USS Worden
Destroyer · United States · Lost 1943 · The Inside Passage & Alaska
A World War II destroyer was swept onto rocks in the Aleutians during a 1943 troop landing, killing fourteen sailors in the icy Bering Sea.
The Vessel and Her Loss
USS Worden was a Farragut-class destroyer that had served since 1935 before deploying to the Aleutian Islands campaign. On January 12, 1943, while covering the landing of Army troops on Amchitka Island, a strong current swept her onto a submerged rock. Left without power, she was later thrown onto larger rocks after a towline from USS Dewey parted. Fourteen sailors died of exposure in the freezing water before the ship broke apart and sank.
Vessel
- 1934
- DD-352
- Puget Sound Navy Yard
- Bremerton, Washington
- Steel
- 341 ft
- 34 ft
- 1726
- Steam turbines, twin screw
- United States Navy
Loss
- January 12, 1943
- Grounding
- Constantine Harbor, Amchitka Island, Alaska Territory
- Bering Sea (Aleutian Islands)
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- 14
- Lt. Cdr. William Grady Pogue
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Broke in two and sank in Constantine Harbor after capsizing.
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- 51.41° N 179.69° W
- Approximate position
- Amchitka Island, Alaska
Position derived from the documented grounding coordinates near Kirilof Point, Constantine Harbor.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (88/100)
Naval History and Heritage Command
Official Navy account of the grounding, loss of life, and final sinking.
USS Worden (DD-352) Association archive
Detailed chronology and narrative of the loss based on official reports.
