USS Beale, a 2050-ton Fletcher class destroyer built at Staten Island, New York, was commissioned in December 1942. Her shakedown and early operations, in U.S. East Coast waters and the Caribbean, were followed by transfer to the Pacific Fleet in April 1943. Beale went to the northern Pacific war zone in August and almost immediately took part in landings on Kiska Island. She continued to serve in the Aleutians area until November 1943, then steamed to the southwest Pacific. While participating in the Cape Gloucester invasion in late December she engaged Japanese aircraft. During the first seven months of 1944 Beale operated along the northern shore of western New Guinea and in the Admiralty Islands, assisting in landing operations at Saidor, Los Negros, Hollandia, Wakde-Sarmi, Biak and Cape Sansapor. She also bombarded Japanese positions ashore and, on the night of 8-9 June, participated in the pursuit of a Japanese surface force attempting to reinforce their beleagered Biak garrison. In September and October 1944 Beale was present during the invasions of Morotai and Leyte. During the latter operation she bombarded Japanese shore positions, fought attacking aircraft and engaged enemy warships in the Battle of Surigao Strait.
In April-June 1945, following overhaul at San Francisco, California, Beale took part in the assault on Okinawa and the associated lengthy struggle against Japanese suicide planes. Though at times closely engaged by attacking Kamikazes she emerged undamaged and, in July, was employed on anti-shipping sweeps off China. Between mid-September and mid-November 1945 Beale supported the occupation of Japan, then steamed to the United States. Returning to the Atlantic in December, she was decommissioned in April 1946 and placed in the Reserve Fleet.
In 1951 Beale was redesignated DDE-471 and converted to an anti-submarine destroyer, enchanging much of her gun and torpedo battery for weapons more suited for fighting underwater opponents. She recommissioned at the beginning of November 1951 and was part of the Atlantic Fleet for the next seventeen years. During this time she operated in the western and north Atlantic, in the Caribbean, and several times deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and northern Europe. In the later 1950s Beale was part of the anti-submarine development Task Force Alpha and, in the fall of 1962, helped enforce the blockade of Cuba. Her assignments took her out of the Atlantic area twice. In 1957 she voyaged around Africa to serve in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf and in 1966 steamed around the World, taking part in Vietnam war combat operations during the middle months of this trip. At the end of September 1968, following a final Mediterranean tour, USS Beale was decommissioned. She was expended as a target in June 1969.
USS Beale was named in honor of Brigadier General Edward F. Beale, U.S. Volunteers, (1822-1893), who, as a U.S. Navy Midshipman, played an important role in the war with Mexico.
