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USS BACHE (DD-470 / DDE-470)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NAHU

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - ALTERNATE

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 4 x 40mm, 6 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island, NY November 19 1941.
Launched July 7 1942 and commissioned November 14 1942.
Decommissioned February 4 1946 and recommissioned October 1 1951.
Reclassified DDE-470 January 2 1951, reverted To DD-470 June 30 1962.
Decommissioned March 1 1968.
Stricken March 1 1968.
Fate Wrecked on the Island of Rhodes Greece February 6 1968, and scrapped there.

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Bache 71kGeorge Mifflin Bache was born on 12 November 1840 at Washington, D.C. and was appointed midshipman on 9 November 1857. Graduating from the Naval Academy just after the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Passed Midshipman Bache went to sea in the sloop Jamestown that operated along the Atlantic coast of the Confederacy. Later, he served briefly in the steam sloop Powhatan before transferring to the squadron on the Mississippi River late in 1862. On 8 November 1862, he received orders to assume command of the stern wheel, casemate gunboat Cincinnati. Lt. Bache commanded the gunboat during operations leading up to the fall of Vicksburg, Miss., early in July of 1863. During those operations, however, his ship was sunk on 27 May 1863 while dueling Confederate batteries defending the river approaches to the city. That summer, he took command of the sidewheel gunboat Lexington and led her in a number of engagements with Confederate forces. In 1864, he returned to the Atlantic blockade as executive officer of Powhatan. While assigned to that ship, Lt. Bache participated in both the unsuccessful and successful assaults on Fort Fisher, N.C., carried out in December 1864 and January 1865. In the latter attack, he was wounded but not severely. Following the Civil War, he served in Sacramento until she was destroyed on a reef at the mouth of the Godavary River, Madras, India, on 19 June 1867. Between 1869 and 1872, Lt. Comdr. Bache was assigned to the steam sloop Juniata on the European Station. After that, he went ashore to ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard until his retirement on 5 April 1875. Comdr. Bache died on 11 February 1896 at Washington, D.C. Digital ID: cph 3a02176, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Bill Gonyo
Bache 82kArtist's conception of the Bache as she appeared after original construction 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
Bache 78kArtist's conception of a cutaway view of the Bache 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
Bache 92kUndated, location unknown.Robert M. Cieri
Bache 78kUndated, location unknown.David Buell
Bache 109kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Bache 85kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Bache 156kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Bache 149kUndated, location unknown.Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Bache 201kUndated, location unknown.Randy Kimes/Yucel M.Umar, CPO (Ret.) Turkish Navy
Bache 99kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Bache 103kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Bache 132kUSS Bache (DD-470) in New York Harbor during her delivery trip from the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Staten Island, New York, 14 November 1942. The ship's radar antennas have not yet been fitted. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute Photo Collection. James C. Fahey Collection. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command. NH 95930.Mike Green
Bache 148kStarboard bow view of USS Bache (DD-470) in New York Harbor during her delivery trip from the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Staten Island, New York, 14 November 1942. The ship's radar antennas have not yet been fitted. Note the Bethlehem Steel Company's flag flying from Bache's port halyards, and the Flower class gunboat (ex-British corvette) in the right distance. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute Photo Collection. James C. Fahey Collection. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command. NH 95931.Mike Green
Bache 157kA distant view of BACHE off a Leyte beachhead, 20 October 1944. View from USS LEON (APA60). NARA 80G 287014.John Chiquoine
Bache 137kJanuary 16 1945 in San Francisco.Ed Zajkowski
Bache 157kStarboard bow view of USS Bache (DD-470) off San Francisco, California on 16 January 1945. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute Photo Collection. James C. Fahey Collection. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command. NH 95932.Mike Green
Bache 112kUSS Bache (DD-470) off San Francisco, California on 16 January 1945. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute Photo Collection. James C. Fahey Collection. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 95932.Robert Hurst
Bache 117kUSS Bache moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard, 20 October 1945. In the foreground are HMS Essington (inboard) and HMS Calder (outboard), the first 'Captain' class frigates to be returned to the US Navy after the war. Both had completed refits as Coastal Forces Control Ships for service with the East Indies Fleet before return. Note all Oerlikons aft of the funnel removed, replaced by three single 40mm Bofors; four single Bofors also replaced the four Oerlikons forward of the bridge. All 3" guns on Essington, have spray shields, and Foxer gear is prominent on sterns of both ships. Type SA radar at mastheads of both, and extra depth charge racks can be seen forward of throwers. Photo from Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A Complete Survey, by Peter Elliot.Robert Hurst/Rick E. Davis
Bache 39kNew York City, October 1945 during the Naval Review.Bruce Helmboldt
Bache 250kThis view from USS Hobby is at a New York pier during Navy Day week, 1945. All four participated in the Presidential Fleet Review on 27 October 1945. Seen are left to right; USS Bache (DD-470), USS Welles (DD-628), and USS Renshaw (DD-499). From the collection of USS Hobby son Pete Carucci.Gary Edmisten and John Chiquoine
Bache 181kA series of 5 images of the Bache from July 1953.Mitch Rycus
Bache 118kAs above.Mitch Rycus
Bache 154kAs above.Mitch Rycus
Bache 124kAs above.Mitch Rycus
Bache 126kAs above with the USS Beale (DD-471), USS Murray (DD-576), USS Eaton (DD-510) and USS Bache (DD-470).Mitch Rycus
Bache 118kOur Navy Magazine, Mid-July 1954.Stanley Svec
Bache 79kCirca 1959 on a deployment from the United Kingdom to Australia. Photo by Mark's grandfather. From Left to right: probably the USS Beale (DD-471), USS Massey (DD-778), USS Benham (DD-796), USS Murray (DD-576), USS Bache (DD-470) and USS Eaton (DD-510).Mark Tylinski
Bache 91kTask Group ALFA, formation portrait of the anti-submarine group's ships and aircraft, taken during 1959 exercises in the Atlantic, while Secretary of the Navy William B. Franke was embarked. Ships include the group flagship, USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) in center, two submarines, and seven destroyers. Identifiable among the latter are USS Eaton (DDE-510) at left front, USS Beale (DDE-471) following Eaton, USS Waller (DDE-466) in the center foreground, and USS Conway (DDE-507) at right front. The reamianing two are the USS Bache (DD-470) and USS Cony (DD-508) of DesRon 28. Aircraft overhead include two formations of S2F "Trackers" from the Valley Forge air group, plus one shore-based P2V "Neptune" from Norfolk Naval Air Station, Virginia. Two HSS-1 helicopters are flying low, directly over the submarines. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Fred Weiss
Bache 144kUSS Valley Forge (CVS-45) Steams in formation with other units of Task Force ALFA, during anti-submarine exercises in the Atlantic, 1959. The other ships present are (from left): USS Murray (DDE-576), USS Beale (DDE-471), USS Bache (DDE-470), USS Eaton (DDE-510), USS Conway (DDE-507), USS Cony (DDE-508) and USS Waller (DDE-466). Photograph was released for publication on 3 August 1959. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Bache 144kUSS Bache (DD-470) underway at sea on 21 July 1964. Though redesignated a destroyer (DD) in 1962, Bache remains in the antisubmarine destroyer (DDE) configuration she received in the early 1950s. Photographer: PH1 Arthur W. Gilberson. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107299.Robert Hurst
Bache 66kHampton Roads, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bache 76kHampton Roads, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bache 66kHampton Roads, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bache 53kHampton Roads, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bache 51kHampton Roads, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bache 169kRhodes Island, Greece, Bache rests just outside the harbor of the island of Rhodes where she was blown aground on February 6 1968. The Greek oiler L-166 stands by to assist.Ed Zajkowski
Bache 223kOverhead view of USS Bache (DD-470) aground just outside the harbor of Rhodes, Greece, circa February 1968. Bache was blown ashore by gale force winds on 6 February 1968. There were no personnel casualties, but the ship was damaged beyond economical repair. Source: Official U.S. Navy Photograph, Photo No. USN 1129748.Mike Green
Bache 201kUSS Bache(DD-470) aground just outside the harbor of Rhodes, Greece, circa February 1968. Note the many spectators ashore. Bache was blown ashore by gale force winds on 6 February 1968. There were no personnel casualties, but the ship was damaged beyond economical repair. Source: Official U.S. Navy Photograph, Photo No. KN-16237.Mike Green
Bache 73kNewpaper article & photo of the Bache aground in Rhodes, Greece from February 10 1968.Tommy Trampp
Bache 77kShip's patchMike Smolinski
Bache 96kShip's patchTom Gamstetter

USS BACHE DD-470 / DDE-470 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 Newton Opie III    Nov 14 1942 - Jan 15 1943 (Later RADM)
CDR Frank Marshall Adamson    Jan 15 1943 - Feb 14 1944 (Later RADM)
LCDR Robert Cameron Morton    Feb 14 1944 - Dec 1 1944
LCDR Alan Roberts McFarland    Dec 1 1944 - Sep 1 1945
LCDR William Kenneth Ratliff    Sep 1 1945 - Oct 26 1945
CDR John Paul Aymond    Oct 26 1945 - Dec 13 1945
LCDR William Kenneth Ratliff    Dec 15 1945 - Jan 5 1946
LCDR Louis Harkey Mayo    Jan 5 1946 - Jan 28 1946 
LCDR William Kenneth Ratliff    Jan 28 1946 - Feb 3 1946
Stuart    Feb 3 1946 - Jun 4 1946
(Decommissioned Jun 4 1946 - Oct 1 1951)
CDR John Ward (Jake) Reed    Oct 1 1951 - Jun 1953
CDR Jerome Henry (Jerry) King Jr.    Jun 1953 - 1954 (Later VADM)
CDR Joseph Davis Linehan     1954 - 1955
CDR Daniel Francis Harrington, Jr.    1955 - Feb 12 1957
CDR Paul Joseph Hidding     Feb 12 1957 - Oct 1 1958
CDR Raymond Walter Allen    Oct 1 1958 - Nov 29 1960
CDR Waldo William (Wally) Scheid    Nov 29 1960 - May 2 1962
CDR Richard Dewey Faubion    May 2 1962 - Jul 1963
CDR Robert Raymond Clement    Jul 1963 - May 1965
CDR Arthur Richard Hasler Jr.    May 1965 - ? 1967
CDR Edward Ara Broadwell    ? 1967 - 1968
LCDR Clyde Andrew Leo Carter    1968 - Mar 1 1968

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Tom Blaszczyk
Address:
Phone: (708)798-8782
E-mail: t.blaszczyk@sbcglobal.net


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 Bache Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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