Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant documents that can help answer the question.
Query: Is the USS Hobson still in use?
In 1952, Hobson collided with the aircraft carrier USS<i>Wasp(CV-18) and sunk with the loss of 176 crew. The ships had been undertaking amphibious exercises in the Atlantic, with Wasp practicing night flying, when Hobson attempted to turn in front of the carrier and collided with Wasp. Hobson was broken in two and quickly sunk, causing the greatest loss of life on a US Navy ship since World War II.
The court of inquiry also noted that Wasp, Rodman, and Hobson were all running without normal marine navigation lights, just red aircraft warning lights on top of their masts.[31]
Rear Admiral Carleton F. Bryant's smaller Battle Group 2 was assigned "Target 2", the Battery Hamburg, which was located near Fermanville, inland from Cape Levi, 6 miles (9.7km) east of Cherbourg. Nevada in Group 1 was to use its main battery to silence what was described as "the most powerful German strongpoint on the Cotentin Peninsula".[lower-alpha 1] Battle Group 2 would then complete the destruction, and pass westward to join Deyo's group. Bryant's Group 2 consisted of USS<i>Texas(BB-35), USS<i>Arkansas(BB-33), and five destroyers.[21] These were USS<i>Barton(DD-722) (flag), USS<i>O'Brien(DD-725), USS<i>Laffey(DD-724), Hobson (pennant), and USS<i>Plunkett(DD-431).[22] During the bombardment. Group 2 was in place by 0950 and Hobson and the other destroyers fired at the large batteries, screened the battleships Texas and Arkansas; and when the battleships were dangerously straddled, Hobson and Plunkett made covering smoke which allowed all to retire. At 1500, Deyo ordered cease fire and began withdrawing from the bombardment area. Group 2 headed back to Portsmouth, England at 1501.[23]
Administratively speaking, Cooke Optics is a spin-off of the company Taylor-Hobson. However, Taylor-Hobson used to be a lens manufacturer and Cooke lenses used to be its sole activity before Taylor-Hobson moved to the market of metrology instruments. Hence the foundation of Cooke Optics can be regarded as the foundation of Taylor, Taylor and Hobson (TTH) in 1886, and Cooke Optics can be regarded as the successor of the original Taylor, Taylor and Hobson business.
A court of inquiry performed an investigation into the sinking of Hobson in an effort to determine the cause of the tragedy. The opinion of the court of inquiry was "that the sole cause of the collision was the unexplained left turn made by the Hobson about 2224. In making this left turn the Commanding Officer committed a grave error in judgement."[31] Since the commanding officer did not survive the collision, the reason for this error could not be determined. No one else was considered to be at fault and the crew of Wasp was absolved of any responsibility for the collision.[31] The commanding officer of Hobson had six months of prior command experience on a High-speed transport (APD), but had been in command of Hobson for only five weeks. Seven days of that were underway and only 3 1/2 days were with the task group.[32] The cost of repairs to Wasp was said to be $1 million ($9.43million today).[32]
In 1954, the USS Hobson Memorial Society erected an obelisk memorial of Salisbury Pink granite, quarried from Salisbury, North Carolina at the city where Hobson had been built 14 years earlier, Charleston, South Carolina. The memorial is dedicated to the 176 men of the Hobson who perished in the collision with Wasp. Surrounding the obelisk are stones from each of the 38 states where the men came from. Their names are inscribed and can also be seen in the 1954 dedication program for the memorial.[38]
Hobson sailed with Ranger and other ships 5 August 1943 to join the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. Arriving 19 August, she operated under Royal Navy orders in northern waters, helping to provide cover for vital supply convoys to Russia. While at Scapa Flow, she was inspected by US Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark on 21 September. Hobson and DesDiv 20 along with Ranger and the heavy cruisers USS<i>Augusta and USS<i>Tuscaloosa(CA-37) formed a task force under the command of Rear Admiral Olaf M. Hustvedt that executed Operation Leader, a daring raid of combined British and American naval forces on 2–4 October 1943, when Ranger's air wing of dive bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters staged a devastating attack on German shipping at Bodø, Norway. Following this operation, the destroyer continued to operate with Home Fleet. She screened the aircraft carrier HMS<i>Formidable during flight operations in November and after two convoy voyages to Iceland, Hobson and Desdiv 20 returned to Boston and U.S. operational control 3 December 1943.[2]
Hobson's engagements were:
USS Hobson (DD-464/DMS-26), a Gleaves-classdestroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Richmond Pearson Hobson, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Spanish–American War. He would later in his career attain the rank of rear admiral and go on to serve as a congressman from the state of Alabama.
USS<i>Frank E. Evans, sunk in a collision with HMAS<i>Melbourne in 1969.
Since target 74 was then inactive, Hobson began alternately taking targets 13A and 86 under fire while keeping watch on target 74. At 0721, it was clear that Corry was sinking and Hobson began to close range on her while continuing her firing on the two targets. At that time, the group commander ordered Fitch to stand by the Corry since Hobson's mission of covering the landing beach flank was vital. By then the German shore batteries at 13A and 86 had ceased firing, and Hobson lowered her two boats to assist Fitch in picking up the Corry's survivors. Hobson then resumed her station and continued firing on target 74 and a nearby roadblock and strong point. At 0854, according to schedule, USS<i>Butler(DD-636) relieved Hobson at her station, and Hobson was ordered to assume Corry's fire support mission at station 3.[17] Hobson continued firing on German shore positions while simultaneously rescuing survivors from the water until returning to Plymouth, England later that afternoon. The destroyer was not long out of the fray, however, returning on 8 June 1944 to screen the assault area. She also jammed glider bomb radio frequencies on 9–11 June and provided channel convoy protection.[2]
At first it looked as though Hobson might escape the massive carrier as her bow and number-one stack passed from starboard to port, but then there was a horrendous, grinding crash as Wasp struck Hobson amidships. The force of the collision rolled the destroyer-minesweeper over onto her port side, breaking her in two. The aft section of Hobson trailed alongside of the carrier while the forward half was temporarily lodged in the Wasp's bow. The aft part of the ship sank first but 40 of the survivors came from that section as men were literally shot out of a scuttle hatch they had managed to open, propelled by the force of water and expelling air. Aboard the carrier, life rafts were being dropped over and lines lowered. One set of double rafts fell on top of a cluster of five men who were never seen again. One lucky man, a chief petty officer in the bow, managed to grab a pipe protruding from Wasp, just as Hobson's bow began her descent under the waves and leaped onto Wasp without getting wet. Survival for the rest of Hobson's crew in the thick, glutinous fuel oil was incredible, yet it happened for some. Rodman and Wasp pulled aboard 61 oil-coated survivors, but the destroyer and 176 of her crew were lost in less than five minutes, including Tierney, who dove from the bridge into the sea moments before the carrier plowed into Hobson – and brought about the tragic end of the destroyer-minesweeper's valiant career.[2][35] The sinking of Hobson was the worst non-combat accident for the U.S. Navy since the disappearance of the collier USS<i>Cyclops(AC-4) with 306 crew and passengers en route from Barbados to Baltimore, Maryland in March 1918, during World War I.[36][37]
Hobson was pennant of Destroyer Division 20 (DesDiv 20), composed of USS<i>Forrest(DD-461), USS<i>Fitch(DD-462) and USS<i>Corry(DD-463) that along with Destroyer Division 19 made up Destroyer Squadron 10 (DesRon 10), with its pennant on USS<i>Ellyson(DD-454); Destroyer Flotilla Four, with its flag on USS<i>Wainwright(DD-419); Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet.[3] Following extensive shakedown and training operations in Casco Bay, Maine, the new destroyer under command of Lt. Cdr. Kenneth Loveland and her sister ships of Desdiv 20 joined veteran aircraft carrier USS<i>Ranger(CV-4) at Norfolk, Virginia, and sailed on 1 July 1942 to escort her to Africa. Carrying a vital cargo of 72 P-40 aircraft, Ranger arrived safely via Trinidad, unloaded the planes and returned with Desdiv 20 on 5 August 1942. Hobson then conducted training exercises off Newport, Rhode Island, and Norfolk until 3 October 1942, when she departed Norfolk for Bermuda on escort duty.[2]
As a direct result of the sinking of Hobson, upon recommendation of the court of inquiry, the Allied Navy Signal Book was changed. A special signal was to be put into use for carriers during aircraft operations. The court of inquiry also stated in its findings that, in the future, proposed schedules for aircraft launching and recovery should be provided to the vessels performing plane guard duties.
Hobson, constructed at a cost of $5 million, was launched at the Charleston Navy Yard on 8 September 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Grizelda Hobson, widow of Rear Admiral Hobson. As the new destroyer slid down the ways, she was cheered on by spectators and whistle blasts from other vessels on the Cooper River.[1] Hobson was commissioned on 22 January 1942, Commander R.N. McFarlane in command.[2]
During the first two months of 1944, Hobson trained in Chesapeake Bay and operated with carriers between the East Coast and Bermuda. She joined escort carrier USS<i>Bogue(CVE-9), flagship of Anti-Submarine Task Group 21.11, and the group's four other destroyers or destroyer escorts at Norfolk for temporary duty, departing 26 February 1944. These Hunter-killer Groups (HUK's) played a major part in driving German U-boats from the sea lanes, and this cruise was no exception. After patrolling for over two weeks, the destroyers spotted an oil slick, made sonar contact, and commenced depth charge attacks on the afternoon of 13 March 1944. The German submarine<i>U-575 was severely damaged and was forced to surface, after which gunfire from Hobson, USS<i>Haverfield(DE-393), a torpedo bomber from Composite Squadron Ninety-Five (VC 95) based on Bogue, the Canadian frigate HMCS Prince Rupert and an RAF Flying Fortress (No. 220 Squadron) sank her.[11] After further anti-submarine sweeps as far east as the Azores, Hobson detached from the HUK on 25 March 1944, and returned to Boston 2 April 1944.[2][3][12][13]
For some time the Allies had been building up tremendous strength in England for the eventual invasion of France. Hobson and the other three destroyers of DesDiv 20, Corry, Forrest and Fitch, sailed from Norfolk on 21 April 1944 to join the vast armada of Operation Neptune that would transport and protect the soldiers and their mechanized equipment during Operation Overlord. Hobson spent a month on patrol off Northern Ireland, arriving at Plymouth on 21 May for final invasion preparations. Assigned to Rear Admiral Don P. Moon's Utah Beach Assault Group "U", flag on the USS<i>Bayfield(APA-33), Hobson and her three sister-ships of DesDiv 20 were elements of Bombardment Group 125.8 that comprised the battleship USS<i>Nevada(BB-36), the heavy cruisers Tuscaloosa, USS<i>Quincy(CA-71), British cruiser HMS<i>Black Prince(81), monitor HMS<i>Erebus(I02), ten American destroyers, four British destroyers and a Dutch gunboat.[14]
of USS Hobson at NavSource Naval History held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy
Hobson received six battle stars for World War II service, five in the European theater and one in the Asiatic Pacific theater, and shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the ships in the Bogue antisubmarine task group in the Atlantic, for the period 26 February to 25 March 1944.[2]
As the Allies prepared to land in North Africa, Hobson, the three other destroyers of DesDiv 20 and Ellyson as destroyer flag under Capt. J.L. Holloway, joined Task Group 34.2 Airgroup under Rear Admiral Ernest D. McWhorter, composed of Ranger, Sangamon-class escort carrier USS<i>Suwannee(CVE-27), light cruiser USS<i>Cleveland(CL-55), two submarines and a fleet oiler. The group was part of Task Force 34, Western Naval Task Force- Morocco, under Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, flag on the cruiser USS<i>Augusta(CA-31).[4][5] The Allies organized three amphibious task forces to seize the key ports and airports of Vichy French-controlled Morocco and Algeria simultaneously, targeting Casablanca, Oran and Algiers. Successful completion of these operations was to be followed by an advance eastwards into Tunisia.
Hobson's captain, Lt. Cdr. Loveland, was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his exceptionally meritorious conduct for depth-charging and subsequently sinking the U-575 on 13 March 1944 after it surfaced. For his gallantry in action at the Normandy D-Day amphibious assault on Utah Beach and later at the bombardment of German defenses at Cherbourg, Loveland was awarded the Silver Star. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism and meritorious performance of duty in the face of great danger during the Hobson's attempted rescue and successful towing operation of the mined SS Johns Hopkins off Marseilles, France, on 2 October 1944.[40] For his extraordinary heroism during the attack at Okinawa, Hobson's commanding officer, Lt. Cdr. Manning, was awarded the Navy Cross.[41] Also for the Okinawa action, Hobson's executive officer, Lt. Vogel, was awarded the Bronze Star[42] and her engineer officer, Lt. (j.g.) Martin J. Cavanaugh, Jr., and Chief Machinist's Mate, Howard B. Farris, were awarded the Silver Star.[43]
On January 22, 1942, the "Gleaves"-class destroyer, USS "Hobson", was commissioned in his honor posthumously. Magnolia Grove was dedicated as a state shrine in his honor on May 1, 1947, largely due to the appeal of his youngest sister, Miss Margaret Hobson. 
Hobson's executive officer, Lt. Robert M. Vogel gave this account: On 16 April 1945 at 0500 and 75 miles northwest of Okinawa, fifteen enemy planes spotted Hobson, USS<i>Pringle(DD-477) and two accompanying gunboats and made passes at the ships; however, the attackers were driven off by anti-aircraft fire. At 0853, one of the planes made a suicide run on Pringle but was shot down by gunners on both Hobson and Pringle. Another dived on Pringle at 0920, slamming into the destroyer's bridge, and plowing through the superstructure deck, abaft the base of number one stack. A single 1,000-pound bomb, or two 500-pounders, penetrated the main and superstructure decks and exploded with a violent eruption, buckling the keel and splitting the vessel in two at the forward fire room. Pringle sank in six minutes.[30]
Two more suicide planes attacked Hobson but her gunners shot them into the sea. The two gunboats shot down another. The remaining Japanese planes continued to make passes for an hour before they withdrew. Meanwhile, the Hobson's crew extinguished the fires in fifteen minutes, rigged emergency power lines in four minutes and the ship continued to maneuver. Thirty-five minutes after the attack ended, Hobson had picked up 136 of the Pringle's 258 survivors, clinging to rafts and wreckage. The two gunboats rescued the others. During the attack, Hobson's gunners shot down four Japanese suicide planes in 67 minutes. That same morning, about 40 minutes before Pringle was sunk, the destroyer USS<i>Laffey(DD-724) and several other ships on radar picket duty, had also been hit by kamikazes about fifty miles away.[30]
As the Allied offensive in Europe gained momentum, Hobson steamed as a convoy escort between Algeria, Italy, and France protecting vital supplies and troops. In the early morning darkness of 2 October 1944, Hobson was standing out from Marseilles, France during a violent gale, when her spotters observed distress calls from well inside an unswept area of the German- mined harbor. It was soon established that a liberty ship, the S.S. Johns Hopkins, moving to an anchorage after returning from Oran, Algeria with 600 troops embarked, had struck a mine while navigating in the gale. Ordered to assist the stricken Hopkins, Hobson skillfully and carefully navigated through the perilous, mined area in gale-force wind and sea, and made repeated attempts to land alongside the liberty ship to offload her troops, although each time Hobson was forced to back off as the ships pounded heavily in the extreme weather. Through Lt. Cdr. Loveland's skillful ship-handling and that of his deck crew, the damage to Hobson was superficial. Hobson remained close aboard the stricken cargo ship until daylight when safe water was finally reached, the ships having crossed thirteen and one-half miles of unswept water. Hobson remained on scene over the next twenty-four hours, and until S.S. Johns Hopkins was successfully returned to port by a Navy fleet tugboat with no loss of life or injury to her personnel or troops.[27]