The Destroyer was not named in the article, but it is about the USS BAILEY DD-492

Reference to the Battle of the Komandorskies, March 26th, 1943

The story of how a tough little American destroyer led a devastating torpedo attack on for Japanese cruisers in the Aleutians and played the major role in thwarting the enemy's attempt to strengthen his holds on Attu an Kiska was disclosed by the 12th naval district.

The torpedo attack, mentioned a few weeks ago in a navy communiqué, pulled an outnumbered US naval force from the edge of defeat and sent the damaged Jap cruisers, two of them "heavies," fleeing for more peaceful waters, along with two transports or cargo vessels.

"Visibility was excellent and the sea was smooth," he said. "We could make all the speed we wanted to, and that probably saved us. Too much credit can't be given the American heavy cruiser which was with us---she fought off the two Jap heavies and hit one at the very start of the action. We saw this Jap smoking badly for an hour.

"We were west of the Jap force at the start, with islands to east of us. For a while we turned south trying to make an end run. But they were to fast, and we couldn't do it. They turned south, too. We turned north and they turned after us. They closed the interval and hit our heavy."

It looked like the outnumbered Americans were trapped; the Japs confident of victory with their four cruisers and a flock of modern destroyers, prepared to move in for the kill. The islands shut off, the only possible avenue of escape.

Then orders were flashed from the American flagship to the three destroyers---they were to streak in under the guns of the heavy Jap cruisers and make a torpedo attack.