The USS Harding (DD-625), later reclassified as DMS-28, was a Gleaves-class destroyer built for the United States Navy during World War II. Launched on June 28, 1942, by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Washington, she was commissioned on May 25, 1943. The ship featured the typical design of Gleaves-class destroyers, which were known for their versatility, speed, and armament suitable for convoy escort, anti-submarine warfare, and shore bombardment. After initial shakedown training out of San Diego, Harding transited the Panama Canal to reach Norfolk in July 1943, where she engaged in Atlantic convoy escort duties, primarily targeting German U-boats. During this period, she completed three round trips to Casablanca and participated in escorting battleship Texas for training exercises. In June 1944, Harding took part in the Normandy invasion, providing vital fire support and aiding troops ashore by destroying enemy pillboxes and machine gun positions. She also transported supplies and assisted wounded personnel during the initial assault. Following the European operations, Harding shifted to the Mediterranean, serving as a screening ship off southern France and Corsica. Notably, she engaged and sank four German E-boats during a night action on August 17, 1944, rescuing survivors afterward. Later, she returned to the U.S., arriving in October 1944 for conversion to a destroyer minesweeper (DMS-28). In 1945, Harding moved to the Pacific theater, participating in minesweeping operations around Okinawa during the final major Pacific campaign. She served as an outer screening ship during the landings and was involved in intense combat, including kamikaze attacks. On April 8, 1945, Harding was hit by a kamikaze, sustaining severe damage from a bomb explosion that tore a large gash from her keel to her main deck, resulting in 14 men killed, 8 missing, and 9 wounded. After repairs, she returned to Pearl Harbor and was decommissioned on November 2, 1945. Harding was sold for scrap in April 1947. Throughout her service, USS Harding earned three battle stars for her participation in World War II operations, exemplifying her role in key naval campaigns across the Atlantic, Europe, and the Pacific.

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