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USS MONAGHAN (DD-354)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NAJG

CLASS - FARRAGUT As Built.
Displacement 1365 Tons, Dimensions, 341' 3" (oa) x 34' 3" x 16' 4" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 4 x 0.5" MG, 8 x 21" tt.(4x2).
Machinery, 42,800 SHP; Curtis Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.5 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 12 Knots, Crew 160.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Boston Navy Yard November 21 1933.
Launched January 9 1935 and commissioned April 19 1935.
Fate Foundered in typhoon off Luzon December 17 1944.
244 of her crew were lost and remain on duty; there were only six survivors.

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Namesake
Monaghan 73kJohn Robert Monaghan was born on 26 March 1873 in Chewelah, Washington. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy from the state of Washington on 7 September 1891. Classmates wrote "I've got a drop of the Irish blood in me mesilf," as a nod to his ancestry, and he played baseball at the Academy, on both the class teams (1892, 1893 and 1894), and on the Academy (1892 and 1894), playing right field during the 1894 season. He graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1895. After service in monitor Monadnock and Alert he was assigned to the cruiser Philadelphia, flagship of the Pacific Station. During a combined American and British reconnaissance near Apia, Samoa, on 1 April 1899, the American detachment, from Philadelphia, under the command of Lt. Philip V. Lansdale, came under fire from hostile Samoans "which it was impossible to withstand."During the ensuing retreat, Lansdale fell, wounded, as he attempted to cover the retreat with a machine gun. Monaghan seized a rifle "from a disabled man [to make] a brave defense." The Samoans rushed them. Ensign Monaghan, one observer later wrote, "stood steadfast by his wounded superior and friend; one rifle against many -- one brave man against a score of savages. He knew he was doomed. He could not yield. He died in heroic performance of duty..." Photo #: NH 47734. Ensign John R. Monaghan, USN contemporary photograph of an 1897 vintage artwork portrait. Ensign Monaghan was killed in action at Samoa on 1 April 1899. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri
USS Monaghan (DD-354)
Monaghan 70kUndated, location unknown.-
Monaghan 66kUndated, location unknown.-
Monaghan 65kPre War Image, Undated. The Farraguts were the 1st post war class of destroyers built, Note the increased armament to 5-5"/38 guns. The raised forecastle emphasized good seakeeping qualities designed into this class. Despite these improvements in sea keeping Monaghan foundered in the Typhoon of December 17 1944 with heavy loss of life.-
Monaghan 55kUndated postcard.Tommy Trampp
Monaghan
0535426
208kMonaghan riding at anchor at Boston Navy Yard shortly after launching on 09 January 1935. Note she is not yet fitted out with any armament, gun directors or other topside equipment. Associated Press photo.Dave Wright
Monaghan 133kThe USS Balch (DD 363) appears to be coming alongside of another ship with USS Aylwin (DD 355), USS Monaghan (DD 354), USS Farragut (DD 348) and another unidentified destroyer in San Diego circa 1936.Darryl Baker
Monaghan 85kUSS Dale (DD-353) (left) Leading USS Monaghan (DD-354) through a turn during an exhibition by Destroyer Squadron Twenty ships, staged for Movietone News, off San Diego, California, on 14 September 1936.Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Monaghan 59kUSS Monaghan (DD-354), USS Dale (DD-353) and USS Worden (DD-352) of DesRon 20 steaming in line abreast for a Movietone News camera, September 1936, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Monaghan 80kDestroyer Squadron Twenty (DesRon20) steam through a smokescreen laid by planes of Patrol Squadrons Seven, Nine and Eleven, during an exhibition staged for Movietone News off San Diego, California, 14 September 1936. the ships are, from bottom to top: USS Farragut (DD-348); USS Dewey (DD-349); USS Hull (DD-350); USS Macdonough (DD-351); USS Worden (DD-352); USS Dale (DD-353); USS Monaghan (DD-354) and USS Aylwin (DD-355). Courtesy Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Centre photo # NH 67293.Robert Hurst
Monaghan 162kSeptember 14, 1936 photograph staged for Movietone News off San Diego, California. Destroyer Squadron 20 (DesRon 20) steams through a smokescreen laid by Patrol Squadrons Seven, Nine and Eleven. USS Aylwin (DD-355), USS Monaghan (DD-354), USS Dale (DD-353), and USS Worden (DD-352) are visible, while USS Macdonough (DD-351), USS Hull (DD-350), USS Dewey (DD-349) and USS Farragut (DD-348) are out of the photo, their presence indicated by their wakes. Overhead, two PH Flying Boats observe the formation. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.229.032.Mike Green
Monaghan 127kSeptember 14 1936, location unknown.Ed Zajkowski
Monaghan 90k30 May 1937, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Monaghan 75kUSS Monaghan (DD 354) and USS Dale (DD 353) coming out of a smoke screen during Fleet Problem XX, held in February 1939 in the Caribbean and off the Northeast coast of South America. USN photo.Joe Radigan
Monaghan 159kMare Island Navy Yard on 16 February 1942 at the south end of the yard.Ed Zajkowski/Darryl Baker
Monaghan 183kMare Island Navy Yard on 16 February 1942 at the south end of the yard. Note USS Case (DD-370) and USS O'Brien (DD-415) next pier. The ship behind O'Brien and Case is houseboat YFB-21 (ex ferry Calistoga) being used as a berthing barge. The USS Portland (CA 33) is the cruiser at the next pier over with USS Detroit (CL 8) on the opposite side of pier from Portland.Ed Zajkowski/Darryl Baker
Monaghan 170kThis photo was taken at Mare Island between 10-12 August 1942. USS Monaghan (DD-354) is in the foreground; On the next pier over is to the left is USS Walke (DD-416) and to the right is USS Caldwell (DD-605) on the other side of this pier is USS Conyngham (DD-371) to the left and USS Preston (DD-379) on the right. Berthed on the next pier are several old ferry boats used as barracks for the ship crew and US Navy Ship Repair Unit. The USS Chester (CA-27) is next and finally is the USS Detroit (CL-8).Ed Zajkowski / Darryl Baker
Monaghan 928kUSS Monaghan (DD-354) southeast of Mare Island in San Pablo Bay, 17 February 1942. US Navy photo DD 354 839-2-42, from files of Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Monaghan 152kLieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, USN, Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) Is assisted into a breeches buoy for transfer from USS Monaghan (DD-354) to USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 31 May 1942, while the ships were en route to the Midway area. He had been picked up by the destroyer on 28 May, after his TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo bomber had crashed attempting to land on the carrier. Aviation Radioman First Class Charles T. Granat is partially visible behind Lindsey, waiting his turn on the "high line". The other member of the plane's crew, Chief Aviation Pilot Thomas E. Schaeffer is standing with hands in pockets, just to left of the transfer group. Lindsey and Granat were killed in action attacking the Japanese fleet on 4 June 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.Joe Radigan
Monaghan 145kTorpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) air crewman Charles T. Granat rides a breeches buoy from USS Monaghan (DD-354) to USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 31 May 1942, while the ships were en route to the Midway area. He had been picked up by the destroyer on 28 May, after the TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber in which he was a passenger crashed attempting to land on the carrier. Granat was killed in action attacking the Japanese fleet on 4 June 1942. Note fully-equipped life rafts and canvas-covered 5/38 loading practice machine on Monaghan. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 80-G-7747.Mike Green
Monaghan 140kUSS Monaghan (DD-354) at Mare Island, 13 October 1942. Note details of the early-model 5"/38 pedestal mounts aft. Circles point out modifications just made to the ship. USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) is in the background. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No.19-N-35831.Mike Green
Monaghan 181kUSS Monaghan (DD 354) off Mare Island on a foggy day on October 16, 1942. Photo from the collection of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.Darryl Baker
Monaghan 160kPainting from the Battle of Komandorskie Islands March 26 1943 presented to James T. Story.Barbara Story Blye
Monaghan 176kUSS Monaghan (DD-354) operating at sea with the Fifth Fleet, May, 1944. Source Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 99101.Mike Green
Monaghan 70kMonaghan on July 31, 1942 taken in Dutch Harbor. Photo from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II" by Theodore Roscoe.Robert Hurst/Sean M. Casey
Monaghan 94kUSS Monaghan (DD-354) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington on 26 September 1944. The ship is wearing Camouflage scheme Measure 31, Design 7d. Source: United States National Archives, Photo No. 19-N-72550.Mike Green
Monaghan 135kUSS Monaghan (DD-354) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington on 26 September 1944. The ship is wearing Camouflage scheme Measure 31, Design 7d. National Archives Bureau of Shipping, Catalog No. BS 72533, courtesy of C. Lee Johnson, (usndazzle.com)Mike Green

USS MONAGHAN DD-354 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry at the Naval History & Heritage Command website

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


LCDR Robert Rowe Thompson    Apr 19 1935 - Sep 14 1936

LCDR William Earl Miller    Sep 14 1936 - Jun 17 1937

CDR Donald Wood Loomis    Jun 17 1937 - Jun 10 1938

LCDR Daniel Fisher Worth Jr.    Jun 10 1938 - Sep 5 1939

LCDR Kenmore Mathew McManes    Sep 5 1939 - Jun 7 1940 (Later RADM)

LCDR Nicholas Bauer Van Bergen    Jun 7 1940 - Sep 27 1941

LCDR William Page Burford    Sep 27 1941 - Feb 2 1943

LCDR Peter Harry Horn    Feb 2 1943 - Dec 21 1943

LCDR Waldemar Frederick August Wendt    Dec 21 1943 - Nov 30 1944 (Later ADM)

LCDR Floyd Bruce Garrett    Nov 30 1944 - Dec 17 1944


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Naval Historical Center Pearl Harbor Action Report
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 10 June 2022