Valdi,
I went to NARA II, College Park, MD, this last week for the first the since 2019. I pulled the range of "suspect" USS WILSON (DD-408) color images, 80-GK-430 through 434. Another view of USS WILSON (DD-408), 80-GK-435, was so poor that I didn't scan it from a previous visit at NARA II.
Here are what I found. Yes they are images of USS WILSON taken from USS WASP (CV-7). 80-GK-432 (broadside view) and 434 (bow-on view) are images that have been "available" before, but reproduction has been either small or poor in nature, and documentation almost non-existing. The only copy of 80-GK-432 at NARA is a copy negative, which reduces the overall quality of the image. See first image. But, this image verifies that the image you had located before is USS WILSON. Image 80-GK-434, a bow on view, is a 4x5 transparency and provides better details than the History 101 color image made from the 35-mm slide copies of the 80-GK collection at NARA made decades ago. See the third image.
The "new" images in this quest, is 80-GK-433 and 80-GK-430. Image 80-GK-430 is a view of USS HOUSATONIC (AO-35) taken from USS WASP, which may have a bearing on dating the other images of USS WILSON. See fourth image below. The prize image 80-GK-433 is another broadside view of USS WILSON likely taken at the same time as 80-GK-432, only is a 4x5 transparency (not a copy neg) and doesn't obscure the bow. But, is on the blue side. See second image below.
There wasn't any image of 80-GK-431 at NARA, so what it may have been of is unknown at this point.
I can't be absolutely positive, but the hull number on image 80-GK-433 does appear to be "408". Which, helps to verify that these three images of USS WILSON are orientated in the correct direction. It isn't always possible to be certain that an image has been scanned in the correct orientation without numbers or letters in the view. All of these views were taken at some distance from the subject and represent "small" images within the total Full-Frame view, so resolution details aren't as sharp as would be desired. Plus, color film used was likely "slow speed" and motions of the ships "blurs" the images.
As for the dates of these images. The likely time frames would be as USS WASP and her Task Force were traveling from Norfolk to the South Pacific. As far as I know, when the photographer aboard USS WASP with color film came onboard is unknown. Other 80-GK transparencies taken onboard USS WASP while she was at San Diego in June 1942 and during "Crossing the Equator" ceremony in July 1942, indicates he was at least onboard at those times. Which brings why the view of USS HOUSATONIC may be important. USS HOUSATONIC was assigned to the Atlantic and wasn't part of the USS WASP Task Force 37 as it traveled from Norfolk to the canal to the South Pacific. HOUSATONIC was only recently on active duty and her early tastings were hauling fuel oil from the Gulf Coast to various ports along the Caribbean and East Coast. Likely these two crossed paths while TF 37 traveled to the canal and were at the same port. I didn't have time to check Deck Logs and War Diaries to get a date. But, the dates of these color images are probably in the June-July 1942 timeframe.
HOUSATONIC DANFS entry;
Shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay ended 10 March, and Housatonic joined Service Force, Atlantic Fleet. During the remainder of 1942 Housatonic carried fuel oil and aviation gas from the Gulf of Mexico to ports on the Atlantic Coast and in the Caribbean. A shortage of escorts necessitated the oiler's proceeding alone through waters infested with German submarines which were making many kills at that time. In July, the fleet oiler performed her first fueling at sea, servicing carrier Ranger, cruiser Augusta, and six destroyers engaged in ferrying Army P-40 fighter plans aboard the carrier from Port of Spain to Akkra on the Gold Coast of Africa. Fuel from Housatonic enabled this group to return to Port of Spain without stopping or putting into any port during the entire voyage.
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