USS Mustin (DD-413)

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USS Mustin (DD-413) was a Sims-class destroyer in the United States Navy, named for Captain Henry C. Mustin (1874–1923), a pioneer of naval aviation. Built at Newport News Shipbuilding, she was laid down on 20 December 1937, launched on 8 December 1938, and commissioned on 15 September 1939.

Construction and specs
Mustin displaced about 1,570 tons (standard) and up to 2,211 tons (full). She was about 348 feet long, 36 feet wide, and had a draft of roughly 13.5 feet. Propulsion was geared turbines with high‑pressure boilers, delivering about 50,000 horsepower for a top speed of 35 knots. Her range was about 3,660 nautical miles at 20 knots. Crew consisted of around 192 officers and enlisted. Armament included five 5-inch/38 caliber guns in single mounts, four .50 caliber machine guns, eight 21-inch torpedo tubes in two quadruple mounts, and two depth-charge tracks with 10 depth charges.

World War II service
Mustin served with the Atlantic Fleet during the pre‑war neutrality patrols. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, she sailed from the East Coast to join the Pacific war effort. She escorted convoys between Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast and later supported operations around Samoa and Midway.

In August 1942, she joined Task Force 17 with the Hornet group to cover operations in the Pacific. She helped protect and strike targets around Guadalcanal, and during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands (26 October 1942) rescued 337 survivors from the damaged carrier Hornet and helped shoot down enemy aircraft. Mustin then moved to the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal area and, on 25 December, bombarded Guadalcanal to support transports.

In early 1943, she continued carrier escort duties off Guadalcanal and later patrolled the Aleutians, covering the occupation of Attu and bombarding Japanese positions on Kiska. After an overhaul at Mare Island, she returned to combat duty in the Pacific, supporting the Marshall Islands campaign and the invasion of New Guinea. She also served as a fighter director during various landings and supported operations at Noemfoor, Sansapor, Mios Woendi, Humboldt Bay, and Biak.

Mustin took part in the Morotai and Leyte campaigns in 1944, providing air control, escort, and bombardment support. She remained active around the Philippines, Lingayen Gulf, and Leyte, then shifted to the Okinawa operation in 1945. From March to May, she guarded transports, fought kamikazes, and performed radar picket and antisubmarine duties. After Okinawa, she returned to bases for overhaul and then prepared for occupation duties in Japan.

Postwar duties and fate
Mustin arrived at Ominato, Honshū, for occupation duties in September 1945, then moved back to the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. In 1946 she was assigned to participate in Operation Crossroads, the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll. She was decommissioned on 29 August 1946 and remained at Bikini as a target. Mustin was sunk by gunfire off Kwajalein on 18 April 1948 and officially stricken from the Navy rolls on 30 April 1948.

Awards
Mustin earned 13 battle stars for World War II service and received several medals, including the American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Navy Occupation Service Medal (Japan clasp).

Fate
Scuttled off Kwajalein on 18 April 1948; officially stricken on 30 April 1948.