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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Drexler

Ship Designation: 
DD-741
Date Lost: 
Monday, May 28, 1945
Kamikaze Attacks near Okinawa
While operating as a radar picket off Okinawa, Drexler was attacked at 0700 by two kamikazes. ... The combined firepower of Lowry (DD 770) and Drexler successfully knocked down the first attacking aircraft. The second aircraft glanced into Drexler cutting off power and starting a large gasoline fire. ... Despite the damage, Drexler kept firing and splashed three more attacking aircraft that had entered the area. ... At 0730 another kamikaze crashed into Drexler’s superstructure which was quickly followed by a tremendous explosion. The ship quickly rolled over on her starboard side and sank stern first in less than a minute after being hit. ... 168 of the crew died and another 52 were seriously wounded.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 158

Namesort descending Service Branch
PhM 1c Irwin Lengeling USN
Sea 2c Elmer Lewis USN
Sea 1c James Lewis USN
Lt(jg) Kirby Lewis USN
Sea 1c James Littlejohn USN
F 1c William Long USN
TM 3c Eugene Louquet USN
Sea 1c Walter Maddox USN
Sea 2c Ralph Marchant USN
CM 1c Rush Martin USN
EM 2c Aurel Mathieu USN
MM 2c James Mccullough USN
F 1c James Mcmillan USN
RT 2c William Mills USN
F 1c Jerry Monds USN
F 1c James Moore USN
F 1c Armand Noiva USN
GM 3c John Oday USN
EM 3c Eugene Oliver USN
Bkr 2c Francis Osborne USN

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