View source for USS Cony

{{Short description|Fletcher-class destroyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Cony (DDE-508) in Hampton Roads on 12 March 1957 (NH 104882).jpg|300px|USS Cony (DDE-508) in Hampton Roads 1957]]
|Ship caption=
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1969}}
|Ship name=
|Ship namesake=[[Joseph S. Cony]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Bath Iron Works]]
|Ship laid down=24 December 1941
|Ship launched=16 August 1942
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=30 October 1942
|Ship decommissioned=2 July 1969
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=2 July 1969
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Sunk as a target, 20 March 1970
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=2,050&nbsp;tons
|Ship length=376&nbsp;ft 6&nbsp;in (114.7&nbsp;m) 
|Ship beam=39&nbsp;ft 8&nbsp;in (12.1&nbsp;m)
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=17&nbsp;ft 9&nbsp;in (5.4&nbsp;m)
|Ship propulsion=60,000&nbsp;shp (45&nbsp;MW); 2 propellers
|Ship speed={{convert|35|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=6500 [[nautical mile|nmi.]] (12,000&nbsp;km) at 15&nbsp;kt
|Ship complement=336
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament= {{Fletcher class destroyer armament}} 
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'''USS ''Cony'' (DD/DDE-508)''', a {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}, was a ship of the [[United States Navy]] named for [[Joseph S. Cony]] (1834&ndash;1867), a naval officer during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref name=DANFS-Cony>{{cite DANFS |ref={{sfnRef|DANFS ''Cony''}} |date= 8 March 2016 |title= Cony (DD-508) |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cony.html |access-date= 20 May 2021}}
</ref>

''Cony'' was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] 16 August 1942 by [[Bath Iron Works]] Corp., [[Bath, Maine]], sponsored by Mrs. William R. Sleight, a first cousin of [[Joseph S. Cony]] in whose honor the destroyer is named, in part of the largest mass launch to that point in the war shipbuilding program and the largest in Maine's history in which five British [[Ocean ship|Ocean type freighters]], the Liberty {{SS|Ethan Allen}}, {{USS|Conway|DD-507|6}} and ''Cony'' were launched.<ref>{{cite journal |ref={{sfnRef|Pacific Marine Review|1942}} |date= 1942 |journal= Pacific Marine Review |title= Todd Yards Launch 8 in One Day |volume= Consolidated 1942 issues |issue=September 1942 |publisher= Pacific American Steamship Association/Shipowners' Association of the Pacific Coast |url= https://archive.org/stream/pacificmarinerev3942paci#page/n685/mode/1up |access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 15 August 1942 |title= Radio To Mark Launching of Eight Ships Sunday |work= The Marion Star |location= Marion, Ohio |page= 4}} Launched 16 August 1942 with {{USS|Conway|DD-507|2}}, {{USS|Conway|DD-507|2}}, {{SS|Ethan Allen||2}} and 5 British cargo ships.</ref> The ship was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] 30 October 1942 at [[Boston Navy Yard|Boston]].<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

== 1943 ==

''Cony'' escorted a troop [[convoy]] from [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] to [[Nouméa]], [[New Caledonia]], where she arrived 27 January 1943. She patrolled between [[Espiritu Santo]] and [[Efate]], and on 6 March joined in the bombardment of the [[Vila-Stanmore]] area on [[Kolombangara]], continuing her patrol and escort duties until clearing for overhaul at [[San Francisco]] 28 April. She returned to action waters at Espiritu Santo 1 August, and after screening a group of transports to [[Guadalcanal]], she brought fire support and was Admiral [[Theodore S. Wilkinson]]'s [[flagship]] for the landings on [[Vella Lavella]] on 15 August. She continued patrols and escorted supplies to Vella Lavella until returning to Espiritu Santo 8 September.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

From 20 September 1943, ''Cony'' patrolled through the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]], and from 1 to 3 October joined in a sweep against [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] barges attempting to evacuate Kolombangara. On 27 October, she sailed to cover the landings on the [[Treasury Islands|Treasuries]]. Here complete surprise was achieved, but Japanese reaction came quickly, and later that day 10 enemy dive bombers, escorted by 39 enemy fighters, attacked ''Cony'' and [[USS Philip (DD-498)|''Philip'']] (DD-498). Aided by American fighter aircraft, ''Cony'' and her sister splashed 4 dive bombers and 1 fighter, but ''Cony'' received two bomb hits on her main deck, and these with a near miss killed 8 of her men, wounded 10, and caused considerable damage. She was towed into [[Purvis Bay|Port Purvis]] on [[Nggela Islands|Florida Island]] for emergency repairs, and sailed on to [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] for a complete overhaul.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

== 1944 ==

Returning to Port Purvis 27 March 1944, ''Cony'' patrolled along the southwest coast of [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]], hunting Japanese barges and submarines, and giving fire support to troops ashore in the [[Empress Augusta Bay]] area. She sailed from Port Purvis 4 May for [[Majuro]] and [[Pearl Harbor]], where she joined the screen of a transport group bound for [[Eniwetok]] and the [[Battle of Saipan|Saipan landings]] on 15 June. ''Cony'' screened the transports as they unloaded and carried out antisubmarine patrol until 14 July, when she sailed to replenish at Eniwetok. Six days later she sailed for preinvasion bombardment on [[Tinian]], remaining to patrol in the antisubmarine screen when the [[Battle of Tinian|landings on Tinian]] began on 24 July.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

''Cony'' returned to Guadalcanal 24 August 1944 to prepare for the assault on the [[Palau Islands]]. She screened [[aircraft carrier|carriers]] as they launched air raids supporting the [[Battle of Peleliu|landings on Peleliu]] between 15 and 30 September, then put into [[Manus Island|Manus]] to replenish. The destroyer put to sea once more 12 October, screening and providing fire support for [[underwater demolition team]]s and bombardment groups in [[Leyte Gulf]] between 19 and 21 October as the landings began. As Japanese forces entered Leyte Gulf on 24 October to begin the [[Battle of Surigao Strait]] phase of the epic [[Battle for Leyte Gulf]], ''Cony'' took her station with the [[battleship]]s and [[cruiser]]s in the battleline, joining in the furious firing of the night action, and pursuing and constantly dueling with [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese]] destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Asagumo (1938)|''Asagumo'']], finally sunk in the morning of 25 October with the aid of fire from another destroyer and two cruisers.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

After voyaging to Manus for replenishment, ''Cony'' returned to Leyte Gulf for patrol duties 16 November 1944. On the nights of 29&ndash;30 November and 1&ndash;2 December she joined in [[Battle of Ormoc Bay|sweeps of Ormoc Bay]], hunting Japanese shipping. Targets were few, but her group sent a barge to the bottom on their second foray, and bombarded enemy positions on the shores of the bay in preparation for the landings in [[Ormoc Bay]] a few days later. ''Cony'' put into [[Kossol Roads]] from 4 to 10 December, then sailed to screen carriers providing air cover for attack groups passing from [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] to [[Mindoro]], returning to Kossol Roads 19 December.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

== 1945 ==

''Cony'' arrived at Manus 23 December 1944 and sailed 8 days later to screen transports to the [[Lingayen Gulf]] landings on 9 January 1945. She cleared the Gulf 11 January to screen empty transports and cargo ships to [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]], Leyte, and then took up patrol duty in Lingayen Gulf. The destroyer covered the reconnaissance and sweeping of [[Baler Bay]] between 26 February and 10 March
by [[destroyer escort]] [[USS Formoe (DE-509)|''Formoe'']] (DE-509), minesweepers [[USS Sentry (AM-299)|''Sentry'']] (AM-299) and [[USS Salute (AM-294)|''Salute'']] (AM-294), 
and stood by to provide fire support during the landings on [[Caballo Island]] in [[Manila Bay]] on 27 March. She bombarded [[Parang]] between 14 and 19 April, and patrolled in [[Davao Gulf]] early in May. On 7 June she sailed from [[Subic Bay]] to cover the landings at [[Brunei Bay]], [[Borneo]], on 9 June, and sailed on a fire-support mission aiding [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweeping]] operations and underwater demolition teams near [[Balikpapan]], Borneo, from 13 June to 2 July.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

Returning to San Pedro Bay, ''Cony'' sailed on 11 July 1945 to escort transports to landings at [[Saragani Bay]], [[Mindanao]], providing fire support to the forces ashore until 13 July. Through August, she made an escort voyage between Leyte and [[Ulithi]], and on 8 September, arrived in the approaches of the [[Yangtze River]] to act as navigational ship during minesweeping operations. Between 29 September and 6 October, she called at [[Shanghai]], then sailed to investigate the compliance with the surrender terms of Japanese troops on [[Raffles Island]] in the [[Chusan Archipelago]] just off the [[China]] coast south of Shanghai. After making a mail run to [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], she served as harbor entrance control ship at Shanghai until 19 November, when she sailed to [[Taiwan]] to serve as navigational ship for minesweeping operations in the [[Taiwan Straits]]. She sailed for home from Shanghai 20 December, and after calling at [[San Diego]] and [[New York City|New York]], arrived at [[Charleston, S.C.]], 13 March 1946. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 18 June 1946.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

== 1949 &ndash; 1960 ==

Reclassified '''DDE-508''' on 26 March 1949, ''Cony'' was converted to an escort destroyer, specially equipped for [[antisubmarine warfare]], and recommissioned 17 November 1949. After training and operations along the east coast and in the [[Caribbean]], she sailed from her home-port, Norfolk, 14 May 1951, on a cruise round the world, during which she operated in the [[Korea]]n war zone from 18 June to 28 October, returning home by way of the [[Suez Canal]], and arriving at Norfolk 20 December 1951. In September 1953, she again cleared on a distant deployment, taking part in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ([[NATO]]) Operation "Mariner", then exercising with the [[Royal Navy]] in antisubmarine operations off [[Northern Ireland]] before continuing to a tour of duty with the [[U.S. 6th Fleet|6th Fleet]] in the [[Mediterranean]]. In 1955 and 1957, she again served in the Mediterranean, and in September and October 1957, joined in NATO antisubmarine exercises in the [[English Channel]]. Local operations and cruises to the Caribbean marked 1958, and in 1959 and 1960. ''Cony'' joined [[Task Force Alfa]], an experimental tactical group concentrating on antisubmarine warfare, in its operations along the east coast. With this group, she visited [[Quebec City]], Canada, in June 1960.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

== 1961 &ndash; 1969 ==

''Cony'' took part in the [[Bay of Pigs invasion]] of [[Cuba]] in April 1961.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

''Cony'' reverted to '''DD-508''' 30 June 1962.

In October 1962, she took part in the [[blockade]] of Cuba during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]]. On 27 October, ''Cony'' intercepted the [[Soviet Navy|Soviet]] [[submarine]] [[Soviet submarine B-59|''B-59'']], an incident which nearly led to war between the United States and the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name=DANFS-Cony /><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/b-59-submarine-crimson-tide/|title= A Russian submarine had a 'Crimson Tide' moment near Cuba|date= 20 May 2022 |access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wnpt.org/mediaupdate/2012/10/17/nashvilles-gary-slaughter-on-50th-anniversary-of-cuban-missile-crisis-and-man-who-saved-the-world/|title=Nashville`s Gary Slaughter on 50th Anniversary of Cuban Missile Crisis and `Man Who Saved the World`|publisher=Nashville Public Television|date=17 October 2012|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/28923-14-deck-log-book-excerpts-uss-cony-dd-508-october-1962|title=Deck Log Book [Excerpts] for U.S.S. Cony, DD 508, October 1962|publisher=[[National Security Archive]]|access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref>

''Cony'' was decommissioned and stricken 2 July 1969. She was sunk as a target off [[Puerto Rico]] 20 March 1970.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

==Honors==
''Cony'' received 11 [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service, and two for [[Korean War]] service.<ref name=DANFS-Cony />

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Cony (DD-508)}}
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/508.htm  navsource.org: USS ''Cony'']
*[http://usscony.com  USS ''Cony Shipmates'' website]

{{Fletcher class destroyer}}
{{1970 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cony (DD-508)}}
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bath, Maine]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1970]]