DD-587 Bell
The second Bell (DD-587) was laid down 30 December 1941, launched 24 June 1942 by Charleston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Clea Cooke Hulse, great-grandniece of Admiral Bell; and commissioned 4 March 1943, Commander L, C. Peatross in command.
Until November 1943 Bell operated on patrol and escort in the North Atlantic, making one voyage to Britain in August. She got underway for the Pacific in November and Arrived at Pearl Harbor 27 November. Bell then joined TF 58 for the Kavieng, New Ireland, strikes (25 December 1943, 1 and 4 January 1944); Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, invasion (29 January-2 February), Truk strikes (17-18 February); Marianas raid (21-22 February): Carolines strike (30 March-1 April), Hollandia landings (21-21 April), Saipan invasion (12-24 June); at Bonius raid (1.-16 June); Battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June); 2nd Bonins raid (24 June); 3rd Bonins raid (4 July); Guam invasion on `21 July), western Carolines raids (25-28 July); 4th Bonins raid (4-5 August)- Palau raids (19 September); Philippine Islands raids (24 September); Okinawa raid (10 October)and with TF 38 in the Formosa raids (12-17 October). Bell formed part of the escort of the crippled Houston (CL-81) and Canberra (CA- 70) from off Formosa to Ulithi (15-29 October). She then rejoined the 3rd Fleet airstrikes against Luzon (5 November-16 December) and the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon (18 January 1945).
During the late evening of 31 January 1945 while in 13° 20' N., 119N176 20' E., she Joined O'Bannon (DD 450) in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-115. Bell returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs, arriving 27 February. She departed the West coast 22 April and arrived at Leyte 29 May. From there she steamed to the Brunei Bay 7-10 June) and Balikpapan, Borneo, (1-3 July) landings. Bell patrolled and escorted convoys in the Philippines until the end of the war and then served on occupation duty at Okinawa, China, and Korea until 14 December 1945 when she sailed for San Francisco, arriving 4 January 1946. Placed out of commission in reserve 14 ,June 1946, she joined the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. Stricken 1 November 1972 and sunk as a target 11 May 1975.
Bell received 11 battle stars for her participation in World War II.
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