USS O'Kane DDG 77 / Rear Admiral Richard Hetherington O'Kane / Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyer – US Navy
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Guided Missile Destroyer

DDG 77   -   USS O’Kane

USS O’Kane (DDG 77)

US Navy photo

Type, Class:

 

Guided Missile Destroyer; Arleigh Burke – class / Flight II;

planned and built as DDG 77;

Builder:

 

Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, USA

STATUS:

 

Awarded: July 20, 1994;

Laid down: May 11, 1997;

Launched: March 28, 1998;

Commissioned: October 23, 1999;

ACTIVE UNIT/ in commission (Pacific Fleet)

Homeport:

 

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA

Namesake:

 

Named after and in honor of Rear Admiral Richard H. O’Kane (1911 – 1994);

> see history, below;

Ship's Motto:

 

> A TRADITION OF HONOR <

Technical Data:

(Measures, Propulsion,

Armament, Aviation, etc.)

 

see: INFO > Guided Missile Destroyer / Arleigh Burke - class.

 

Pictures, photos & more ...

 

Richard Hetherington O’Kane

Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center

 

Namesake & History:

Rear Admiral Richard Hetherington O’Kane (February 2, 1911 – February 16, 1994);

 

Richard H. O'Kane was born on February 2, 1911. He attended Phillips Academy, Andover, and the University of New Hampshire before entering the United States Naval Academy in 1930. Upon graduation in 1934, O'Kane was commissioned as an Ensign and served on USS CHESTER and USS PRUITT before reporting for instruction in submarines at the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut, in January 1938. After completing his training, O'Kane served on the submarine USS ARGONAUT until 1942, when he reported for duty as Executive Officer of USS WAHOO. For outstanding service on WAHOO, O'Kane was awarded the Silver Star Medal with two Gold Stars, and a Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy.

 

In August 1943, O'Kane returned to the Mare Island Navy Yard where he assumed command of USS TANG upon her commissioning on October 15, 1943. After intensive training exercises in the San Diego area, TANG left for the Pacific, arriving in Pearl Harbor on January 8, 1944. Under Commander O'Kane, TANG went on five war patrols, sinking a total of 31 ships, totaling more than 227,000 tons, and damaging two other ships, a record unsurpassed by any American submarine.

 

During its fifth and final war patrol, which began on September 24 and ended on October 25, 1944, TANG sank 13 enemy ships. In what was to be her final battle, the TANG encountered a heavily escorted enemy convoy. Engaged in a fierce surface battle, Commander O'Kane directed TANG to fire her last two torpedoes at a crippled transport ship. The first torpedo went straight and true and struck its target. The second torpedo was faulty and turned around almost immediately, heading directly for TANG. Ordering emergency speed, TANG tried to pull out of its path, but it struck the submarine in the stern, causing a violent explosion. Of the entire crew, only nine were able to escape the sinking submarine. They swam through the night until they were picked up by a Japanese destroyer escort eight hours later.

 

Commander O'Kane and the others from TANG were imprisoned on Formosa. He was later transferred to a secret prison camp near Tokyo where he was not registered and was therefore listed as "missing in action" until the camp's liberation two weeks after V-J Day. During his imprisonment, he and the other prisoners survived on a diet of less than 300 calories a day, eating mostly rice or barley, without fruit, vegetables or protein. Upon his release, O'Kane was suffering from scurvy and beriberi. He was evacuated by air to Pearl Harbor and, after a short hospitalization there, was transferred to the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

 

After his recovery, O'Kane's commands included USS PELIAS and USS SPERRY, as well as the Submarine School in New London, Connecticut, Submarine Division THIRTY-TWO and Submarine Squadron SEVEN. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his exemplary service on TANG on March 27, 1947. Rear Admiral O'Kanes other military decoration include the Navy Cross with two Gold Stars, the Legion of Merit with Combat "V", the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. He also wrote two books based on his experiences in World War II, Clear the Bridge and WAHOO.

 

USS O’Kane (DDG 77):

 

USS O'KANE (DDG 77) was laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME 11 May 1997; launched 28 March 1998; and commissioned at Pearl Harbor 23 October 1999; Cmdr. David C. Hulse in command.

 

December 2002 found O'Kane on the beginning of a seven month deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as part of the 5th Fleet. She became the first USN ship to visit Suva, Fiji in three years when she arrived 20 July 2003 for a two-day port visit. She returned to Pearl Harbor, her homeport, 28 July.

 

O’Kane left Pearl Harbor 7 Feb 2005 for a six-month, around-the-world deployment as part of the Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group.

 

… more DDG 77 history wanted …

 

… and patches …

 

 

 

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