USS Hanson
USS Hanson 832
Edson Destroyer Museum

USS Edson - Museum Ship in New York

USS Edson USS Edson (DD-946) was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Major General Merritt “Red Mike” Edson USMC (1897–1955), who was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving as Commanding Officer of the First Marine Raider Battalion on Guadalcanal, and the Navy Cross and Silver Star for other actions in world War II.

Edson was laid down on 3 December 1956 by Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine; launched on 4 January 1958, sponsored by Mrs. M. A. Edson, widow of General Edson; and commissioned on 7 November 1958, with Commander Thomas J. Moriarty in command.

After many years of service, the USS Edson was originally transferred to the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City in 1989. It was then returned to the U.S. Navy in 2004 to the Philadelphia Ship Yard.

The USS Edson now rests at the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum in Bay City, MI.


Photos courtesy of Pat Fernicola & Louis DeLancey

On a recent visit to New York, Pat Fernicola (right) took Jack Kearcher (left) on board the USS Edson, then a ship museum at that location. The after crews quarters have been converted to house a destroyer museum, displaying memorabilia of many destroyers, WWII vintage, and photographs, models and other artifacts.

Pat, a Director of the Tin Can Sailor's organization, built many of the displays. One item of special interest to former Hanson crew is the display of the Hanson bell, which, thanks to Pat's tenacity, has been placed in the museum.


The Hanson's Bell

The USS Hanson ship's bell is on loan from the U.S. Navy and is located aboard the USS Edson DD 946, at the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum in Bay City, MI. George Moore was a First Class Pharmacist Mate and is Vice President of Tin Can Sailor's, Inc.

 

The plaque you see in the photo reads:

This ship's bell is from the Gearing Class destroyer USS Hanson DD 832, as shown in both photographs in Massachusetts Bay in May '45.

Built in Bath Maine, Hanson was commissioned on May 11, 1945, and was converted into a radar picket destroyer soon afterwards for intended use at the invasion of Japan.

She was modernized in the 1960's under the FRAM I Program. On March 31, 1973 Hanson was transferred to Taiwan where she was renamed Liao Yang and rebuilt to their Wu Chin III specifications. As of February '97, she was still in service with Taiwan 52