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USS ''Hobson'' (DD-464/DMS-26), a ''Gleaves''-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Richmond Pearson Hobson, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Spanish-American War. He would later in his career attain the rank of Rear Admiral and go on to serve as a congressman from the state of Alabama. ''Hobson'' (as DD-464) was launched at the Charleston Navy Yard, on 8 September 1941; sponsored by Mrs. R. P. Hobson, widow of Rear Admiral Hobson; and commissioned on 22 January 1942, Commander R. N. McFarlane in command. == DD-464 == Following extensive shakedown and training operations in Casco Bay, Maine, the new destroyer joined veteran aircraft carrier ''Ranger'' (CV-4) at Norfolk, Virginia, and sailed on 1 July 1942 to escort her to Africa. Carrying a vital cargo of 72 P-40 aircraft, ''Ranger'' arrived safely via Trinidad, unloaded the planes and returned with ''Hobson'' on 5 August 1942. The destroyer then conducted training exercises off Newport, Rhode Island, and Norfolk until 3 October 1942, when she departed Norfolk for Bermuda on escort duty. As the Allies prepared to land in North Africa, ''Hobson'' joined the Center Attack Group. Her main job was to screen and to protect ''Ranger'' while the carrier's mobile air power supported the assault. Departing 25 October 1942 from Bermuda, ''Hobson''s group arrived off Fedhala on 8 November 1942, and as the landings proceeded, provided the indispensable air support. ''Ranger''s planes hit shore batteries, the immobile Vichy French battleship ''Jean Bart'', and later helped turn back the attack by French ships on the transport area. ''Hobson'' screened ''Ranger'' until she sailed 11 November 1942 for Norfolk, leaving the Allies fully in command of the assault area. Upon her return to Norfolk on 27 November 1942, the destroyer took part in exercises in Casco Bay, later steaming with a convoy to the Panama Canal Zone in December. The ship again joined ''Ranger'' in early 1943 and the anti-submarine patrol group sailed on 8 January 1943 to patrol the western Atlantic. Groups such as ''Ranger''s did much to protect Allied shipping in the Atlantic from U-boats, and contributed to the eventual victory in Europe. Typical of ''Hobson''s versatile performance was her rescue of a group of survivors from SS ''St. Margaret'' off Bermuda on 2 March 1943. In April 1943, ''Hobson'' and ''Ranger'' arrived at Naval Station Argentia, Newfoundland, and began operations out of that base. The ships provided air cover for convoys and anti-submarine patrol, and in July 1943 had the honor of convoying RMS ''Queen Mary'', carrying Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the Quebec Conference. The veteran destroyer arrived in Boston 27 July 1943 to prepare for new duties. ''Hobson'' sailed with ''Ranger'' and other ships 5 August 1943 to join the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. Arriving 19 August 1943, she operated under Royal Navy orders in northern waters, helping to provide cover for vital supply convoys to Russia. While at Scapa Flow 21 September 1943, she was inspected by US Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark. ''Hobson'' accompanied ''Ranger'' on a daring raid 2–4 October 1943, as carrier aircraft staged a devastating attack on German shipping at Bodø, Norway. Following this operation, the destroyer continued to operate with Home Fleet. She screened during flight operations in November and after two convoy voyages to Iceland, returned to Boston and U.S. operational control 3 December 1943. During the first two months of 1944, ''Hobson'' trained in Chesapeake Bay and operated with carriers between the East Coast and Bermuda. She joined escort carrier ''Bogue'' and other escorts at Norfolk, departing 26 February 1944. These Hunter-killer Groups played a major part in driving German U-boats from the sea lanes, and this cruise was no exception. After patrolling for over two weeks, the destroyers spotted an oil slick, made sonar contact, and commenced depth charge attacks on the afternoon of 13 March 1944. The weather-reporting submarine ''U-575'' was severely damaged and was forced to surface, after which gunfire from ''Hobson'' and the other ships sank her. After further anti-submarine sweeps as far east as the Azores, ''Hobson'' returned to Boston on 2 April 1944. For some time the Allies had been building up tremendous strength in England for the eventual invasion of France, and the destroyer sailed on 21 April 1944 to join the vast armada which would transport and protect the soldiers. She spent a month on patrol off Northern Ireland, arriving at Plymouth on 21 May for final preparations for the invasion. Assigned to Rear Admiral Don P. Moon's Utah Beach Assault Group, ''Hobson'' arrived off Normandy with other ships of the bombardment group at 01:40 6 June, and blazed away at German shore batteries. During the early hours ''Corry'' (DD-463) struck a mine and sank, after which ''Hobson'' and ''Fitch'' (DD-462) fired at German shore positions while simultaneously rescuing survivors from the water. ''Hobson'' continued to lend powerful fire support until returning to Plymouth later that afternoon. The destroyer was not long out of the fray, however, returning 8 June 1944 to screen the assault area. She also jammed glider bomb radio frequencies 9–11 June and provided channel convoy protection. With the Allies sorely in need of a good port in France, ''Hobson'' steamed to Cherbourg 25 June 1944 to assist in the bombardment. She fired at the large batteries, screened the battleships ''Texas'' (BB-35) and ''Arkansas'' (BB-33); and when the battleships were dangerously straddled, ''Hobson'' and ''Plunkett'' (DD-431) made covering smoke which allowed all to retire. A few days later, the Allies occupied Cherbourg. ''Hobson''s next duty took her to the Mediterranean; she arrived Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria, 11 July 1944, and for a month performed convoy duties to and from Taranto, Italy. Joining Rear Admiral Bertram J. Rodgers' Delta Assault Force, she sailed from Taranto on 11 August 1944 for the invasion of Southern France. Early on 15 August 1944, she acted as spotter for the ''Nevada'' (BB-36) and her preliminary bombardment; as troops stormed ashore, she provided direct fire support with her own batteries. The destroyer remained in the assault area until the next evening, arriving at Palermo on 17 August 1944 to take up Mediterranean convoy duty. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Hobson (DD-464)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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