energetic attention to orders and ready cooperation with Army corps commanders assaulting the fortress. Acting Lieutenant Murphy relinquished command of the gunboat 1 September and resigned his commission 30 July 1864 and resumed his profession as a civil engineer. Murphy was a frequent contributor to the newspaper and periodical press on subjects connected with his specialty. He died in New York City in 1884. Digital ID: cwpb 05342, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Bill Gonyo
Murphy 82kArtist's conception of the Murphy as she appeared in World War II by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.Navy Yard Associates
Murphy 67kUndated, location unknown.Captain Jerry Mason USN
Murphy 254kUndated World War II image of the USS Murphy (DD-603), USS Gherardi (DD-637), USS Burler (DD-636), USS Herndon (DD-638) and USS Shubrick (DD-639).Bobby Kleinaman
Murphy 155kMid-1942 overhead view of the USS Murphy (DD-603) underway. The ship is seen, as commissioned, with Measure MS12 (mod) camouflage scheme. Source: United States National Archives.Mike Green
Murphy 165kAugust 8 1942 in New York Navy Yard.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 107kTaken from USS New York (BB-34) during SAFI, the trip over to the invasion of Africa. From the collection of Thomas C. Edrington III who was Gunnery Officer on the New York at this time.Thomas C. Edrington IV & his daugher Kyra Larn Edrington
Murphy 114kAs above, alongside the New York for refueling. From the collection of Thomas C. Edrington III.Thomas C. Edrington IV & his daugher Kyra Larn Edrington
Murphy 108kAerial view of the USS Murphy (DD-603) dropping depth charges on a U-boat in the North Atlantic in 1943. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1993.501.073.065.Mike Green
Murphy 32kStarboard broadside view of the aft 2/3 of the USS Murphy (DD-603) on October 21, 1943. The destroyer was struck between the bridge and forward stack by the tanker SS Bulkoil.Mike Green
Murphy 41kLooking directly astern, view of the USS Murphy (DD-603) after being struck by the tanker SS Bulkoil on October 21, 1943. The ship was struck between the bridge and the forward stack, destroying the stack area.Mike Green
Murphy 45kUSS Murphy (DD-603) under tow by the USS Glennon (DD-620) until a Coast Guard Tug can arrive to relieve her, October 21 1943.Mike Green
Murphy 172kApril 1 1944 in New York Navy Yard.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 155kApril 1 1944 in New York Navy Yard.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 366kFour views of the visit of King Ibn Saud of Saudia Arabia aboard the Murphy at Jeddah on February 12 1945. From the April 1945 edition of BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL INFORMATION BULLETIN.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 215kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 179kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Murphy 285kAs above.Ed Zajkowski

USS MURPHY DD-603 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

LCDR Leonard William Bailey    Jul 23 1942 - Feb 11 1944 (Later RADM)
CDR Royal Alan Wolverton    Feb 11 1944 - Jan 28 1945
CDR Bernard Adrian Smith    Jan 28 1945 - Jan 1 1946
LT John Anthony McTighe    Jan 1 1946 - Mar 9 1946

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: H. A. "Bud" Meech
Address: 2591 Wiedrich Road, Walworth, NY 14568-9515
Phone: 315-986-2515
E-mail: B6u0d3@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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