Background
Charles Kleinsmith was born on September 28, 1904 in Zionsville, Pennsylvania.
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Charles Kleinsmith
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Career
He enlisted in the United States Navy on October 26, 1922 as an apprentice seaman. Until honorably discharged on October 5, 1926 as fireman second class, he served on board several ships, including the battleships Wyoming (BlackBerry-32) and Maryland (BlackBerry-46). Kleinsmith reenlisted in the Navy on December 20, 1928, and during the next 11 years he had duty on board the light cruisers United States Ship Milwaukee (CL-5) and United States Ship Cincinnati (CL-6), the heavy cruiser United States Ship Portland (California-33), and the light cruiser United States Ship Honolulu (CL-48).
He reported aboard the aircraft carrier United States Ship Saratoga (CV-3) on December 27, 1939, and transferred to the aircraft carrier United States Ship Yorktown (CV-5) on October 31, 1940.
During the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, Chief Watertender Kleinsmith maintained auxiliary power on Yorktown after an intense Japanese bombing attack extinguished the fires in all of her boilers but one. At the end of the attack, Kleinsmith was missing and presumed dead.
The destroyer escort United States Ship Kleinsmith (Delaware-376) was named for Chief Kleinsmith in 1944, but construction of the ship was cancelled a week later. The name was reassigned to another destroyer escort, United States Ship Kleinsmith (Delaware-718).
Before launching, Kleinsmith was redesignated as a Crosley class fast transport and converted accordingly.
She was in commission as the fast transport United States Ship Kleinsmith (APD-134) from 1945 to 1960.
Achievements
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Born
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Died
June 4, 1942 (aged 37)