USS Henley (DD-391)

USS Henley (DD-391)

USS Henley (DD-391) was a Bagley-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The Bagley class was part of the 1,500-ton destroyer series built in the late 1930s, carrying an exceptionally heavy torpedo armament of sixteen tubes in four quadruple mounts. All eight ships of the class were stationed at Pearl Harbor as Destroyer Squadron 4 on 7 December 1941. Three were lost in combat during the Guadalcanal campaign. Two survivors were used as targets during the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946.

Named for Captain Robert Henley, an early U.S. Navy officer who commanded USS Eagle during the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812, USS Henley was built by Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California and commissioned in August 1937. Henley fired the torpedoes that scuttled her damaged sister ship USS Blue after Blue was torpedoed near Savo Island on 22 August 1942. A year later, Henley herself was sunk off Finschhafen, New Guinea, on 3 October 1943 when a Japanese torpedo bomber scored a hit during operations supporting the Allied landings. She sank in about three minutes.

USS Henley earned 6 battle stars for service in: Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, Savo Island, New Guinea. Sunk by Japanese aircraft torpedo off Finschhafen, New Guinea, 3 October 1943. 1 killed.

This collection features apparel and merchandise honoring USS Henley (DD-391) and the men who served aboard her. 1,646 tons standard displacement. 341 feet in length. Four 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose guns. Sixteen 21-inch torpedo tubes in four quadruple mounts. Top speed 38.5 knots. Crew of 158.