The USS Hammann was a Sims Class Destroyer and served in the Battle of Coral Sea rescuing crew ...from the Lexington and did the same in the Battle of Midway but was torpedoed while sitting next to the USS Yorktown. The crew saw the tracks of the I-168's Torpedoes coming and in vane used the 20mm guns to shoot at the 2 Torpedoes and to no avail they hit their mark..There was a large explosion under the water killing many crew in the water. Anyone that has any rare or hard to find pictures are encouraged to post. This boat has fascinated me for a long time due to all the books I have read on the war in the Pacific...The honor, courage and sacrifice demonstrated in such a short amount of time. The Hammann took 1 torpedo hit and sank within 3 minutes. At the Battle of Coral Sea in May 1942 USS Hammann was a part of the carrier escort screen. She fought the Japanese aircraft (first torpedo then dive bombers) and took about 500 survivors from the sinking carrier USS Lexington that sank on 8 May.
At the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942 USS Hammann (Cmdr Arnold Ellsworth True) was again screening a carrier, this time USS Yorktown and helped shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. The carrier took severe hits despite all efforts and USS Hammann again helped evacuate survivors, including its captain, Captain Elliott Buckmeister.
The day after that however attempts were made to rescue the great carrier and on the 5th USS Hammann returned to Yorktown bringing a damage-control party with her. She then lay next to the carrier providing assistance.
The salvage parties were doing a good job helping secure the carrier when the Japanese submarine I-168 (offsite link) penetrated the escort screen and fired 4 torpedoes on the overlapping target (USS Hammann and USS Yorktown behind her). Three torpedoes hit (one on Hammann and two on Yorktown).
USS Hammann suffered a massive explosion and sank in only 4 minutes in position 30º36'N, 176º34'W with the loss of 84 men and 72 wounded including the Commanding officer. The survivors were rescued by the USS Balch/Benham.