Stormes at sea, 68 years ago today
USS Stormes (DD-780) coming alongside USS Leyte (CV-32) for refueling during Operation Frigid, 17 November 1948. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Catalog #: NH 102748
An Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, she is the only ship to be named for CDR Max Clifford Stormes, a Navy Cross holder that was killed in action during the night of 14/15 November 1942, when the destroyer USS Preston was sunk at Guadalcanal.
Stormes was commissioned 27 January 1945, survivied a Japanese kamakazie attack, was brought back from mothballs for Korea where she shelled enemy lines, screened large fleet units, rescued downed pilots, and performed antisubmarine duties because, although the Norks didn’t have subs, other interested parties in the area did. She worked the Cuban Blockade and Yankee Station, in the end picking up one battle star for World War II, three for service in Korea, and one for Vietnam.
Decommissioned in 1970, she was sold to the Shah of Iran two years later and served that country’s government as Palang (Leopard) (DDG-9) until 1994, though she rarely left dockside after 1980.
