DD459/A16-3                                       U.S.S. LAFFEY (DD459)
                                                  November 16, 1942.

S E C R E T


From:       Commanding Officer (Acting).   
To:         The Secretary of the Navy.
Via:        Commanding Officer, Naval Activities, CACTUS-RINGBOLT Area.

Subject:    U.S.S. LAFFEY, report of 1oss of.

Reference:  (a) Article 841, U.S. Navy Regulations.


1.      The U.S.S. LAFFEY was lost in action while engaging units of
        the enemy fleet off Savo Island about 0200 November 13, 1942.

2.      The LAFFEY was lost after sustaining following damage Number 
        two, three and four 5" guns out of commission by direct hits; 
        shell hit in chart house; large caliber shell hit in electrical 
        work shop which penetrated the forward engine room; five inch 
        shell hit in after fireroom; stern end blown off by torpedo 
        hit.

3.      About five minutes after the order to abandon ship was given,
        the ship blew up with a terrific explosion and sank 
        immediately.


                                                                 E. A. BARHAM 
                                                       Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.

Copy to:
        C.N.O.
        CincPac.
        ComsoPac.
        ComdesPac.


FIRST ENDORSEMENT                                         ADVANCED NAVAL BASE
A16-3                                                       Cactus - Ringbolt
Serial SD/TS133
                                                             17 November 1942


From:          Commander Naval Activities, Cactus-Ringbolt Area.
To  :          The Secretary of the Navy.
Via :          Commander South Pacific Force

        1.     Forwarded.


SOUTH PACIFIC FORCE
OF THE UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER
A16-3(11)
Serial 00161b

S-E-C-R-E-T

SECOND ENDORSEMENT TO:
C.O. (Acting) U.S.S. LAFFEY
DD459/A16-3 dated November 16,
1942.

From:          The Commander South Pacific Area and South
               Pacific Force.
To  :          The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Subject:       U.S.S. LAFFEY, report of loss of.

        1.     Forwarded.

                                                                  W.F. HALSEY



                                                                U.S.S. LAFFEY
DD459/A16-3                                                 November 15, 1942

SECRET


From:          Commanding Officer (Acting).
To:            Commander Service Force, South Pacific.
Via:           (1) Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Activities,
               Cactus-Ringbolt Area.

Subject:       U.S.S. LAFEFY, Report of Personnel casualties.

Reference:     (a) Alnav 13, 1942.

        1.     The following is a list of personnel casualties sustained by 
               the U.S.S. LAFFEY in the battle off Savo Island which occurred 
               about 0200 November 13, 1942, in which the U.S.S. LAFFEY was 
               lost.


KILLED IN ACTION

Lieute(jg) Joseph W. Finch Jr.     USNR
BRANHAM, Jack                      S1c
BROWN, Donald N.                   FC1c
DARUGNA, Louis                     F1c
KNUDSEN, M. L.                     S1c
McMILLAN, C. J.                    BM2c
PERINO, Mike                       Cox
PUCKETT, F.                        F2c
RUNDALL W. C.                      F2c
SIMS, R. W.                        F2c
SHERMAN, E. R.                     S1c
SWAIN, C. C.                       WT2c
THORNBER, J. H.                    RM3c
TREVINO, Amado, Jr.                S1c
WILKINSON, R.                      S2c
WILSON, V. L. R.                   S1c
QUINTERS, P.                       TM3c

Died OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION

CHASE, Guy LaVerne                 S2c
SANDERSON, Frederick D.            TM1c
GRAHAM, E. V.                      S2c

Wounded in Action

# W. T. Doyle, Jr.                 Lieutenant USN
# W. K. Ratliff                    Lieutenant USN
  Eldo W. Bergman                  Lieutenant USN
# Thomas A. Evins                  Lieutenant (jg.) USN
  George A. Rice                   Lieutenant (jg.) USN
# D. S. Sterrett                   Ensign USN
# J. E. Haines                     Ensign USNR
# P.H. MC Gann                     Ensign USNR
  Francis A. Paul                  Boatswain USN
  Lester E. Murphy                 Machinist USN
# ALMEIDA, Frank        CRT                  # ATKINSON, R.P.        F3c
  BAILEY, R.O.          FC2c                   BARKER, R.E.          CM2c
  BECICNA, J.W.         WT2c                   BROWN, F.E.           SC3c
# BROWNLEE, R.W.        S1c                    BLANCHARD, M.C.       F1c
  BUSH, O.D.            F2C                    CAMBELL, T.M.         SC3c
# CARRIGAN, K.L.        F2c                    CARTER, D.L.          EM1c
  CASEY, A.W.           S1c                    CHADA, T.             F1c
  CHARPAN, R.C.         S1c                    COKER, R.M.           CGM(AA)
  COLEMAN, W.M.         CGM(PA)                CURTIS, J.R.          SoM3c
# DALEY, J.J.           CBM(AA)                DAVIS, W.P.           S1c
# DENNIS, L.W.          GM2c                   DUGAN, R.             S2c
  DUZENBERRY, R.G.      QM2c                   EARLIN, R. Jr.        GM1c
  EGBERT, W.K.          WT1c                   ELLEDGE, E.B.         F2c
  FAUNCE, J.W.          S1c                    FLAIRERTY, R.J.       S1c
# FONT, P.J.            SC2c                 # FORTE, P.G.           S1c
# FORNAS, L.L.          S1c                    FOSTER, E.            WT2c
  GILLEY, F.E.          PC1c                 # GREYSON, C.A.         Matt1c
  BELL, L.D.            WT2c                   HALE, R.              SM3c
  HENDRICKSON, S.R.     GM2c                   HOLLOMON, H.N.        SM2c
  HOSRKO, O.            RM3c                   IVESTER, B.           S1c
# JULIUS, R.            Matt1c                 KASPER, J.L.          CEM(PA)
# KERN, N.R.            F2c                    KATTRICE, R.F.        Rdm3c
  KARAN, C.             S2c                  # KELLOR, J.C.          S2c
  LA ROCQUE, J.         F1c                    LEACH, L.N.           CTM(PA)
  LIEN, M.P.            S1c                    MARTINEZ, D.M.        S2c
  MAXWELL, B.M.         F2c                    MARTINEAU, J.         S1c
  MC CLINTOCK, F.B.     Bm                   # MC DONALD, S.         SK1c
  MC FAYDEN, G.         WT1c                 # MC QUEEN, W.C.        CphM(PA)
  MC WHORTER, J.N.      F1c                    MINER, E.S.           MM1c
# MITCHELL, L.F.        EM1c                   MOORE, J.D.           MM1c
# MEYERS, R.            GM3c                 # NEWCOMBS, L.          S2c
# PARTHIDGE, R.B.       Rdrm3c               # PARRY, G.T.           GM2c
  POTTER, E.J.          S2c                    PARRISH, R.R.         S2c
  RIDEN, F.J.           F1c                    RIDER, H.G.           BM2c
  ROBERTSON, N.W.       S1c                    ROBINSON, D.W.        SoM3c
  ROGERS, R.E.          Mamth1c                SCHRIEBER, F.C.       CMM(PA)
  SKIRVIN, O.E.         RadM3c                 STANLEY, R.R.         MM2c
  STEVENSON, H.F.       SoM3c                  STRAUGHAN, R. JR.     CSM(PA)
  THOMAS, W.R.          MM2c                   TOMICH, M.A.          FC2c
  UMBERGER, K.M.        SoM3c                  VANLEET, W.D.         Cox
  VOIGHT, R.V.          F1c                    WALLACE, R.T.         EM3c
  WATSON, R.Y.          SoM3c                  WEBB, R.E.            S2c
  WEITZEL, S.           SC1c                   WILLIAMS, C.E.        S1c
  WILLIAMS, H.E.        MM1c                   WILLOUGHBY, O.L.      S2c
  WILSON, W.H.          MM2c                   WINE, R.L.            CRM(PA)

# Evacuated.  Only the personnel which were evacuated sustained wounds of any 
serious nature.

UNWOUNDED SURVIVORS

Lieut. E.A. Barham,                USN
Lieut. (jg) A.E. Damon, Jr.        USNR
Lieut. (jg) Lars Wanggaard, Jr.    USN
Ensign James Williams, Jr.         USNR
Machinist George Heffler
Ship's Clerk J.A. Kelly
AFRICANO, F.J.        F3c                       AMBLER, L.            F1c
ALFORD, P.E.          F2c                       ALMOND, H.D.          S1c
AGRELIUS, W.D.        FC3c                      BENNETT, E.J.         SF3c
BINGHAM, A.W.         S1c                       BIRD, T.I.            Bmkr2c
BROMAN, R.L.          S2c                       BROWN, B.T.           Matt2c
BURK, D.M.            S2c                       CARR, J.T.            S1c
DEVITT, R.R.          S1c                       DIEDRICKSEN, C.D.     S1c
EPPERSON, J.R.        S2c                       FARRIS, H.S.          S2c
FRANCISCO, P.         Os2c                      GREENE, F.W.          RM3c
HAGLER, L.D.          S2c                       HEMINEZ, L.           S2c
HEMPING, M.W.         S1c                       JAMES, H.L.           RM3c
JENKINS, J.H.         S1c                       JONES, H.             FC3c
JONES, R.E.           GM3c                      KERR, A.W.            EM2c
KING, J.A.            S1c                       KIRKLAND, V.L.        F2c
KOONTZ, I.L.          S1c                       LAMBERT, W.G.         S2c
LARSON, J.N.          MM1c                      LAWHEAD, L.E.         S2c
LEE, W.G.             Ccstd(PA)                 LONER, R.W.           S2c
LONG, R.W.            S2c                       LONG, W.D.            S2c
LORTON,               S2c                       LUNON, V.C.           S2c
LYON, H.J.            GM1c                      MC CORKLE, J.B.       WT1c
MC CULLAH, C.E.       S2c                       MC DONALD, C.H.       F2c
MC LEOD, J.N.         Y2c                       MC NAMARA, K.P.       S2c                       
MERCER, R.E.          S2c                       MEYSKENS, R.          F1c
MIAZGA, K.F.          F2c                       MILNE, G.E.           F1c
MOORE, J.C.           CFC(PA)                   MOORE, L.E.           S2c
MUESING, V.W.         MM1c                      MULHERIN, M.P.        F1c
NEEL, W.              S2c                       NEMEC, R.             F1c
PARMELEY, R.A.        MM1c                      PATTERSON, J.F.       CMM(PA)
PHILLIPS, H.A.        EM2c                      REDMOND, L.V.         MM2c
RIBBINS, H.J.         F1c                       ROGOL, N.D.           MM1c
SADLER, L.C.          S2c                       SEEGER, B.J.          Bmkr2c
SOWDER, F.M.          SoM3c                     SUDDETH, H.W.         F3c
SWENSON, H.S.         SM1c                      SCHALLER, R.G.        F1c
SIMS, A.B.            F2c                       THOMAS, T.            S1c
TROYER, M.L.          MM1c                      VOLLMAN, R.L.         S2c
WEBBER, C.            S1c                       WOLFER, O.            SC3c
WOODARD, H.E.         MM2c                      WRIDE, J.W.           Bmkr2c
YESINKEVICH, R.G.     S1c

BONCOSKEY, R.F.       S1c, (Picked up from USS SAN FRANCISCO)

MISSING IN ACTION

Officers

Lieut-Comdr. William E. Hank, U.S.N. (Comdg.Officer)
Lieut.(jg) Aaron S. Michelson, MC-V,USNR.

Enlisted

        No copy of the LAFFEY Muster Roll for the quarter ending September 
30, 1942, is available.  The original of this Muster Roll was submitted to 
the Bureau of Naval Personnel on or about October 3, 1942 from this area, 
with copy to Commander Service Force, Pacific Fleet, and was kept up to date 
by Reports of Changes.  The LAFFEY has neither transferred nor received any 
enlisted personnel since the Muster Roll of September 30, 1942 was submitted.

        It is not possible to list accurately the enlisted personnel missing 
in action, but all men shown on the Muster Roll of this vessel for September 
30, 1942 whose name are not shown in this Report of Casualties are 
unaccounted for and are considered by the Acting Commanding Officer to be in 
the category "Missing in Action".

                                                                 E.A. Barham,
                                                           Lieutenant, U.S.N.

Copy to:  BuPers (2)
          CincPac(1)
          Comdg.Gen. Cactus-Ringbolt Area(1)
          Comdg.Off. Naval Activities, Cactus-Ringbolt Area(1)


FIRST ENDORSEMENT to:                                     ADVANCED NAVAL BASE
C.O. USS LAFFEY rpt. of                                    Cactus-Ringbolt
Personnel losses, A16-3,
Dated 15 November 1942.                                      17 November 1942
A16-3
Serial 131                        S E C R E T


From:          Commander Naval Activities,
               Cactus-Ringbolt Area.
To  :          Commander Service Force,
               South Pacific.


        1.     Forwarded.

                                                                W.G. GREENMAN

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