USS Twiggs (DD-127)

The USS Twiggs (DD-127) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. Named for Major Levi Twiggs of the United States Marine Corps, who was killed in action during the Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War, she was commissioned in 1919 and served in the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets in the interwar years.

During World War II, the Twiggs primarily served on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, protecting Allied shipping from German U-boats. She also performed patrol duties and participated in anti-submarine warfare operations. In 1945, she was transferred to the Pacific Theater. On June 16, 1945, while serving as a radar picket off Okinawa, she was attacked by Japanese kamikaze aircraft. The attack resulted in a massive explosion and the Twiggs sank rapidly. A significant number of her crew were lost.

The wreck of the USS Twiggs is now a war grave. Her service history reflects the vital role of destroyers in both world wars, from escort duty to combat operations. The loss of the Twiggs highlights the dangers faced by naval vessels in the Pacific during the final stages of World War II.