Publisher's Synopsis
USS HAZELWOOD (DD531), a FLETCHER-class destroyer named for Commodore John Hazelwood (1726-1800), served from June 1943 to January 1946 as a part of the United States Pacific Fleet. During her active World War II service she participated in every key U.S. Navy operation except for the Marianas landing in June-July 1944. Her war ended on April 29, 1945 when she was struck by a Japanese suicide plane. 77 members of the crew were killed, including the captain and executive officer. However, she survived, eventually steaming under her own power to San Francisco where she was rebuilt and overhauled. By the time this work was completed, the war had ended. She was transferred to San Diego and placed into the Reserve Fleet. Recommissioned in 1951, she served until 1965 when she was decommissioned for the last time. The War Diary that follows covers only her time during World War II, June 1943 through September 1945. For readers unfamiliar with the war diaries, these documents are not the detailed thoughts of individual officers or crew members; they are the basic day-to-day operations of a ship during wartime. For those desiring a story, or fleshed-out narrative, I'm afraid you must look elsewhere. The war diary does provide a solid foundation upon which to build, as they show where the ship was on a daily basis, and list the most pertinent happenings of a given day. From June to November 1943 HAZELWOOD's War Diary is in a very detailed format; however, starting in December, 1943 it becomes streamlined, and remains in this form for the remainder the war. Also included here are several Action Reports, which elaborate on specific engagements with the enemy.
