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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
Sea 2c Merrill Chapman USN
F 1c Arthur Clark USN
F 1c Willard Clark USN
Sea 2c Gerald Cobbe USN
CFC Lewis Coleman USN
Sea 1c Maxie Crisco USN
EM 2c Thomas Cunerd USN
QM 3c Russell Dague USN
Sea 1c Donald Daiuto USN
CGM Wanzel Dallas USN
Sea 1c Edward Daniels USN
TM 3c Francis Dauncey USN
F 1c Donald Desenberg USN
Sea 1c William Devito USN
WT 3c Edward Devlin USN
F 1c Anthony Distefano USN
Sea 1c Loren Dunn USN
Sea 1c Anthony Dzikas USN
BM 1c Charles Edwards USN
F 1c Robert Ferguson USN

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