Edward L. Hess
[email protected]
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From: [email protected] (Edward Hess) Dear Richard, I just discovered your web site a little while ago when I was looking for information concerning my brother's ship, the USS Hollister, DD-788. He was a BM1C, and served as gun crew captain on one of the forward guns. I have an earlier picture of the Hollister, which shows what it looked like before it was remodified. You have a much later picture of the Hollister. My brother was James Richard Hess, and he served on the Hollister from 1949 to April 1951, at which time he was killed. He and the Hollister crew participated in combat action in Korea in September 1950, for which the Hollister was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for going through a mine field to help rescue some U.S. Marines at Inchon Bay when they were being pushed back by the North Koreans. I copied the following article from a book entitled, "The Sea War in Korea, which stated that "Early in the morning of 27 September (1950), a particularly heavy bombardment was commenced by the cruiser Manchester, and destroyers Ozbourn, Hollister, McKean, and Frank Knox. Five thousand enemy troops had been reported bivouacked on Fankochi Point. At eleven minutes past seven, the five-ship armada opened fire and shelled the area continuously for forty-nine minutes with five- and six-inch fire." ". . . For four days, the pilots of Task Force 77 contributed to the reduction of enemy forces and military targets on Fankochi Point . . . After operating in the Yellow Sea from 21 September through 3 October, Task Force 77 departed for Sasebo, Japan." Speaking of another engagement after the death of my brother Dick, his commander spoke of the "veteran crew" of the previous year. "Destroyer Hollister (DD-788, CDR Hugh W. Howard, USN) was in several scrapes in July 1952, and generally could call herself a lucky ship." "This was Hollister's second cruise in Korea," wrote Howard, "having been in action from Inchon to Hungnam in 1950-1951. On the first cruise I had a veteran crew. On the second I had almost a new complement, except the leading petty officers. I also had fourteen new ensigns. However, then entire crew was an egar lot." After the Hollister returned from Korea, it was out on local operations doing target practice when one of the rear guns blew up and killed several sailors. My brother was in charge of one of the forward guns, and it was several days until we knew that he had survived the explosion, but then a few days later, he was killed while off duty when a fight started in a bar in Tiajuana, Mexico. He and his friends left the bar when the fight broke out, but he went back to get his hat, and some guy shot him. His friends put him into his car and broke through the barricades at the border, which caused an international incident. He lived about two hours after the incident, but died on his way to the Chula Vista Hospital. I have a full sized picture of my brother and his crew mates taken in July 1949. If you are interested in having copies of these two pictures I will scan them for you and send them to you. I'm not sure how good they will print up because they are copies, and the original pictures are in storage some place. Let me know if you would be interested. Sincerely yours,
Edward L. Hess You are invited to my home page at http://206.21.6.8/lds-ohio/
From: [email protected] (Edward Hess) Richard, That would be fine with me if you wish to use my letter. I have also found some other interesting things about the USS Hollister, which I will post below: USS HOLLISTER, DD-788 - DD-788 Hollister (Gearing Class) Laid down by Todd Shipyards, Seattle. January 18 1945. Launched October 9 1945 and commissioned March 29 1946. Stricken August 31 1979, To Taiwan March 3 1983. Renamed Chen Yang, Still active in Taiwanese Navy. 1942 Gearing Class 153 Ships 43 not built Displacement 2425 tons standard Dimensions
Length = 389' 8"(dd-888) 390' 2" (DD-765) 390' 9" (DD-763-764) 391'
(DD-890) 390' 6" (others)
Beam = 40' 10" (DD-766-769) 40' 11" (DD-765,782-791) 41' (DD-763-764,888,
890) 41' 2" (DD-742-743) 41' 1" (others)
Draft = 18' 6"
Armament = 6x 5"/38DP 12x 40MMAA 11x 20MMAA 10x 21"TT
Machinery = 100,000 SHP(DD828) 60,000 SHP(others) geared turbines,
2 screws.
Speed = 40 kts.(DD-828) 35 Kts.(others)
Crew = 355
Some historical records show the Hollister to be from the USS Fletcher
Class destroyers, but as the information on the ship numbers shows, the
Hollister was commissioned in 1946 and is listed under the USS Gearing
Class.
1940 Fletcher Class 182 Ships 7 not built
Displacement 2050 tons standard
Dimensions
Length = 375' 10"(DD-683) 375' 11"(DD-526-527,535-536,
569, 572) 376' (DD-533-534,570-571,579-580)
376' 1" (DD-528,537,539,577-578,684) 376' 2"
(DD-530,538,573-576) 376' 3"(DD-445-446,448,529,531)
376' 4"(DD-447,449-450,594-597) 376' 5"(DD-480-481,532
574-575,594,596) 376' 7" (DD-472,479) 376' 6" (others)
Beam = 39' 4"(DD-451,518-519,540,541) 39' 5" (DD-447) 39' 6"(DD-
684) 39' 7" (DD-502-508,512-517,526-533,629-631,642-
644, 650-653) 39' 9" (DD-477-478,481) 40' (DD-509-511,
688-691) 39' 8" (others)
Draft = 17' 9" max
Armament = 5x 5"38DP 4x 1.1"AA 4x 20MMAA 10x 21"TT
Machinery = 60,000 SHP,geared turbines, 2 screws
Speed = 38 kts.
Crew = 273-334
An article written by Theodore Sverre Fiskevold, who served on the
Hollister when the U.S. withdrew its military forces from Vietnam in 1973.
Fiskevold wrote, "I have spent some time on the ocean, not as a
fisherman, but I was three years in the U.S. Navy, stationed on an old
Destroyer. Hit some mighty wild seas in that little tub off coast of
'Nam, Phillipine Islands, Guam, Midway etc. Got into those awful seas for
several days where everybody on the ship except the saltiest of old sea
dogs (about 10 out of a crew of 200 would not be woozy) would be sick for
several days and you bounce off the bulkheads when you walk down the
corridor like a pinball. in a wild game. My ship, the USS HOLLISTER,
DD-788, was in Nam waters when Nixon called the troups out in January of
'73. We went Reserve after that and had a pretty quiet last couple of
years-- crusin' from Long Beach, Cal to places like Vancouver, Portland
(up Columbia River for Rose Festival), Mozetlan, Hawaii... (�From:
Theodore Sverre Fiskevold
HOLLISTER REUNION:
USS HOLLISTER (DD-788) on 10-14 Sept 97 at Washington DC Contact Harvey &
Nelda Rupp 15440 SE Hartwell Milwaukie, OR 97267- 1-503-656-4949 or Email:
USS Hollister (DD-788) on Sep 20-24 at Portland, OR
Contact Sterling M. Clark 24 171st, SE Tenino, WA 98589 Phone 360-264-4120
Source Naval Affairs Apr 95
Ed Hess
You are invited to my home page at
http://206.21.6.8/lds-ohio/
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