From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. III, 1968, Navy 
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History 
Division, Washington, D.C.

HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774)

Hugh William Hadley was born 17 February 1901 at Moro, Oreg., and was 
appointed to the Naval Academy in 1918. Commissioned Ensign 29 May 1922, 
he served on board many ships, including PENNSYLVANIA and S-27, and 
various shore stations in the prewar years. After serving as Executive 
Officer of ROPER 1936-1939 and on board MARYLAND 1941-1942, he was 
appointed Commander and assigned to command Transport Division 12 in the 
Pacific. Hadley's attack transports made nightly runs into Guadalcanal 
to support American troops there, and while on board LITTLE 5 September 
1942 Hadley was surprised by three Japanese destroyers off Lunga Point. 
His outgunned ship fought valiantly, but was sunk along with attack 
transport GREGORY. Commander Hadley was killed in the action and was 
posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his outstanding performance in 
the bitter Solomons campaign.

dp. 2,220;
l. 376' 6";
b. 41' 2";
dr. 15' 8";
s. 34 k;
cpl. 336;
a. 6 5", 10 21" tt., 6 dcp. 2 dct.;
cl. ALLEN M. SUMNER

Hugh W. HADLEY (DD-774) was launched by Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding 
Co., San Pedro, Calif., 16 July 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Hugh W. Hadley, 
widow of the namesake; and commissioned 25 November 1944, Comdr. L. C. 
Chamberlin in command.

After intensive shakedown training off the coast of California, HUGH W. 
HADLEY sailed 21 February 1945 in company with HMS RANEE for Pearl 
Harbor. The ships arrived 27 February, but HUGH W. HADLEY was soon 
underway again, sailing 8 days later for Ulithi and the great Okinawa 
invasion. The ship departed in company with a large group of LST's and 
their escorts 25 March bound for the Japanese island stronghold, and 
arrived off the Okinawa group 31 March. As the night approach was made, 
HUGH W. HADLEY led a group of LST's toward the beach, shooting down an 
attacking Japanese plane en route. The destroyer escorted her charges 
safely to the beach watched them unload their troops and equipment the 
morning of 1 April, and then took up antisubmarine patrol station 
outside the transport area. As the bitter fighting ashore continued, 
HUGH W. HADLEY helped protect against submarines and aircraft as the 
Japanese made a final effort to stop the invasion. The ship remained on 
patrol until 4 April, when she sailed with a group of transports to 
Saipan, arriving 14 April.

HUGH W. HADLEY was soon on her way back to Okinawa, however, and arrived 
from Saipan 27 April to resume her outer patrol. For the next few days 
the destroyer fought off numerous air raids, picked up a downed fighter 
pilot and carried out antisubmarine patrol. She went alongside destroyer 
BROWN 7 May for transfer of communication equipment, and then took up 
additional duties as a fighter direction ship for the Combat Air 
Patrols, so vital to the invasion's air cover.

As radar picket ships were scarce, HUGH W. HADLEY was assigned this duty 
on the afternoon of 10 May. Joining destroyer EVANS (DD-552) and four 
smaller craft, she took station 15 west of Okinawa and early the next 
morning began vectoring aircraft to meet the oncoming Japanese. For 
nearly 2 hours the morning of 11 May, HUGH W. HADLEY and EVANS came 
under severe attack, as the Japanese mounted their sixth attack against 
American forces at Okinawa. Both ships maneuvered at high speed, downing 
many suicide planes and directing air attacks on formations of Japanese. 
The attackers numbered some 150 planes. After EVANS took several serious 
hits and went dead in the water about 0900, HUGH W. HADLEY fought on 
alone. At 0920, she was attacked by 10 planes simultaneously, from both 
ahead and astern. The ship destroyed all 10, but not without damage to 
herself. One bomb hit aft, a baka bomb hit, and two kamikaze crashes 
were inflicted on the gallant ship as her gunners ran low on ammunition. 
Finally, as the attack ended, all but 50 of the crew were ordered over 
the side in life rafts, the remaining men fighting fires and working to 
control the damage. Though her engineering spaces were flooded and she 
was badly holed, HUGH W. HADLEY was kept afloat by the determination and 
skill of her damage control parties and eventually arrived Ie Shima.

During this remarkable battle. HUGH W. HADLEY had succeeded in downing 
some 23 enemy aircraft and aided in splashing countless others. After 
temporary repairs, the ship was taken to Kerama Retto 14 May, where men 
from repair ship ZANIAH worked on her battered hull. HUGH W. HADLEY 
subsequently was taken to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, in a floating drydock 
towed by AVOYEL (ATF-150),15 July 1945, and after 20 days there began 
the long voyage under tow to the United States. After encountering heavy 
weather during the passage the ship arrived Hunter's Point, Calif., via 
Pearl Harbor, 26 September 1945. Decommissioned 15 December 1945, she 
was sold 2 September 1947 to Walter W. Johnson Co., San Francisco, and 
scrapped.

In addition to one battle star for her World War II Service, HUGH W. 
HADLEY received the Presidential Unit Citation for her performance in 
the action off Okinawa 11 May 1945.

REPORT BY COMMANDING OFFICER OF USS HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774) DATE 15 MAY 
1945:

U.S.S HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774)
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California

The U.S.S. HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774) was assigned as RADAR PICKET SHIP AND 
FIGHTER DIRECTOR SHIP on Station #15 off Okinawa, Nansei Shoto, 10 May 
1945. Ships in company were the U.S.S EVANS (DD-552), LCS 82, LCS 83 and 
LCM (R) 193 as support ships. The EVANS turned over the duties of 
Tactical Command to the HADLEY.

The MISSION of this group of ships was to detect and report approaching 
enemy aircraft, to control the assigned Combat Air Patrol, and to 
prevent enemy planes from reaching the transport area of Okinawa.

On the night of 10 May, an enemy plane attacked our formation at 1935 
and was taken under fire by both ships. The EVANS reported seeing it 
destroyed. Throughout the night the ship was at General Quarters due to 
the threatening movements and a few attacks by enemy planes which were 
in the immediate vicinity of the formation.

At about 0755, numerous enemy planes were contacted by our instruments 
as coming toward the ship (and Okinawa) from the north, distance about 
55 miles. One division of CAP was ordered out to intercept. Shortly 
thereafter, several enemy formations were detected, and the entire CAP 
was ordered out to intercept. Our Fighter Director Officer in CIC has 
estimated that the total number of enemy planes was 156 coming in a 
different heights in groups as follows: Raid ONE 36, Raid TWO 50, Raid 
THREE 20, Raid FOUR 20 to 30, Raid FIVE 20; Total 156 planes.

From 0830 to 0900 the HADLEY was attacked by groups of planes coming in 
on both bows. Twelve enemy planes were shot down by the HADLEY's guns 
during this period, at times firing all guns in various directions. The 
EVANS which, at the time, was at a distance of about three miles to the 
northwest, was seen fighting off a number of planes by herself, several 
of which were seen to be destroyed. At 0900 the EVANS was hit and put 
out of action. At one time toward the close of the battle when friendly 
planes were closing to assist us, the four support ships were prevented 
from shooting down two friendlies whom they had taken under fire. One 
plane was seen to splash inside their formation due to their own 
gunfire. However, I am not able to give an accurate account of their 
action. They were very helpful in picking up my crew who were in the 
water, in coming alongside and removing wounded and in helping us to 
pump.

For 20 minutes, the HADLEY fought off the enemy single-handedly being 
separated from the EVANS, which was out of action, by three miles and 
the four small support ships by two miles. Finally, at 0920, ten enemy 
planes which had surrounded the HADLEY, four on our starboard bow under 
fire by the main battery and machine guns, four on the port bow under 
fire by the forward machine guns, and two astern under fire by the after 
machine guns, attacked the ship simultaneously. All ten planes were 
destroyed in a remarkable fight and each plane was definitely accounted 
for. As a result of this attack, the HADLEY was (1) Hit by a bomb aft 
(2) By a BAKA bomb seen to be released from a low flying BETTY (3) Was 
struck by a suicide plane aft (4) Hit by a suicide plane in rigging.

From this point on, a truely amazing, courageous and efficient group of 
men and officers with utter disregard for their own personal safety 
approached the explosions and the fire with hoses and for fifteen 
minutes kept up this work. The torpedoes were jettisoned, weights 
removed from the starboard side, and finally, the fire was extinguished 
and the list and flooding controlled and the ship was saved. Although 
the ship was still in an extremely dangerous condition, one fireroom 
bulkhead held and she was finally towed safely to the IE SHIMA 
anchorage.

The total number of enemy planes destroyed by the HADLEY in this period 
of one hour and thirty-five minutes of continual firing was twenty-
three. This number include twenty shot down to the water and three 
suicide hits.

Our mission was accomplished. The transports at the Okinawa anchorage 
were saved from an attack by one hundred and fifty-six enemy planes by 
the action of our ships. We bore the brunt of the enemy strength and 
absorbed what they had to throw at us. It was a proud day for destroyer 
men.

PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE AND CASUALTIES: 1. Killed in action and twenty-
eight; wounded in action sixty-seven, missing in action none.

No Captain of a man of war ever had a crew who fought more valiantly 
against such overwhelming odds. Who can measure the degree of courage of 
men who stand at their guns in the face of diving planes that destroy 
them? Who can measure the degree of loyalty of a crew who risked death 
to save the ship from sinking when all seemed lost? I desire to record 
that the history of our Navy was enhanced on 11 May 1945. I am proud to 
record that I know of no record of a Destroyer's crew fighting for one 
hour and thirty-five minutes against overwhelming enemy aircraft attacks 
and destroying twenty-three planes. My crew accomplished their mission 
and displayed outstanding fighting abilities. I am recommending awards 
for the few men who displayed outstanding bravery above the deeds of 
their shipmates in separate correspondence. Destroyer men are good men 
and my officers and crew were good destroyer men.

B. J. Mullaney