NavSource Main Page FAQ Contact us Search NavSource

Waving US Flag

NavSource Naval History
Photographic History of the United States Navy
DESTROYER
ARCHIVE

USS DOUGLAS H. FOX (DD-779)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NTLV

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - FULL DRESS

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 and Allis Chalmers engines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.5 Knots, Range 3300 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Todd Shipyards, Seattle. January 31 1944.
Launched September 30 1944 and commissioned December 26 1944.
Decommissioned April 21 1950 and recommissioned November 15 1950.
Decommissioned December 15 1973.
Stricken December 15 1973.
To Chile January 8 1974, renamed Ministro Portales.
Fate Stricken and broken up for scrap in 1990.

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By
Fox 40kDouglas Harold Fox born 26 March 1905 in Walled Lake, Mich., graduated from the Naval Academy 3 June 1926. After service in various ships and shore stations, he was given command of the newly commissioned Barton (DD-599) 29 May 1942. Lieutenant Commander Fox went down with his ship when she was torpedoed and sunk in the naval Battle of Guadalcanal 13 November 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his contribution to the defeat of a superior enemy force in this battle, and was later awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for earlier actions on 26 and 30 October and 3 November in which he had rescued downed aviators and survivors of Hornet (CV-8) under hazardous conditions.Bill Gonyo
Fox 95kArtist's conception of the Fox as she appeared after the early 1950's conversion 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
Fox 96kArtist's conception of the Fox as she appeared following her FRAM 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
Fox 57kUndated, location unknown.Howard Longstreth
Fox 57kUndated, location unknown.Howard Longstreth
Fox 53kUndated, location unknown.Howard Longstreth
Fox 154kUndated, location unknown.Howard Longstreth
Fox 138kUndated, location unknown.Howard Longstreth
Fox 52kValetta, Malta circa 1947.Robert Hurst
Fox 71kValetta, Malta September 19 1967.Dan Thornsberry
Fox 69kWestern Mediterranean November 1967.Marc Piché
Fox 111kS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) providing tender services to four destroyers, May 1969, probably in Subic Bay, Philippines. Ships alongside are (left to right): USS Higbee (DD-806); USS Douglas H. Fox (DD-779); USS Robison (DDG-12) and USS Leary (DD-879). Photographed by PH3 Stephen L. Howk. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Fred Weiss
Fox 43kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski

USS DOUGLAS H. FOX DD-779 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 Ray M. Pitts    Dec 26 1944 - 1945
CDR Charles W. Travis    1945 - 1947
CDR James H. Brown    1947 - 1949
LCDR Francis Albert Lewis    1949 - Apr 21 1950
(Decommissioned Apr 21 1950 - Nov 15 1950)
CDR Harry A. Adams Jr.    Nov 15 1950 - Sep 1952
CDR James Ashton Dare    Sep 1952 - Sep 1953
CDR John A. Sharpe    Sep 1953 - 1955
CDR Herbert Irving Mandel    1955 - 1956
CDR Douglas Hale Jennings    1956 - 1958
CDR Robert A. Rowe    1958 - 1959
CDR L. E. McConnell    1959 - 1960
CDR Joseph James Doak Jr.    1960 - 1961
CDR Frederick J. Heiler    1961 - 1963
CDR James Regis Vallely    1963 - 1965
CDR Francis Raymond Horn    1965 - 1967
CDR William Joseph Aston    1967 - 1969
CDR Paul Deaton    1969 - 1971
CDR Jack L. Wilson    1969 - Aug 24 1971
CDR George Ellis Pillow Jr.    Aug 24 1971 - 1973
LCDR  Joseph F. Kelley    1973 - Dec 15 1973

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Joe Sczyrek
Address:
Phone:
E-mail: jsczyrek@seligmandata.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

Back To The Main Photo Index To The Destroyer Index Page


Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster

This Page Is Created And Maintained By Fred Willshaw (ex DD692)
All Pages Copyright © 1996-2008 Paul R. Yarnall © 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.