This page is dedicated to all shipmates of the USS Laffey (DD-724). Below, you will find biographies of our featured shipmates, as well as a section for TAPS to honor those we have lost over the years.
If you served on the Laffey or know of someone who has, we would love to hear from you. Scroll to the bottom of this page to contact us. Thank you!
Featured Shipmates
A look at the service history of some of our USS Laffey shipmates through the years
[{"id":513,"link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2024\/03\/07\/biography-of-rear-admiral-becton\/","name":"biography-of-rear-admiral-becton","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/becton-thumbnail.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Rear Admiral Becton","author":{"name":"admin","link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/author\/admin_dd724\/"},"date":"Mar 7, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-03-07 19:58:07","modifiedDate":"2024-07-21 19:09:21","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-07-21 19:09:21","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/archives\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Archives<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/archives\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Archives<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/admiral-becton\/' rel='post_tag'>Admiral Becton<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-archives\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey archives<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-captain\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey captain<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/uss-laffey\/' rel='post_tag'>USS Laffey<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":12},"status":"publish","excerpt":"A collection of photos and documents highlighting the accomplishments of the Laffey's first and most storied captain."},{"id":2486,"link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2025\/03\/11\/cruise-books\/","name":"cruise-books","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1954-cruise-book-thumbnail.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Cruise Books","author":{"name":"admin","link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/author\/admin_dd724\/"},"date":"Mar 11, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-03-11 19:17:04","modifiedDate":"2025-03-11 19:36:43","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-03-11 19:36:43","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/archives\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Archives<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/archives\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Archives<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":12},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Here you will find links to view the Laffey cruisebooks and cruise specific photos online. Each link will open in a new tab in your browser."},{"id":800,"link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2024\/04\/09\/bob-logsdon\/","name":"bob-logsdon","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/BobLogsdonKorea52.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Bob Logsdon","author":{"name":"admin","link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/author\/admin_dd724\/"},"date":"Apr 9, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-04-09 18:20:35","modifiedDate":"2024-07-21 19:33:24","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-07-21 19:33:24","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/admiral-becton\/' rel='post_tag'>Admiral Becton<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-archives\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey archives<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-captain\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey captain<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/uss-laffey\/' rel='post_tag'>USS Laffey<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":11},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Robert L. Logsdon, Jr., this amazing man and proud United States Navy retiree, was loved by everyone who knew him."},{"id":793,"link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2024\/04\/09\/bill-kelly\/","name":"bill-kelly","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/BillKelly.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Bill Kelly","author":{"name":"admin","link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/author\/admin_dd724\/"},"date":"Apr 9, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-04-09 17:59:34","modifiedDate":"2024-07-21 19:35:01","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-07-21 19:35:01","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/admiral-becton\/' rel='post_tag'>Admiral Becton<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-archives\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey archives<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-captain\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey captain<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/uss-laffey\/' rel='post_tag'>USS Laffey<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":24},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Bill Kelly was the last surviving plank owner of the USS Laffey\ncommissioning crew."},{"id":786,"link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2024\/04\/09\/ari-phoutrides\/","name":"ari-phoutrides","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AriPhoutrides.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Ari Phoutrides","author":{"name":"admin","link":"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/author\/admin_dd724\/"},"date":"Apr 9, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-04-09 16:07:38","modifiedDate":"2024-07-21 19:35:57","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-07-21 19:35:57","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/category\/shipmates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Shipmates<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/admiral-becton\/' rel='post_tag'>Admiral Becton<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-archives\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey archives<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/laffey-captain\/' rel='post_tag'>Laffey captain<\/a><a href='https:\/\/laffey.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/tag\/uss-laffey\/' rel='post_tag'>USS Laffey<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":14},"status":"publish","excerpt":"In World War II at the age of 17, Ari entered the U.S. Navy. He reported aboard USS Laffey (DD-724) commissioned 8 February 1944 and served at D-Day and Okinawa."}]
Salute to the Fallen
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Click here to access the list prior to 2025. A new tab will open in your browser to view the pdf file.