USS Whitman

Robert Scott Whitman, Jr. was born on 1 January 1916 at Johnson City, New York. He was appointed a midshipman on 24 August 1935 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the Class of 1939. After sea duty on the heavy cruiser USS Quincy from 26 June 1939 to 1 February 1941, he then underwent heavier-than-air instruction at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. He earned his wings there and then received further instruction at the Transition Training Squadron, Pacific Fleet, before he reported to Patrol Squadron 44 (VP-44) on 4 November 1941.

He remained with VP-44 into the spring and early summer of 1942. With the reinforcement of Midway Atoll in the face of an impending Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) attack, VP-44 was dispatched there. During the first few days of June 1942, the PBY's based at Midway flew long patrols searching for the IJN fleet. Then, on 3 June, came the first surface contact. Whitman's plane was the third to spot the IJN ships and at 09:25 radioed a report calling attention to the "main body." After sending back a second message amplifying the data contained in his report of the initial sighting, Whitman brought his plane back to Midway in accordance with instructions.

At 07:15 on 4 June his PBY-5 was again airborne; he reported that the aircraft was being "opposed by two enemy observation planes." That proved to be the last word heard from Whitman's aircraft, as the Japanese planes shot it down in flames. Records of what happened later are sketchy, but it appears that about half of the plane's crew was lost; six survivors, including the badly wounded Ensign Jack H. Camp, USNR, were picked up by a search PBY on 6 June.

After shakedown out of San Diego, California, and post-shakedown availability, Whitman departed San Francisco, California, on 11 September, escorting Convoy 2298, bound for the Hawaiian Islands. Nine days later, she arrived at Pearl Harbor and safely delivered her charges. She then convoyed the seaplane tender Pocomoke (AV-9) to Canton and Phoenix Islands in early October before she was detached to return to Pearl Harbor.

In November, she moved to the Central Pacific for her first major operation, the thrust against the Japanese held Gilbert Islands. With the Commander, Escort Division 10 embarked as concurrent Commander, Task Group (TG) 57.7, Whitman patrolled off the entrance to Tarawa lagoon and performed local escort missions into December 1943.

Returning, via Funafuti in the Ellice Islands, to Hawaii, Whitman underwent engine repairs at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard in January 1944, before she participated in the invasion and occupation of the Marshalls, escorting a group of tankers (designated as Task Unit (TU) 53.8.3) to Majuro on D plus four-day. The destroyer escort subsequently performed several convoy escort missions between Hawaii and the Marshalls and then steamed to the west coast in March for a major overhaul at the Mare Island Navy Yard. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 10 May.

Whitman departed the Hawaiian Islands on 27 May to escort TU 16.6.4, a Service Force unit, to the forward areas. The tanker group to which Whitman was attached fueled some of the ships of the Fleet participating in the Marianas operation that June. The destroyer escort subsequently performed local escort missions in the Marshalls before heading back to Pearl Harbor in the autumn.

After returning to Hawaiian waters, Whitman operated with the U.S. Pacific Fleet submarines out of Pearl Harbor from October 1944 to May 1945, providing target services to the submariners' training program. In addition, whenever a shortage of escort vessels came up, ships such as Whitman were summoned to provide a variety of services, including anti-submarine patrols and plane-guarding. While engaged in the latter on 23 February 1945, Whitman rescued Lt. (jg.) Ward J. Taylor after he had made a forced landing while the destroyer escort was plane-guarding for Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70). Whitman performed her service speedily and brought Taylor safely on board only five minutes after the accident occurred.

After that stint in Hawaiian waters, the destroyer escort was assigned to TG 96.3 in June 1945 and performed patrol and escort missions to Eniwetok, Johnston Island, Kwajalein, and Ulithi through the summer of 1945.

On 10 August 1945, the day upon which the Japanese indicated a desire to surrender unconditionally to the Allies, Whitman departed Eniwetok with Convoy EU-172, bound for Ulithi. She was en route from Ulithi to Eniwetok with Convoy UE-123 when the Japanese capitulated five days later. She was at Eniwetok when the formal surrender was signed on board Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay.

Departing Kwajalein for the last time on 14 September 1945, Whitman sailed for Pearl Harbor and arrived there on the 20th. Her stay was brief, however, for she got underway for the west coast the next day.

Making port at San Pedro, Los Angeles, on 27 September, Whitman was decommissioned on 1 November and struck from the Navy List on the 16th. Sold to the National Metal and Steel Co. of Terminal Island, California, and delivered on 31 January 1947, the ship was scrapped on 20 March 1948.

•   This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

• Photo gallery of USS Whitman (DE-24) at NavSource Naval History