USS Corry DD-463

Alex Cesare

Mara Conner

What was the USS Corry?

The USS Corry was a ship named after William Merrill Corry, a Lieutenant Commander in WWI, and was the second ship of three to be honored with the name.

It was commissioned in 1940 and launched in July of 1941 in response to the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

It received four battle stars for outstanding WWII service.

How big was the USS Corry?

The ship was about 348 feet long and could travel at around 35 knots (40 mph).

It was equipped with four guns that launched 55 pound projectiles as far an nine miles, several anti-aircraft automatic weapons, and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes.

What do those numbers and letters mean?

DD-463 was the ship’s identification number. DD stands for “Destroyer Division” and 463 indicates that it was the 463rd destroyer commissioned for the US Navy.

How was it used?

The USS Corry was used many times for things such as air raid support, German U-boat hunting, and in battles such as the invasion of North Africa in 1942, but its most famous battle was that of Normandy.

The USS Corry and the Battle of Normandy

The Battle of Normandy took place on D-Day, June 1, 1944. The objective was for the Allied forces to gain a foothold in Normandy, France so they could bring the war to the western border of Germany.

In the end, the Allies succeeded, but not without incurring great losses on both sides.

The USS Corry and the Battle of Normandy (continued) The USS Corry was the lead destroyer in the

battle. It was the first ship to fire on the Germans at

Normandy along with the USS Fitch DD-462.

The USS Corry and the Battle of Normandy (continued)

It was one of five destroyers on the frontline specifically to support the troops on Utah beach who were making the invasion.

It was the only U.S. destroyer sunk on D-Day

The Sinking of the USS Corry

The USS Corry was reported to have hit a mine that caused the ship to break in two. However, there is some controversy over that fact. Some believe that she was his by enemy fire below the waterline and succumbed.

The Sinking of the USS Corry (continued) 24 members of the USS

Corry’s crew were killed and 60 others were seriously wounded. Those who survived endured freezing water and enemy shelling for hours until they were picked up by another ship.

They suffered severe hypothermia that some did not survive.

Heroism on the USS Corry

As the destroyer sank, a crewmember saved the American flag and raised it. Since it sank near the shore line, even after it went under the flag could be seen above the surface of the water, flying in the wind.

In remembrance of the Normandy invasion and the USS Corry, former President Clinton gave a speech describing this event as one of the most patriotic and inspiring tales of D-Day.

References

D-Day, the Battle of Normandy. (2010). Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Travel and History website: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1749.html.This website was essential in learning about the Battle of Normandy. It provided descriptions of events during the battle and explained why it took place. The article also provided information on the casualties that each side incurred.

Hoffman, G. D., Lieutenant Commander. (n.d.). USN Sinking of USS Corry. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/DD/dd463-Hoffman.html.This narrative by Lieutenant Commander George D. Hoffman describes the Battle of Normandy. It provides good information on the events that took place before and after the sinking. It also gives details on how the ship sank.

USS Corry DD-463 . (2010). Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Abostos website: http://www.asbestos.com/ navy/destroyers/uss-corry-dd-463.php.This article gave facts about the commissioning of the USS Corry. It gave information concerning her first battles and adventures. It also provided some information about the captain’s report which was helpful in learning about how the ship sank.

USS Corry DD-463. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2010, from iPower website: http://www.uss- corry-dd463.com/about_corry.htm. This site provided important information on the USS Corry. It gave the ship’s size, details on how it sank, and facts about some of the people who were aboard it when it sank. It also provided many of the pictures that were used in this PowerPoint.