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USS JOHN W. THOMASON (DD-760)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NKOL

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - MAINLAND

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 Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco, CA (YN 5414)
Laid down 21 November 1943
Launched 30 September 1944
Commissioned 11 October 1945
Completed FRAM upgrade January 1960
Decommissioned 08 December 1970
Stricken 01 February 1974
To Taiwan 06 May 1974, renamed Nán Yáng [南陽]
Fate Decommissioned by Taiwan 16 January 2000 and held in reserve.

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Size Image Description Contributed
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Namesake
Thomason 6kJohn William Thomason, Jr., was born 28 February 1893 in Huntsville, Texas. He studied art and was a writer in the editorial department of the Houston Chronicle at the beginning of World War I. Appointed Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in April 1917, he sailed to France with the AEF in 1918. When a German machine gun nest held up a Marine advance at Soissons 18 July 1918, Thomason and one of his men fearlessly advanced on the position and killed 13 of the enemy. For his heroism he received the Navy Cross and the Silver Star. He likewise became noted for his stirring self-illustrated accounts of marines in battle. Following the First World War he served at many posts of the Corps ashore and afloat and in 1941 made an extensive air survey of South and Central America, for which he received the Air Medal. He served briefly on the staff of Admiral Nimitz in the Pacific and as an instructor in amphibious technique. Promoted to Colonel 30 May 1942, he died at San Diego Naval Hospital 12 March 1944. During his entire career, John William Thomason, Jr., continued to be active as a writer and illustrator, publishing numerous books about marines and on western subjects.Bill Gonyo
USS John W. Thomason (DD-760)
Thomason 57kUndated postcard Copyright © Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.Mike Smolinski
Thomason 170kUndated, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Thomason 125kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 163kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 161kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 200kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 152kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 172kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 99kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 182kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 192kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 99kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 103kUndated, location unknown. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 194kUndated photo of John W. Thomason (DD-760) from the photo lab of the USS Piedmont (AD-17).Darryl Baker
Thomason 139kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Thomason 136kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Thomason
0576085
100kMrs. Leda Barbara Bass Thomason, widow of Colonel Thomason, christens her husband's namesake, 30 September 1944. In the background are Thomason's son, Captain John W. Thomason III USMC and his wife.Dave Wright
Thomason
0576086
119kJohn W. Thomason (DD-760) sliding down the ways, 30 September 1944.Dave Wright
Thomason 68kUSS John W. Thomason (DD-760), entering San Francisco, on 19 October 1945. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration photo # 19-N-90577.Robert Hurst
Thomason 98kForward plan view of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) at Mare Island on 17 January 1946 with LST-855 in the background. She was in overhaul from 27 DEC 1945 to 20 Jan 1946.Darryl Baker
Thomason 177kAft plan view of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) at Mare Island on 17 January 1946.Darryl Baker
Thomason 113kAt Mare Island 18 January 1946.Ed Zajkowski
Thomason 79kAt Mare Island 18 January 1946. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 100kAs above.Ron Reeves
Thomason 93kStern view of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) off Mare Island on 03 April 1947.Darryl Baker
Thomason 91kBroadside view of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) off Mare Island on 03 April 1947. She was in overhaul at the yard from 08 June 1946 to 07 April 1947.Darryl Baker
Thomason 80kBow on view of USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) departing Mare Island on 03 April 1947.Darryl Baker
Thomason 110kAs above.Ron Reeves
Thomason 103kStarboard bow view of the USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) docked in Vancouver BC on 24 October 1947. Source: City of Vancouver Archives, Photo No. AM1506-S3-3-: CVA 447-8717, by Walter E. Frost.Mike Green
Thomason 90kUSS Dixie (AD-14) at Sasebo, Japan with USS John A. Bole (DD-755); USS Buck (DD-761); USS John W. Thomason (DD-760); and USS Lofberg (DD-759) moored to port, circa 1953.Wayne Schafer
Thomason 38kIn drydock, circa early 1950's.Cheryl and Karen Stanley
Thomason 40kAs above.Cheryl and Karen Stanley
Thomason 41kComing alongside the USS Boxer (CV-21) in the Sea of Japn off Korea, 1951.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Thomason 56kUSS John W. Thomason (DD-760) circa 1960, location unknown. Photo from Jane's Fighting Ships 1961-62 edition.Robert Hurst
Thomason 127kLong Beach Navy Yard, 08 April 1960. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 127kAs above.Ron Reeves
Thomason 80kAs above.Ron Reeves
Thomason 153kOff Point Loma, 11 April 1960. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 121kOff Point Loma, San Diego, CA, circa 1961-67..Bill Shields RM2 66-68
Thomason 211kUSS Klondike (AR-22) In Subic Bay, Philippines, on 01 November 1963. The destroyers alongside, all "FRAM II" types of Destroyer Squadron 15, are: (from inboard to outboard): USS Taussig (DD-746); USS John A. Bole (DD-755); USS Lofberg (DD-759); and USS John W. Thomason (DD-760). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Thomason   Thomason   Thomason   Thomason
thomason   Thomason   Thomason   Thomason
thomason   Thomason   Thomason   Thomason
thomason   Thomason   Thomason   Thomason
thomason   Thomason
Inclining Experiment at Hunters Point September 28 1965, from the Oscar Boudreaux collection.
Ron Reeves
Thomason 180kOctober 1969 underway from Japan to San Diego attempting to refuel from the USS Bon Homme Richard. From the collection of Oscar Boudreaux.Ron Reeves
Thomason 179kAs above.Ron Reeves
Memorabilia
Thomason 53kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Thomason 152kShip's patch.Tom Gamstetter
ROCS Nán Yáng [南陽]
Thomason 13kUndated, as the Nan Yang.Mike Purnell YN3 69
Thomason 104kSuao, Taiwan harbor 2006.Perry Huang
Thomason 159kAs above.Perry Huang
Click here to see additional images of this ship on our FRAM Special Feature page
Click here to see our Special Feature - Interior Views of Sumner Class Destroyers as Built

USS JOHN W. THOMASON DD-760 History
View This Vessels DANFS History entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR William Leonard Tagg    Oct 11 1945 - Jun 3 1946 (Later RADM)

LCDR George Montgomery    Jun 3 1946 - Sep 24 1946

LCDR Gordon Gemmill    Sep 24 1946 - Sep 15 1947

CDR John McCreery Stuart    Sep 15 1947 - Feb 12 1949

CDR William Tindall Samuels    Feb 12 1949 - Aug 16 1950

CDR Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon    Aug 16 1950 - Mar 7 1952 (Later RADM)

CDR William Kenneth Ratliff    Mar 7 1952 - Jul 18 1953

CDR William Kenneth Hackett Jr.    Jul 18 1953 - Mar 26 1955

CDR James Loren Cook Jr.    Mar 26 1953 - Jul 17 1957

CDR Donald Stanley Cramer    Jul 17 1957 - Mar 1959

LCDR Donald Gilbert Bonewits    Mar 1959 - Aug 1959

CDR Wilbur Gordon Sherwood    Aug 1959 - Mar 1961

CDR Clifford Lee Stewart    Mar 1961 - 1962

CDR George Valentine Eidson    1962 - Jan 15 1963

CDR Frank Aloysius Mitchell    Jan 15 1963 - Jul 6 1964

CDER Merritt Douglas Tuel    Jul 6 1964 - Feb 28 1966

CDR Jack Andrew Christensen    Feb 28 1966 - May 31 1968

CDR Thomas Edward Vines    May 31 1968 - Oct 30 1969

CDR Clarence Earl Chinn    Oct 30 1969 - Sep 9 1970

LCDR Arthur Jerome Flores    Sep 9 1970 - Dec 8 1970


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Bill Busching
Address: 131 River Bend Park, Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone: None
E-mail: dd760secretary@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
USS John W. Thomason 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 06 May 2021