USS Rowan (DD-405)

The USS Rowan (DD-405) was a Gleaves-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. Commissioned in September 1939, the Rowan saw extensive service in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters.

Initially assigned to Neutrality Patrol duties in the Atlantic before the United States entered the war, the Rowan later escorted convoys across the Atlantic, protecting them from German U-boats.

In 1943, the Rowan was transferred to the Mediterranean. She participated in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) and the subsequent landings at Salerno (Operation Avalanche).

Tragically, the USS Rowan was sunk on September 11, 1943, in the Mediterranean Sea off Salerno, Italy, by a torpedo from a German E-boat (Schnellboot). A significant number of her crew were lost.

The USS Rowan received several battle stars for her service during World War II. She remains a war grave and a symbol of the sacrifices made by the U.S. Navy during the conflict. Her name was later assigned to a second destroyer, USS Rowan (DD-782), which served in the post-war era.