Ship Torpedoed, sunk 34 days later

[BasilY]

USS O'Brien


Sinking

While escorting a convoy of transports en route to Guadalcanal, joint TFs 17 and 18 were attacked by I-15 and Japanese submarine I-19 (2) on 15 September 1942. Wasp was sunk, and North Carolina and O’Brien were damaged by torpedo attacks.

Torpedo hit on O’Brien


At 1452 that afternoon O’Brien sighted smoke coming from Wasp. As a member of Hornet's ASW screen, she made an emergency turn to the right. At about 1454, while accelerating and swinging right, her lookouts spotted a torpedo two points forward of the port beam 1,000 yards (915 m) away. This torpedo missed close astern, but while attention was concentrated on it another "fish" hit the port bow.
The explosion did little local damage, but set up severe structural stresses through the ship. Able to proceed under her own power, the destroyer on 16 September reached Espiritu Santo, where Curtiss made temporary repairs. O’Brien sailed on 21 September for Noumea, New Caledonia for further repairs by Argonne, before proceeding on 10 October to San Francisco.
She made Suva on 13 October and sailed once more on 16 October. The rate of leaking continued to increase, and on 18 October it was necessary for O’Brien to proceed to the nearest anchorage. Topside weight was jettisoned and preparations were made for abandoning ship, but it was still thought that the ship could be brought intact to Pago Pago. However, at 0600 on 19 October, the bottom suddenly opened up considerably and the forward and after portions of the hull began to work independently. At 0630 all hands except a salvage crew went over the side, and half an hour later the ship was abandoned entirely. Just before 0800 she went under, after steaming almost 3,000 miles (5,500 km) since torpedoed. All the crew were saved.