USS Little (DD-79)

USS Little (DD-79/APD-4), a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. She was the first Navy ship named for George Little (1754–1809).

Little was laid down by Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts, 18 June 1917, launched 11 November 1917, sponsored by Mrs. Samuel W. Wakeman, and commissioned 6 April 1918, Commander Joseph K. Taussig in command.

Service history
Little departed Norfolk 5 May 1918 for convoy escort duty with Patrol Force, Coast of France, and operated from Brest until she sailed for home 26 December. During this period she escorted President Woodrow Wilson’s party to the Continent to attend the Paris Peace Conference.

The ship arrived Boston 18 January 1919 for drydock and operations with Destroyer Force, Atlantic. She escorted the President’s party back into New York 6 to 8 July, and then engaged in tactical exercises, she was transferred to Reserve Status with ComDesRon 3 at Philadelphia 17 November where she remained until 4 January 1921. The ship then operated along the Atlantic coast until she returned to Philadelphia and decommissioned 5 July 1922.

Converted to a high-speed transport by having two boilers removed and converted to troop quarters, Little was redesignated APD-4, 2 August 1940, and recommissioned 4 November 1940, Lieutenant Commander. K. Earl in command. She sailed for the Caribbean in February 1941 for maneuvers with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and then steamed to San Diego where she arrived 9 March for amphibious training. The ship returned to the east coast in late summer, and arrived at Norfolk 1 December for drydocking.

As flagship for TransDiv 12 she departed for San Diego 14 February 1942 for repairs and alterations. Upon completion of amphibious landing exercises in April, she steamed for Pearl Harbor. A short cruise to Midway Island in late June preceded her departure to New Caledonia 7 July for the Solomons campaign.

Supplies for American troops on Guadalcanal had been badly disrupted by the Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942. High-speed destroyer-transports were called upon to remedy this shortage. As she discharged stores and Marine Raiders on the Guadalcanal beaches 30 August, Little witnessed the destruction of USS Colhoun (DD-85) by enemy aircraft.

The three remaining APDs, Little, USS Gregory (DD-82), and USS McKean (DD-90), continued to support and help supply the Marines. On 4 September, Little and Gregory brought a detachment of marine raiders to Savo Island on an unfounded rumor that enemy forces had occupied it. The troops were returned to Lunga Point, Guadalcanal. That night was unusually dark, so Division Commander Hugh W. Hadley decided to patrol off Lunga Point rather than attempt to negotiate Tulagi Harbor with no visible landmarks.

About 0100 September 5, Little observed gun flashes to the east and believed this to be an enemy submarine. Moments later a Navy PBY Catalina flying over Savo Sound released a string of five flares to illuminate what he also thought was a submarine. The flares illuminated the APDs instead. A surprised Japanese surface destroyer force, engaged in shelling Henderson Field after delivering a "Tokyo Express" shipment of troops and supplies to Guadalcanal and the source of the flashes presumed to have come from a submarine, shifted their guns toward the APDs, and searchlights stabbed through the darkness. Though outgunned, Little opened fire on enemy destroyers, JAPANESE DESTROYER Yudachi, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsuyuki and JAPANESE DESTROYER Murakumo, but took direct hits from salvos which left her helpless and ablaze by 0115. Gregory had suffered the same fate. The Japanese, to assure their kill, steamed between the two stricken ships firing shells and strafing survivors. Gregory sank stern first about 0140. Little went down on an even keel about 2 hours later. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz paid sincere tribute to these gallant ships: "With little means, the ships performed duties vital to the success of the campaign."

Awards
Little received two battle stars for World War II service.