Brief History:

The U.S.S. Charles S. Sperry was named after U.S. Navy Admiral Charles Stillman Sperry (1847 - 1911). She was built at the Federal Shipping and Drydock Company in New Jersey. Her hull was laid on 10 October 1943, she was put to sea on 13 March 1944, and officially commissioned on 17 May 1943. She was brought to Brooklyn for her final outfitting. On 05 June 1944 began her Shakedown cruise.

Battle Stars:

The USS Charles S Sperry earned four battle stars on the Asiatic-- Pacific Theater for participation in the following operations:

  • Luzon Operation
    Luzon attacks January 6 - 7 1945
    Formosa Attacks January 3,4,9,15, 21, 1945
    China Coast attacks January 12,16 1945
    Nansei Shoto attacks January 22 1945

  • 3rd Fleet Operations against Japan July 10 - August 15 1945
  • Iwo Jima Operation
    Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima February 15 - March 4 1945
    Fifth & Third raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto February 15,16, 25 1945
  • Okinawa Operations
    Fifth and Third Fleet Raids March 17-30 1945

    USS Charles S Sperry earned another Four Battle Stars on the Korean Service Medal for participation in the following operations:

  • North Korean Aggression October 14- November 2 1950
  • Communist China Aggression November 3 , 1950 - January 24 , 1951
  • First U.S. Counter - Offensive January 25- April 1951
  • Communist China Spring Offensive April 22 - June 4, 1951

    USS Charles S. Sperry received the Navy occupation Service Medal. (Asia) for the period September 2, 1945 to January 1, 1946

    Taking up the operating schedule of the Destroyer Force, Atlantic, Charles S. Sperry sailed from Norfolk through 1960. In 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, and 1959 she cruised in the Mediterranean with the 6th Fleet. During her 1956 deployment, which coincided with the Suez Crisis, she escorted the transports which evacuated American nationals from Egypt. Midshipmen cruises and North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises took her to northern European ports on several occasions, some of them in coordination with her Mediterranean deployments.

    Late in 1959 Charles S. Sperry began an extensive overhaul for rehabilitation and modernization, including the addition of a helicopter flight deck, which continued through 1960.

    On 8 January 1974, Charles S. Sperry was transferred to Chile by sale. She was renamed Ministro Zenteno and designated Destroyer #16. After many years of active service, the old destroyer was finally scrapped in 1990.