The third USS William C. Lawe (DD-763) was a of the United States Navy.
Namesake William Clare Lawe was born on 26 January 1910 in Carson City, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy on 27 April 1928, in Detroit, and attained the rate of aviation metalsmith third class (AM3c). He was assigned to a part of Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) which was reequipping with the new Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber. This detachment from VT-8 temporarily left carrier to train on the TBF Avengers. They eventually arrived at Luke Field, Hawaii, for final training prior to rejoining their squadron mates on the Hornet.
Lawe volunteered to participate in a six plane detachment flight to Midway Atoll commanded by Lieutenant Langdon K. Fieberling. He flew as gunner in the Avenger flown by Ensign Charles E. Brannon, USNR. After arriving at Midway on 1 June 1942, the detachment spent the next few days in readiness until departing to attack the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet on 4 June at 06:00. Attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters within minutes of their departure, the Avengers briefly evaded their pursuers and climbed to . At 07:00, once the airmen sighted the Japanese fleet they dove to . The six Avengers approached the Japanese carriers from astern, but were again met by Zeroes. One aircraft that had been badly damaged aimed its torpedo toward a light cruiser, before limping back to Midway. The five other aircraft including Ens. Brannon's with AM3c Lawe on board were shot down. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart.
Construction and commissioning William C. Lawe (DD-763) was laid down on 12 March 1944 by the Bethlehem Steel Co., San Francisco, California; launched on 21 May 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Lee Lawe; and commissioned on 18 December 1946.
1940s After commissioning, William C. Lawe requested an extended fitting-out period due to the failure of the starboard reduction gear. On 29 January 1947, the ship returned to the Bethlehem Steel Co. for repairs. Lawe reported to San Diego, California for shakedown on 28 March 1947 and continued operations in the San Diego and San Francisco areas until 9 October when she set course for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The destroyer remained at Pearl Harbor for three months. She then departed on 16 January 1948, together with three other destroyers and aircraft carrier , for an around-the-world cruise for training and goodwill purposes. The ship returned to San Diego on 12 June 1948 after a five-month cruise in which the ship had steamed over .
For the next 18 months, William C. Lawe conducted local operations in the San Diego area with periods of upkeep and repair at San Francisco. In October 1949, the destroyer received word of assignment to the Atlantic Fleet and, on 5 October, proceeded to her new home port at Newport, Rhode Island, via the Panama Canal. During the same month, she left Newport to join in Second Task Fleet cold weather operations in the Arctic region. Lawe returned to Newport, Rhode Island, on 21 November 1949 and remained at her new home port for the remainder of the year.
1950s During January 1950, William C. Lawe operated with in antisubmarine exercises off Bermuda; and, during the following month, the destroyer took part in Exercise "Portrex" off Puerto Rico and Vieques Island in the Caribbean. This exercise was cut short when Lawe received orders to proceed to Norfolk, Virginia, and escort President Harry S. Truman, on board his yacht, USS Williamsburg, to Key West, Florida, arriving there on 16 March. The destroyer returned to Newport on 6 April and occupied the following weeks with local operations.
In May, the ship spent Armed Forces Day in Savannah, Georgia; and, in August, the destroyer went north to Rockland, Maine, to participate in the Maine Lobster Festival. For the remainder of the year, William C. Lawe operated out of Newport, Rhode Island, with frequent runs to Norfolk, Virginia
On 8 January 1951, William C. Lawe set sail for the Mediterranean and a 6th Fleet deployment. During the next several months, she visited ports in France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Upon her return to the United States on 16 May, the destroyer spent the summer months at the Boston Naval Shipyard undergoing overhaul, followed by refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Returning to Newport on 23 October, the ship remained in the local area for the Christmas holidays, then celebrated the New Year at Boston.
William C. Lawe conducted cold weather operations in the Atlantic during the early part of 1952. The exercises were interrupted by a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 6 February. In the spring, the destroyer spent several weeks in antisubmarine operations in the Caribbean; then, on 3 June, the ship departed Newport and, together with , Lawe escorted around Cape Horn to the Pacific and up the West Coast of South America. Off Panama, the carrier proceeded alone, and the two destroyers transited the Panama Canal and returned to Newport on 22 July.
On 26 August 1952, William C. Lawe joined in the major NATO Exercise "Mainbrace" which was conducted off Norway and Denmark and took the ship to ports in Scotland, Germany, and England. Upon completion of "Mainbrace", the destroyer spent two weeks operating with units from the British Joint Antisubmarine School at Derry, Northern Ireland. She then returned to her home port on 3 November and remained in port until February 1953.
On 9 February 1953, William C. Lawe, along with five other destroyers and , headed south for hunter-killer operations in the Caribbean. Continuous operations were interspersed with liberty visits at Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic. Further antisubmarine exercises were conducted off the eastern seaboard throughout the spring of 1953, interrupted by an Armed Forces Day visit to Beaumont, Texas. In June, the ship commenced a three-month overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard, followed by refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. William C. Lawe returned to Newport from the Caribbean in early December and spent the Christmas holidays in her home port.
January through March 1954 were spent in hunter-killer operations with carrier . Maneuvers extended south to the Caribbean and back to Newport, ending in late March. In May, the ship weighed anchor once again for the Mediterranean where, in addition to visiting ports in Italy, Spain, and France, she also conducted amphibious landing exercises with units of the Greek and Turkish armies. William C. Lawe took part in Exercise "Lantflex" in November, then spent the holiday season at Newport.
The destroyer began the year 1955 with another hunter-killer operation in the Caribbean, this time with carrier . After visiting Puerto Rico and Jamaica, she returned to Newport, Rhode Island, in early April. William C. Lawe conducted two midshipmen cruises and then proceeded to Boston in August for a routine shipyard overhaul. One of the Midshipmen was the son of William Lawe who would retire from the Marine Corps in 1978.Shipmate Magazine Jan-Feb 2024 Obituaries She returned to Newport, Rhode Island, in November for local operations which lasted to the close of the year.
William C. Lawe rang in the new year, 1956, with refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, then visited New Orleans, Louisiana, for the Mardi Gras celebration. March and April were spent in antiair warfare exercises off the East Coast. The destroyer sailed for the Mediterranean on 1 May and spent a month in the eastern Mediterranean visiting ports in Greece, Lebanon, and Turkey. In mid-June, she headed west and made stops at Italy, France, Spain, Sardinia, and Gibraltar. Lawe returned to Newport, Rhode Island, on 25 August 1956 and conducted East Coast operations until mid-December when she berthed at New London, Connecticut, for the holidays,
In January 1957, the destroyer returned to Newport for a tender availability; and, on the 28th of that month, William C. Lawe pulled up anchor and proceeded to the Mediterranean for a five-month tour of duty. She visited ports in Greece, Sicily, Italy, and France. The ship returned to her home port for May and June, then spent eight weeks on a midshipmen cruise. William C. Lawe spent the remainder of 1957 at the Boston Naval Shipyard undergoing overhaul.
During the first half of 1958, the destroyer completed refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, then joined in antisubmarine warfare exercises in the North Atlantic. In early July, a crisis in the Middle East sent William C. Lawe to rendezvous with the 2nd Fleet. She travelled as far as the Azores before returning to the United States on 8 August. The remainder of the summer was spent preparing for a Mediterranean cruise. William C. Lawe got underway on 2 September for the western Mediterranean where she remained for the next several months. The crew enjoyed Christmas and New Year's celebrations on the French Riviera at Cannes, France.
Returning to the United States on 12 March 1959, the ship tied up alongside a destroyer tender for upkeep and repairs. In June, William C. Lawe'''s home port was changed to Mayport, Florida, where the ship remained in local operations throughout the year.
1960s The first quarter of 1960 was a busy period for the destroyer. William C. Lawe served as a rescue destroyer for aircraft carrier operations, a training ship for midshipmen on their annual summer cruise, a school ship for the Fleet Sonar School, and a search and rescue destroyer along the flight route of the President of the United States during his trip to the 1960 summit conference in Europe.
She returned to Mayport, Florida, in September and commenced preparations for a material inspection prior to Mark I FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) overhaul. On 12 November, William C. Lawe departed Mayport for Charleston Naval Shipyard, to commence preparations for FRAM conversion. On 5 December 1960, Lawe changed status to "In Commission In Reserve" and began FRAM overhaul.
Eleven months later, the destroyer resumed an "In Commission" status; and, on 11 November 1961, she departed Charleston Naval Shipyard for Mayport, Florida. On 4 December, she departed for Guantanamo Bay, followed by a rest period through the remainder of the year.
On 1 January 1962, the ship became a member of Destroyer Squadron 16 (Desron 16), also homeported at Mayport, Florida in early March, William C. Lawe deployed to the Mediterranean where she participated in numerous NATO and 6th Fleet operations. On 2 October 1962, the destroyer returned to Mayport for an anticipated "at home" period after almost seven months at sea. However, the Cuban Missile Crisis intervened; and, on 22 October, the ship headed for the Caribbean, returning to her home port on 6 December. Minor repairs were made in Rawls Bros. Shipyard, Jacksonville, Florida.
The destroyer completed sea trials during February 1963; and, for the next several months, William C. Lawe served as a school ship for the Fleet Sonar School and as a rescue destroyer along the flight route of the President of the United States during his trip to the 1963 Pan-American conference in Puerto Rico. Lawe then deployed to the Mediterranean on 11 August and returned to Mayport on 23 December 1963.
The new year, 1964, began with leave and upkeep. In late February, the destroyer departed for the Caribbean to participate in the annual Operation "Springboard." William C. Lawe then proceeded to Annapolis, Maryland, where she embarked midshipmen for a cruise to northern European ports. The ship returned to Mayport, Florida, on 25 July for a scheduled leave and upkeep period.