Hi and welcome to the forum. I think I have it. That part of the movie is reversed. She is the USS Gilmore, DE-18, which was at Saipan USS Gilmore (DE-18) - Wikipedia
Yeah I noticed that after I replied. I think it was either sloppy or creative editing to use a clip of that ship from a different date than the invasion. Still betting on the Gilmore though since there wasn't a US DD or DE with 81 number. Could be wrong, of course.
The ship in question is most likely USS Kane (APD-18, exDD-245), an fast transport which did participate in the invasion. If you look at the video as it passes the Rocky Mount, you can see the LCVP on davits which indicates it is an APD. DD/DE did not carry landing craft. As a side note, (msg 71) USS Hornet did not deliver aircraft to Malta. It was thee Wasp.
and how it all started: OHEKA II. named after Otto Herman Kahn, a New York resident, built by Lürssen Yachts in 1927 Not a warship, but has also quite sexy ;-)
william, the hull# on the de was81 not 18,.the davits you saw makes sense butt the hull# still has me baffled.
Mike, my reasons to believe the ship in question is the USS Kane APD-18. The ship is an APD (high speed transport) numbered either 81 or 18. APD 81 is the USS Tatum, a former Destroyer Escort (DE) which was not present at Saipan and did not serve with Rocky Mount during the war. Tatum was armed with a single 5"/38 in a gun house forward as well as 40mm and 20mm. APD 18 is the USS Kane, a converted 4 stack destroyer (two funnels removed, etc) which did serve with Rocky Mount and was at Saipan. Kane was armed with 3-3" guns on open mounts, including one on a deckhouse aft. The video shows the LCVP and the 3" aft, so by elimination, it is Kane. As to being baffled by gthe number, I admit it is confusing and have no clue why the number is off.
I think that portion of the film is backwards, either by accident or on purpose so that the ship is sailing in the same direction as the officers on the other ships are looking through their binoculars.
