USS Gwin (DM-33)
USS "Gwin" (DD-772/DM-33/MMD-33) was a destroyer minelayer in the United States Navy. She was named for William Gwin. "Gwin" was launched by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, Los Angeles on 9 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Jesse W. Tarbill, second cousin and sponsor of the previous . The ship was commissioned on 30 September 1944 at Los Angeles, Commander F. S. Steinke in command. Service history. World War II. After shakedown along the California coast, "Gwin" sailed for the Pacific theatre as flagship of Mine Squadron 3, reaching Pearl Harbor 3 January 1945. A week later  the squadron left for the fighting front. At Saipan, 20 January, "Gwin" and her sister minesweepers joined Battleship Division 7. For 7 days, 21 to 26 January, she participated in the preliminary bombardment of Iwo Jima, next to the last step in the island-hopping campaign across the Pacific. Returning to Pearl Harbor, "Gwin" underwent overhaul before sailing for Eniwetok, 23 February. From Eniwetok "Gwin" steamed to the Ryukyu Islands 17 March to sweep the area around Okinawa. Acting in a variety of roles—antisubmarine screen, radar picket ship, minesweeper, fire support—"Gwin" was to remain off Okinawa the following five  months, almost to the very end of the war. During this period she accounted for some 16 enemy aircraft as the Japanese launched the kamikaze attacks. Nine of these Japanese planes fell victim to "Gwin"s guns on only two days, 16 April and 4 May. An air raid 16 April saw "Gwin" down two Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" dive bombers, coming in only to have another come sweeping in and crash in the sea some as the ship evaded her. An alert gun crew swung their battery to catch another Japanese plane and shoot it down less than from the  ship. At dusk on 4 May, "Gwin" was on radar picket station off Okinawa. Combat Air Patrol reported 8 to 10 Japanese planes to port, and "Gwin" swung her batteries to face the threat. Suddenly a second contingent of planes swept in out of the setting sun to starboard. "Gwin" swung her guns around and two of the attackers were downed. Whirling to port, the gun crews fired into the original attack group, and accounted for three more kamikazes. The seas had not yet closed over these three planes when a sixth, another kamikaze, crashed into "Gwin". Two men were  killed, 2 missing, and 11 injured as the plane embedded itself into "Gwin"s aft gun platform. Then, as damage control parties rushed to quell the fires raging around the kamikaze, the Japanese attack ended as suddenly as it had begun. In less than six minutes, "Gwin", although under attack from all quarters, had downed five Japanese planes and been herself damaged by a sixth. After a brief stay at Ryukyu Islands for battle damage repairs, "Gwin" returned to patrol and sweeping duties around Okinawa. She rendezvoused 20 August with Task Force 35 and headed for Tokyo Bay. Putting into Sagami  Bay 27 August 1945, "Gwin" began to sweep the area and destroyed some 41 mines in 2 days duty. At last on 2 August 1945 she steamed into Tokyo Bay, and anchored under the towering snowcap of Mount Fuji. Departing for Okinawa 1 September, "Gwin", remained on minesweeping duty there and in the East China Sea for the rest of the year. Reserve. With her share of the Pacific "mopping-up" complete, "Gwin" at last headed home, reaching San Pedro, Los Angeles on 23 February 1946. The ship then sailed for Charleston, South Carolina, arriving on 14 March. "Gwin" decommissioned  there on 3 September 1946 and was placed in reserve. Reactivated during the Korean War. As the Korean War necessitated the strengthening of America's fleet, "Gwin" recommissioned at Charleston 8 July 1952, Comdr. R. E. Oliver in command. For the next few years she divided her time between Caribbean and local exercises, European cruises, and NATO maneuvers, with time out for overhaul. In 1953 "Gwin" crossed the Atlantic for a 4-month tour of duty with the 6th Fleet, visiting ten Mediterranean ports before returning to Charleston 3 February 1954. Midshipman Able Cruises June to August 1954 and 1955  took her to Lisbon, Portugal, Le Havre, Valencia, Spain, and Torquay, England. "Gwin" returned to the Mediterranean a final time in 1957 for NATO maneuvers with ships of the Portuguese, French, and British navies, visiting both Brest and Gibraltar. In between Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises and training, "Gwin" engaged in a variety of minesweeping and hunter-killer antisubmarine exercises along the East Coast and participated in several other NATO maneuvers in American waters. "Gwin" sailed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard 12 January 1958 where she decommissioned 3 April 1958 and remained in reserve through 1967. Transfer to Turkey. Transferred to  the Turkish Navy on 15 August 1971 and renamed ; severely damaged by firing of two Sea Sparrow missiles by on 2 October 1992 during NATO Exercise Display Determination 92; 5 crew killed, 19 crew injured. The ship was struck in 1993 and broken up for scrap. Awards. "Gwin" received a Navy Unit Commendation and four battle stars for service in World War II.