Photos and the story

Prichett

Class	Fletcher class
Type	Destroyer (DD)
Hull	DD-561
Launched	1943-07-31
Commissioned	1944-01-15
Fate	Afloat. Survived the war. Transferred to Italy, 17 January 1970
Armament (class)	Five single 5-inch guns, two funnels, and two sets of torpedo tubes.
Command	Caufield, Cecil Thilman Captain, 15 January 1944 – 25 October 1944 Bowley, Clarence Matheson Captain, 25 October 1944 – 20 May 1945 Miller, John Frederick Captain from 20 May 1945

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.

USS Prichett (DD-561) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was launched on 31 July 1943 and commissioned on 15 January 1944.

Cecil Thilman Caufield was her captain from the day she entered commission until 25 October 1944. On that date Clarence Matheson Bowley assumed command and held it until 20 May 1945.

While Bowley was captain, Prichett was at Okinawa on 1 April 1945. Two days later, on 3 April, a bomb exploded under her counter, the overhang of the stern.

The ship stayed afloat. Bowley remained in command through the weeks that followed, until he left the ship on 20 May 1945.

John Frederick Miller became captain on 20 May 1945. Prichett came through the war still in service. On 17 January 1970 the United States transferred her to Italy.

The pictures on this page are the originals.