War Memorials in Australia

U.S.S. Peary Memorial

Click to enlarge

Place: Darwin, Northern Territory, 0800
District: Darwin-Daly
Orientation: Territory capital
Location: Bicentennial Park, off Esplanade between Peel Street and Daly Street
Position: 12 27 73 S     130 50 08 E
Ref: 80019

__________________________

The memorial is a 4 inch gun from U.S.S. Peary pointing at the site where the ship lies wrecked. U.S.S. Peary was a Clemson Class destroyer (DD-226) commissioned in October 1920.1  She was sunk in Darwin Harbour by Japanese aircraft on 19 February 1942.

The gun was made by Root & Van Dervoort Engineering Co., East Moline, Illinois, USA.2

Plaque on north side of base of gun

A STORY OF SACRIFICE
Darwin Harbour is the resting place for the U.S. destroyer
Peary sunk on 19th February 1942 by Japan's Pearl Harbour
veterans.
This 4 inch gun was salvaged from the Peary in the 1950's by
diver Carl Atkinson (dec.). It was restored by the RAN for the
Northern Territory's 1992 War Service Memorial Year and
now points towards the Peary's grave.
This plaque was unveiled by the Chief Minister The Hon. Marshall
Peron MLA on 29th January 1992 in the presence of Peary
survivors Dallas Widick and Melvin Duke and a colour guard
from the U.S. frigate Robert E. Peary.
The wartime Peary came under repeated fire from December
1941 - February 1942. In her last action she sank with her
guns still blazing and represents the U.S. Navy's greatest
loss of life in Australian waters.
Her gallant sacrifice is forever part of Darwin's history.

 

 

Plaque on south side of base of gun

USS PEARY DD 226
IN REMEMBERANCE OF THESE MEN WHO
LOST THEIR LIVES FEBRUARY 19, 1942,
DURING THE BOMBING OF DARWIN,
AUSTRALIA BY JAPANESE AIRCRAFT.
JOHN B. ANDREWS HERMAN E. GOLDMAN JOHN R. MATHER CURTIS RODGERS
ROBERT B. ARMSTRONG AUGUSTUS H. GRAY FOREST C. MATHEWS PAUL J. ROSSITER
DELMER E. BAKER RALPH GRIFFIN WILLIAM G. MATLER LOUIS ROTH
WILLIAM E. BANCROFT HAROLD G. GRONAU WILLIS E. McCORD MILTON D. RUDE
MURREN A. BARBEE RALPH E. GUNN WILLIAM McFARLAND MAX N. SCHULER
GEORGE E. BARNETT ARTHUR G. GUSTAFSON JACKSON D. McGINNIS NORMAN F SCHULER
LEE ANTHONY BAUER ROBERT L. GUSTI WHITMAN S. MILLER EUGEN R. SENYOHL
JOHN M. BERMINGHAM ALONZO D. HALL CHARLES F. MINNECI WALTER SHOFNER
CHARLES C. BOUDREAUX WENDELL H. HANSON JACK T. O'DONNELL WILLIS C SHOOK
CLAUDE L. BUCKLEY FRANKLIN R. HARRIS DONALD C. O'TYSON WILLIAM L. SMITH
CYRUS D. CARTER C.C. HOLERSTOTT JAMES W. PALMERO JOHN J. SPATA
ROBERT F. CHAPMAN WILLIAM M. HOOKS ARTHUR R. PARKER PAUL R. SWEENEY
ARCHIE R. COOK ROBERT LEE HOWELL CLIFTON F. PATCH JOSEPH TAPIA
JOHN W. CROSS ROBERT T. HUNTER RAYMOND B. PEARSON DOUGLAS H TEW
ARTHUR WM. DAVIS PHILIP M. JOYCE LESTER N. PETERSON JOHN TINSLEY, JR
SHIRLEY D. DAY EDWIN J. KALISZ RALPH D. PIERCY EUGENE E. UMPLEBY
RAY L. DEATRICH JOSEPH M. KAPPS EUGENE R. POLAND WALTER VERNON
WILLIE R. DENMARK GILBERT T. KENNAUGH WILLIS F. POLHEMUS EVERETT F. WAITE
JAMES H. FAIR GERHARDT M. KJOLHEDE JACK QUIGGEN JAMES T. WIESS
CHESTER H. FRAYER MARTIN M. KOIVISTO GEORGE S. RADINSKI ROBERT D. WHITE
HAROLD A. FRISBIE BOB B. KRIENER VICTOR F. RADINSKI JOHN LOUIS WILSON
C.S. GEORGE JR. WILL C. LABRIE ALEXANDER REESE FRANK E. ZIZAK
FRANK A. GLOVER RICHARD J. LEE BENJAMIN B. RICH

 

To the north east of the Peary memorial is a bronze plaque on a metal pole above a concrete pedestal.  There are three flagpoles on its east side.

Insignia of American Legion

2ND LT. ROBERT J BUEL, USAAF,
WWII FIGHTER PILOT
21ST PURSUIT SQ., 35TH PURSUIT GRP.
SHOT DOWN FEB. 15, 1942
___________ . . . ___________
On Feb. 15, 1942, the P-40E Kittyhawk fighter of 2nd Lt. Buel
was one of only two planes that were available for
the defense of Northern Australia. On this date, both
aircraft were sent to defend an allied convoy under
Japanese attack, but only Buel caught up with the fleet.
Before he was shot down and plunged to his death,
2nd Lt. Buel -- alone -- downed a Japanese bomber and cleared
safe passage for the allied ships. His self-sacrifice and
valor became an inspiration to all who learned of it.

With grateful appreciation
the American Legion remembers
USAAF 2nd Lt. Robert J. Buel

ERECTED ON BEHALF OF
THE AMERICAN LEGION BY
DOMINIC D. DIFRANCESCO
NATIONAL COMMANDER
MAY 1992

 

Information current to May 2000

Sources: 1NavSource Online website http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd226txt.htm as at 8 August 2002
                 2Peter Lowe, personal correspondence.  See http://www.oldengine.org/members/plowe/rv-engines/rvpage.htm

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