Editing HMCS Haida (section)

==Construction and career==
''Haida''{{'}}s [[keel]] was [[keel laying|laid down]] by [[Vickers-Armstrongs|Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd.]] at their shipyard in [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]] on 29 September 1941 with the [[yard number]] 41.<ref name=m60>Macpherson and Barrie, p. 60</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/H-Ships/haida1943.html |title=Haida |website=tynebuiltships.co.uk |access-date=11 August 2016}}</ref> The destroyer was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 25 August 1942 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into RCN service on 30 August 1943.<ref name=m60/> She underwent [[Sea trials|workups]] under her first commanding officer, [[Harry DeWolf|H.G. DeWolf]] before reporting to the British [[Home Fleet]] at [[Scapa Flow]] in October 1943.

[[File:Hmcs-haida.jpg|thumb|left|''Haida'' during World War II]]
After commissioning ''Haida'' was assigned to the Royal Navy's Home Fleet.<ref name=m60/> On 15 November the [[Arctic convoys of World War II|convoy JW 54A]] sailed from [[Loch Ewe]]. ''Haida'' was among the destroyers that joined the escort from 18 to 24 November 1943. On 28 November ''Haida'' was among the destroyer escort for the Russian convoy RA 54B, protecting it until it reached Loch Ewe on 9 December without loss.<ref>Rohwer, p. 286</ref> The convoy JW 55B sailed from Loch Ewe for Russia on 20 December. ''Haida'' was a member of its ocean escort.<ref name=rohwer292>Rohwer, pp. 292–293</ref> The {{ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst}} was deployed to intercept the convoy. While the [[cruiser]]s escorting the convoy kept the German vessel at bay, ''Haida'' and the other escorting destroyers shepherded the convoy away from danger until the German battleship was sunk by a British force.<ref>Sclater, p. 79</ref> On 23 December the convoy was attacked by [[Junkers Ju 88]] bombers, but escaped unscathed. ''Haida'' joined the escort of RA 55B on the return journey to the UK which sailed from Kola Inlet on 31 December and arrived on 8 January 1944.<ref name=rohwer292/>

=== Operations along the French coast ===
On 10 January 1944, she was reassigned to the 10th Destroyer Flotilla at [[Plymouth]] and took part in the [[Operation Tunnel]] and [[Operation Hostile]] sweeps in the [[Bay of Biscay]] and along the French coast of the [[English Channel]].<ref name=m60/><ref name=schull250>Schull, p. 250</ref> The 10th Flotilla, with the cruisers {{HMS|Black Prince|81|2}} and {{HMS|Bellona|63|2}}, formed Force 26.<ref>Sclater, p. 81</ref> By April, ''Haida'' had sailed on nineteen of the Operation Tunnel/Hostile missions.<ref name=schull250/>

During the night of [[Action of 26 April 1944|25/26 April]], ''Haida'', with ''Black Prince'' and the destroyers {{HMS|Ashanti|F51|2}}, {{HMCS|Athabaskan|G07|2}}, and {{HMCS|Huron|G24|2}} engaged the German 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla comprising the German {{sclass2|Elbing|torpedo boat|2}}s ''[[German torpedo boat T29|T29]]'', ''[[German torpedo boat T24|T24]]'' and ''[[German torpedo boat T27|T27]]''. Despite the German designation as 'torpedo boat', the Elbings were essentially on a par with mid-sized [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] destroyers, having just slightly smaller armament. ''T27'' was hit early and retired to [[Morlaix]], ''Haida'' sank ''T29'', and ''T24'' was damaged before making [[St. Malo]].<ref name=rohwer318>Rohwer, p. 318</ref>

[[File:HMCS Haida cutter.jpg|thumb|left|''Haida''{{'}}s motor cutter, which was used to rescue survivors of the sinking of HMCS ''Athabaskan'' on 29 April 1944]]
On the night of 28/29 April ''T24'' and ''T27'' attempted to move from St. Malo to [[Brest, France|Brest]] and encountered the destroyers ''Athabaskan'' and ''Haida'' off St. Brieux, which were performing a covering sweep as part of Operation Hostile. ''Athabaskan'' was torpedoed and sunk in the engagement. ''T24'' is credited with the sinking the ship.<ref name=rohwer318/> ''Haida'' ran ''T27'' [[Ship grounding|aground]] and set the vessel afire with shelling, to be later destroyed by ''MTB 673''.<ref name=rohwer318/> Of the ''Athabaskan''{{'}}s crew 128 were lost, 44 survivors were recovered by ''Haida'', and 83 survivors became [[prisoners of war]] of the Germans in France.<ref>Schull, p. 358</ref>

''Haida'' continued the Operation Hostile sorties in company of [[sister ship]] ''Huron'' during the weeks leading up to [[Operation Overlord]]. The 10th Destroyer Flotilla were part of the covering force for surface attacks at the western entrance of the English Channel during the invasion of Normandy. On 8–9 June, ''Haida'' was part of Task Force 26 which engaged the German 8th Destroyer Flotilla, comprising ''[[Type 1936A Mob destroyer|Z32]]'', ''Z24'', {{ship|German destroyer|ZH1||2}} and ''T24'' northwest of the Île de Bas. ''Haida'' and ''Huron'' combined to sink ''Z32'' in the [[Battle of Ushant (1944)|Battle of Ushant]].<ref name=rohwer331>Rohwer, pp. 331–332</ref> Following the [[Battle of Cherbourg|fall of Cherbourg]] to the Allies, the German [[E-boat]]s were transferred to [[Le Havre]], freeing up the 10th Flotilla. The flotilla was then given the dual role of covering Allied [[motor torpedo boat]] flotillas, and search and sink missions against German shipping along the French coast.<ref>Sclater, p. 227</ref>

On 24 June, while on patrol in the English Channel off [[Land's End]], investigated a [[No. 311 Squadron RAF|311 Squadron]]'s [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|Liberator]] bomber dropping depth charges on a target. ''Haida'' and the British destroyer {{HMS|Eskimo|F75|2}} began their own depth charge attacks after being informed that a submarine had been spotted. After several attacks, the submarine surfaced and attempted to run. ''Haida'' and ''Eskimo''  fired all their guns and sank {{GS|U-971||2}};''Haida'' rescued six survivors.<ref>Rohwer, p. 333</ref><ref>Schull, pp. 302–303</ref> On 14/15 July 1944, ''Haida'' and {{ORP|Błyskawica}} intercepted a group of German ships in the Île de Groix area near [[Lorient]]. The battle saw two [[submarine chaser]]s, ''UJ 1420'' and ''UJ 1421'', destroyed, one German merchant ship sunk, and two others set afire.<ref>Rohwer, p. 341</ref> On 5–6 August, ''Haida'' was part of a force engaged in an [[Battle of Audierne Bay|Operation Kinetic]] sweep. The force attacked a German convoy north of the Île de Yeu and sank the [[minesweeper]]s ''M 263'' and ''M 486'', the [[patrol boat]] [[German weather ship Sachsenwald|''V 414'']] and the coastal launch ''Otto''.<ref>Rohwer, p. 347</ref> During the battle a shell exploded in one of ''Haida''{{'}}s turrets and started a fire, killing two and injuring eight, knocking the turret out of action. Staying in the line of battle, the destroyers were engaged by [[Coastal artillery|shore batteries]] when they attempted to take on a second convoy and were forced to withdraw without doing much damage to the German merchant vessels.<ref>Schull, pp. 349–350</ref>

=== Refit and northern operations ===
''Haida'' departed Western Europe on 22 September for [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]], arriving on 29 September. The destroyer returned to Scapa Flow in mid-January 1945 after refitting to receive new radar. On 19 March ''Haida'' escorted [[aircraft carrier]]s in minelaying operations off [[Granesund]], Norway and assisted in attacks on shipping off [[Trondheim]] from 24 to 28 March.<ref>Schull, p. 401</ref> On 7 April, ''Haida'' escorted seven [[anti-submarine warfare]] vessels from [[Greenock]], [[Scotland]] destined for Soviet use at [[Vaenga (town)|Vaenga]], on the [[Kola Inlet]].
The destroyer was among the escort for convoy JW 66 that set out from the [[River Clyde]] on 16 April.<ref>Rohwer, p. 410</ref> ''Haida'' experienced one of the last RCN engagements of the Second World War when she escorted convoy RA 66 from Vaenga from 29 April to 2 May. The convoy was attacked in transit, and ''Haida'' and ''Huron'' were attacked by torpedoes fired by [[U-boat]]s, which narrowly missed. In the skirmish, two German U-boats and the British [[frigate]] {{HMS|Goodall|K479|2}} were sunk, and the convoy escaped in a snowstorm.<ref>Rohwer, p. 412</ref> ''Haida'' and ''Huron'' returned to Scapa Flow on 6 May and were assigned to relief operations at [[Trondheimsfjord]], Norway on 17 May.<ref>Schull, p. 406</ref> From 29 to 31 May, ''Haida'', ''Huron'', the cruiser {{HMS|Berwick|65|2}} and the 5th Escort Group were sent to Trondheim to take over custody of surrendered U-boats.<ref>Rohwer, p. 416</ref>

''Haida'', ''Huron'' and ''Iroquois'', left for Halifax on 4 June to refit as part of Canada's contribution to [[Operation Downfall]]. They arrived on 10 June and ''Haida'' started a tropicalization refit, that was suspended after the [[surrender of Japan]] later that summer. ''Haida'' was [[Ship decommissioning|paid off]] on 20 March 1946.<ref name=m60/>

=== Cold War operations ===
[[File:USS BUCK ammo transfer to HMCS HAIDA off Korea.jpg|thumb|left|{{USS|Buck|DD-761|6}} transferring four-inch ammunition to ''Haida'']]
''Haida'' was in inactive reserve for approximately one year but was prepared for reactivation in 1947 and underwent a refit for updated armament and sensors. This involved replacing the main armament, with the 4.7-inch guns removed and two twin Mk XVI 4-inch gun mounts installed forward and a twin [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on|0}}/50 calibre gun]] mount installed aft.<ref group=note>The 50 [[Caliber (artillery)|calibre]] denotes the length of the gun. This means that the length of the gun barrel is 50 times the bore diameter.</ref> The ship was given a Mk 63 fire control director for its guns. One turret was completely removed and replaced by two [[Squid (weapon)|Squid]] anti-submarine mortars placed on the [[quarterdeck]]. A short aluminum [[Mast (sailing)|mast]] was installed and the [[funnel (ship)|funnels]] were fitted with caps.<ref name=gardiner>Gardiner and Chumbley, p. 41</ref>

''Haida'' was equipped with Type 275, SPS-10, SPS-6, Type 293 and 262 radars and Type 140 and 174 sonars.<ref name=gardiner/> While in refit, fire gutted the [[Bridge (nautical)|wheelhouse]] and boiler tubes burst later during speed trials. She returned to the fleet, still carrying the pennant number G63, in May 1947.

''Haida'' and her sister ship {{HMCS|Nootka|R96|6}} participated in exercises between the RCN's Atlantic Fleet and the [[United States Navy]] and Royal Navy over the next several years and were the first RCN ships to penetrate [[Hudson Bay]] in Fall 1948.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Plenty of Seatime |magazine=The Crowsnest |publisher=King's Printer |location=Ottawa |number=1 |volume=1 |date=November 1948 |pages=2}}</ref> ''Haida'' was involved in assisting during the grounding of the aircraft carrier {{HMCS|Magnificent|CVL 21|6}} off [[Port Mouton, Nova Scotia]] on 4 June 1949. In November 1949, ''Haida'' rescued the 18 members of the crew of a [[United States Air Force]] [[B-29]] bomber that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=''Haida'' Rescues Airmen Downed in the Atlantic |magazine=The Crowsnest |publisher=King's Printer |location=Ottawa |date=December 1949 |number=2 |volume=2 |pages=2}}</ref> That December, ''Haida'' was downgraded to a depot and accommodation ship in Halifax.

When the Korean War started on 25 June 1950, ''Haida'' was once again activated for war duty. She was converted to a [[destroyer escort]] and began refit in July 1950, with various new armaments, sensors and communications systems. She was recommissioned on 15 March 1952 and carried the pennant DDE 215. She departed Halifax on 27 September for [[United States Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo]], Japan, arriving there on 6 November after passing through the [[Panama Canal]].<ref name=thorgrimsson141>Thorgrimsson and Russell, p. 141</ref>

''Haida'' relieved ''Nootka'' on 18 November off the west coast of Korea, and had an uneventful patrol, performing aircraft carrier screening and inshore patrol missions, returning to Sasebo to replenish on 29 November. She patrolled off the east coast of Korea beginning on 4 December and took part with the destroyer escort {{USS|Moore|DE-240|6}} in shelling of a railway yard in [[Songjin]], a coastal battery, and North Korean troops. On 18–19 December, ''Haida'' failed to join the exclusive "Trainbusters Club" when an enemy train she attacked managed to hide in a nearby tunnel.<ref>Thorgrimsson and Russell, pp. 114, 121</ref> ''Haida'' returned to patrol on 3 January 1953, escorting aircraft carriers and bombarding the coast. On 29 January, ''Haida'' entered the "[[Trainbusters Club]]", destroying a train north of [[Riwon]]. The destroyer eliminated a second train on 26 May, and detonated a drifting [[Naval mine|anti-ship mine]] on her return to [[Baengnyeongdo|Paengyang-do]].<ref>Thorgrimsson and Russell, p. 125</ref> She departed Sasebo on 12 June, heading west through the [[Suez Canal]] and arrived in Halifax on 22 July 1953.<ref name=thorgrimsson141/>

''Haida'' departed Halifax for a second Korean tour on 14 December 1953, passing through the Panama Canal and arriving in theatre on 5 February 1954.  North Korea and China were not respecting the [[cease fire]]; infractions necessitated a naval presence around South Korea. The destroyer departed the Korean theatre on 12 September 1954 and headed for Halifax via the Suez Canal once again, arriving on 1 November.<ref name=thorgrimsson141/>

Following the Korean operations, ''Haida'' embarked on Cold War anti-submarine warfare duties with other [[NATO]] units in the North Atlantic and [[West Indies]]. In May 1956, ''Haida'', accompanied by ''Iroquois'' and ''Huron'' made port visits to cities and towns along the [[Saint Lawrence River]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=HMCS Haida |magazine=The Crowsnest |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |date=July 1956 |volume=8 |number=9 |pages=18}}</ref>

''Haida''{{'}}s aging hull and infrastructure was becoming troublesome, and in January 1958 she went into refit for hull repairs and protection for electronic equipment. Further refits in 1959 corrected various problems, and she sailed for the West Indies in January 1960; however, further equipment failures culminating in the failure of her steering gear on 3 April forced her to return to Halifax. A hull survey in May found extensive corrosion and cracking, forcing her into drydock for the remainder of the year. She undertook further repairs in June and July 1961 after further cracking was found during operations in heavy seas that March. More cracks were detected in March 1962, which forced a refit through February 1963.