USS James E. Kyes (DD-787) was a of the United States Navy, named for Commander James E. Kyes (1906–1943).
Construction and career
James E. Kyes was laid down on 27 December 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Washington; launched on 4 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. James E. Kyes; and commissioned on 8 February 1946.
Service in the United States Navy
After shakedown along the West Coast, James E. Kyes steamed from Seattle on 12 June for Pearl Harbor to embark troops for transportation to the United States. Arriving San Diego, California on 12 July, she operated along the California coast until departing on 9 November for the western Pacific. Joining the 7th Fleet at Shanghai on 30 November, she operated along the Chinese Coast supporting Chiang Kai-shek's struggle with the Chinese Communists for control of the mainland.
Departing Tsingtao, China, on 28 January 1947, she steamed to Japan for four months of operations off southeastern Japan, in the Tsushima Strait, and along the Korean coast. She cleared Yokosuka on 8 June for home and arrived San Diego on 22 June.
Following operations out of San Diego and San Francisco, California, and Bremerton, Washington, she departed San Pedro, Los Angeles, 2 September 1948 for duty in the Far East. Arriving Yokosuka, Japan, on 30 September, she conducted surveillance patrols in the East China Sea and the Tsushima Strait.
She steamed to Inchon, Korea, on 20 January 1949 as tensions mounted on that peninsula. Returning to Japan on 28 January, she resumed sea patrols until departing Yokosuka on 3 April for San Diego.
Korean War
After arrival on 24 April, James E. Kyes operated out of San Diego until sailing for the western Pacific on 23 June 1950, two days before North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel to sweep down through South Korea. Ordered by President Harry S. Truman to give South Korean troops "cover and support," the Navy placed the 7th Fleet on alert from Formosa to Japan. Standing off Pohang-dong, Korea, on 18 July, Kyes provided fire support during landing operations which reinforced U.N. positions at the southern end of the peninsula. She joined on 2 August escorting while that carrier's aircraft struck enemy troop and supply concentrations along Korea's southern and western coasts. Sailing into the Sea of Japan on 11 August, she screened , , and ; and then steamed to Sasebo, Japan on 27 August to prepare for Operation Chromite.
As a flanking counterstroke to halt the North Korean advance, General Douglas MacArthur ordered an amphibious assault against Inchon to be carried out on 15 September. James E. Kyes arrived off Inchon the 15th to guard as her aircraft conducted preinvasion strikes. Remaining off Inchon until 3 October, the destroyer sailed via Sasebo to Korea's east coast for patrol duty.
Late in November she sailed for the United States; but, ordered to reverse course on the 29th, she steamed back to the fight. The Chinese People's Liberation Army had crossed the Yalu River into North Korea to attack advancing U.N. forces. The Chinese cut off and surrounded the 5th and 7th Marine Regiments at Chosin Reservoir on 27 November. The releasing of the marines depended upon air cover from the aircraft carriers stationed off the eastern coast. James E. Kyes joined the task force on 1 December and provided anti-submarine warfare (ASW) support while aircraft made hundreds of sorties supporting the embattled marines. Under a protective canopy of naval air cover, the leathernecks broke through on 10 December at Chinhung-ni and moved to Hŭngnam for evacuation. James E. Kyes remained on guard as the Navy completed the Hungnam withdrawal of 24 December after embarking 105,000 troops, 91,000 refugees and vast quantities of military cargo. She remained along the eastern coast, supporting the southward movement of American forces. Sailing for home on 19 January 1951, she arrived San Diego on 8 February.
James E. Kyes departed San Diego on 27 August and joined Boxer (CV-21) and on 20 September in patrolling the Sea of Japan. Sailing to Formosa on 17 December, she joined the Formosa Strait surveillance patrols before resuming carrier guard duty off Korea on 22 January 1952. Kyes joined the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force on 19 February and sailed to the Wonsan area to conduct "harassing and interdiction fire at predesignated targets and targets of opportunity." Designed to prevent or hinder enemy troop and supply movements, her patrol concentrated on enemy shore batteries, coastal roads, and railroad installations before sailing for home on 25 March.