USS Murphy (DD-603)
USS Murphy was a in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Lieutenant John McLeod Murphy.
Murphys keel was laid down 19 May 1941 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation at their shipyard in Staten Island, New York. The destroyer was launched on 29 April 1942, sponsored by Miss M. Elsie Murphy, daughter of Lieutenant Murphy. The vessel was commissioned on 25 July 1942.
Operational history
Following shakedown to Casco Bay, Maine, and escort duty off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Murphy joined the Center Attack Group, Western Naval Task Force, at Norfolk, Virginia, sailing in late October for Fedhala, Morocco, to participate in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. Arriving off the landing beaches 7 November, the destroyer regulated the waves of landing craft hitting the beach the next day, then gave fire support off Point Blondin at which time the ship was hit in the after engine room during a furious exchange of fire with the Sherkhi battery, losing three men killed and 25 wounded. Immediate damage control measures prevented any serious damage and Murphys crew effected repairs in time to join other fire support ships in silencing the Cape Blondin guns. Murphy remained off Fedhala through the Naval Battle of Casablanca, driving off an air attack 9 November, until sailing for Boston to complete repairs, arriving on the 24th.The destroyer next escorted convoys between New York and Panama, and Norfolk and Casablanca, until joining the "Dime" attack force screen for the Amphibious Battle of Gela, Sicily, in July 1943, "Operation Husky". On 10 July, while engaged in patrolling the beachhead, Murphy was straddled by near misses from a night air attack, puncturing her stern and wounding one man. She was again attacked two nights later, being missed by by a German dive bomber, but continued her fire support off Sicily into August. Then, while escorting a group of transports to Palermo, she was once again attacked by dive bombers; but this time she downed two planes.
Partial sinking and repair
Murphy returned to the United States following the end of the invasion of Sicily, next escorting United Kingdom bound convoys. Heading out of New York Harbor 21 October 1943, the destroyer, in a convoy was struck on the port side between the bridge and forward stack by the oil tanker, off the coast of New Jersey. The forward third of the ship sank in of water, taking 35 officers and men with it. The aft two-thirds was kept afloat and was towed into New York Navy Yard for seven months of repairs, which included the replacement of the entire bow. This accident and the subsequent discovery of the exact location of the lost bow section, almost 60 years later, were the basis for the History Channel Deep Sea Detectives "Destroyer Down" episode.Normandy Invasion
The veteran warship rejoined the fleet in time for the Normandy invasion. On 5 June 1944, Murphy departed Portland, England, assigned to the assault area off Vierville, France, better known as Omaha Beach. She remained there, giving fire support and conducting screen duty for the transports through mid-June, engaging in a gun duel with shore batteries 8 June, and repelling numerous German U-boat and torpedo attacks.In July, Murphy steamed south to the Mediterranean, operating with Task Force 88, the Aircraft Carrier Force in "Operation Dragoon", the invasion of southern France. She conducted fire support, plane guard, and screening duties during the landings and then departed for New York for overhaul in early September.