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USS POWER (DD-839)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NBBO

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - BLACK BIRD

CLASS - GEARING As Built.
Displacement 3460 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 390' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 4" (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, 36.8 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME February 26 1945.
Launched June 30 1945 and commissioned September 13 1945.
Completed FRAM upgrade January 1962.
Decommissioned and Stricken October 1 1977.
To Taiwan October 1 1977, renamed Sheng-Yang.
Reclassified as Guided Missile Destroyer DDG-923.
Fate Decommissioning November 26 2005 in Keelung Harbor. Possibly to become a museum.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Power 55kJohn Vincent Power, born in Worcester, Mass., enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve 7 July 1942 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant 31 October 1942. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant in January 1944, he was killed during the fight for Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Photo from the USMC History Division.Bill Gonyo
Power 91kArtist's conception of the Power 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
Power 123kUndated, location unknown.-
Power 98kUndated, location unknown.-
Power 73kUndated, location unknown.Bill Hart
Power 38kUndated, location unknown.-
Power 48kUndated postcard Copyright © M. Cee Bishop, Jacksonville, FL.Mike Smolinski
Power 90kMarkab (AD-21) with destroyers Dashiel (DD-659), Isherwood (DD-520), Power (DD-839) and William C. Lawe (DD-763) alongside at Yokosuka, Japan, date unknown.Mark Roberts, Destroyersonline.com
Power 55kUndated, entering Valetta, Malta harbor.Tommy Trampp/Art Tilley
Power 127kUndated, USS Chukawan (AO-100) underway while replenishing the destroyers USS Power (DD-839) and USS Goodrich (DD-831), location unknown. Photo courtesy Mike Smolinski.Robert Hurst
Power 102kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Power 116kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Power 86kOctober 1 1945, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Power 119kUSS Missouri (BB-63) (center) off Istanbul, Turkey, 5-9 April 1946. She had brought the body of the Late Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Mehmet Munir Ertegun, home for burial, on a mission that was also made to influence Soviet Middle East policy. USS Power (DD-839) is at left, and the Turkish Battlecruiser Yavuz (formerly the German Goeben) is at right. Dolmabahce Mosque is in the foreground. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.Fred Weiss
Power 101kUSS Power (DD-839) refuelling from the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CVB-41). Midway, with Carrier Air Group 1 (CVBG-1) embarked was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea from 29 October 1947 and 11 March 1948. Official U.S. Navy photograph from the USS Midway (CVB-41) 1947-48 Cruise Book.Robert Hurst
Power 32kLCDR Frank A. Visconti, Sr., Chief Engineer, in front of Mount 51 circa 1949-1951.Frank A. Visconti, Jr.
Power 143kRefueling in the Mediterranean in 1950: Top to bottom - USS Power (DD-839), USS Newport News (CA-148), USS Salamonie (AO-26), amd USS Hanson (DD-832). The cruiser is carrying an H03S-1 helo on her fantail. When completed, the Newport News had seaplane catapults on her stern, but they were removed shortley after she was commissioned.George Klos
Power 174kCirca 1952-1956 Christmas card of Power rounding Cape Horn. From the collection of Wayne Ellzey.Todd Ellzey
Power 192kCirca 1952-1956, location unknown. From the collection of Wayne Ellzey.Todd Ellzey
Power 158kApril 1953, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Power 130kThe Power during the Summer of 1954 on a Mediterranean Cruise and she made a port call at Venice, Italy.William H. Neal, Jr.
Power 45kMediterranean Sea, August 1967© Richard Leonhardt
Power 114kNelson, NZ, October 7 1969.Chris Howell
Power 172kIn Genoa November 7 1971.Carlo Martinelli
Power 201kNewspaper clipping from March 1974 as the Power enters Brooklyn Navy Yard.Lon Finnerty
Power 31kNew York April 1975.Marc Piché
Power 60kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Power 49kFront page from the decommissioning pamphlet, October 1 1977.Lon Finnerty
Power 74kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
On Taiwanese Service
Power 86kAs the Sheng-Yang February 7 2005, at Keelung Naval Base, Taiwan.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 61kTwo views of the Sheng-Yang October 11 2005 during a Press photo op.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 50kAs above.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 118kFour views from the Decommissioning ceremony of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy's last ex-Gearing destroyer, the DDG-923 Sheng-Yang, the ex-USS DD-839 Power, took at Keelung Harbor this afternoon (November 26, 2005). The ceremony was hosted by Adm. Bon-Chi Chen, the commander-in-chief of ROCN. Hundreds of people used to be the crew member of Sheng-Yang were invited to attend the ceremony. The final fate of Sheng-Yang is unknown, it is very possible to become a warship museum, but the Ministry of Defence has not decided yet.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 99kAs above.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 59kAs above.Yu-Lun Miao
Power 91kAs above.Yu-Lun Miao

USS POWER DD-839 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 MacAuley Steinbeck    Sep 13 1945 - Nov 20 1946
CDR Robert Stewart Burdick    Nov 20 1946 - Aug 28 1947
CDR John Williams Florence    Aug 28 1947 - Aug 11 1948
CDR Richard Clarke Steere    Aug 11 1948 - Jul 27 1949
CDR Stephen Morris Archer    Jul 27 1949 - Jul 19 1950
CDR Charles Ellsworth Pond    Jul 19 1950 - Mar 12 1951
CDR Arthur Gerald Esch    Mar 12 1951 - May 12 1952 (Later RADM)
CDR Henry Gilbert Shonerd Jr.    May 12 1952 - Aug 6 1953
CDR Arthur Gernt Harrison    Aug 6 1953 - Feb 7 1955
CDR George Grandchamp Halvorson    Feb 7 1955 - Dec 9 1955 (Later RADM)
CDR Horace Phillips McNeal    Dec 9 1955 - Oct 9 1957
CDR John Sinclair Leidel    Oct 9 1957 - Sep 19 1959
CDR John Harry Jorgenson    Sep 19 1959 - Jan 13 1961
LCDR Burton Whitley Hancock    Jan 13 1961 - Jun 5 1961
LCDR Eugene Francis Kelly    Jun 5 1961 - Oct 6 1961
CDR Robert Samuel Hayes    Oct 6 1961 - Oct 30 1963
CDR Arthur Michael Hayes Jr.    Oct 30 1963 - Aug 27 1965
CDR James Griffin Everett    Aug 27 1965 - Sep 4 1967
CDR Edwin Lyle Herring    Sep 4 1967 - Jul 7 1969
CDR Douglas Charles Murphy    Jul 7 1969 - Mar 8 1971
CDR Searcy Garlits Galing    Mar 8 1971 - Aug 5 1972
LCDR Edward Francis Kellogg    Aug 5 1972 - Sep 13 1973
CDR John David Eckert    Sep 13 1973 - Sep 13 1974
CDR James William Eaton Jr.    Sep 13 1974 - Sep 3 1976
CDR George Washington Crowninshield    Sep 3 1976 - Jul 9 1977
LCDR Brent Alan Bradberry    Jul 9 1977 - Oct 1 1977

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: John Pinto
Address: P.O. Box 640813, Beverly Hills FL 34464
Phone: 352-527-2352
E-mail: loosecannon839@yahoo.com
Next Reunion: June 25-29,2011 at Worcester, Mass.

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 Power DD-839 Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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