Remembering the Destroyer U.S.S. Cogswell (DD-651)
by Edward R. Cogswell, Jr.

 On June 5, 1943 a Fletcher Class destroyer was launched by Bath Iron Works Corp., of Bath, Maine. This company is still an active business today, but back then it was producing another ship that would become an important part of the United States role in World War II. On this day little was known of what this ship, the USS Cogswell (DD651), would face. No one knew of the twenty-three years of service that she would experience, and that her history would involve duty in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, nuclear testing in the late 50's, and even Vietnam, before she was eventually sold to Turkey. On this June day in 1943, none of that history was known. What was known was that the USS Cogswell was named after two Cogswells, who both had served their country well in earlier days. Their names are James K. Cogswell, who was an important part of the US Navy's involvement in the Spanish-American War, and his son Francis, who distinguished himself during World War II. Let's look back into history, and examine the accomplishments of both of these Cogswells.

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