View source for USS Ellet

{{Short description|Benham-class destroyer}}
{{morefootnotes|date=October 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
 |image=USS Ellet (DD-398) - 19-N-20352.jpg
 |image_caption=USS Ellet (DD-398)
 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
 |hide_header=
 |country=United States
 |flag={{USN flag|1945}}
 |name=
 |namesake=Five members of the Ellet family
 |ordered=
 |builder=[[Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]]
 |laid_down=3 December 1936
 |launched=11 June 1938 
 |acquired=
 |commissioned=17 February 1939
 |decommissioned=29 October 1945
 |in_service=
 |out_of_service=
 |struck=
 |reinstated=
 |honours=[[File:Silver-service-star-3d.png|20px]] 10 × [[Battle star#Navy warships|battle stars]]
 |fate=Sold 1 August 1947
 |notes=
 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 |hide_header=
 |header_caption=
 |class=[[Benham class destroyer|''Benham''-class]] [[destroyer]]
 |displacement=1,850&nbsp;tons 
 |length=341&nbsp;ft 3&nbsp;in
 |beam=35&nbsp;ft 6&nbsp;in
 |draught=
 |draft=10&nbsp;ft 9&nbsp;in
 |propulsion=
 |speed=38&nbsp;kt
 |range=
 |complement=184 officers and enlisted
 |sensors=
 |EW=
 |armament=4 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]]/38 guns, 16 21" [[torpedo tube]]s
 |armour=
 |armor=
 |aircraft=
 |aircraft_facilities=
 |notes=
 }}
}}

'''USS ''Ellet'' (DD-398)''' was a [[Benham class destroyer|''Benham''-class]] [[destroyer]] in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. She was named for five members of the Ellet family of Pennsylvania who rendered service during the [[American Civil War]]: Colonel [[Charles Ellet, Jr.]]; [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[Alfred W. Ellet]]; [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Charles R. Ellet]]; [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[John A. Ellet]]; and [[Edward C. Ellet]]. The first two officers commanded the [[United States Ram Fleet]].

==History==
''Ellet'' (DD-398) was launched 11 June 1938 by [[Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]], [[Kearny, New Jersey]]; sponsored by Miss Elvira Daniel Cabell, granddaughter of Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr.; and commissioned 17 February 1939.

In September and October 1939 ''Ellet'' operated off the [[Grand Banks]] on [[Neutrality Patrol]], then with Destroyer Division 18 out of [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]] with the [[West Gulf Patrol]]. Based at [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], after 26 February 1940, she joined in [[Battle Force]] maneuvers as far as [[Hawaii]]. In the summer of 1941 her home port became [[Pearl Harbor]] and in October she brought home an [[United States Army|Army]] survey expedition from [[Kiribati|Christmas Island]] to [[Honolulu]].

When the [[Imperial Japan|Japan]]ese [[attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked Pearl Harbor]] 7 December 1941, ''Ellet'' was returning from reinforcing [[Wake Island]] in the screen of TF&nbsp;8 with which she remained throughout December. After a convoy escort voyage to the west coast, she guarded a troop convoy back to Christmas Island in February.

In April she screened Carrier TF&nbsp;16, which launched [[B-25]]'s in the famous Halsey-[[Doolittle Raid]] on [[Tokyo]] and other Japanese cities and returned to Pearl Harbor the 25th. The same ships raced 5 days later to reinforce the carriers headed for the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]]. It was won before ''Ellet's'' force got there, so TF&nbsp;16 returned to Pearl Harbor. TF&nbsp;16 sailed from Pearl Harbor 28 May 1942 once more to join [[Task Force 17]] (TF&nbsp;17). Together they turned back the Japanese fleet in the [[Battle of Midway]] on 4, 5 and 6 June. The Japanese lost four carriers, many aircraft, and a number of irreplaceable aviators. ''Ellet'' returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June to prepare for invading the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]], the first American land offensive of the war.

''Ellet'' arrived off [[Guadalcanal]] 7 August 1942 for pre-invasion bombardment, patrolled the transport area, and fought off air attacks. On 9 August she rescued 41 officers and 451 men from [[USS Quincy (CA-39)|''Quincy'' (CA-39)]] and 1 man from [[USS Astoria (CA-34)|''Astoria'' (CA-34)]], sunk in the [[Battle of Savo Island]] the night before, then joined [[USS Selfridge (DD-357)|''Selfridge'' (DD-357)]] in the duty of sinking the hulk of [[HMAS Canberra (1927)|HMAS ''Canberra'']], hopelessly battered in the same battle. While escorting transports deadheading back to Nouméa, ''Ellet'' was detached 12 August to screen the [[USS Enterprise (CV-6)|''Enterprise'' (CV-6)]] task force covering reinforcement and supply of the Solomons. She got back to Pearl Harbor 10 September.

Out of [[Espiritu Santo]] ''Ellet'' patrolled to the Solomons with TF&nbsp;16 from November 1942 until May 1943, then returned to Pearl Harbor. Back at Espiritu Santo 1 July, she hurried to [[Tulagi]] for the consolidation of the northern Solomons. She sailed for overhaul on the west coast in September 1943.

By the end of January 1944, ''Ellet'' was back in action, screening carriers about to invade the [[Marshall Islands|Marshalls]]. After a week in Pearl Harbor for repairs, she saw action in [[New Guinea]], supporting the operations at [[Jayapura|Hollandia]] in April. Upon her return to Pearl Harbor she joined the [[US 5th Fleet|5th Fleet]] for the invasion of the [[Mariana Islands|Marianas]], screening diversionary raids on the [[Bonin Islands|Bonins]], and carriers in the assaults on [[Saipan]] and [[Guam]].

''Ellet'' arrived at [[Ulithi Atoll]] 13 October 1944 and was sent to scout neighboring [[Ngulu Atoll]] for a proposed secondary fleet anchorage. Troops landed at Ngulu 16 October. When [[USS Montgomery (DM-17)|''Montgomery'' (DM-17)]] struck a mine the 17th, ''Ellet'' came to the rescue with pumps then towed her in to Ulithi lagoon.

At October's end, ''Ellet'' joined the [[Marianas Patrol and Escort Group]]. She bombarded [[Iwo Jima]], in December 1944 and the following January. Based on Guam and Saipan, she escorted convoys and patrolled on air-sea rescue station until July 1945.

When hostilities ended, ''Ellet'' was repairing at [[Mare Island]]. She was decommissioned there 29 October 1945, and sold 1 August 1947.

==Honors==
''Ellet'' received 10 [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service.

==References==
* {{cite journal|last1=Wright |first1=Christopher C.|year=1986|title=The U.S. Fleet at the New York World's Fair, 1939: Some Photographs from the Collection of the Late William H. Davis|journal=Warship International|volume=XXIII|issue=3|pages=273–285|issn=0043-0374}}
{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/ellet.html}}

{{Benham class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellet (DD-398)}}
[[Category:Benham-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1938 ships]]