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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Vireo

Ship Designation: 
AM-52
Date Lost: 
Thursday, October 15, 1942
Air Attack on USS Meredith
While pulling a barge carrying barrels of gasoline and quarter-ton bombs from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal Vireo in company with Meredith was spotted by Japanese aircraft on 15 October. Cautiously proceeding, the pair drove off a two-plane Japanese attack before receiving word that Japanese surface ships were in the area. At noon, Meredith ordered old, slow, and vulnerable Vireo abandoned and took off her crew. Meredith then stood off to torpedo the tug at 1215 so that she would not fall into enemy hands intact. Suddenly, a whirlwind of destruction swept down from the sky and descended upon the destroyer. Like hawks, 27 planes from the Japanese carrier Zuikaku pounced on Meredith and deluged her with bombs, torpedoes, and bullets, sinking her in an instant. Vireo and the two gasoline barges, however, drifted to leeward, untouched. The majority of Vireo's old complement were lost in the ordeal with Meredith.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 50

Namesort descending Service Branch
F 1c Thomas Parnell USN
SC 1c Willie Pierce USN
CWT Jesse Pratt USN
RM 1c Aubrey Price USN
CQM John Purdy USN
F 2c Miles Querry USN
F 1c Henry Quetschke USN
Cox Dennis Quinliven USN
Sea 1c Walter Quinnelly USN
F 1c Frederick Radigan USN
MM 2c Bertram Ragland USN
OC 2c Harry Ramsey USN
GM 3c Sidney Redman USN
SM 3c Robert Redmond USN
SC 2c Lewis Reid USN
Sea 1c Carley Robertson USN
Sea 1c James Robinson USN
Cox Donald Shockey USN
F 2c Jack Slabaugh USN
QM 3c John Smith USN

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Prepared by CAPT R.O. Strange USN (Ret.)