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USS DORTCH (DD-670)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NKFN

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 10 x 40mm, 7 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 Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ. March 2 1943.
Launched June 20 1943 and commissioned August 7 1943.
Decommissioned July 19 1946 and recommissioned May 4 1951.
Decommissioned December 13 1957.
Stricken September 1 1975.
To Argentina August 16 1961, renamed Espora.
Fate Stricken and broken up for scrap in 1977.

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Dortch 63kIsaac Foote Dortch, born 12 December 1883 in Gadsden, Ala., graduated from the Naval Academy in 1905. He commanded Warrington (DD-30) in 1915, and during World War I, commanded Wadsworth (DD-60) and fitted out and commissioned Talbot (DD-114) in 1918. For his distinguished service while commanding Wadsworth and Talbot, he was awarded the Navy Cross. Captain Dortch served as naval attaché in Argentina and Chile during 1922-25 and died while on active duty 4 June 1932 at San Francisco, Calif. Photo from the United States Naval Academy.Bill Gonyo
Dortch 102kArtist's conception of the Dortch as she appeared in late 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
Dortch 48kUndated, location unknown.Claude Laxton
Dortch 93kUndated, location unknown. National Archives and Records Administration photo 19-N-49104.Robert Hurst
Dortch 164kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Dortch 98kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Dortch 66kSouvenir button of the launching of the USS Dortch (DD-670) and USS Gatling (DD-671) on June 20 1943. Courtesy of www.timepassagesnostalgia.com.Tom Kerman
Dortch 208kLaunching of the USS Dortch (DD-670) and USS Gatling (DD-671) on June 20 1943 at Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJ. From the collection of John Serge Kurilla Sr. who was a shipbuilding engineer.Mark Kurilla
Dortch 69kWestern Mediterranean 1954.Marc Piché
Dortch 218kVenice, Italy in 1954.Leon Israel
Dortch 168kCirca 1954-1955 in drydock.Clif Hunt
Dortch 180kCirca 1954-1955, location unknown.Clif Hunt
Dortch 117kUSS Miller (DD-535) returns to Newport, Rhode Island, from overseas duty, 1956. In the background are other Atlantic Fleet Destroyer Force ships moored to buoys in Narrangansett Bay. USS Dortch (DD-670) is in the left center, and USS Hickox (DD-673) is at right. The original print bears the stamped date 20 August 1956. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
On Argentine Service
Dortch 205kUndated, ARA Espora (D-21, ex-USS Dortch) underway. Argentine Navy official photo, from the ArmadaArgentina website.Robert Hurst
Dortch 149kArgentine destroyer ARA Espora (D-21, ex-USS Dortch) underway during exercise UNITAS III, in 1962. Image from U.S. Navy All Hands magazine February 1963.Robert Hurst
Dortch 212kARA Espora (D 21, ex-USS Dortch) underway in 1969, location unknown. Argentine Navy, Official. Image scanned from the 1969 - 70 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.Robert Hurst
Dortch 186kEx USS Heermann (DD-532) as ARA Almirante Brown (DD 20) and Ex USS Dortch (DD-670) as ARA Espora (DD 21) during UNITAS XI 1970.LCDR Orlando Gallardo, Jr. U.S. Navy
Dortch 140kEx USS Stembel (DD-644) as ARA Rosales (DD 22) and Ex USS Dortch (DD-670) as ARA Espora (DD 21) during UNITAS XI 1970.LCDR Orlando Gallardo, Jr. U.S. Navy
Dortch 95kDecember 1979, at Avellaneda Bridge outside Puerto Belgrano Naval Base outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. Awaiting scrapping.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 108kAs above, Mansfield (DD-728)and Dortch (DD-670) to the left awaiting scrapping. In the photo are Horacio's wife Tina and a Naval Cadet named Fuchs who is now a retired Frigate Captain.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 101kAs above, view from the Gun Director platform of the Dortch, in the right you can see the VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) on the Mansfield's fantail.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 78kAs above, view from the stern of the Mansfield, you can see the Dortch's bridge, gun director and forward 5" Gun.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 65kAs above, an ID plaque from one of the Dortch's 5" guns.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 139kAs above, view the Dorch´s bow.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 114kAs above, view of the port side of Mansfield with Dortch in the background.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 114kAs above, view of the aft of Mansfield and Dortch in background.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 120kAs above, bow of LST 919, the stern of Mansfield and bow of Dortch.Horacio H. Virardi
Dortch 108kAs above, view from the Avellaneda bridge, in the foreground a dry dock, and an oil tanker named Astrasur and in the background the Mansfield and Dortch.Horacio H. Virardi
Memorabilia
Dortch 98kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Dortch 177kRound the World CertificateMike Smolinski
Dortch 173kGolden Dragon CertificateMike Smolinski
Dortch 122kSacred Order CertificateMike Smolinski
Dortch 221kShellback CertificateMike Smolinski
Click here to see our Special Feature on the USS Dortch

USS DORTCH DD-670 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 Robert Cummings Young    Aug 7 1943 - Oct 4 1944
CDR Richard Edwin Myers    Oct 4 1944 – Apr 30 1945
CDR Paul Gress Adams Jr.    Apr 30 1945 - Sep 30 1945
LT Phillip L. Williams    ? 1946 - Jul 19 1946
(Decommissioned Jul 19 1946 - May 4 1951)
CDR Douglas Francis Chamberlain    May 4 1951 - ? 1953
CDR Jonathan Frederick Rice    ? 1953 - ?
CDR Raymond Francis DuBois     ? 1955 - Jun 1956 
CDR Francis Egar Kinne    Jun 1956 - ?

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Ed Olson
Address: 4404 Thunderbird Drive, Danbury, WI 54830
Phone: (715)259-7195
E-mail: noslode@yahoo.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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