Laffey earned the nickname "The Ship That Would Not Die" for her exploits during the D-Day invasion and the Battle of Okinawa when she successfully withstood a determined assault by conventional …

The USS Laffey (DD-724) is the most decorated World War II era Destroyer still in existence. Commissioned at Bath Iron Works, ME in February of 1944, the Laffey was soon on her way to …

She was the daughter of seaman Bartlett Laffey – an immigrant from Ireland who enlisted in the Navy during the Civil War and earned the Medal of Honor for landing a howitzer and gun crew under heavy …

Feb 8, 2023 · The USS Laffey was actually the second vessel to be named after Bartlett Laffey, an Irish-born US Navy sailor who earned the Medal of Honor for his actions against the Confederates during …

Laffey operated in Hawaiian waters until 21 May 1946 when she participated in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini, actively engaged in collecting scientific data. Upon completion of the tests she sailed for the …

Feb 7, 2023 · But as the story of the USS Laffey illustrates, it’s an important and dangerous responsibility. Here’s how that ship became the “Ship That Would Not Die” in 1945.

Jul 14, 2025 · In this highlight video, you’ll learn more about the USS Laffey’s history and examine its structure, including torpedo tubes, range finders, and even a peek inside the bridge.

The first USS Laffey (DD-459) was a Benson-class destroyer that had rescued survivors of the torpedoed carrier Wasp (CV-7), and fought in the Battle of Cape Esperance off Guadalcanal.

Laffey, an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, had been screening the heavy fleet units that were bombarding Okinawa in close support of the ground forces ashore. She was the second U.S. …

Jun 7, 2019 · On Friday, April 13, 1945, the destroyer Laffey sailed 20 miles west from Okinawa to Kerama Retto, a mountainous island cluster that was home to Wiseman’s Cove, a repair anchorage. …