562 The Harry E. Hubbard

 Fun Fact #562

The USS Harry E Hubbard

On October 16th, 1942, Commander Harry Hubbard sat in control of The USS Meredith. The ship had a storied history having been named after  Sergeant Johnathan Meridith who showed the need and helped establish the US Navy late in the 1790s after the Continental Navy had been disbanded by fighting international Pirates and slavers in The Barbary Wars. Commander Hubbard had upheld this legacy by upholding and protecting the critical Supply lines in The Solomon Islands Campaign during which he came up with a counter to The Japanese Kamikaze strategy. On that day The Meridith once again came to blows with the Japanese Aircraft Carrier The Zuikaku while defending the US aircraft Carrier The USS Hornet (CV-8). During the combat the bridge that Commander Hubbard was on was struck by a Kamakazie plane, and and though his face was badly burned and his eyes were now blind, he continued his command defending the Hornet until The Meridith was sunk and Commander Hubbard succumbed to his wounds while in a life raft shortly after the battle. 

Normally that is where the story would end but for Commander Hubbard, death was but a beginning to his legacy. His daughter Miss Jean Hubbard sponsored the commission of a new ship and in July 1944 The USS Harry E. Hubbard set sail (Allen M. Summer Class Destroyer). From Okinawa onward she provided logistical support and  Gunstrike (sea-to land bombardment) to the Navy’s efforts in The Pacific ocean. Although they were allies at the time, at Tsingtao, The Hubbard first met the foe which would haunt the rest of her days, The Chinese Communist Party. 

She next met them during The Korean War, where her veteran crew proved invaluable in providing medical aid, repairs, and strategic advice. Then she provided covering fire for the evacuating Chinese Nationalists from Tachen Island, and then shared her advice with the rest of the SEATO’s combined forces. Finally