USS Russell (DD-414)-- Part 2: Battle of Coral Sea and Guadalcanal

The USS Russell (DD-414) was commissioned two months before World War II in Europe began and cruised in the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea doing Neutrality Patrol before Pearl Harbor was attacked.

It was then ordered to the Pacific Ocean and then was involved in screening reinforcements to Samoa.  By the time she arrived the Japanese had taken over that part of the Pacific.  After that, the Russell was involved in several actions and screen two different aircraft carriers.

Next, it was in the Battle of the Coral Sea and screened the sinking carrier USS Lexington.    Next, the ship was involved in the Guadalcanal Campaign and then the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands and rescued men from the sinking carrier Hornet.

After that, the Russell screened convoys to Guadalcanal and  Tulagi and then did the same for the carrier USS Enterprise.  By July 1943, the Russell was overhauled at Mare Island and then involved in the attack on the Aleutian Islands.

--GreGen