USS John R. Craig (DD-885)

USS John R. Craig (DD-885)

USS John R. Craig (DD-885) in 1963.
History
United States
Namesake:	John R. Craig
Builder:	Consolidated Steel Corporation
Laid down:	17 November 1944
Launched:	14 April 1945
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Lilian Hyde Craig
Commissioned:	20 August 1945
Refit:	FRAM upgrade February 1963
Struck:	27 July 1979
Fate:	Sunk as target June 1980
General characteristics
Displacement:	3460 tons (full)
Length:	390 ft 6 in (119.02 m)
Beam:	40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft:	14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Propulsion:	General Electric geared turbines, 2 screws, 60,000 shp (45,000 kW)
Speed:	36.8 knots (68.2 km/h; 42.3 mph)
Range:	4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Crew:	336
Armament:	6 × 5"/38AA (3×2) 12 × 40mm AA 11 × 20mm AA 10 × 21 in (533 mm) tt.(2×5)

USS John R. Craig (DD-885) was a Gearing-class destroyer. She was named for Lieutenant Commander John R. Craig USN (1906–1943), commanding officer of USS Grampus killed in action when the submarine was sunk by enemy Japanese destroyers in the Blackett Strait on 5 March 1943 and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

John R. Craig was laid down by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, Texas on 17 November 1944, launched on 14 April 1945 by Mrs. Lilian Hyde Craig, widow of Lieutenant Commander Craig and commissioned on 20 August 1945.

John R. Craig operated with the Seventh Fleet in support of United Nations Forces during the Korean War.

John R. Craig underwent an extensive Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul at the Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard at San Francisco, California, between 6 March 1962 and 15 March 1963.

During the Vietnam War, John R. Craig as plane guard for aircraft carriers on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, participated in Operation Sea Dragon, patrolled on search and rescue duties, and carried out naval gunfire support missions.

With newer destroyers coming on the scene during the Vietnam War, John R. Craig was assigned to United States Naval Reserve training at San Diego, California, in 1973. During this time the ship provided Naval gunfire support for Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer training, performed plane guard duties for carrier training, and conducted goodwill cruises to ports on the United States West Coast. She made cruises to Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Everett, Washington; San Francisco, California; Long Beach, California; Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; and to Ensenada, Mexico.

John R. Craig was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 July 1979 and sunk as a target off California on 6 June 1980.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
• Photo gallery of John R. Craig at NavSource Naval History