page_title: USS Halford (DD-480)
section_title: 1943
hierarchical_section_title: USS Halford (DD-480) / 1943
caption_attribution_description: USS Halford, DD 480, 14 July 1943, with seaplane on catapult. Official Navy photo
context_page_description: USS Halford (DD-480), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Lieutenant William Halford, a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
  Halford was laid down on 3 June 1941 at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington; launched on 29 October 1942, sponsored by Miss Eunice Halford, daughter of Lieutenant Halford; and commissioned on 10 April 1943, with Lieutenant Commander G. N. Johansen in command.
  Halford was one of the three Fletcher-class destroyers to be completed with a catapult for a float plane, the others being Pringle and Stevens. The catapult and an aircraft crane were located just aft of the number 2 smokestack, in place of the after torpedo tube mount, 5 inch mount number 3, and the 2nd deck of the after deck house which normally carried a twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun on most ships of the class. It was intended that the float plane be used for scouting for the destroyer flotilla which the ship was attached to. It would be launched by the catapult, land on the water next to the ship, and be recovered by the aircraft crane.
context_section_description: In 1943 when the struggle in Pacific was raging, the Pacific Fleet prepared for its mighty sweep across Micronesia.  In an effort to strengthen the "seeing eyes" of the fleet, Halford was constructed with a cruiser catapult and scout observation plane.  She departed San Diego 5 July en route Pearl Harbor arriving five days later.  For the next 3½ months Halford was to test the feasibility of carrying scout planes on small vessels. Because of tactical changes and the Navy's growing strength in aircraft carriers, Halford returned to Mare Island Naval Shipyard 27 October 1943 for alterations which replaced the catapult and scout plane with a second set of torpedo tubes and the number 3 5 inch mount.
  By 6 December, with increased fighting power and a new profile, Halford again departed for the South Pacific.  She called at Pearl Harbor, Funafuti, Espiritu Santo, and Tutuila, Samoa; then took up convoy duties which included a Christmastime assignment of protecting the troopship Lurline with Marine reinforcements embarked for Guadalcanal. Arriving at Guadalcanal, she assumed command of the anti-submarine screen and took up station off Lunga Point.  In addition to Guadalcanal, Halford supported the beachhead at Bougainville, screening supply trains and participating in coastal bombardments.
caption: Halford with the catapult and an OS2U scout plane, July 1943.
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