USS Drexler (DD-741)

Navy	US Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	Sumner
Pennant	DD 741
Built by	Bath Iron Works (Bath, Maine, U.S.A.)
Laid down	24 Apr 1944
Launched	3 Sep 1944
Commissioned	14 Nov 1944
Lost	28 May 1945
Loss position	27.06N, 127.38E
History	Drexler departed Ulithi 27 March 1945 bound for Okinawa and dangerous duty on a radar picket station. On 28 May at 0700, two kamikazes attacked Drexler and Lowry. The first was downed by the combined fire of the two destroyers and planes from the combat air patrol. The second tried to crash onto Lowry but missed, hitting Drexler instead and cutting off all power and starting large gasoline fires. Despite the heavy damage, she kept firing, aiding in shooting down three planes which attacked immediately after the crash. At 0703, 28 May 1945 yet another aircraft crashed in flames into Drexler's superstructure. A tremendous explosion followed and the destroyer rolled on her starboard side and sank stern first in 27°06' N., 127°38' E., less than a minute after the second hit. Because of the speed with which she sank, casualties were heavy: 158 dead and 52 wounded, including the commanding officer.