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USS HUGH PURVIS (DD-709)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NTFS

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - AVOCADO

CLASS - ALLEN M. SUMNER As Built.
Displacement 3218 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 2" (Max)
Armament 6 x 5"/38AA (3x2), 12 x 40mm AA, 11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.5 Knots, Range 3300 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Built by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJ (YN 394)
Contract awarded 07 August 1942 (NOBs-311)
Laid down 23 May 23 1944
Launched 17 December 1944
Commissioned 01 March 1945
Completed FRAM upgrade October 1960
Decommissioned 15 June 1972
Stricken 01 February 1973
Transferred to Turkey 01 July 1972, renamed TCG Zafer (D 356)
Fate Stricken in 1993 and broken up for scrap in 1994.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Namesake
Purvis 125kResponding to uprisings in China in 1871 that destroyed the American merchant schooner "General Sherman" and resulted in the murder of its entire crew, six American warships including the USS Benicia; USS Colorado; USS Monocacy; USS Palos; and Purvis’s ship the USS Alaska were dispatched to Korea in retaliation. After coming under fire, on June 10th a group of 550 sailors and 100 marines were landed to assault the enemy forts. After making camp on the night of the landing, the following morning the Americans assaulted the middle of the five forts and chased the enemy into a high bluff and the last of the fortified positions called the Citadel. In the assault that followed, fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued, with many Americans wounded. Despite this, Marine Private Hugh Purvis pressed his attack, and while braving enemy fire he was the first American to scale the wall of the fort and capture the flag of the Korean forces on 11 June 1871. Photo from the National Archives and Records Administration, Marine Corps Photograph Collection (USMC).Bill Gonyo
USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709)
Purvis 17kUndated, location unknown.-
Purvis 63kUndated, at Hong Kong.Steve Singlar, ETCS, USNR (Ret)
Purvis 94kUndated, location unknown.Bill Gonyo
Purvis 85kUndated, location unknown.Bill Gonyo
Purvis 133kUndated, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Purvis 153kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Purvis 174kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Purvis 77kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Purvis 45kAs commissioned, March 1945.Steve Singlar
Purvis 79kTwo views of the USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709) and USS Beatty (DD-756) at Rouen, France, 02 March 1947.David M. Musgrave
Purvis 78kAs above.David M. Musgrave
Purvis 81kThe destroyers USS Compton (DD-705), USS Purvis (DD-709), USS Dickson (DD-708) and the USS Gainard (DD-706) behind the USS Yosemite (AD-19). Circa mid 1950's, location unknown.William T. Bullard
Purvis 172kUSS Hugh Purvis (DD-709) coming along side The USS Tarawa (CVS-40) for refueling. Official US Navy Photo #1046498, dated May 15 1958.Steve Singlar
Purvis 123kCirca 1960's, location unknown. U.S. Navy photo.Robert Hurst
Purvis 111kCirca 1960's, location unknown.Bill Gonyo
Purvis264k Aerial view of Boston Navy Yard, looking Southwest, 1 April 1960. Photo taken by a helicopter from Naval Air Station South Weymouth. Ships and Craft present:
LocationShip (Hull No.)Ship Type
Pier 11USS Wasp (CVS-18)Aircraft Carrier
Dry Dock 5ARD-16Floating Dry Dock
In ARD-16YFND-23Dry Dock Companion Craft
Pier 10Empty 
Pier 9EUSS Macon (CA-132)
YD-196
Heavy Cruiser
Floating Crane
Pier 9WUSS Hugh Purvis (DD-709)Destroyer
Pier 8EUSS Thor (ARC-4)
YPD-24
Cable Layer
Floating Pile Driver
Pier 7EUSS Springfield (CLG-7)Guided Missile Light Cruiser
Pier 7WEmpty 
Pier 6EUSS Perry (DD-844)Destroyer
Pier 6WUSS Mitscher (DL-2)Destroyer Leader
Pier 5EUSS Albany (CG-10)Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser
Pier 5WUSS Yosemite (AD-19)Destroyer Tender
Pier 4EEmpty 
Pier 4WUSS Skywatcher (AGR-3)Radar Picket Ship
U.S. Navy photo, Boston NHP Collection, NPS Cat. No. BOSTS-10111)
Stephen P. Carlson, Preservation Specialist, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02129
Purvis 114kBoston Naval shipyard undergoing FRAM overhaul, May 1960© Richard Leonhardt
Purvis 134kBoston Naval Shipyard, May 1960© Richard Leonhardt
Purvis 248kBoston Naval Shipyard, September 1960© Richard Leonhardt
Purvis
0570957
515kWith a QH-50C Dash drone ASW helicopter flying alongside during operational tests off the Virginia Capes, 15 December 1962.
USN photo 711253
Ron Reeves /
Bob Canchola
Purvis 63kBoston Harbor, July 6 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Purvis 90kUnderway mid 1960'sSteve Singlar, ETCS, USNR (Ret)
Purvis 119kMay 1967 just south of Block Island.Bill Gonyo/Bruce Vantine
Purvis 136kAt Genoa, Italy on June 1 1967.Carlo Martinelli
Purvis 75kBristol Rhode Island, July 4 1968Steve Singlar
Purvis 102kPearl Harbor circa late 1968/early 1969.Marc Piché
Purvis 153kUSS Warrington (DD-843), USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709) and USS Dealey (DE-1006) in Newport, RI.Vince Venincasa
Memorabilia
Purvis 29kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Purvis 63kShip's plaque.Mike Smolinski
Purvis 88kShip's patch.Wolfgang Hechler
Purvis 85kShip's patch.Wolfgang Hechler
TCG Zafer (D 356)
Purvis 44kUndated, location unknown.Murat Kurtulmus
Purvis 47kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 289kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 111kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 120kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 37kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 105kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 129kUndated, location unknown.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 112kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 117kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 70kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 60kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 49kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 68kTCG Zafer (D-356)/USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709) and TCG Yücetepe(D-355)/USS Orleck (DD-886) in the Izmir, Turkey dry dock in the 1990's.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 107kAugust 30 1991, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Purvis 87kUSS Hugh Purvis (DD-709)/TCG D-356 Zafer, German built Köln Class D-360 Gelibolu/FGN Karlsruhe and TCG D-353 Atepe/USS Forrest Royal (DD-872) at Ailaga Ship Dismantling Facilities in Izmir, turkey during 1994.Cüneyt Demir
Purvis 44kShip's Zippo.Tommy Trampp
Click here to see our Special Feature - Interior Views of Sumner Class Destroyers as Built

USS HUGH PURVIS DD-709 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


CDR Byron Lawrence Gurnette    Mar 1 1945 - Sep 1 1945

LCDR Thomas Chapin Buell    Sep 1 1945 - Oct 1 1945 (Acting)

CDR Charles Weigel Musgrave    Oct 18/20 1945 - Mar 31 1947

CDR Frank Lucius Pinney Jr.    Mar 31 1947 - Mar 1 1949 (Later RADM)

CDR Henry Harris McCarley    Mar 1 1949 - Oct 1950 (Later RADM)

CDR Willis Raymond Denekas    Oct 1950 - Oct 1952

CDR Newell Edward Thomas    Oct 1952 - Jul 15 1953

LCDR Gordon W. Martin Jr.    ? 1952 - ? 1952 (Acting)

LCDR John Patrick Gorman    ? 1953 - ? 1953 (Acting)

CDR Eli Vinock    Jul 15 1953 - 1955

CDR Bernard Webster Moulton    1955 - ? 1958

CDR Robert Noren Lyberg    ? 1958 - 1960

CDR George Stebbins Davis, Jr.    1960 - Nov 1961

CDR James Calder Linville    Nov 1961 - Jun 1963

CDR Lawrence Henry Heidorn    Jun 1963 - May 5 1965

CDR Harry Robert Moore    May 5 1965 - Feb 6 1967

CDR Clinton Wagner Taylor    Feb 6 1967 - Feb 19 1969 (Later RADM)

CDR William Keith Mallinson    Feb 19 1969 - Jul 10 1970

CDR Aloysius Gonzaga Hennessey Jr.    Jul 10 1970 - Jan 21 1972

CDR Carl Emil Geise Jr.    Jan 21 1972 - May 10 1972

LCDR John James McNamara    May 10 1972 - Jun 15 1972


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: George Baker
Address: 4417 Rosey Billed Ct., Fort Mill, SC 29707
Phone: 803-396-5605
E-mail: GBaker1@Comporium.net
Next Reunion: Jacksonville, Florida, April 24-27 2014

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
USS Hugh Purvis website
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 26 September 2022