USS Arnold J. Isbell

USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869) was a Gearing class destroyer of the U.S. Navy. Statistics: displacement = 2,425, length = 390'6", beam = 40'10", draft = 18'6" speed = 34.6 knots, endurance = 4,380nm at 20 knots, crew = 11/345 officers/men; original armament = 3 twin 5" gun mounts, 12 40mm. AA guns, 8 20mm. AA guns, 2 depth charge tracks (26 depth charges), 6 x K-Gun (30 depth charges), 10 21" torpedo tubes.

She was laid down on 14 March 1945 at Staten Island N.Y., by the Bethlehem Steel Co.; launched on 6 August 1945; and commissioned on 5 January 1946. She joined the Atlantic Fleet and operated off the east coast. In January 1947, she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and homeported at San Diego Calif. She spent the remainder of her US Navy days homeported on the West coast.

In June 1961, her home port was changed to Bremerton, Washington, where she entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a fleet rehabilitation and modernization overhaul (FRAM). During the FRAM refit all secondary armament was removed, as well as No. 2 5" turret, which was replaced by two MK 32 triple torpedo tube launchers. The superstructure was extensively rebuilt of aluminum, the bridge enclosed and a new CIC (Combat Information Center) built between the pilothouse and the forward funnel. An Antisubmarine Rocket (ASROC) launcher was fitted between the funnels. A hangar and ASROC reload facility was constructed aft of the rear funnel. In June 1962 she reported to her new home port of Long Beach, California.

In 1972 the Isbell became part of the Reserve Training Fleet until early 1974 when she was decomissioned and struck from the Navy list. She was then transferred to the government of Greece and entered the Greek Navy as Sachtouris (No. 214). She continued serving Greece into the 1980s.

Arnold J. Isbell made 16 tours of the Far East and earned six battle stars for Korean War service and two for Vietnam War action.

A website dedicated to the Isbell and her crewmembers can be found at http://www.ussarnoldjisbell.com