Robert Henry English, born 16 January 1888 in Warrenton, GA, was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1911, and early in his naval career became a submariner. In 1917, while commanding O-4 (SS-65), he won the Navy Cross for his great heroism in rescuing an officer trapped in O-5 (SS-66) after an explosion. After a series of important assignments, he became commanding officer of Helena (CL-50), and during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 was one of the first to bring his ship into action. On 14 May 1942, he became Commander, Submarines, US Pacific Fleet, and was so serving when killed in an airplane accident in California 21 January 1943. For his exceptionally meritorious service in his last assignment, Rear Admiral English was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
USS ENGLISH name sake
Letter from Robert English.
Robert H. English
CLASS - ALLEN M. SUMNER As Built.
Displacement 3218 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 2" (Max)
Armament 6 x 5"/38AA (3x2), 12 x 40mm AA, 11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; Westinghouse Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.5 Knots, Range 3300 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ. October 19 1943.
Launched February 27 1944 and commissioned May 4 1944.
Decommissioned May 15 1970.
Stricken May 15 1970.
To Taiwan August 11 1970, renamed Huei Yang.
Decommissioned by Taiwan August 16 1999.
Fate
Sunk by Taiwan as a target on October 14, 2003.
Shipmate Lew McCain has compiled an extensive history of
English. It is way too big and in great detail to be read here.
Please read it on the web by clicking here.

CDR James Thomas Smith............May 4 1944 - Apr 10 1945

CDR Walter Harlen Baumberger.....Apr 10 1945 - May 1946 (Later VADM)

LCDR Eigel Thornton Steen............Aug 10 1946 - Aug 25 1948

CDR Matthew DeMaria..................Aug 1948 - Sep 1950

CDR Raymond John Toner.............Sep 1950 - Jul 1952

CDR Henry Carl Schwaner Jr.........Jul 1952 - Jul 1954

CDR Edward John Fruechtl............Jul 1954 - Jun 2 1956

CDR Irving Joseph Superfine..........Jun 2 1956 - Jun 29 1957

CDR John Dennis Shea Jr..............Jun 29 1957 - Jul 24 1959

CDR James Francis Roohan, Jr......Jul 24 1959 - Jan 6 1961

CDR William Scanlon Mayer...........Jan 6 1961 - Jul 22 1962

CDR Paul Albert Schwemley..........Jul 22 1962 - Dec 18 1963

CDR Sumner Kittelle Moore............Dec 18 1963 - Jul 28 1965

CDR Frederick William Ulbricht.......Jul 28 1965 - Feb 2 1967

CDR William Irving Goewey............Feb 2 1967 - Jan 7 1969

CDR Charles Vincent Lavin.............Jan 7 1969 - May 15 1970


Commanding Officers
Shipmates Information
There is a very informative website which lists almost 350 USS ENGLISH shipmates both officers and enlisted. It gives the years on board, ranking, email address and phone numbers. Click on our saluting sailor and he will take you to the website, and don't forget to add your name to the list.
USS ENGLISH DD-696 USS ENGLISH DD-696
USS ENGLISH DD-696 USS ENGLISH DD-696
USS ENGLISH DD-696 USS ENGLISH DD-696
USS ENGLISH DD-696 USS ENGLISH DD-696
USS ENGLISH is the ship 3rd from the right. USS ENGLISH DD-696
Old Photos from the web
The USS Dixie (AD 14) with a nest of destroyers alongside at Leyte in April-May 1945 time frame. The destroyers are from left to right: USS Compton (DD 705), USS Ault (DD 698), USS Charles S. Sperry (DD 697), USS English (DD 696), USS John W. Weeks (DD 701) and USS Borie (DD 704).
USS English (DD 696) comes alongside the destroyer USS Taylor (DD 468) to deliver the mail.
1945,USS English (DD-696)  with USS Hancock (CV-19) on the left
ENGLISH was an Allan M. Sumner class destroyer. To see the complete insides of this class of destroyer please click on the photo above. Every square inch of this ship is covered in a remarkable website filled with photos, diagrams and charts that could easily take hours to view.