View source for USS Laws

{{Short description|Fletcher-class destroyer}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
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|Ship image=[[File:USSLawsDD558.jpg|300px|USS ''Laws'' (DD-558)]]
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1964}}
|Ship name= USS ''Laws''
|Ship namesake=[[Alexander Laws]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation]]
|Ship laid down= 19 May 1942
|Ship launched=22 April 1943
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=18 November 1943
|Ship decommissioned=30 March 1964
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck= 15 April 1973
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap, 3 December 1973
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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) @ 15&nbsp;kt
|Ship complement=273
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament= {{Fletcher class destroyer armament}} 
|Ship armour=
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'''USS ''Laws'' (DD-558)''', a {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}, was a ship of the [[United States Navy]].

''Laws'' was laid down on 19 May 1942 by [[Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp.]], [[Seattle, Washington]]; [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 22 April 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Mary A. Farwell; and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 18 November 1943.

==Naming==
The ship was named for '''Alexander Laws''', who served in the Navy during the [[Quasi-War]] and [[First Barbary War]] in the early 19th century. Laws was an American sailor commissioned as a [[midshipman]] on 15 May 1800, and served in the ship [[USS Ganges (1794)|''Ganges'']] during the [[Quasi-War]] with [[France]]. Discharged under the [[Peace Establishment Act]] on 12 August 1801, he was again appointed midshipman on 25 August 1802. Initially assigned to the [[frigate]] [[USS Constitution|''Constitution'']], he volunteered to take part in the daring expedition under Lieutenant [[Stephen Decatur|Stephen Decatur, Jr.]], to board the captured U.S. frigate [[USS Philadelphia (1799)|''Philadelphia'']], moored "within half gunshot of the [[Pasha]]'s castle" in [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] harbor and put her to the torch.

On 16 February 1804, Decatur laid his command, the [[ketch]] [[USS Intrepid (1798)|''Intrepid'']], alongside the captured frigate and, as Captain [[Edward Preble]] later wrote, "in a Gallant and Officer[-]like manner, boarded and carried her against all opposition…" Silence cloaked the bold American attack. "Not a [[musket]] or [[Pistol]] was fired on our side," Preble reported, "everything [was accomplished] by the [[sword]] and [[tomahawk (axe)|tomawhawk]]." Laws served under Lieutenant [[James Lawrence]], who, with Midshipman [[Thomas Macdonough]] and ten men (all cautioned "to use firearms only in case of urgent necessity") seized ''Philadelphia'''s berth deck and forward storerooms. While the "Tripolines" suffered between 20 and 30 men killed in the action that Lord [[Horatio Nelson]] was said to have lauded as "the most daring act of the age,"<ref>''See'', Leiner, Frederick C., [https://news.usni.org/2012/07/22/searching-nelsons-quote "Searching for Nelson’s Quote"], ''[[USNI News]]'', [[United States Naval Institute]], 5 February 2013, setting forth the evidence for and against that quote.</ref> Decatur's force of 70 volunteers suffered only one man wounded in taking the ship to begin her destruction by fire.

After a stint of detached service in [[gunboat]]s (26 August to 19 October 1804) during the siege of Tripoli, Laws was detached from the ''Constitution'' on 29 November 1804 and ordered to frigate [[USS Congress (1799)|''Congress'']], wherein he performed the duty of master's mate. Returning to the United States on 5 December 1805 from [[Mediterranean]] service, he was furloughed to the merchant service on 15 August 1806. Ultimately appointed lieutenant on 8 January 1807, he resigned his commission, such being accepted on 13 April 1807.

==1944==
After shakedown, ''Laws'' departed San Francisco on 11 February 1944, joining the advance forces at [[Kwajalein]] on 4 March. Following two weeks of antisubmarine training, the destroyer sailed on the 20th to screen a refueling group supporting the raids on [[Palau]], [[Yap]], and [[Ulithi]]. ''Laws'' continued screening operations for the next month, accompanying [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]]s as they replenished units during the [[Jayapura|Hollandia]] operation.

After a brief respite at [[Pearl Harbor]], ''Laws'' arrived at [[Roi Island]] 8 June, to join a [[Aircraft carrier|carrier]] group en route to [[Saipan]]. Reaching her destination on the 15th, she screened the carriers as they hurled heavy air strikes against the [[Mariana Islands]]. Two days later, enemy planes made a vain attempt to penetrate the screen and find the carriers. ''Laws''{{'}} 5&nbsp;inch guns threw up a deadly barrage of antiaircraft fire, splashing two enemy planes and assisting in the downing of another. The destroyer remained in the Saipan area on patrol and screening duty until mid-August.

Additional bases were needed as staging areas for ships and aircraft during the planned [[Battle of Leyte|Leyte invasion]]; and the [[Palau Islands|Palau Island]] group was selected. Sailing with the carrier group on 29 August, ''Laws'' stood by as the mighty force softened up the beaches for the [[Battle of Peleliu|upcoming assault]]. On 9 September the force turned its attention to the [[Philippines]], launching air strikes against [[Mindanao]]. While en route to their target, friendly planes reported a [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese]] force of 40 small craft off [[Sanco Point]]; two [[cruiser]]s, ''Laws'', and three other destroyers were sent to intercept the group.

The carrier aircraft had already started to attack when the cruiser-destroyer force arrived on the scene. The enemy proved no match for the Americans, as ''Laws'' and her sister ships launched a coordinated attack, wiping out the [[convoy]]. ''Laws'' continued screening carriers until arriving at Ulithi on 1 October.

At sea again on 6 October, she joined the carriers as they struck [[Taiwan|Formosa]] and [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] before arriving off [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] two weeks later. ''Laws'' remained offshore giving close support to 20 October invasion of Leyte. Since American occupation of the Philippines would cut squarely across enemy supply lines from the [[East Indies]] to the home islands, the Japanese could be expected to strike back at the invasion with their entire fleet.

Planes from Carrier [[Task Force 38]] (TF 38), to which ''Laws'' was attached, located the [[Leyte Gulf order of battle#Japanese Forces 2|Japanese Center Force]] on 24 October as the enemy steamed toward [[San Bernardino Strait]]; strikes from the carriers sank the [[battleship]] {{ship|Japanese battleship|Musashi||2}} in the ensuing [[Battle of the Sibuyan Sea]]. As American [[bomber]]s and [[torpedo plane]]s punished other enemy ships of the Center Force, Admiral [[William F. Halsey, Jr.]]'s search planes scouted the seas in quest of enemy carriers. When they spotted Admiral [[Jisaburo Ozawa]]'s force toward mid-afternoon, ''Laws'' raced north with the carriers to intercept. Reaching striking range during the early hours next morning and shortly after dawn, the carriers launched planes to begin a day-long pounding that sank four carriers and a destroyer.

Meanwhile, the Japanese suffered other crippling defeats at [[Surigao Strait]] and off [[Samar]]. When the last smoke from these momentous engagements&mdash;collectively known as the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]]&mdash;had cleared, [[Imperial Japan|Japan]] had all but lost its [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Imperial Navy]], the Philippines, and all hope of winning the war. As the Japanese [[Ministry of the Navy of Japan|Navy Minister]], Admiral [[Mitsumasa Yonai]], reflected after the close of hostilities "...defeat at Leyte was tantamount to the loss of the Philippines. When you took the Philippines, that was the end of our resources."

==1945==
''Laws'' continued to screen the carriers as they conducted strikes against Japanese forces on Leyte and [[Luzon]] for the rest of the year. Sailing with the carriers late in December, she supported the [[Battle of Luzon|amphibious assault on Luzon]] on 6 January 1945. Bringing destruction closer to Tokyo, her task group next concentrated raids on the China coast and Formosa before replenishing at Ulithi.

Departing 10 February, ''Laws'' joined a destroyer [[radar picket]] unit set up to give the carrier forces early warning of enemy attacks. On the 19th, she screened the flattops as they struck [[Iwo Jima]], a volcanic island fortress needed for a [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] airstrip. After supporting the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|invasion campaign]] until success was assured, ''Laws'' retired to Ulithi on 12 March.

Preparations for the [[Battle of Okinawa|invasion of Okinawa]], the last remaining barrier on the road to Japan, were now complete. ''Laws'' departed Ulithi on 21 March, as part of [[Okinawa naval order of battle#Gunfire and Covering Force (Task Force 54)|Task Force 54]] (TF 54), to take up patrol station in advance of the planned 1 April invasion. Providing support for [[Naval mine|mine]]sweeping operations and [[underwater demolition team]]s, the veteran destroyer proved her value. The Allies, sweeping down on the enemy, planted a garrison in Japan's backyard, as ''Laws'' stood by on patrol and shore bombardment. On 6 April she splashed a [[Mitsubishi Zero|Zeke]] as it made its way toward the fleet. The destroyer remained off Okinawa until the island was declared secure, and continued operations in its vicinity for the rest of the war.

With the cessation of hostilities with Japan's surrender, ''Laws'' departed Ulithi on 7 September, and arrived [[Bremerton, Washington]], on 15 September. Later that year she steamed to [[Naval Station San Diego|San Diego, California]], where she remained until decommissioning on 10 December 1946.

==1951 &ndash; 1964==

When the need arose for additional ships to support the [[Korean War]], ''Laws'' was recommissioned on 2 November 1951 at the [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]]. After a year of modernization and hunter-killer training operations, the destroyer departed San Diego on 13 November 1952 for service in the Far East. Arriving at [[U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka, Japan]], three days before Christmas of 1952, ''Laws'' joined TF 77 four days later, and headed for the east coast of [[Korea]]. During January 1953 the destroyer remained off the coast to screen carriers engaged in raids on the peninsula.

On 19 February, ''Laws'' proceeded independently to [[Nando Island]], where she bombarded the shore, supporting the [[ROK 15th Division]] by silencing two enemy shore emplacements on 6 March. She continued operations in support of American forces in Korea until late May when she sailed to patrol off Formosa. ''Laws'' completed her Far East tour early in July and arrived at San Diego on 20 July.

Operating on a tactical training schedule for the next seven months, the destroyer departed on her second [[Pacific Ocean|Western Pacific]] (WestPac) cruise on 3 March 1954. She joined the [[U.S. 7th Fleet|Seventh Fleet]] in peacekeeping operations and during the summer remained on alert to support the [[Republic of China|Chinese Nationalist]] positions in the [[Tachen Islands]]. ''Laws'' returned to San Diego on 12 September and resumed training operations off the west coast for the rest of the year. From 1955 through 1957 ''Laws'' made annual cruises to the Far East to operate with the Seventh Fleet, including Taiwan patrol and training exercises.

On 1 July 1958, ''Laws'' was assigned to Reserve Escort Division 12 and commenced service as a training ship. She continued reserve cruises along the coast from [[Mazatlán]], Mexico, to Canada until 2 February 1962 when she sailed on another WestPac cruise. While in the Far East, ''Laws'' exercised with the [[Republic of Korea Navy|Korean]] and [[Republic of China Navy|Nationalist Chinese Navy]] and remained on the alert during the [[North Vietnamese invasion of Laos|Laotian crisis]].

==Fate==
Returning San Francisco on 17 July 1962, the destroyer resumed operations as a Naval Reserve training ship and continued in this capacity until she was decommissioned at [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]], [[Vallejo, California]], on 30 March 1964. She was assigned to Reserve Destroyer Division 271, Mare Island Group, on 1 April 1964.

''Laws'' was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 15 April 1973, and was sold to American Ship Dismantlers, Inc., of [[Portland, Oregon]], on 3 December 1973. She was transferred to the buyer on 28 December 1973 to be broken up for scrap.

==Honors==
''Laws'' received nine [[battle star]]s for World War II service and two stars for [[Korean War]] service.

USS ''Laws'' can be seen briefly in TV's ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]'' episode:  "Streetcar, do you Read Me?" as position ship alpha.

==Notable crew members==
* [[John Young (astronaut)|John W. Young]] - Astronaut, one of 12 to walk on the Moon - served as Fire Control Officer on the USS ''Laws'' until June 1953 - completed a tour in the Korean Seas

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/laws.html}}

==External links==
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/558.htm        navsource.org: USS ''Laws'']
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd558txt.htm  hazegray.org: USS ''Laws'']
* [http://www.destroyersonline.com/usndd/dd558/ Destroyers Online &mdash; USS ''Laws''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810135340/http://www.destroyersonline.com/usndd/dd558/ |date=2016-08-10 }}
* [http://home.rconnect.com/~mbrey/navy.html ''Life on a Destroyer''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205163315/http://home.rconnect.com/~mbrey/navy.html |date=2005-02-05 }} by Melvin Breyfogle, a former crew member of ''Laws''
* [http://www.koreanwar.org/html/units/navy/uss_laws.htm  Korean War Project USS ''Laws'' Web Site]

{{Fletcher class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laws (DD-558)}}
[[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 Seattle]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy]]