What Is the U.S.S. Cassin Young?
This is one of only four surviving World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyers!
What Makes It Historical?
Frigates are intimidating, but destroyers are another level! They were first designed in 1900 as a counter measure to torpedo boats, and with guns on top and torpedoes below, these boats were formidable from the very beginning! By the time the (Admiral Frank F.) Fletcher class hit the water in 1941, sporting five five-inch dual-purpose guns, ten torpedoes, depth charges, and antiaircraft guns, the destroyer was truly the ship to beat on, above, and below the water! Their unique ability to refuel at sea made them perfect for the Pacific Theater.
The Cassin Young was built by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation all the way across the country in San Pedro, California! She was commissioned December 31, 1943 and named for the late hero of Pearl Harbor, Captain Cassin Young, whose widow, Eleanor, sponsored her. She was one of 175 Fletcher class destroyers, part of Fast Carrier Task Group (TG) 38.3 on a mission to clear Japanese forces off Pacific Islands like Saipan, Guam, and the Philippines, and she spent much of 1944 and 1945 doing just that! Her main responsibilities were to escort aircraft carriers, run rescue operations, and watch out for inbound Japanese planes, which had, as of September 1944, officially adopted the deadly kamikaze tactic. After battling in the Philippines and Iwo Jima, the Cassin Young was hit by a kamikaze plane on April 12, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, spent a month under repair in the Kerama Islands, then returned to battle in the Marianas Islands, only to be struck a second time on July 30th!
The U.S.S. Cassin Young left the war on August 8th after helping to clear Okinawa, decomissioned with a Navy Unit Commendation on May 28, 1946 and entered a period of being “put on mothballs.” She was recomissioned in 1951 with the outbreak of the Korean War and overhauled at the Charlestown Shipyard, next to the U.S.S. Constitution, and, like her new neighbor, spent the remainder of her commission running patrols. Since December 1, 1974, she’s been on permanent loan by the Navy to the National Park Service as a floating memorial and museum!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Boston National Historical Park!
- Donate to Boston National Historical Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
198 3rd St
Boston, MA 02129
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Between May and November, the ship is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM!