Started my day being led around by the very charming Commanding Officer of the US Russell, Commander James W. Kilby and his Executive Officer, J.D. Cox.
Would have been more entertaining if it were just the three of us, but I was part of a pack of politicians being shown the nooks and crannies of this big boat that we own.
I can verify that the "Haze Gray" that the 505 foot destroyer is painted helps it blend in, the morning was foggy and I literally could not make out this mongo boat in the harbor. They took us stem to stern, top to bottom and told us more than I could ever remember. Sitting in one of the chairs in the war room with a panel in front of me that has made more than one widow was a humbling experience.
For those of you who are wanting details, I provided all the public information about the Russell available on the official Navy website below. What they don't tell you...yes, I am about to blab a secret here, is that this little lady is Hawaiian through and through. Where ever practical, the spirit of Local Motion warms up the interior.
You would have never guessed that the Mess Hall would be a sunset orange with a large mural of the beach taking up an entire wall. The Hawaiian chief has been stationed in Pearl Harbor for his entire military career. Two cups of rice with breakfast, two cups of rice with lunch, a little poi on the side of dinner. You get the idea.
Command Master Chief C.L. Smith, who bills himself as the oldest man in the Navy, met us in the hall just outside the Mess. I think he has a second job as the ship public relations officer, either that or he is truly smitten with my little neck of the woods.
Most of the staff were either from Hawaii or Texas. No one on-board was from Alaska, or had ever been to Alaska before. Smith advised that Alaska should have been the 50th state, and Hawaii the 49th - because he has been all over the world and to his mind the breathtaking beauty of our region overwhelms the other states. He even went so far as to suggest that Alaska was more beautiful than Hawaii, which really shocked me because we all know that Hawaii is drop dead gorgeous.
The primary mission of USS Russell (DDG-59) is to destroy enemy aircraft, missiles, submarines, surface ships, and land targets in order to prevent the employment of such forces against U.S. forces. Russell is normally assigned to a carrier battle group. She will bring significant capabilities to the battle force, carrying the latest technology in all areas of modern warfare. Russell is in Alaska as part of our Northern Edge exercises, and will be running up and down the Aleutian Islands soon.
Commander Kilby explained that since they are home ported in Pearl Harbor they do most of their training between the islands - which affords them ample view of humpback and grey whales doing their thing. He suggested that the crew was enthusiastic when killer whales were seen off their bow as they approached Resurrection Bay, and everyone was soon on deck with their camera. They are hoping todays fog will burn off so that the can tour the glaciers on their way out.
The ship's combat system, better known as the "AEGIS" Combat system, is the backbone of her war fighting capability. It takes a total team effort, from every corner of the ship to fully employ her systems in combat. The Russell was designed to defeat simultaneous attacks involving large numbers of enemy surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and missiles. Their mission is to fight, survive, win, and fight again!
Russell (DD 414) was laid down 20 December 1937 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA. The ship was launched 8 December 1938 and sponsored by Mrs. Charles H. Marshall (nee Brooke Russell), granddaughter of Rear Admiral Russell for whom DD 414 was named. The ship was commissioned 3 November 1939, LCDR J.C. Pollock in command, two months after the outbreak of World War II in Europe. Her initial duty was the Neutrality Patrol in western Atlantic and Caribbean.
Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Russell was ordered to the Pacific Fleet. On 1 February 1942, Russell screened Yorktown (CV 5) as her planes raided Makin, Mili and Jaluit. After a short stay in Pearl Harbor, Russell covered forces establishing an air base on Canton Island. Russell next joined Lexington (CV 2) and aided aircraft returning from bombing runs against newly established Japanese bases on the Huon Gulf.
After screening Lexington in the Anzac area throughout April, Russell detached on 3 May to provide protection for the tanker Neosho during fueling operations with Task Force 11. Russell joined Task Force 17 on 5 May. Two days later, Russell participated in the Battle of Coral Sea, engaging numerous aircraft which threatened Yorktown and Lexington. During the battle, Lexington was badly damaged by torpedo plane and dive bomber attack and was lost; Yorktown was heavily damaged, but survived. Russell rescued 170 survivors from Lexington and then returned to Pearl Harbor for three days before joining Task force 16 and 17 to meet the enemy at Midway. On 4 June, she provided defense against an ongoing air attack on the patched-up Yorktown. Yorktown was eventually lost after a long pounding from torpedo planes; Russell rescued 492 of Yorktown's crew and returned to Pearl Harbor.
Russell sortied again with Task Force 17 on 17 August 1942, screening Hornet (CV 8). On 6 September, while conducting a continuous submarine search. Russell gained subsurface contact and dropped depth charges. An oil slick a mile long and half a mile wide appeared on the surface, and contact with the enemy submarine was lost.
Throughout the remainder of 1942, Russell continued to operate in support of the Guadalcanal campaign. On 25 and 26 October 1942, while participating in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, Russell again took part in carrier rescue operations, saving nearly 500 crew members from the stricken Hornet. After stopping in Noumea for repairs to her superstructure which was damaged during the daring rescue. Russell escorted convoys to Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Australia. During December and throughout January 1943, she screened convoys to Guadalcanal and Tulagi, and then to Rennel. In February, she screened Enterprise and then escorted convoys to Australia and back.
On 1 May 1943, Russell set sail for Mare Island, California for overhaul. At the end of July, Russell completed overhaul and steamed north to join forces staging for the "invasion" of Kiska. After Aleutian patrol duty and escort duty for landing craft and transports, she joined troop transports off the coast of Betio, Tarawa, screening heavy units shelling the shoreline. She provided gunfire support and screened transports as they filled with Marine casualties. Russell next proceeded to the Marshall Islands and then to California. On 13 January, Russell left California and escorted Task Group 53.5, stopped in Hawaii for training, and headed west. Russell next conducted gunfire support missions and screened heavy units off the coast of Kwajalein, and afterwards returned to Pearl Harbor before being directed on to Puget Sound for repairs.
In March of 1944, with repairs complete, Russell returned to Hawaii and, from there, served as escort for units proceeding to New Guinea where she rejoined Destroyer Squadron Two. Upon reporting, she commenced an extremely difficult five month LST escort duty off the navigationally demanding coast of new Guinea. On 27 May, Russell shelled Padiator Island, patrolled between Pai and Pandiadori Islands, blasted targets on Biak, and was underway to return to Humboldt Bay. In June, Russell provided cover for heavy units in operations at Biak and Wakde. She also participated in the bombardment of the Toem area, then resumed escort runs along the coast. After more gunfire support duty, Russell participated in Operation "Globetrotter," the capture of Sansapor.
After duty in the Philippines, Talcloban, Alabat Point, San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, and New Guinea, Russell departed for Aitape on 28 December to participate in the invasion of Luzon. On 7 January 1945, she joined three other destroyers in forming an interceptor force to destroy any enemy ship attempting a sortie against the convoy from Manila Bay. At 2230 the enemy destroyer Hinoki was detected and fired upon. Twenty minutes later, Hinoki sank.
On the 9th of January, Russell assumed screening duties off the Lingayen Gulf. For nine long days she patrolled, illuminated, and fought off kamikazes. From the 18th to the 23rd, she escorted damaged ships back to Leyte and subsequently saw duty off Nasugbu point and Lingayen Gulf. Russell returned to Leyte on the 2nd of February and proceeded to New Guinea and then to the Solomons. Next, Russell sailed for Guadalcanal, arriving 15 February 1945 for Operation "Iceberg," the Okinawa offensive.
After service off of the Hagushi beaches and Kerama Retto, Russell detached 28 May for the United States for overhaul. While in the shipyard in Seattle, the war ended in the Pacific. Russell ended her unmatched, sustained service with a decommissioning service on the 15th of November 1945. Her arduous sea duty took its toll on the ship's condition and she was subsequently sold for scrap to National Metal & Steel Corp.
Russell earned an extraordinary 16 battle stars for her service in World War II, and was the distinguished as the most decorated destroyer in WW2. Today, her namesake carries on rich tradition the original Russell. She is ten years old, already fighting seven years longer than her predecessor.
The Russell is named for two figures in US military history.
Rear Admiral John Henry Russell was appointed a midshipman on 10th of September 1841. As a junior officer, he served in ships such as Cyane and United States in the Pacific, St. Mary's in the Gulf of Mexico, the store ship Relief, the mail steamer Georgia, various other ships of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, in Vincennes as navigator when she made her cruise into the Arctic, and in the Wabash in the Mediterranean.
RADM Russell is most famous for his Civil War heroics in Pensacola Harbor. In command of four small boats, then LT Russell passed through the heavy pounding of shore batteries. After his own coxswain was shot, he grabbed the tiller of his boat and led 100 men to the Confederate Privateer Judah. He and his men then jumped to the deck of Judah and destroyed it by fire. For his actions he received the following commendation from the Secretary of the Navy:
" An expedition, executed in the face of an enemy so much superior in numbers, with such brilliancy gallantry and success, can not pass without the special recognition of the Department. To those who were engaged in it, not only the Department, but the whole country, it is indebted for one of the brightest pages in that has adorned our naval record during this rebellion. Indeed, it may be placed, without disparagements, side by side with the fairest that adorn our early naval history. "The expedition will give renown, not only to those who were immediately concerned in it, but to the Navy itself--it will inspire others in the service to emulation--its recital hereafter will thrill the heart with admiration. "The Department will cherish the recollection of the exploit, and desires you to express to the officers, seamen and marines who participated in it, its highest admiration of their conduct."
As a reward for this brilliant enterprise, LT Russell was given command of the gunboat Kennebec in which he rendered distinguished war service for eight months on the Mississippi River, especially in operations resulting in the passage of Farragut's fleet past Forts Jackson and St. Philip. He further participated in the first engagements at Grand Gulf, Port Houston, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg. The Kennebec was subsequently employed under Russell on blockade duty on the Gulf Coast. Following the Kennebec, he commanded the steamer Pontiac with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, served on ordnance duty at Washington and commanded Cyane, the same ship on which he served as a midshipman.
After the Civil War, his duties were at the naval yards at Norfolk and Mare Island, and in command of the USS Ossippe on the pacific Coast. In September 1870, after the Ossippee rode out a hurricane, she went in search of the boats of the steamer Continental which had foundered off the coast of lower California. The lives of a number of the Continental crew were saved. Following the Ossippe, Capt. Russell commanded USS Plymouth, North Atlantic Squadron and commanded USS Powatan, special duty.
After serving several years at the Washington Navy Yard and at the Navy Department, RADM Russell served as Commandant of the Mare island Navy Yard from 1883 to 1886. He retired from active service on the 27th of August 1886 and died on the 1st of April, 1897.
Major General John Henry Russell was born in California on the 14th of November, 1872. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by President Cleveland in May 1888 and graduated in June 1892. On July 1st, 1894, after two years at sea, he passed his final examinations and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
In 1896, he joined the USS Massachusetts, North Atlantic Squadron. During the Spanish-American War he served in Massachusetts in blockading operations around the West Indies and in the bombardment of Santiago, Cuba.
Duty in USS Yosemite was followed by assignments on Guam, and in command of the Marine Detachment, USS Oregon. His next shore duty was as an instructor at the school for young officers established at the Marine Barracks, Annapolis, Maryland. After duty at the Marine Barracks, Honolulu, T. H., he was ordered to command the Marines stationed at Camp Elliot, Panama Canal Zone.
In September 1908, he joined the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, for staff duty until 1910. It was during this tour of service that the "applicatory method" of instruction was put into effect.
He commanded the Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peking, China, from November 14th, 1910 to April 30th, 1913. The change in the Chinese government from an empire to a republic, which took place during this period, and the attendant disorders in and around Peking made this tour of duty particularly interesting and challenging.
After commanding various Marine Corps Regiments, in 1917 he was detached and ordered to the Republic of Haiti to command the Marine Brigade serving in that country. After showing superior leadership, in 1922 he was appointed American High Commissioner to Haiti with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary by the U.S. Senate. General Russell served with distinction in Haiti as High Commissioner until November 1930.
Upon his return to the United States he was assigned to duty as Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, and was transferred to command the Marine Barracks Quantico, Virginia in December 1931. He was detailed to Assistant to the Major General Commandant at Headquarters Marine Corps in February 1933. General Russell was appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps on the 1st of March, 1934; he remained on that duty until he reached the statutory age limit in November 1936.
While in service for the Corps and his country, Major General Russell was a major contributor to the development of the Fleet Marine Force and the doctrine that governs its load-out scheme, equipment, tactics, techniques and organization that proved decisive in World War II.
In addition to numerous letters of commendation during his long and varied career, General Russell was awarded the Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Haitian Medaille Militaire, West Indies (Sampson) Medal, Spanish Campaign Medal, Expeditionary Medal with West Indies Clasp and the Haitian Campaign Medal.
General Russell died in Coronado, California the 6th of March, 1947. He was interred in the Arlington National Cemetery.
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