Ship:Still Standing Collection

Still Standing On October 25, 1944, USS Johnston earned a lasting place among the legends of naval warfare. Eight decades later, the destroyer rests deep underwater—still looking as though she had just emerged from battle.

USS Johnston

Aft Torpedo Tubes

USS Johnston was armed with two quintuple-tube torpedo launchers, and the torpedoes she launched on October 25, 1944, played a critical role in the battle's outcome. The Japanese were forced to alter course, losing valuable time on evasive maneuvers, while the American carrier group managed to break away. At least one of the torpedoes struck the bow of heavy cruiser Kumano, inflicting such severe damage that the squadron commander had to withdraw the ship from battle. Shells and shrapnel eventually disabled both of Johnston's torpedo launchers, but by then, they had already fulfilled their mission.

Hull Number

In the U.S. Navy, hull numbers are assigned when ships are ordered and, with rare exceptions, remain with them for life. USS Johnston was the 557th destroyer commissioned by the U.S. Navy. Her hull number was painted in four places: two on each side, at the bow and stern. She was officially commissioned on October 27, 1943, and, less than a year later—on October 25, 1944, two days shy of her anniversary—Johnston sank to the bottom of the Philippine Trench at a depth of 6,460 meters. And there, in the depths where sunlight never reaches, over 80 years after her final battle, the white "557" on her hull still shines as if it were painted yesterday.

Director

In her final battle, USS Johnston scored numerous hits on Japanese ships as the director crew continued to relay firing solutions against all odds. The ship's gunnery officer wrote in his memoirs: "The place was full of smoke; our eyes were streaming, and we were coughing and choking as we carried out our duties." Despite the gaping holes, torn plating, and the rangefinder tube ripped from its mount and half-ejected from the structure, the device still points toward the enemy—frozen in place since the ship's final, heroic stand.

Gun Turret

The destroyer's main armament consisted of five single-mounted 127 mm dual-purpose guns. During her final battle, USS Johnston's artillery inflicted significant damage on the enemy, but she also suffered heavy return fire. Power to the aft guns was cut due to electrical wiring damage, forcing the crew to carry shells from the magazines to the turrets through open hatches and doors. A direct shell hit disabled the bow turret, piercing its side and detonating inside, killing the gun crew and starting a fire. Yet despite everything, the gunners kept firing at the approaching enemy until the very end.

Reward

Completing this sub-collection provides the following reward:
GQ Johnny Commemorative Flag

• Discovered sitting upright at the bottom of the ocean decades after her final battle, USS Johnston remains a symbol of defiance and dignity. The ship—and her crew—never bowed, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Reward

Seasoned Commander

Nation	Name	Unique Traits
	Ernest E. Evans Erie with 10 skill points
			Grease the Gears (enhanced skill) improves main battery turret rotation speed: +20% for destroyers and cruisers (normally +15%) +25% for battleships (normally +20%).
			Gun Feeder (enhanced skill for battleships/cruisers/destroyers) reduces reload time when switching shell types −60% (normally −40%).