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USS GILLESPIE (DD-609)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NBMY

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, San Francisco.June 16 1941.
Launched May 8 1942 and commissioned September 18 1942.
Decommissioned April 17 1946.
Stricken July 1 1971.
Fate Sunk as target off Puerto Rico July 16 1973.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Gillespie 58kArtist's conception of the Gillespie as built 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
Gillespie 52kArtist's conception of the Gillespie as built 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
Gillespie 82kArtist's conception of the Gillespie 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
Gillespie 107kUndated, location unknown.-
Gillespie 196kGillespie off Bethlehem Steel San Francisco her building yard, October 2 1942.David Buell
Gillespie 52kBroadside view of USS Gillespie (DD 609) off Mare Island on 17 March 1943. She was under going repairs at the yard from 4 March to 17 March 1943.Darryl Baker
Gillespie 90kBow on view of USS Gillespie (DD 609) departing Mare Island on 17 March 1943.Darryl Baker
Gillespie 160kUSN/ONI photo of USS Gillespie (DD-609 taken at Mare Island 17 March 1943.David Buell
Gillespie 87kUSS Welles (DD-628), USS Gillespie (DD-609), USS Hobby (DD-610) and USS Kalk (DD-611) in Norfolk for New Year's 1944.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 84kA series of 7 views of activity aboard and by USS Gillespie (DD609), while in operations supporting forces ashore in the New Guinea theater, summer 1944. From the Signal Corps collection, NARA SC111-items 190768, 272082-7, and 287121.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 217kAs above.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 91kAs above.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 113kAs above.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 111kAs above.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 117kAs above.John Chiquoine
Gillespie 109kAs above.John Chiquoine

USS GILLESPIE DD-609 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 Chester Lee Clement    Sep 18 1942 - Feb 1943
LCDR John Southworth Fahy    Jun 1943 - Nov 1944
LCDR Elvin Clinton Ogle    Nov 1944 - Apr 17 1946

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Gary Edmisten
Address: 14133 Creekside Dr., Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: (704)849-7975
E-mail: madarteest@carolina.rr.com
Next reunion: Greensboro, North Carolina, October 6 -10, 2010

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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