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USS Peary Memorial

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Details:

Along the waterfront esplanade, overlooking the bay. Monument

The memorial consists of a plaque and one of the 4-inch deck guns recovered from USS Peary. The gun points at the site where the ship lies wrecked. It is now a memorial to the 91 crew who went down with the ship when it was sunk by the Japanese during the bombing of Darwin in 1942. It is the US Navy's greatest loss of life in Australian waters.

 

The gun was recovered by Carl Atkinson and restored by the Royal Australian Navy. 

 

On 19 February 1942 Darwin experienced a massive Japanese air attack. At about 10:45, Peary was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, and was struck by five bombs. The first bomb exploded on the fantail, the second, an incendiary, on the galley deck house; the third did not explode; the fourth hit forward and set off the forward ammunition magazines; the fifth, another incendiary, exploded in the after engine room. A .30 caliber machine gun on the after deck house and a .50 caliber machine gun on the galley deck house fired until the last enemy plane flew away. Peary sank stern first at about 1300 on 19 February 1942 with the loss of 91 crew. It was struck from the Navy List on 8 May 1942.

Source: www.monumentaustralia.org.au

Monument Text:

Front Plaque:

 

A STORY OF SACRIFICE

 

Darwin Harbour is the resting place for the U.S. destroyer Peary sunk on 19th February 1942 by Japan`s Pearl Harbour veterans.

This 4 inch gun was salvaged from the Peary in the 1950`s by diver Carl Atkinson (dec.). It was restored by the RAN for the Northern Territory`s 1992 War Service Memorial Year and now points towards the Peary`s grave.

This plaque was unveiled by the Chief Minister The Hon. Marshall Peron MLA on 29th January 1992 in the presence of Peary survivors Dallas Widick and Melvin Duke and a colour guard from the U.S. frigate Robert E. Peary.

The wartime Peary came under repeated fire from December 1941 - February 1942. In her last action she sank with her guns still blazing and represents the U.S. Navy`s greatest loss of life in Australian waters.

Her gallant sacrifice is forever part of Darwin`s history.

 

Rear Plaque:

 

USS PEARY DD 226

 

IN REMEMBERANCE [sic] OF THESE MEN WHO

LOST THEIR LIVES FEBRUARY 19, 1942,

DURING THE BOMBING OF DARWIN,

AUSTRALIA BY JAPANESE AIRCRAFT.

 

John B. Andrews

Herman E. Goldman

John R. Mather

Curtis Rodgers

Robert B. Armstrong

Augustus H. Gray

Forest G. Mathews

Paul J. Rossiter

Delmer E. Baker

Ralph Griffin

William G. Matler

Louis Roth

William E. Bancroft

Harold G. Gronau

Willis E. McCord

Milton D. Rude

Murren A. Barbee

Ralph E. Gunn

William McFarland

Max N. Schuler

George E. Barkett

Arthur G. Gustafson

Jackson D. McGinnis

Norman F. Schuler

Lee Anthony Bauer

Robert L. Gusti

Whitman S. Miller

Eugene R. Senyohl

John M. Bermingham

Alonzo D. Hall

Charles F. Minnegi

Walter Shofner

Charles C. Boudreaux

Wendel H. Hanson

Jack Y. O'Donnell

Willis C. Shook

Claude L. Buckley

Franklin R. Harris

Donald C. O'Tyson

William L. Smith

Cyrus D. Carter

C. C. Holerstott

James W. Palmero

John J. Spata

Robert F. Chapman

William M. Hooks

Arthur R. Parker

Paul R. Sweeney

Archie R. Cook

Robert Lee Howell

Clifton F. Patch

Joseph Tapia

John W. Cross

Robert T. Hunter

Raymond B. Pearson

Douglas H. Tew

Arthur WM. Davis

Philip M. Joyce

Lester N. Peterson

John Tinsley, Jr.

Shirley O. Day

Edwin J. Kalisz

Ralph D. Piercy

Eugene E. Umpleby

Ray L. Deatrich

Joseph M. Kapps

Eugene H. Poland

Walter Vernon

Willie R. Denmark

Gilbert T. Kennaugh

Willis F. Polhemus

Everett F. Waite

James H. Fair

Gerhardt M. Kjolhede

Jack Quiggen

James T. Weiss

Chester H. Frayer

Martin M. Koivisto

George S. Radinski

Robert D. White

Harold A. Frisbie

Bob B. Kriener

Victor F. Radinski

John Louis Wilson

C. S. George, Jr.

Will C. Labrie

Alexander Reese

Frank E. Zizak

Frank A. Glover

Richard J. Lee

Benjamin B. Rich

 

 

DONATED BY DALLIS WIDICK, USN SURVIVOR