The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-10-25
Destroyer HaIford, Now Af Juneau, in Action
 In Warfare on paeifit

l D. now in port during Navy week and also to observe Navy Day on Satur- day, has been in active service, 1922 to 1945, in the Northern Solomons, on Pacific raids, Bismarck Archipel- age, Marianas, West Caroline Islands, Leyte operation and Luzon operation In commemoration of the visit to Juneau, Navy Day souvenir has been issued by the Halford. and because of the pres ence of the vessel here, this history is highly interesting to Juneauites.
 Name Erplatncd
 This destroyer is named for the late It, William Halford, U.SN,, who performed extraordinary heroism in the early 187Os.
 He was coxswain on board the lU.S.S. Saginaw when she ran aground near Midway Island in De- Icember 1870 The Captain of the Saginaw, realizing the ship could be saved if assisted, asked for volun- iteers to proceed in an open boat to 1 the naval base in the Hawaiian Islands to obtain aid. William Hal told was one of the four volunteers. ! After spending many weeks in the open boat, the four man crew sighted land. However, the small boat capsized in the heavy surf, when making the landing. Halford was the sole survivor of this acci- dent
 [ Friendly natives nursed back Hal fords health and aided him in getting word to the proper author itieS.
 For accomplishing this, he receiv- cd the Congressional Medal of Honor
 Jap BdttleShip Sunk It. Commander C. N. Johansen, U.S.N, put the U.S.S Halford into commission and served as Skipper until March l942, commanding her safely through Wake, Marcus and
 
 1 Under Commander R. J. Hardy, who relieved It. Commander Johan- sen in March l942, the Halford par ticipated in the two deciding battles of the Philippine Sea. It was the second great battle which credited her with aiding in the rout of the enemy task force in the Surigao Straits, and the sinking of the Jap battleship Yamishiro.
 Since March, 1945, the Halford's skipper has been Commander Robert J. Oliver, N. s. N He commanded the ship during the signing of the peace terms of unconditional sur render, and the historic American occupation of the Japanese Naval l Base at Ominato, northern Honshu.
 Constructed At Bremerton | The U. s. S. Halford (DD-48O) was constructed in the Puget Sound Naval Yard, Bremerton, Washington. The keel was laid 3 June, 1941 and she was launched 29 October, 1942. Commissioning took place on 10 April l943. The overall length of the ship is 376 feet, and her beam is 39 feet. Her draft IA feet, and the mast stands at 89 feet, measured from the water line.
 Gets Into Action
 Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge on July, 1943, the USS Halford set a westerly course and headed for the Pacific war Little did the officers and crew realize as the ship cut its way westward toward the fanatic enemy, of what importance would be her battle ac- complishments-the sinking of four Jap merchant ships, downing four Nip aircraft, assisting in the sinking of an enemy battleship, and emerg- ing from the war without a single battle casualty!
 1 During the initial three months of her career, the Halfords Captain, It. Commander Johansen, U.S.N., and executive officer, It. Comman- der E. c. Ogle, U.S.N., spent weary days and nights perfecting the battle organization of the new ship. By July 5. 1943, she was ready for the test.
 It was with confidence that the Captain, his officers and men, nosed their new ship westward on that sunny July day to pit their skill, Knowledge, team work and faith against the enemy.
 Conveying heavy units from Nou- mea, New Caledonia, to Pearl liar Dor was their initial duty. But, September brought the Halford into contact with the enemy With a fast moving task force of carriers and cruisers, she raided Marcus and Wake Islahd-enemy territory with in easy bombing range of the Nip homeland.
 Returns To The States The Halford was one of the six destroyers constructed with cruis-