The Story of the Unluckiest US Destroyer of World War II: The Warship That Nearly Killed the President

The history of naval battles is full of unlucky ships, but among World War II fleets, the destroyer USS William D. Porter stands out as a symbol of strange and unprecedented incidents. The Fletcher-class US Navy destroyer, launched in July 1943, went through incredible events before sinking in June 1945, including one that nearly endangered the life of President Roosevelt.

The destroyer USS William D. Porter, one of the most ill-fated ships of World War II, faced numerous incidents and misadventures during its service that immortalized it in the history of the US Navy.

According to Ambassador Arjan, the history of naval battles and conflicts is full of unlucky ships; But among the fleets of World War II, the name of the destroyer USS William D. Porter is engraved as a symbol of strange and unprecedented events. Launched in July 1943, this Fletcher-class ship of the US Navy went through incredible events that nearly killed President Roosevelt before sinking in June 1945.

The disastrous adventures of the destroyer William D. Porter in the Atlantic Ocean

After leaving Norfolk on November 12, 1943, the destroyer USS William D. Porter began a series of events. First, its anchor tore off the deck of another destroyer, then a depth charge with an inactive trigger fell into the sea and exploded. Later, a sailor fell from the ship and drowned. The crew was forced to break radio silence to inform the USS Iowa (carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt), which angered Admiral King.

But the worst incident was the accidental firing of a real torpedo at the USS Iowa during a training exercise. Breaking radio silence again, the commander notified the carrier and Iowa was able to divert from the torpedo's path. At the Bermuda Inquiry, Torpedo Officer Sergeant Lawton Dawson was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years' hard labor (although the sentence was overturned by the President). This ship joined the Pacific Fleet on December 29, 1943.

The misadventures of the Pacific and the tragic end of the destroyer USS William D. Porter

The arrival of the destroyer USS William D. Porter in the Pacific Ocean was also accompanied by incidents. At a New Year's party in 1944, a drunken sailor fired the ship's 5-inch cannon and a 25 kg shell hit the base commander's yard, but no one was hurt.

The destroyer Porter patrolled the Pacific for eight months and participated in the 1945 invasion of Okinawa. Acting as an anti-aircraft lookout, the ship shot down six enemy aircraft, and her run of bad luck seemed to be over.

But this peace did not last. On June 10, 1945, an Aishi D3A1 dive bomber attacked Porter. The evasive maneuvers caused the plane to veer off course and hit the water, but it exploded under the hull of the destroyer at high speed. This explosion lifted the ship from the water and the crew had to leave the ship after hours of effort. World War II's unluckiest submarine sinks to the bottom of the sea, while all crew survive.