Presidential Unit Citation

CONTENT of speech by Admiral Nimitz to officers and crew of the USS Nicholas (DD-449)

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... the tin cans were about to play prominent roles again in events leading up to and including Japan's surrender.

To escort his flagship the USS Missouri into Tokyo Bay, Admiral William Halsey selected some of the most battle-tested destroyers of the Pacific war "because of their valorous fight up the long road from the South Pacific to the very end."

As the two ships rolled and drifted closer together in the swells, the "Nick" lowered her starboard whaleboat, which was fitted for the occasion with sheets spread over the seats and a large ensign flying from a stern flagstaff. It crossed to the Hatsuzakura, where 21 Japanese were waiting: 2 navy captains serving as emissaries, 13 pilots, and 6 interpreters. With the boat deeply laden and rocking, it took four return trips to bring them all back to the Nicholas' accommodation ladder. Ascending was a tricky prospect, especially for those who were carrying rolled-up navigation charts, but there were no mishaps.

On board the Nicholas, the possibility of treachery was on everyone's minds as the Japanese were led under guard to the wardroom. There, as she got under way, working up to 25 knots with the Hatsuzakura tagging along, the visitors were searched, and the officers were relieved of their swords. Source

...the O'Bannon weighed anchor to join a task force sailing for San Francisco. This meant she would miss the September surrender, but her enviable prize was to go home, where she became the first destroyer from Tokyo Bay to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge. Some well-wishers came by train all the way from the East Coast to welcome her. Source

CONTENT...Launching a close range attack on hostile combatant ships off Guadalcanal on the night of November 13, 1942, the O’BANNON scored three torpedo hits on a Japanese battleship, boldly engaged two other men o’ war with gunfire and retired safely in spite of damage sustained. During three days of incessant hostilities in July 1943, she gallantly stood down Kula Gulf to bombard enemy shore positions in coverage of our assault groups, later taking a valiant part in the rescue of survivors from the torpedoed U.S.S STRONG while under fierce coastal battery fire and aerial bombing attack and adding her fire power toward the destruction of a large Japanese naval force. In company with two destroyers, the O’BANNON boldly intercepted and repulsed nine hostile warships off Vella Lavella on October 7, 1943, destroying two enemy ships and damaging others. Although severely damaged, she stood by to take aboard and care for survivors of a friendly torpedoed destroyer and retired to base under her own power... Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy​

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