USS Perry (DD-844) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy for nearly three decades—spanning from the waning days of World War II into the Vietnam era. Commissioned in 1946, she exemplified the adaptability of Cold War-era destroyers, transitioning from classic surface-escort duties to advanced anti-submarine warfare operations. Honoring the naval legacies of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, she embodied both the War of 1812 valor and the groundbreaking diplomacy of mid-19th century Japan.
Name and Legacy
Although she was the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name “Perry,” DD-844 explicitly honored both Perry brothers. Oliver Hazard Perry became a household name for his triumph in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. His younger brother, Matthew Calbraith Perry, forever altered world history by negotiating the end of Japan’s self-imposed isolation (sakoku). Together, they shaped U.S. naval tradition with valor and foresight—qualities that USS Perry (DD-844) carried forward in her service.
Construction and Commissioning
- Shipyard: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
- Keel Laid: May 14, 1945
- Launched: October 25, 1945 (sponsored by Mrs. George Tilton)
- Commissioned: January 17, 1946
Laid down as World War II drew to a close, Perry entered service too late for that conflict but stood ready for the evolving strategic environment that followed. After her commissioning, she would quickly embark on international deployments, transitioning from a wartime build to a cornerstone of Cold War readiness.
Early Service (1946–1950s)
First Overseas Deployment
Following shakedown training off Cuba and plane guard exercises near Pensacola, Florida, Perry departed on her first overseas voyage on June 12, 1946. This initial cruise lasted roughly eight months and took her to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. During this tour, she reportedly visited 58 cities across 22 countries, underscoring the Navy’s postwar show of presence and goodwill. In the Mediterranean, she patrolled strategic waters near the Adriatic, Aegean, and Dardanelles as the region’s tensions escalated under early Cold War pressures.
Stateside Operations and Humanitarian Efforts
Returning to Newport, Rhode Island, in March 1947, Perry conducted local operations and training exercises spanning from Puerto Rico to Canada. She periodically served as an Engineering School Ship for Destroyer Forces of the Atlantic Fleet, offering hands-on instruction to junior officers and enlisted sailors. A striking highlight of 1947 came in October, when her crew assisted local authorities in extinguishing a large, destructive fire on Mount Desert Island, Maine.
Mediterranean Deployments and Additional Duties
In January 1951, Perry once again headed to the Mediterranean for a second tour, working with the 6th Fleet and partaking in exercises alongside the British Home Fleet. Upon returning in May, she resumed plane guard duties, school-ship tasks, and local training operations.
A third Mediterranean tour followed in 1952, after which she frequently supported Atlantic Fleet and NATO exercises. By 1954, she served as a dedicated Gunnery School Ship for six months, training sailors in gunnery proficiency, then returned to the Mediterranean multiple times. Amid the mounting Arab-Israeli tensions of the late 1950s, she patrolled near the Suez Canal, highlighting her role in stabilizing flashpoints during the Cold War era.
FRAM Conversion and Cold War Operations (1959–1960s)
To keep pace with modern anti-submarine warfare demands, Perry entered Boston Naval Shipyard on April 29, 1959, for the first Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) Mark I conversion done on a Gearing-class destroyer. Technicians stripped the vessel down to her main deck, added a new aluminum superstructure, thoroughly overhauled her machinery, and upgraded her living quarters. Most notably, she gained advanced sonar technology and cutting-edge anti-submarine weaponry, including ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) and DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter).
Emerging from the shipyard on May 10, 1960, Perry underwent exercises in the Caribbean, then shifted her homeport to Mayport, Florida, in August. Over the next few years, she participated in Polaris missile tests on the Atlantic Missile Range, served again in Mediterranean and Middle East Force rotations, and continued local training.
Mid-1960s Highlights
Caribbean Patrols and Collision Incident
By the mid-1960s, Perry found herself responding to crises in the Caribbean. In May 1965, she joined Task Force 124 for patrol duties off the Dominican Republic during a period of domestic turmoil. Later that year, while practicing submarine evasion tactics under night conditions on December 6, 1965, she collided with USS York County (LST-1175). Although the incident required her to divert to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for repairs, Perry soon returned to active operations.
Project Gemini and Other Missions
Perry also assisted with various space-related operations, including Project Gemini recovery preparations. She supported the submarine Daniel Webster (SSBN-626) in a test launch of an A3 missile off Cape Kennedy (Cape Canaveral). Her wide-ranging assignments underscored the Navy’s expanding Cold War mission set—covering everything from space program support to training midshipmen on annual cruises.
Vietnam War Deployments and Additional Operations (1969–1972)
First Western Pacific Tour (1969)
In January 1969, Perry sailed for the Western Pacific in company with the carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) and several destroyers. After a brief repair stop in Guam, she reached Subic Bay in the Philippines on February 28. By late February and into March and April, she operated off Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin, contributing to the U.S. naval effort in the Vietnam War.
Before returning home, Perry visited Japan, taking part in Shimoda’s Black Ship Festival in May—a tradition honoring Commodore Matthew C. Perry’s historic role in opening Japan. After representing the United States in this culturally significant event, she arrived back in Mayport on September 3, 1969.
Renewed Mediterranean Service and Black Sea Operations
In August 1970, Perry deployed to the Mediterranean once again. She screened USS Saratoga (CVA-60), then shifted to the eastern Mediterranean during the Jordanian Crisis. Later, she led a task unit demonstrating the U.S. principle of “freedom of the seas” in the Black Sea, an action that underscored rising Cold War tensions. In January 1971, Perry rescued a pilot from USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) after an emergency ejection over the Mediterranean, illustrating her crew’s readiness for rapid response.
Second Vietnam Deployment (1972)
After an overhaul and refresher training, Perry returned to the 7th Fleet area of operations late in 1972. Arriving off the northern coast of South Vietnam on November 14, she provided naval gunfire support for South Vietnamese forces for several weeks. Mechanical issues temporarily pulled her off the gun line in mid-December, but she resumed her duties before departing Vietnam on December 26, 1972. With that, Perry concluded her final combat operations and began her journey back to the United States.
Decommissioning and Fate
On July 1, 1973, after 27 years of service, USS Perry (DD-844) was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register. She was subsequently sold for scrap on June 24, 1974. Despite her relatively quiet end, her legacy spans significant historical junctures—from postwar European patrols and Cold War show-of-force missions to direct involvement in Vietnam’s waters.
Conclusion
Throughout her career, USS Perry (DD-844) fused tradition with transformation. Inherited from her namesakes was a spirit of determination: Oliver Hazard Perry’s resourcefulness on the Great Lakes and Matthew Calbraith Perry’s bold foray into diplomatic frontiers. As a Gearing-class destroyer, Perry embodied the U.S. Navy’s adaptability—evolving from a late-WWII surface combatant to a state-of-the-art anti-submarine platform via FRAM. Her story, marked by Mediterranean peacekeeping, a collision at sea, pilot rescues, NASA assistance, and combat tours in Vietnam, underscores the far-reaching scope of American naval operations in the mid-20th century.
By preserving and sharing her history, the USS Perry Reunion Association ensures that this proud destroyer’s service and the dedication of her crew will remain vivid for future generations.
Additional Resources
USS Commodore Perry
USS Perry (DD-340)
USS Perry (DD-844)
USS Perry (1843)
Perry (DD-11)