Talk:USS Melvin (DD-680)

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Possibly the lead should mention the ship's key achievements, one of which would be the hits on the Fuso, I guess. --Demiurge1000 (talk) 03:22, 13 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Blue devil[edit]

I removed the following comment from the article. --Dual Freq (talk) 17:33, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Melvin was Nick Named the Blue Devil by Bull Halsey after the battle of the Philippines. Whoever thinks the Japanese Navy Nick Named the Melvin is incorrect. My Grandfather was a Pias man and would not have served on a ship with a Blue Devil painted on the Stack. He had requested a transfer until the Captain told him Admiral Halsey had gave them the nick name after their accomplishments in battle. He finished the war on the Melvin "afterwords". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 199.59.112.209 (talk • contribs) 08:05, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

According to the ship's own war history, written by a crew member, possibly the CO but it does not say, at the end of the war, page 1 describes the ship as "Merciless Melvin". They titled the war history "Saga of the Merciless Melvin" and said "she is known to us as the "Merciless" MELVIN" in the lead paragraph. Page 11 says the ship earned the name "Black Devil" for her Blue-Black coat of paint on the night of February 21, 1945 (the night USS Saratoga and Bismarck Sea were hit). Direct quote: "This night of fast action earned for the MELVIN, the name, "Black Devil" for with her Blue-Black coat of paint she presented a weird sight as her guns flashed and the spray flew." I'm not sure that either nickname is worth including in the article, but there are potential sources for "Black Devil" and "Merciless Melvin". --Dual Freq (talk) 18:26, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

page 18 of the crew's 1952 cruise book also mentions "Black Devil" because of the blue-black paint scheme. Not blue devil. I think Blue Devil comes from a old model kit that perhaps misnamed the model? --Dual Freq (talk) 01:40, 15 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]