USS Farragut (DD-348)
The USS Farragut (DD-348) was the lead ship of the Farragut-class destroyer, a group of modern destroyers built during the interwar years as the U.S. Navy rebuilt and modernized its fleet. She was named in honor of David Glasgow Farragut, the famous Civil War admiral remembered for the command “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” during the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Construction and Early Service (1934–1941)
USS Farragut was commissioned on 18 June 1934. As the newest generation of destroyers, she represented a major improvement over earlier U.S. destroyers, featuring:
- Faster speeds (over 36 knots)
- Five 5-inch guns as her main armament
- Torpedo tubes for anti-ship attacks
- Depth charges for anti-submarine warfare
During the late 1930s she operated primarily in the Caribbean Sea and along the U.S. East Coast conducting fleet exercises, training missions, and patrol operations as global tensions increased.
By 1940–1941 the ship had transferred to the Pacific as the United States prepared for possible conflict with Japan.
Pearl Harbor – December 7, 1941
When Japan launched the surprise attack on Attack on Pearl Harbor, Farragut was at sea with other ships of the Pacific Fleet rather than in the harbor itself. This allowed her to avoid the devastating losses suffered by the battleships that morning.
After the attack she immediately began anti-submarine patrols and escort duties around Hawaii as the U.S. Navy scrambled to secure the region and prepare for offensive operations.
Early Pacific War Operations
Farragut quickly joined major carrier and amphibious operations across the Pacific:
- Battle of the Coral Sea – One of the first carrier battles in history. Farragut served as a screen for American carriers, protecting them from submarine and surface threats.
- Guadalcanal Campaign – She escorted troop transports and supported operations during the first major Allied offensive against Japan.
- Aleutian Islands Campaign – Farragut helped defend and retake U.S. territory in Alaska after Japanese forces occupied Attu and Kiska.
Central Pacific “Island-Hopping”
From 1943 onward Farragut became heavily involved in the Navy’s amphibious assault campaigns across the Central Pacific. Her duties included escorting carriers, screening transport ships, bombarding shore defenses, and protecting landing forces.
Major operations she participated in included:
- Battle of Tarawa
- Battle of Kwajalein
- Battle of Eniwetok
- Operations supporting Allied advances in New Guinea
- The recapture of Guam and Saipan
- Destroyers like Farragut were essential during these invasions. They often:
- Provided naval gunfire support for Marines landing on the beaches
- Protected transport ships from submarines
- Served as radar picket and screening ships for aircraft carriers
Final Campaigns of the War
As Allied forces closed in on Japan, Farragut continued supporting major invasions:
- Lingayen Gulf landings in the Philippines
- Operations near Taiwan (then called Formosa)
- Battle of Iwo Jima
- Battle of Okinawa, one of the largest amphibious operations of the war
- At Okinawa, destroyers faced intense kamikaze attacks while screening carriers and protecting invasion forces.
End of Service
After Japan’s surrender in August 1945, Farragut’s long wartime service came to an end.
Decommissioned: 23 October 1945
Battle stars earned: 14 for World War II service
Total wartime operations: Spanning nearly every major Pacific campaign
Legacy
USS Farragut (DD-348) represented the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s destroyer force during World War II. Ships like her performed the dangerous and often overlooked tasks of escorting carriers, protecting convoys, hunting submarines, and providing close naval gunfire support during amphibious assaults.
Her 14 battle stars reflect participation in nearly the entire Pacific war from the aftermath of Pearl Harbor to the final battles off Japan.
Artifacts on Display
In addition to the USS Farragut model we have many remarkable artifacts that tell the broader story of naval warfare and the service of American sailors during the Second World War:
Together, these artifacts highlight the technology, courage, and personal stories behind the naval battles that shaped the outcome of World War II. Visitors will gain insight into the role destroyers, submarines, and the sailors who served aboard them played in securing Allied victory.
The Veterans Museum of the Carolinas invites guests to explore this special exhibit and discover the legacy of service, sacrifice, and innovation that defined the U.S. Navy during the war.
German Submarine U-995
Jim McLain CMoMM U.S. Navy
RADM William Wylie
Caution Sign Submarine Missile Tube
Miscellaneous WWII artifacts
Captivating Dioramas
Breach In The Wire
This scene was inspired by the movie “Ambush Bay”
WWIIÂ P-47 Fighter plane attacking German Tiger Tanks
Captivating Dioramas
Dioramas have the power to transport us to different worlds, and artist Dale Wall is a master of creating these captivating miniature scenes. Today, we delve into Wall’s meticulous recreation of WWI and WWII scenes.
Breach in the Wire
Dale Wall named this scene “Breach in the Wire”. In these trenches, we can see where the coiled barbed wire runs along and there’s a breach, on the left side that the Americans are trying to stop. German flying ace Warner Voss (pictured below) is in his Fokker Triplane. He flew with the Red Baron in “Richthofen’s Flying Circus” (German: Der Fliegende Zirkus), the first triplanes, so named because of their bright colors. Voss was credited with 48 aerial victories. This was in West Flanders, Belgium, late in the war—1917.
Wall recommends turning on the blue lights of the diorama and, for a moment, turning off the overhead light in the room. “When you do this,” he says, “Everything opens its eyes. All the features and details of a diorama cannot be seen in one sitting. It’s made for people to come back again and again—you will notice new things, I promise.”
Look for the BB (artist’s signature) in the front of this scene.
Inspired by the movie “Ambush Bay”
This scene is a Japanese munitions island that supplies the islands all around. This is the main dump—that’s why the Americans have hit it in this scene. They’re trying to get rid of it to cut off the Japanese supply line. Could be on the Solomons, the Philippines—anywhere in the Pacific.
The inspiration for this scene was the movie “Ambush Bay” starring Mickey Rooney, filmed on location in the Philippines.
The airplane is an FU-4 Corsair. In the truck are barrels the Japanese used to try to hide their munitions; they put them in these stock barrels. This truck is taking these to the lagoon for other troops to pick up. On the truck are Japanese soldiers, but an American soldier has jumped onto the back. Japanese soldiers are all over, in hiding. The jungle is thick. The Japanese flag is on top of the hill.
The large building on the right is a barracks; the smaller building on the left is officers’ quarters. We can see an officer standing on the steps.
The trunks of the palms in the diorama are made of limbs from Norfolk Island Pine trees from St. Augustine, Florida. The trenches are made of bark from Red Oak trees.
WWIIÂ P-47 Fighter plane attacking German Tiger Tanks
Dioramas like Wall’s WWIIÂ P-47 Fighter plane attacking German Tiger Tanks serve multiple purposes. They educate viewers about a specific historical event or location in a way that static images or text descriptions simply cannot. The three-dimensionality and intricate details create a sense of immersion, allowing viewers to feel transported back in time.
Wall’s diorama also serves as a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and artistic vision required to bring history to life in miniatures. It’s a reminder that even the smallest details can tell a powerful story.
Special Exhibit
This gallery has temporary displays that change frequently, often with the support and contributions of organizations such as the DAR, VFW, American Legion, Honor Flight, etc. Past exhibits include Women in WWI, Constitution Week displays, POW/MIA table, helping veterans in fighting PTSD, uniforms of the military academies, and WWII aces – both German and American. New exhibits are in the process of being planned and constructed.
