The USS Thompson (DD-627), later reclassified as DMS-38, was a Gleaves-class destroyer built during World War II. Laid down on September 22, 1941, by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Seattle, Washington, and launched on July 15, 1942, she was commissioned on July 10, 1943. The vessel measured approximately 348 feet in length, with a beam of about 36 feet, and displaced around 1,630 tons standard. Her armament initially included five-inch (127 mm) guns, 40 mm, and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, suitable for both surface combat and shore bombardment. Thompson’s service began along the U.S. West Coast before she moved to the Atlantic, participating in convoy escort duties, training exercises, and shore bombardments. Notably, she supported the Normandy invasion, arriving off Omaha Beach on June 5, 1944, and engaging enemy shore defenses, including radar stations and fortified positions. She provided crucial fire support during the D-Day landings, targeting German shore batteries and radar antennas, and supporting Army Rangers at Pointe du Hoc. In August 1944, she participated in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, screening and patrolling the coastline. After her wartime service, she was reclassified as a fast minesweeper (DMS-38) in June 1944, undergoing conversion to perform mine-clearing operations in the Pacific theater. She arrived in the Pacific in late 1944, participating in sweeping Japanese mines in the East China Sea and near Japan, where she destroyed numerous mines and supported occupation duties. Throughout her post-war career, Thompson operated extensively in Chinese waters during the Korean War, performing minesweeping, patrol, and gunfire support missions. She was damaged by enemy fire multiple times, notably in 1952, when she was hit by a Chinese shore battery. She earned the Navy Unit Commendation for her efforts during the Korean conflict. The vessel continued active operations until she was placed in reserve in 1954, reclassified as a destroyer in 1956, and ultimately struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1971. She was sold for scrapping in 1972, marking the end of her distinguished service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.