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Henry Purefoy Whitehurst, Jr. was born on 16 February 1920 at New Bern, N.C. He was appointed a midshipman on 14 July 1938 and, because of the
exigencies of war, graduated with the Naval Academy's Class of 1942 on 19 December 1941. He reported to the heavy cruiser Astoria (CA 34) on the morning of 18
January 1942 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Whitehurst served as a junior watch and division officer in Astoria as the ship took part in the Battles of the Coral Sea
and Midway, and was in the cruiser when she participated in the landings on Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942. The next day, Astoria screened the vital transports as
they unloaded supplies and equipment for the marines ashore, and that evening stood out to a night retirement station off Savo Island.
A little after 0152 on the morning of 9 August, a Japanese force under Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa, which had slipped undetected into the waters south of Savo Island, unleashed
a devastating night attack on the Southern and Northern Forces. In the former, Chicago (CA 29) was damaged and the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra
crippled so badly that she later sank. The Northern Force, unaware of the enemy's presence until too late, soon took staggering punishment. Vincennes (CA 44) and
Quincy (CA 39) sank before daylight, but Astoria lingered on while her surviving officers and men labored to save their ship. However, the damage proved
too great; and Astoria, like her two sister ships, eventually succumbed shortly after noon on 9 August. Among the dead suffered in the Battle of Savo Island was Ensign
Whitehurst.
USS Whitehurst (DE 634) (1943-1969) was the first ship named in his honor.
(Photo from the The Citadel, Citadel History) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal. |
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mid-1943: at sea - USS Whitehurst (DE 634) as completed. The ship carries MS21 camouflage scheme.
(U.S. Navy photo from the United States National Archives, Catalog No. Unknown) |
Mike Green
Port Angeles, Wash. |
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late 1943: San Francico Bay.
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #BuShips200669) |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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03 July 1945: Pearl Harbor, Hi. - undergoing Inclining tests
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #19LCM-DE634-1) |
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03 July 1945: Pearl Harbor, Hi. - undergoing Inclining tests
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #19LCM-DE634-2) |
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03 July 1945: Pearl Harbor, Hi. - undergoing Inclining tests, TEG conversion is visable
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #19LCM-DE634-3) |
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03 July 1945: Pearl Harbor, Hi. - undergoing Inclining tests
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #19LCM-DE634-4) |
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03 July 1945: Pearl Harbor, Hi. - undergoing Inclining tests
(U.S. Navy photo, National Archives #19LCM-DE634-5) |
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30 November 1949: Port broadside aerial view of destroyer escort USS Whitehurst (DE 634).
(U.S. Navy National Archives photo #USN 200669 from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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15 March 1952: Mare Island Naval Shipyard - Change of command ceremonies aboard USS Whitehurst (DE 634) at Mare Island.
Lieutenant Commander Marvin D. Jones relieved Commander Malcolm G. Evans as commanding officer.
(U.S. Navy photo #DE-634 12347-3-52) |
Darryl Baker
PNCM, USNR (ret.)
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum |
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undated postwar image (appears to be a Marine Photo and Publishing ship portrait taken while departing San Diego) |
Jerry Church |
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circa 1952: Point Loma at the mouth of San Diego Bay
(hand colored print of previous photo) |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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Undated Postwar Image |
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15 September 1962: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - USS Whitehurst (DE 634) standing off, preparing to moor while on a port visit
to Vancouver.
(Photograph by Walter E. Frost) (Photo #CVA 447-8946 from the City of Vancouver Archives) |
Navsource |
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31 July 1965: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - USS Whitehurst appears to be breasting out from the pier as she prepares to get
underway after a port visit to Vancouver.
(Photograph by Walter E. Frost) (Photo #CVA 447-8946.1 from the
City of Vancouver Archives) |
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undated: USS Whitehurst (DE 634) either arriving or departing from a port visit. The building on the facing pier appears to make this a visit to Vancouver,
although we have no caption attached to the photo. |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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28 April 1971: at sea - Final moments of the target vessel ex-USS Whitehurst (DE 634), as seen through the periscope of the
USS Trigger (SS 564).
(U.S. Navy photo by RM3(SS) Tom Boyer, 1971-1973, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com) |
Mike Green
Port Angeles, Wash. |
