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USS WALKE (DD-723)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NTXS

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - STRAWBOSS

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
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath Me. June 7 1943.
Launched October 27 1943 and commissioned January 21 1944.
Decommissioned May 30 1947, recommissioned October 5 1950.
Decommissioned November 30 1970.
Stricken February 1 1974.
Fate Sold March 19 1975 and broken up for scrap.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Walke 66kPhoto #: NH 66752. Captain Henry Walke, USN photograph taken circa 1863-66, in the uniform of a Captain. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart
Walke 97kArtist's conception of the Walke as she appeared after FRAM II overhaul 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
Walke 60kPhoto #: NH 86537, USS Walke (DD-723) sliding down the shipways at the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, during her launching on 27 October 1943. Photographed by Douglas. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1978. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart
Walke 60kUSS Walke (DD-723), right centre, and USS Mississippi (BB-41), left centre, cover the landings in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 9 January 1945. Two other destroyer types are present at each side of the photo. Walke is painted in what appears to be Camouflage Measure 31, Design 25D. Mississippi's camouflage is Measure 32, Design 6D (USN Photo No 80-K-G-2516).Robert Hurst
Walke 109kNavy Photo 887-45, view of the battle damage to USS Walke (DD 723) upon her arrival at Mare Island on 6 Feb 1945 for repairs. She departed the yard on 4 April 1945.Darryl Baker
Walke 110kPhoto #: 19-N-84480, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 24 March 1945. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Tony Cowart
Walke 102kPhoto #: 19-N-84479, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 24 March 1945. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Tony Cowart
Walke 92kPhoto #: NH 99807, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 24 March 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 90kPhoto #: 19-N-84482, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 24 March 1945. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Tony Cowart
Walke 85kPhoto #: NH 99808, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 24 March 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 90kPhoto #: 19-N-84484, USS Walke (DD-723) plan view, forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 26 March 1945. USS Halford (DD-480) is at right, with her bow shortened as the result of a collision with the M.S. Terry E. Stephenson in Saipan harbor on 14 February 1945. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Tony Cowart
Walke 107kPhoto #: 19-N-84485, USS Walke (DD-723) plan view, amidships, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 26 March 1945. Note her K-Gun depth charge throwers and quadruple 40mm gun mounts. Ship in the foreground is USS Halford (DD-480). White outlines mark recent alterations to Walke.Tony Cowart
Walke 141kPhoto #: 19-N-84486, USS Walke (DD-723) plan view, aft, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 26 March 1945. Note her stern depth charge installation, after 20mm machine gun position, 5"/38 twin gun mount and quintuple 21-inch torpedo tubes. Ship in the foreground is USS Halford (DD-480). Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.Tony Cowart
Walke 107kCirca 1950's, location unknown.Marc Piché
Walke 102kJune 14 1951.Marc Piché
Walke 88kTaken from USS O'Brien (DD-725) in the Japanese Inland Sea summer 1952.Roy C. Thomas
Walke 123kPhoto #: NH 99810, USS Walke (DD-723) underway at sea in Far Eastern waters, 23 November 1953. Photographed by W.L. Fowler, of USS Yorktown (CVA-10). Note that Walke has been refitted with 3"/50 guns by this time, replacing her original 40mm battery. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 111kPhoto #: NH 99814, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961, at the completion of her FRAM II modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 93kPhoto #: NH 99815, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961, at the completion of her FRAM II modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 105kPhoto #: NH 99816, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961, at the completion of her FRAM II modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 94kPhoto #: NH 99817, USS Walke (DD-723) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961, at the completion of her FRAM II modernization. Note the variable depth sonar installation on her fantail. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 99kPhoto #: NH 99813, USS Walke (DD-723) seen from directly ahead while off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961. She had just completed her FRAM II modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 101kPhoto #: NH 99818, USS Walke (DD-723) seen from directly astern while off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, 11 October 1961, at the completion of her FRAM II modernization. Note the variable depth sonar installation on her fantail, and stern navigation lights atop a tripod on her starboard quarter. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 83kSometime after mid-year 1962, although the precise location is unknown it is probably from Walke's WestPac deployment and with the photo taken from the USS Hornet (CV-12) in September 1962.Don Scott, YNCS (SS) USN (Ret.)/Ronald G. Bauer
Walke 112kPhoto #: NH 99811, USS Walke (DD-723) at sea in May 1966. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 110kPhoto #: NH 99812, USS Walke (DD-723) underway in the western Pacific while en route to Yokosuka, Japan, 28 September 1967. Walke was then operating with USS Kearsarge (CVS-33). Photographed by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class J.C. Thompson. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Tony Cowart
Walke 56kThe ship's patch was designed by crew member Ronald G. Bauer in 1962 based on the actual family crest and motto of the Civil War naval hero after whom the USS Walke was named.Mike Smolinski/Ronald G. Bauer
Walke 96kExample of the Walke ship's patch as a custom plaque by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett of Navy Yard Associates. NYA offers custom plaques of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers. For more examples check out their website page at http://www.navyyardassociates.net/classPlaques.html. If you decide to purchase artwork from NYA please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.Navy Yard Associates

USS WALKE DD-723 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 John Crawford Zahm    Jan 21 1944 - Nov 26 1944
CDR George Fleming Davis    Nov 26 1944 - Jan 6 1945 (Killed in action)
LT John S. Burns    Jan 6 1945 - Feb 12 1945 (Acting)
CDR John Frink McGillis    Feb 12 1945 - Apr 17 1947
LCDR Bennett Olheim    Apr 17 1947 - Jun 30 1947
(Decommissioned Jun 30 1947 - Oct 5 1950)
CDR Marshall F. Thompson    Oct 5 1950 - Nov 12 1951
CDR Frank A. Zimanski    Nov 12 1951 - Jun 30 1953
CDR Walter Miller Ousey    Jun 30 1953 - Jul 15 1955
CDR Paul Haynes Shropshire III    Jul 15 1955 - Oct 11 1957
CDR Jacob (Jack) Scapa    Oct 11 1957 - Mar 14 1959
CDR Robert Fitzgerald    Mar 14 1959 - Apr 2 1961
CDR Harlan Lon Cheney    Apr 2 1961 - May 16 1964
CDR Josef McGinley Seger    May 16 1964 - Dec 30 1964
CDR Robert K. Thompson    Dec 30 1964 - Aug 3 1966
CDR Robert Ennis    Aug 3 1966 - Oct 10 1968
CDR Watson Thomas    Oct 4 1968 - Sep 11 1970
Unknown (former XO)    Sep 11 1970 - Nov 30 1970

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Cdr. Allen Jefferis
Address: 3275 Wheat Street, San Diego, CA 92117-4431
Phone: (858) 274-7390
E-mail: aajefferis1@cs.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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