USS Lowry (DD-770)

USS Lowry (DD-770), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Reigart Bolivar Lowry, who served in the Mexican-American War and was a member of Commodore Matthew C. Perry's expedition to Japan in 1855. He served with distinction in the American Civil War, capturing the New Orleans and in the first attack on Vicksburg (April–June 1862).

Lowry was laid down 1 August 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., San Pedro, California; launched 6 February 1944; sponsored by Miss Ann Lowry; and commissioned 23 July 1944, Commander L. H. Martin in command.

World War II
Lowry cleared San Pedro 26 October 1944 for training at Pearl Harbor and arrived San Pedro Bay 14 December. From 19 December to 29 December she escorted convoys between Leyte and the Mindoro Island beachhead, and was also part of a special striking force that helped protect Mindoro from enemy attack. From 2 January to 10 January 1945 she operated as an effective task force screen and gunfire support ship in the invasion of Luzon, then patrolled the approaches to Lingayen Gulf guarding the newly won beachhead until sailing for Ulithi 22 January.

The destroyer departed Ulithi 10 February to screen fast carrier TF 58 for air strikes against Honshū in support of the Invasion of Iwo Jima. The force returned to Ulithi 1 March, from which Lowry sailed 21 March for Okinawa to screen the support carrier group for the invasion until 29 April. Lowry then served as radar picket off Okinawa. During this hazardous assignment, the ship engaged in numerous actions with enemy aircraft. The heaviest of these occurred 28 May, when accompanying picket destroyer USS Drexler (DD-741) was hit by two suicide planes and sank with heavy loss of life. Lowry, after fighting valiantly to prevent the loss of her companion, stood by to rescue survivors despite the continued presence of enemy aircraft in the area. From 29 June she covered minesweeping operations in the South China Sea, then arrived San Pedro Bay 27 July. For her valiant work as radar picket she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.

Lowry joined fast carrier TF 38 off Tokyo 24 August for occupation duty during which she furnished food to Allied prisoners of war until 1 October, when she sailed for Okinawa to embark passengers for the United States. Arrived at San Diego 21 October for overhaul and west coast training.

Lowry left San Francisco 14 July 1946 for Kwajalein to patrol during Operation Crossroads, the Bikini atomic bomb tests. She was on station from 24 July to 10 August, when she sailed for San Diego, arriving 22 August.

Training off the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands was broken in May 1947 when she visited Sydney, Australia, for the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Returning to San Diego 14 June, she decommissioned 30 June 1947 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Korea
Lowry recommissioned 27 December 1950, Comdr. C. H. Morrison, Jr., in command. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, she arrived New York 30 April 1951, was overhauled at Norfolk, and in August began training exercises in the Caribbean, returning to Norfolk 15 November. On 22 January 1952, Lowry sailed, via the Panama Canal, to join the 7th Fleet, arriving Yokosuka 27 February. With TF 77, Lowry served off the east coast of Korea on shore bombardment, plane guard, and screening duty until early April, then had similar duty off the west coast of Korea with TF 95, the U.N. Blockading and Escort Force, through May. On 8 June, she sailed to rejoin TF 77 for gunstrike missions. Sailing via the Suez Canal and the principal Mediterranean ports, Lowry arrived Norfolk 19 August.

Between 19 August 1952 and 1 February 1954, Lowry made training cruises to the Caribbean and off Florida, engaging in intensive exercises to increase her combat efficiency. She departed Norfolk 1 February for her second world cruise, arriving Yokosuka from the Panama Canal 9 March. After a number of simulated combat exercises, including a full‑scale mock invasion of Iwo Jima, she left Yokosuka 29 June for Suez, completing her second circumnavigation at Norfolk 25 August.

Training along the coast and in the Caribbean prepared Lowry for her first deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, for which she left Norfolk 7 November 1956, returning to Norfolk 28 February 1957 for renewed training and overhaul. She again left Norfolk 3 September for NATO "Strikeback" exercises in the North Atlantic, continuing on to the Mediterranean from which she returned to Norfolk 22 December.

Her third tour with the 6th Fleet, 7 August 1959 to 26 February 1960, was followed by a FRAM II overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, completed 14 January 1961.

In June 1961, Lowry joined Antisubmarine Warfare Task Group Alpha, a special force engaged in research and development. She served in this force for the major part of the next 4 years, which included such operations as the rescue‑of Astronaut Virgil Grissom successfully completing the second American space flight 21 July 1961 (Mercury-Redstone 4), and the Naval Quarantine of Cuba which played the major role in ending the Cuban Missile Crisis of October–November 1962.

Vietnam
After her fourth Mediterranean deployment, 18 February 1965 to 12 July, Lowry had the DASH system installed, then participated in a large Atlantic Fleet operational exercise. Her 1966 6th Fleet deployment, 4 March to 12 August, was followed by duty as schoolship for the Fleet Sonar School, Key West. Through most of January and February 1967, Lowry embarked several Peruvian midshipmen for training under the Midshipmen Exchange Program. From 8 May through 22 September she underwent regular overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, followed by refresher training out of the Fleet Training Center, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Lowry departed Norfolk early in April 1968, passing thru the Panama Canal on Easter Sunday, then continuing for the Far East on her first 7th Fleet deployment of the Vietnam War. Serving off the coast, she performed plane guard, naval gunfire support, and other duties for which the versatile destroyer was well suited. Highlights of port visits were visits to: Bangkok, Thailand; Sasebo and Yokosuka Japan; Hong Kong; Pusan, Korea; & the Philippines. Lowlights included a collision at sea while highlining, and monsoon seas with one of two screws (propellers) non-functional. She arrived back at Norfolk on 27 November, then continued Atlantic coast operations into 1969.

In July 1969 a forward gun turret exploded during regular sea operations. One man was killed and several were injured (As witnessed by this contributer and another sailor from the Lowry just assigned to Portsmouth Naval Hospital, after talking with the hospitalized sailors.)

Lowry received four battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean service.

Brazilian service
Lowry was struck from the Naval Registry on 31 October 1973 and transferred to the Brazilian Navy on the same day. She was renamed the Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit) and remained in Brazilian service until she was struck from service on 2 February 1996, used as target practice, and ultimately sunk in 1998. Other sources indicate the ship was scrapped October 1996.