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THE COAST GUARD AT WAR

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TRANSPORTS AND ESCORTS

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BRARY
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VOLUME /

PREPARED IN THE
HISTORICAL SECTION PUBLIC IMFOP- NATION DIVISION
J

u.s. coast

gua;;d headquarters

MARCH I, 194 9

UNCLASSIFIEO

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US Coat t Guard, Historical fection The cosat guard at war, transport Tol I, Mar 19*9 escort

and

Unclassified
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ARMY LIBRARY

UNCLASSIFIED

This edition is designed for service distribution and recipients

are requested

to forward corrections
Coast Guard

criticisms, and comments to Commandant,

Headquarters, Washington,

D. C, Attention Historical

Section, Public Information Division,

UNCLASSIFIED

^ JT|^l|jMMfc

UNCLASSIFIED
COAST GUARD MANNED

TRANSPORTS AND BSCOHXS PART I ANTI-SUBMARINE WAR

996 EMW"Y SUBMARINES

all During World War II allied fAR IIsea and aircraft sank a combined total of 996 enemy submarines. These included 781

Qrman U-boats, 130 Japanese and 85 Italian submarines. By far, the largest number were accounted for by British and European allied surface vessels who

sent 323 submarines of the Axis to the bottom. Aircraft of the British Empire and its European allies took a toll of 233 enemy underwater attackers. The U. S. Navy sank 130twith its surface vessels and 96 with its airplanes. U. S. Army aircraft disposed o* 63. The TJ. S. Coast Ouard was responsible for 12by submarines which never rose again, 11 being sunk Coast Guard cutters or Coast Ouard manned Navy vessels, aad one by a Coast Guard plane. The Coast Guard assisted in several other sub sinkings. 9 of the enemy subs nere the victims of collision or some other type of marine disaster; 33 struck mines jand the kl disappeared without any definite proof ofenemy cause of their demise. The year 1939 saw 9 subs dive for "Davy Jones 1 locker j in 19itO there were hZ that never returned to base; 56 were sunk in 19Ul$ with our entrance into the war the 19h2 total was 126 and this shot up to 285 in 19U3 until a peak of 296 was reached in 19Wi. In eight and a half months of 19U5, until VJ-day, the balance of 182 were disposed of. These sinkings were all confirmed 1 from enemy records uncovered after the war.
ESCORTS FORoSr MERCHANT FLEET Vice Admiral R. R. Waesche, Commandant of the Coast Guard, summed up the importance of the job of getting supplies to our allies as early as October 15, 19U2, when he said: "IfAmerica and its allies are to win the devastating war now raging over the surface of the entire globe, the ships that carry food, the guns, the tanks, the planes and the other implements of war to our fighting forces on battlefields beyond the seas, must reach their destinations safely. He of the Coast Guard have dedicated everything we have, including our lives, to the proposition that the American Merchant Marine, carrying needed supplies to the far-flung battlefields, shall not be too late with too little. Many of our units have been in contact with enemy submarines and planes and the history of this war will show the extent to which they have engaged the foe. Suffice to say at this time, we are proud of their accomplishments." A STALKING GAME

tion to attack would the submarine raise its peri scope. Sighting its prey, the deadly missiles were fired. In less than 30 seconds the periscope would be lowered. Only for these few seconds would the enemies see each other. Sometimes a submerged submarine would follow a ship by means of underwater listening devices for hours, if not for days. An estimate could be made of the victims' speed as the device permitted the counting of the propeller turns. When the convoy changed course, the periscope would sometimes be momentarily raised so as to observe accurately the position of the cargo ships and their protecting escorts. Only then might they be seen by the escorts and depth charges dropped on their estimated positions after they had again submerged. The rest of the time our escorts depended entirely upon their echo ranging equipment to estimate the position of the submerged submarine on which they dropped depth charges. Itwas often impossible, therefore, to determine whether the submarine had been sunk or damaged. Day and night the game went on. Not until the enemy finally surrendered could our transports ever count on safety* Until the Neutrality Law was amended on November 13* 19Ul, none of our 1,375 merchant ships had been armed. While armed British merchantmen had fought off the U-boats suc cessfully in seventy attacks since the beginning of the war in Europe in 1939* and had shot down more than eighty planes, our merchant ships were still at the mercy of the foe. "Against unarmed ships" said one observer, 2 "the submarine could lie in wait until the vessel came within gun range, and with a few shots from its deck gun send the helpless merchantman to the bottom. No submarine would dare risk such an attack if the merchant ship were able to shoot back. A submarine is a delicate and vulnerable ship. Itcannot risk direct hits, even by a 3-incher. Against armed ships, the submarine must fight submerged, sometimes with not even the periscope showing. Handicapped in
this way, the U-boats' aim is, of course, less effec tive. The submarine might have to fire several tor-
pedoes and still not score a direct hit. When tor-
pedoes are expended, the subs must then return to home port, and next to a submarine sunk, a submarine
in its pen was best so far as American ships at sea
were concerned."
ARMED MERCHANTMEN CONVOY ESCORTS
By June, 191+2, half the merchant ships in the lanes of the Atlantic were being given convoy protection.

'

submarine and the escorts of the convoys stalked each other, each unseen by the other during most of the hunt. They tracked each other fey sounds registered on underwater echo ranging >
(SONAR) equipment, like enemies groping in the dark. Our merchant Ships zigsagged to escape when an underwater warning came. The Coast Guard and other escort
vessels would then swing into action making for the "contact" in order to give battle. Only when in posi-

a Qut in the Atlantic on.strange stalking game went The

Destroyers, Coast Guard cutters, corvettes and armed trawlers of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Poland, Norway and the Netherlands were escorting ships of the United Nations on their perilous voyages to and from Europe. Despite
this protection to shipping generally only ten per
cent of U. S. merchant tonnage of 1,000 gross tons or over sunk in May 19U2 was being convoyed. Itwas not until July that the percentage rose to 50% Then it

1. For further details see Appendix A.

2*'. Comdr. Walter

1

Karig, USNR in "Battle Report."

UNCLASSIFIED

i iriffiffinxr

SCAN THE SEAS COBSTANTLY FOR SIGNS OF AN 0911 MARAUIBR

COAST GUARD FLIERS ON CCHVOT PATROL

A DEPTH CHARGE RAISES A GEISER OFF THE STERN OF A COAST GUAHHiANWED FRIGATE

I.

gradualiyaflSpped to 20$ in November 19l;2. iiuring December 191*2, none of the ships lost ties being con voyed. Convoying returned to $2% in January 191*3, rising as high as 80$ inFebruary of that year. This Has the peak. From then until .April 19hh> the per centage remained above or near 50$ except for four months. In June 191*3 the percentage fell to 11$; in July 191*3 to 28$; in November 191*3 none of the ships lost, was being convoyed; and in December 1943 only Sjt.1 While some fast transports, that could outrun any submarine, always travelled alone, and while air and surface escorts by no means meant ab solute safety, it was not until December 191*2 that sinkings showed any definite downward trend. The heavy toll of 89 enemy submarines sunk by British and European allied air and surface craft and other causes in the last half of 19U2 undoubtedly accounted for much of this trend. 2
"The German answer to the con voy was the wolf pack" says Karig.3 "A name so descriptive it needs no elaborating explanation." Itwas not until September 191*2 that the total tonnage of our merchant vessels again reached the level of December 191*1*** This was because our ship losses were not fully compensated by new building despite every effort that could be put into that activity. From then on, however, our total merchant tonnage grew at the rate of half a million tons or more a month until May 191*3 when the monthly increase climbed to nearly a million tons. This rate of increase continued until April 19kh, with the exception of four months, October and November, 191*3 and February and March,- 191*1*, when it fell off. The turn in our favor of the anti-submarine warfare, however, was definitely September 191*2. By April19hh we had 18,701,370 gross tons of merchant shipping, or nearly three times the Pearl Harbor total. Itwas during September, October and November, 191*3, that 30 destroyer escorts were manned by the Coast Guard and together with Navy small carriers and des troyers began to operate as a winning combination against the wolf pack in the Atlantic. These were supplemented during 19l*l* with 75 patrol frigates, which were used principally to maintain 22 ocean weather stations while keeping on the lookout for enemy submarines. THE WOLF PACK ATTACK BI AIR

in the Atlantic than those by their surface vessels, while those sunk by U. S. naval air forces in the Atlantic were three times those by 0. S. Navy surface vessels. The success of the radar-guided small car rier, destroyer and destroyer escort combination against the U-boat caused Hitler to reorganize his campaign. By April191*1* the U-boats were estimated to be sinking less than one half of one per cent of the ships being convoyed across the Atlantic and it was estimated that the life of an enemy submarine was only from one half to one third the time it took to build itr By April 191*3 the number of enemy sub marines sunk was definitely in excess of the U. S. merchant vessels lost and this continued to be true for each month from then onward to April19kh with the exception of the month of December 191*3 "The Germans fought hard against the reversing tide of success," says Karig.' "Every new anti-submarine technique was met by some effort at countermeasure j Torpedoes that left no wake to be spotted by alert lookouts} magnetic torpedoes that converted near misses to bulls l eyes; some torpedoes, equipped with electric ears', that altered their course to follow and overtake the most agile of zigzagging ships* When the baby flat-tops finally spread the air um brella over the middle Atlantic, and no submarine could surface anywhere between the Arctic and the Antarctic without fear of aerial bombing, the Germans installed anti-aircraft batteries on the U-boats. The subs remained on the surface to fight it out with the bombers and blimps, tactics which soon erased the lighter- than-air crafts' particularly useful ability to hover over a surfaced submarine and drop bombs on it xxxx. The American answer xxxx was the rocket gun." During 19hk British Empire and allied European airplanes sank 66 U-boats in the Atlantic by air, the American naval air forces 18, and Army air forces IU. This combined total of 98 exceeds the 92 sunk in the Atlantic by allied surface vessels. Reports were heard of mutinies on the U-boats and the Germans were forced to draft men to go to sea in them* Eight up to VE-day the air attack on the U-boats continued. For the first five months of 19U5 the toll in the Atlantic by British Empire and allied European air was I*l,U. S. Army aircraft sank 3l* and U. S. Navy sir accounted for h, a total of 79 sunk in the Atlantic by air, as against I*9 by surface vessels in that

ocean.

19U2, British Empire and

In the last four months of

allied air squadrons sank 23 enemy submarines bringing the total for the year to 31. During 191*2, U. S. Navy air forces in the Atlantic had sunk 7, Army air forces 1* and Coast Guard airplanes 1.5 During 19h3 the air patrols were extended over the Western Atlantic from Iceland to Brazil. There was also a base on Ascen sion Island, covering Northwestern Africa and the Western Mediterranean. The British were operating from the Azores, while joint Anglo-American patrols covered the remainder of the circle to Iceland. Dur ing 191t3 British and allied European planes sank 86 enemy submarines, U. S. Jtevy air forces operating in the Atlantic accounted for I*9 and the v. S. Army air forces sent ten to the bottom. New weapons and new methods of using old weapons were being devised and used. In April191(3 our merchant ship losses fell off sharply to 85,17U tons from 233,866 tons inMarch. They remained below 100*000 tons from then on except for the month of July 191*3 when they reached 111,011* tons. Sinkings of submarines by British Empire and allied European air in 191*3 were one eighth greater 1* For further details see Appendix B 2. See Appendix A 3. Ibid I*.. See Appendix B 5* See Appendix A

COAST GUARD VESSELS When we entered the war on December 7, 19hX the Coast Guard, which had become part of the Navy on the preceding Novem ber Ist, had 168 vessels which bore names and were 100 feet or over in length, and 100 which were numbered and were 65 to 100 feet In length* Italso had 39 lightships. During the war it acquired 156 more of the name class and 339 of the numbered class* The total fleet of Coast Guard vessels in operation during the war was therefore 802 vessels of 65 feet or over in length. Between December 7, 191*1, the Coast Guard manned 351 Navy vessels, in addition to the above and also 291 Army vessels. Altogether the Coast Guard fullymanned 1,1*14* vessels in World War rL> In addition it had 7,960 small boats, under 65 feet in length, at the peak on January 1, 191*3. By the end of 19U3 it is estimated that I*o6 Coast Guard and Coast Guard manned vessels were actively- engaged in THE COAST GUARD FLEET

6* See

Appendix A

7. Ibid

UNCLASSIFIED

anti-submarine or escort duty. On that date 1*2,698 out of a total of 171,1*93 Coast Guard Regulars and Reserves were afloat. By June 30* 19U5, 82,092 out of 171,192 nere afloat, 1*9,283 on 288 Navy vessels 6,8^1 on 262 Amy vessels, and 25,958 on 802 Coast Guard vessels. The 168 Coast Guard named ves sels consisted of seven which were 327 feet long, four which were 21*0 feet long, twenty two which were 165 feet long, eleven which were of various lengths ranging from 155 to 225 feet, thirty three which measured 125 feet, one in the 300 foot class, thirteen tugs ranging from 88 to 110 feet long and 68 tender class vessels ranging from 72 to 27U feet in
LENQTHS
0? VESSELS

as patrol vessels. Their normal armament consisted

of one 3 inch 23 caliber gun and two one-pounders.

Six of then the ALGONQUIN, COMANCHB, GALATEA, PANDORA,

THETIS and TRITON mre oa duty Kiththe Navy on
July 1, 19kl.
The eleven cutters of miscellaneous lengths included the ATLAW TIC (185 ft.), CARRABASSET, (155 1 9 3A"), HCKAPOO (157 U"), NORTH STAR (225*)* NORTHLAND (216'), OSSIPEE (165" ID"), PAMLIGO (158'), REDWING (187 1), SHAWNEE (lsB')> TALLAPOOSA (165 10"), and UNALGA (190*) Their ages Taxied from 38 years for the ATLANTIC, built in 1903, to nine years for the NORTH STAR, built in 1932. The NORTH STAR had a displacement of 2200 tons, while that of the KICKAPOO was 81*0 tons. The ATLANTIC'S gross tonnage was 303 tons. Their drafts varied from 5 8" for the PAMLICO to 17' 6j" for the CARRABASSET. The NORTH STAR was the only named cutter (except some of the tender class) with a wood hull. All others were of steel. The NORTHLAND had been designed to replace the famous BEAR and was built for service in the Arctic* She 'had special features intended to offer resistance to the crashing action of ice and to permit maneuvering in ice fields. Diesel electric propelled, with a beam of 39 fet and a draft of 15 feet, she developed 1200 horse power and a speed of 11 knots. Her normal armament was two 3 inch 50 caliber guns, four .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns and six .30 caliber machine guns. Additional armament and protection had been provided for war service in the North Atlantic and Greenland, where with the NORTH STAR she had been on duty with the Navy since July 1, 191*1. MTsniitT.T.4HEOPS CLASS CUTTERS

length.

191*2.

The largest vessels in the re gular Coast Guard fleet are the 327 foot cutters, often called "flagships" or the "secretary" class, being named after former Secre taries of the Treasury. These ships, all launched in 1936 or 1937, represent the best of commercial and naval plans and construction with a view to the ser vice intended, in which great size and speed are secondary to handiness in tight places, to reliabil ity, and the ability to perform rescue operations and other tasks under adverse weather conditions. They were all I*l foot beam, 12 foot 6 inch draft with a displacement of y?\f> tons and gross tonnage of 211*1 tons. Their hulls were of steel and they had a speed of 20 knots. Their power was geared turbine, twin screw, and they developed 6,200 horse power using oil as fuel. They carry one seaplane and their normal complement is about two hundred men. In normal times they mount three 5 inch guns of 5l calibers, two qua druple machine gun anti-aircraft batteries, two 6 pounders and ten 3 inch anti-aircraft guns. Both guns and armor were increased for war service. Three of these, the CAMPBELL, INGHAM and TANEY, were al ready on duty with the Navy before July 1, 191*1. The others, the 8188, DUANE, HAMILTON and SPENCER, became eligible for transfer by agreement between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Coast Guard under an Executive Order of September 11, 191*1. The TANEY was at Pearl Harbor on December, 191*1, and the HAMILTON was torpedoed off Iceland on January 30, "SECHETAHT"

CUTTERS

125 _FOOT

CLASS

class had been built in 1926 and 1927 to keep track of rum runners during the prohibition era. These all had a beam of 23i feet and a draft of 9 feet and displaced 220 tons. With 600 horse power they made 13 or 12* knots. They were originally supplied with one 3 inch *23 caliber
gun.

The thirty three diesel driven patrol cutters of the 125 foot

100 FOOT CLASS CUTTER

The four cutters in the 21*0 foot class were the TAMPA, HAIDA, MODOC and MOJAVE. They have a 39 foot beam, a 16 foot 6 inch draft, and displaced 1780 tons. Their turbine electric engines develop 2600 horse power. They carry a normal complement of 135 in the crew. They are designed for off shore rescue and law enforcement work, have a speed of 16 knots and were built in 1921.
Their normal armament consisted of two 5 Inch guns,
two 3 inch anti-aircraft guns and two six pounders.
The MODOC was on duty inGreenland with the Navy
July 1, 191*1.
CLASS CUTTERS

21*0 FOOT

The only cutter in the 100 foot class was the NANSEHOND. With a 23 foot beam, 8 foot draft, and displacing 210 tons, she developEd a speed of 11 knots with a 350 horse power, diesel, twin screw engine. She had been built in 1925 and was stationed at Philadelphia*

The 13 cutters in the tug class, varied inbeam from 17 feet 6 inches, to 26 feet 5 inches. Most of them were 110 feet long and had 10 foot 6 inch drafts with displacements from li*9 to 328 tons. The GUTHRIE had an iron hull, all the rest being of steel and they made from 10 to 12 knots. One of them, the RARITAN, was on duty in Greenland, with the Navy on July 1, 191*1. TUG CLASS CUTTER TEMPER CLASS CUTTERS

165 FOOT The 165 foot class of cutters CLASS, CUTTERS were divided into two groups. The ALGONQUIN, COMANCHE, ESCANABA, MOHAWK, ONONDAGA and TAHOMA in Class A had a 36 foot beam, a 13 foot 7 inch maximum draft, a speed of 13 knots, and a displacement of 1005 tons. The sixteen in class B were the ARGO, ARIADNE, ATALANTA, AURORA, CIANE, DAPHNE, DIONS, GALATEA, HERMES, ICARUS, NEMESIS, NIKE, PANDORA, PERSEUS, THETIS, and TRITON. They had a 25 foot 3 inch beam, a 9 foot 6 inch draft, a speed of 16 knots and a displacement of 331* to 337 tons. They were built between 1931 and 1931* and were designed
4

the 68 tender class cutters (72 ' 27U) ranged in beam from 16 feet for the ALDER to 65 feet for the WILLOW. They were all named for trees and shrubs and their duties were to service the aids to navigation which the Coast Guard had taken ' over from the Lighthouse Service of the Department of Commerce on July 1, 1939, along with the 39 light
\u25a0

ships.

ACQUIRED VESSELS

NAME USS USS USS USS USS USS USS USS

VESSELS ACQUIRED. DURING IORLD WAR II

l6 named vessels acquired during World War n included 60 Lighthouse Tenders (WAGL), l0 Patrol Vessels (WYP), 10 Gunboats or Corvettes (WPG), 10 Harbor Tugs (WIT and ITL), 8 Auxiliaries, Mis cellaneous (WAG), 7 Miscellaneous (WIX), 6 Coastal Yachts (WPYC), 5 Submarine Chasers (WPC), 2 Cargo Ships (WAX), 1lacht (WFY), 1 Reserve Boat, 1Coast Guard Reserve, and 1 Special. They were of various lengths and ages and were acquired either by the Coast Guard direct by purchase or by the Navy who turned them over to the Coast Guard. They nere assigned generally to the duties indicated by their type. Brief War Histories of all Coast Guard Vessels where available appear in Part 11.
The
NAVY VESSELS

yss can. c. l.howzb

OBN. GEN. GEN. GEN.

W.M. BLACK H. L. SCOTT A. W. GHEELY C. H. MUIR GEB.&0. IBSPtt&vmKS GEN. H. F. H3DGES AP <MI. A. W. BREWSTER AP GtEN. D. E. AUITIIAK AP

CLASS NO. ap 13k AP 135 AP 136 AP IUI AP IU2

COMMISSIONED

2-7-kU 2-2k-Wx k-3-hh

3-22-h$
U-12-l|s

Ht3 li-26-l lUi U-6-W Iss li-23-fe 156 U-20-4i5

"NAVYVESSELS

The Navy vessels which the Coast Guard manned during the war included 22 Transports (AP), 9 Auxiliary,Transports (APA), 15 Cargo Ships (AX), 5 Auxiliary Cargo Attack Ships (AKA), 18 Gasoline Tankers (AOG), 28 Landing Craft, Infantry (LCI)(L), 76 Landing Ships, Tanks LST), 30 Destroyer Escorts (DE), 75 Patrol Frigates PF), liO Patrol Vessels (YP), 8 Gunboats or Corvettes PG), 6 Submarine Chasers (SC), U Submarine Chasers PC), 1Coastal Yacht (PIC), 1 Ferryboat and Launch IFB), 1 Ambulance Boat (THB), 1Gate Vessel (YNG), 1Range Tender (YF), 1Motor Torpedo Boat Tender (AGP), 1 Submarine Chaser (WPC), 1 Auxiliary, Misc. (WAG), and 7 Miscellaneous, Unclassified (H), a total of 351. COAST GUARD MANNED TRANSPORTS AND CARGO VESSELS

Inaccordance with various directives from the Navy, the Coast Guard had been assignee by December 31* 19kk a total (11) large "P2", twin screw troop trans of eleven ports. They were over 600 feet in length and were built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company; Kearney, N. J., the Bethlehem-Alameda Shipyard of Alameda, Cal., and the Kaiser Co. Inc., of Richmond, California. Personnel for these ships received special training at the respective assembling locales. The names, class and number,, and dates of commission ing were as follows t NAME USS GEN. WM. MITCHELL USS GEN. GEO. M. RANDALL USS GEN. M.C. MEIOS USS GBR. W. H. GORDON USS GEN. W.P. RICHARDSON* USS GEN. WM. WEIGEL USS ADM. W. C. CAPPS USS ADM. B. W. EBERLE USS ADM. C. F. HUGHES USS ADM. H. T. MAYO USS GEN. J.C. BRECKINRIDOR TROOP TRANSPORTS AP(SMALL)' CLASS NO. COMMISSIONED AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP

TROOP TRANSPORTS AP (LARGEj

The USS UKBFIEU) (AP-21) another Coast Guard manned trans port had been coamLssloned at Brooklyn on 1$ June, l?Ul. She had been previously the luxury liner SS MANHATTAN. Her personnel had been trained in the vicinity of New River Inlet, N. C, and at Hampton Roada, Va., where she was attached to Transport Division I, Training Squadron 3, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. On 3 November, 19ijl she sailed from Brooklyn and seven days later called at Halifax, N. S. where she embarked about 6,000 Bri tish troops for Singapore. There they were disemTjarked on 2? January, 19U2. While tied alongside the docks at KepplA Harbor, Singapore, awaiting the arrival ef some bOO women and children, all of whom were British evacuees, the WAKEFIELD was attacked by a flight of approximately 30 Japanese bombers who dropped their bombs from about 20,000 feet. On* bomb penetrated the- deck of the WAKEFIELD, forward on the starboard side, exploding seconds later in the sick bay, killing five men and wounding about 15 others. The WAKEFIELD took aboard 1(01 evacuees and departed Singapore on 30 January, 19ltl arriving at Bombay on 10 February, 191(2. Five days later Singapore surrendered. She sailed from Bombay on 20 February, 19U2 with 508 passengers via Capetown for Brooklyn where she arrived on 23 March, 191*2. Between 20 May, 19U2 and 11 July, 19h2 the WAKEFIELD made a round trip to Wellington, N. Z, carrying 5*268 Marines for service in the Southwest Pacific

USSJOKmELD AT SINGAPOHB

FIRE AT SEA

lib 1-20-W* 115 U-1M& 116 6-3-4 A

117 7-27-Ul 118 11-2-ltlt

119 1-6-4*5 121 9-18-U* 123 1-2M*5 121* 1-31-W 125 l*-2l*-U5 176 6-30-I*s

built and converted on the West Coast. The names, class and jmmber, and dates of commissioning were as

operation. They were single screw troop transports, 522 feet in length and were

There were nine of this Cl* type vessels assigned to the Coast Guard for """"1"g and

19U2 ah* left Hew York for the British Isles in convoy, landing the largest number of troops ever to be transported across the Atlantic in a single operation up to that time. On her homeward voyage, carrying 81(0 passengers and a crew of 750* a fire of unknown origin broke out on C deck on the evening of 3 September, 191*2. in ten minutes it had spread throughout the vessel. Escort ing ships came alongside and disembarked thai passen gers when it became apparent that the flames could not. be brought under control Two hours later the crew were removed. On the night of 9 September, Commander Bradbury boarded the still burning WAKEFIELD with a fire-fighting party, but had to abandon ship in face of the intense and savage fire. The conflagration raged until special fire-fighting equipment reached the vessel and the charred and smouldering transport was then towed to. Halifax. The last ambers were not extinguished until the 12th. Meanwhile torrents of v rain from a cloud burst poured into her open interior causing her to list badly and holes had to be cut in her side to permit the water to escape. Towed to Boston Navy Yard on the 29th, itbecame necessary to strip the vessel to her water line, which meant recon structing the former luxury liner into a virtually new ship. The Government declared her "a constructive total loss" and purchased the remains from the U. S. Lines.
Early in August,

THB MEW WAKEFIBLD

On 10 February, 1914 the new WAKEFIBLD was commissioned. After making 22 round trips across the Atlantic between

13 April, 1914; and December 1,191(5 she sailed for Taku, China on I* December, 19^5 and -returned to- San Diego qn 1February, 191*6. On 1$ June, 191*6 her . Coast Guard crew was removed. Since recommissioning she had transported H0,563 troops to Europe and Asia and JjOU,67U passengers to America, a. total of 215*237. As she had carried 18,082 in 191*2 this made a total of 233,319 persons transported during the war. Another Coast Guard manned troop transport was the USS M3NTICBLLO. launched in1927 as the SS CONTE GRANDE she was built for the North At lantic tourist traffic by the Lloyd Sabaudo of Genoa, Italy. She was transferred to Brazilian registry on 27 February, 191(2 and on 10 March, 191*2 was manned with the first group of U. S. Navy personnel. She was commissioned in the U. S. Navy on 16. April, 191*2 as the USS ifONTICELLO (AP-61) at Santos, Brasil. She was first manned by Coast Guardsmen on 21 July, 19U5 and from 25 July to 2 October, 191*5 remained at Todd's Shipyards, Erie Basin, Brooklyn, N. 1., undergoing extensive repairs, during the course of which, with the surrender of Japan, all armament was removed from the ship. After returning 176 Italian Army officers and 559Q Italian enlisted men to Italy in October, Ilis the IDNTICELLO's Coast Guard crew was removed on 22 March, 19U6. Brief war histories of other vessels in these classes are included in Part ll* USS MONTICELLO The Coast Guard was directed to man nine of these vessels. The first was manned on 6 June, Il*T the last on 20 Movem and ber, 191*3. In September 191+3, the CAMBRIA, BAIFIELD were designated as Relief AGO (general and CAVALIER headquarters communications command) in addition to their designations as APA. This necessitated some con version work which delayed commissioning of two of them until November 191(3 and one until January 19l*lw The first five of these vessels were converted fcom passenger liners (one being an army transport) aa missioned in 191*1 and 191(2. The last four commissioned in 191(3 and 191*1* were built at the Atlantic Basin and Ironworks, New York, N. 7., Todd, Hoboken, N. J., and Bethlehem Steel, Hoboken, N. J. Two had already been given other names before commissioning. The names, class and numbers, and date of commissioning was as follows > THOOP TRANSPORTS, ATTACK (APA)

The first three had been built in 1921, the next two in 191*2 and' the last four in 19ltf , Some of them took part in all the various landing operations. These began with Guadalcanal, continued in Alaska, in north Africa, Sicily, Italy and France, and ended with the landings from Tarawa to Tokyo in the Pacific. The CALLAWAT was hit by a Japanese suicide plane en route to the Lingayen Gulf landing, Philippine Islands on January 8, IU. Several of the crew were killed and in the restating fire there were nearly 50 casualties. On the 30th of January, 191*5 the CAVALIER was torpe doed off Sable Bay, Philippines, but did not sink and was towed to Leyte. Details of these and other events are contained in the Coast Guard s historical mono graphs "Coast Guard at War Introduction I," "Coast Guard at War Alaska jn," "Coast Guard at War Pacific Landings -VI," "Coast Guard at' War North African Landings HJ "Coast Guard at War SicilyItaly Landings I," and"Coast Guard at War Landings in France H.". Brief war histories where, available are included in Part 11.

--

- -

- --

CARGO VESSELS

we manned only one, the

AK-80 ENCELADUS.1 Inaddition the Coast Guard manned lit Liberty Ships (AKs) -which are I*l*lfeet length over all. The names, class and number, and date of Coast Guard commissioning of these vessels are as follows t
NAME

originally been assigned 10 of this type vessel, due to a change in Navy organisation,

Although the

Coast Guard had

CLASS NUMBER COMMISSIONED AX AX IK AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX

USS ENCELADUS USS ALBIBEO USS CORCARQLI USS ERIDANUS USS ETAMIN USS MINTAKA USS MURZDH USS STEROPE USS SERPENS USS MENKAR USS CODINGTON USS CRAIGBEAD USS SUSSEX USS TARRANT
TTQCS QniITPOCtP'P

80

8-22-1)3

9U 95
123

90 91 92 93

96 97

175

173 213 211

212

3-28-10 k-Is-k3 5-7-U3 5-IQ-h3 5-10-I*3 5-lM*3 5-l4*3 5-15-4O 6-2-U1; 7-23-U5 9-5-4*5 7-12-U5 7-13-U5
1-15-45

NAME USS LEONARD HOOD (ex-IESTERN IORLD)

CLASS NUMBER COMMISSIONED APA 12 12

6-10-U 6-10-41
6-6-hl 9-8-U2 6-12-U2

Many of these cargo ships participated in the various landings in the European and Pacific theatres and are mentioned in the "Coast Guard at War" monographs list exploded, cause undetermined, at Guadalcanal on 29 January, 191*5, killing thirteen officers and 193 crew men. Only 2 officers and Bof the crew members sur vived, they being ashore at the time. |9ee Coast Guard at War Pacific Landings VI"p. 171). The USS ETAMIN (AK-93) was attacked by Japanese planes while anchored in Altape Roads, New Guinea, on April 27, 191*1*. The resulting fire was brought under control and the vessel was towed to Finschhaven. Three seriously wounded Coast Guard personnel were flown to Port Mor resby. The vessel was subsequently reconditioned and

ed above.

The ammunition loaded USS SERPENS (AK-97)

USS JOSEPH T. DICKMAN APA (OX-PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT)

USS HUNTER LIGGETT (ex-PAN AMERICA) USS ARTHUR MUJDIETON (x-AFRICAN COMET) USS SAMUEL CHASE (ex-AFRICAN METEOR) USS CALLAWAT (ex-SEA MINK USS CAMBRIA (ex-SWALLOff) USS CAVALIER APA APA APA APA APA APA

Hi
25 26

saw further service.

35
36
37

9-11-^3

assigned for utilisation in Loran Installation opera tions in the Pacific (see "Coast Guard ar War Loran -IV Vol II") Brief war histories of others where available are Included In Part 11.

The USS MENKAR (AK-123) was

11-10-I*3 1-15-Ul

CARGO SHIPS. ATTACK (AKA)

crews for each.

Trained personnel was assigned to five (5) of these "attack" class cargo vessels, including the landing boat These ships are the lar&^M|JL^|^L

"M^'H^^tafc^^^^^
Tnanping and staffing. This involved originally the mining of twenty four (2U) vessels, together with a Flotilla Staff and two Group Staffs, requiring the original assignment of eighty four (84) officers and six hundred and sixty one (661) men. Later four more of these vessels were manned in January, 1945* These ships were built at Orange and Houston, Texas, where they were manned by Coast Guard personnel upon com missioning* They were established by the Navy as Flotilla 4, Groups 10 and U (later changed to Flo

and cain-ied tank lighters and troop craft. They were built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearney, N. J. Their names, class and number, and date they were Coast Guard commissioned are as follows*
NAME

CLASS NUMBER COMMISSIOMED AKA

MA

USS USS USS USS USS

CBNTAURUS CBPHEUS SHELIAK THEENIM

AQUAEIUS

16
17 18 62

AKA
AKA

10-20-43

8-30-43

AKA

63

1-19-44 12-1-44 12-14-44

Allof these vessels participated in landings, either in the European or Pacific theatres of war and are mentioned in the "Coast Guard at War" monographs covering the various landings. Brief war histories, where available are included in Fart It. ffltfPTTfflt TANKERS {AOO)
Eighteen (18) of these auxi liary gasoline-oil tankers were allocated by the Navy to the Coast Guard for mann ing between 18 May, 1944 and 1 September, 1945. Per sonnel received special training at Navy SCTC, Miami

and Coast Guard Tard. The first fourteen commission ed were built by the East Coast Shipbuilding Company, Bayonne, N. J., and last four by the St. Johns River Shipbiilding Corporation, Jacksonville, Florida. Eight others were designated to be Coast Guard manned but the war endedylow priorities and production fail ures causing delays in expected delivery dates.-be ' fore they were completed. The names, class and number, and date commissioned are as follows s NAME USS AMMONUSUC USS SHEEPSCOT USS CALAMUS .USS CHIWAUKOM USS ESCATAWPA. USS GUALALA USS HIWASSEE USS KALAMAZOO USS KANAWHA USS NARACAUGAS USS OCHLQCKONEE USS OCONEE USS OGEECHEE USS ONTONAGON USS KLICEETAT USS MICHIGAMMB USS NAUTICOKS USS PSCONIC CLASS
AOQ

tilla 10, Groups 29 and 30 under the 11th PKEB (Am phibian Command) and, were assigned to CINCLANT (Com mander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet) on 8 February, 1943* This Flotilla, under command of Captain Miles Imlay, USCG, distinguished itself in various Mediterranean theatre operations and in the invasions of France. An account of their operations is contained in "Coast Guard at War Sicily-Italy Landings X" and "Coast Guard at War Landings in France H". They then returned to the U. S. for yard availability, fleet reassignment and remanning and were assigned to the Pacific as Flotilla 35, Groups 103 and 104. Here their operations are described in "Coast Guard at War Pacific Landings VI." Four of them were sunk during the Normandy invasion on June 5 and 6, 1944 VIII") \u2666 (see Coast Guard at War Lost Cutters Brief war histories of each where available are in cluded in Part IT. Their names and dates of com

--

- -

missioning follow}

NAME

COMMISSIONED

NAME

COMMISSIONED

LCI(L>B3

85
8?

84 86 87
88 90 91 92 93

1-23-43 1-23-43

LCI(L)31?

NUMBER COMMISSIONED
"

AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG AOG

23 2IT
26

25
29

27
30

28

5-18-4U* 6-15-4U 7-11-Wl 7-25-Wi 8-18-Wi 8-2it-U

1-25-I*3 1-29-4*3 2-1-43 2-2^3

10-2U-4iU 10-16-W;

95

94 96

2-3-43 2-&4?3 2-8-U3 2-10-43 2-12-43 2-15-43 2-15-43

325

320 2-8-43 321 2-6-43 322 2-15-43 323 2-10-43 324 2-12-43 326 10r33*3 3U9 12-26-U3" 350 5-15-43 5 1-10-45 562 1-10-45 581 1-10-45 583 1-10-45

2-3-43

2-15-43

31 32

H-23-W;

2-15-43

36 6ii 65
66 68

3U 35

33

12-2-Uli 12-29-U* 1-12-U5 9^6-lili

7-Ui-hk BrlD-45 9-1-4*5 , 1-11-U5

9-12-1 A

One of these, the USS SHEEPSCOT (AOG-24), was lost in a hurricane off Iwo Jlma on June 6, 1945 (see VIII"). Brief: "Coast Guard at War- Lost Cutters war histories of each, where available, are included inPart H. LANDING CRAFT As a result of conferences with the office of the Via Vice (tABGB) LCI(L) Chief of Naval Operation, the Coast Guard was directed on 14 January, 1?43, to man a certain number of vessels of the Landing Craft Infantry (Large), (LCI(L) type. Itbecame necessary, therefore, to handle the program efficiently and expeditiously and a manning Section of the Personnel Division at Headquarters was organized for the purpose of centralizing all data and performing the necessary liaison work. Oh the above date, a "bob-tail" Flo tilla of LCI(L)b was assigned to the Coast Guard for LANDING CRAFT,
INFANTRY,
<MT

In January 1943* the Coast Guard agreed to man a FloFlo tilla of Landing Ships, (LSTs) consisting of Tank 36 ships, and an additional "bob-tail" formation of 25 ships* Due to unforseen changes in the construc tion programs, as well as needs of the fleets, we finally manned a total of 37 LSTs in 1943. These ships were not assigned to one flotilla, but were dispersed among various Navy Command- Flotillas and consequently reported for duty inmany different theatres of operation. Their performances are de scribed in the various "Coast Guard at War" mono graphs covering landing operations in Sicily, Italy, France and the Pacific. InMarch 1944 the Coast Guard was called upon to man LST Flotilla 29 (Groups 85, 86, and 87) consisting of 36 vessels complete with all staff personnel. Finally in June 1945 three more vessels .of this type were manned, making a total of 76 manned altogether during the war. m accordance withNavy policies, all personnel for Flotilla 29 were processed during a ten week's course at ComPhibTra^ Amphibian Training Squadron, Lant's (Commander, Atlantic) special Amphibious Training School at Camp Bradford, Virginia. Captain C. H. Peterson, USCG, was assigned as Flotilla Commander. As teams com pleted training, they were ordered to. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the LSTs for this Flotilla were built at the Dravp Corporation's plant and that of the American Bridge Company. The ships were then ferried to New Orleans, where, after a five day LANDING SHIP, TANK (LST]T~^

outfitting period, they were placed in commission, and reported to the Amphibious Training Base, Panama City, Florida, for shakedown. The names and dates of commissioning of all LSTs in operation during the war are as follows*

191*3 (37)
NAME

COMMISSIONED

NAME LST 166

COMMISSIONED

LST 16 17 18

19

20 21 22 23

U-19-4*3 U-26-43 5-15-4t3 S-lM*3 li-lMtf

6-16-U3 6-16-13

3-17-I*3

167 169
170

168

l*-224*3 k-30-hl 5-22-I*3 5-3:Ui3 S-19-k3 5-12-ii3 U-9-fc3 U-29^3 l-27-it3 5-15-i*3 6-7-U3 6-9-U3

S-3-U3

175 176

2k

25
66 67

26 27

- 69
NAME

68

6-lh-ii3 6-30-I*3 6-7^3 6-16-U3 U-12-U3 lt-19^*3

$-Wtf 5-21-^3 $-28-I*3 6-9-43

202 203 206 207

191*3 immediate steps were taken to assemble officers and crews for 30 Destroyer Escorts to be manned by the Coast Guard. A training program was established and personnel started flow ing through the schools at St. Augustine, the Sub marine Training Centers at Miami, Florida and Norfolk,
Virginia, where they received special DE training.
The ships were built in two shipyards in Texas, The
Consolidated Shipbuilding Company at Orange, and The
Brown Shipbuilding Company at Houston. These ships
had a fullload displacement of 1600 tons; length
3O5 1 7", beam 36' 7", draft 10 6", speed 20 knots;
powered by four diesel engines of 1700 horse power
each; CComplementt t 10 officers, 13 chief petty offi cers, 163 crew, a total of 186. They were assigned to five Escort Divisions ;of 6 ships each. They were allocated as follows:
Operations in June

20l* 205 261

262

Escort Division 22 Escort Division 20 Escort Division Escort Division

5-224*3

70 71

326

327 331

6-16-I*3
2-26-li3
3-6-i3
3-H-Jj3

381

Q-2s-h3
COMMISSIONED

23 I*6

POOLE, PETEBSON, HARVESON, JOICE, KUtKPATRICK, LEOPOLD. MARCHAND, HURST, CAMP, CROW, PETTIE, RICKETTS. SELLSTROM, RAMSDEN, MILLS, RHODES, RICHBT, SAVAGE. MBNGES, MOSIET, NEWELL, PRIDE, FALGOUT, LOWE.

191*1*
COMMISSIONED LST 758

(36)
NAME

Escort Division.I*s -VANCE, LANSING, DORANT, CALCATERRA, CHAMBERS, MORRILL.

763

759 760 761 762 761* 765 766 767 768 769
770 771 782

9-54*1*

8-194*1* 8-2540* 8-284*1* 9-24*1* 9-84*1* 9-24*1* 9-1840*

LST 787 788

789

790 791 792 793

10-184*1*
8-224*1* 9-14*1* 94*40* 8-2840*

le4*4*l* 10-94*1* 10-13-I*l*

9-254*1* 9-304*1*

781* 785 786

791* 795 796 829 830 831 832 881* 885

886

10-540*

9-1340* 9-1840* 9-1140* 9-2240* 9-274*1* 10-240* 10-54*1* 10-9-I*l* 10-1940* 10-234*1* 10-284*1* 11-840* 114*40* 10-3040* 10-264*1* 11-240* 11-74*1*

191*3 all 30 of the Destroyer Escorts had been manned, commissioned and were performing their shakedown training. Their names, class and number, and date of manning are as follows j
By November,

NAME POOLE PETERSON MARCHAND HURST

CAMP

CLASS &NUMBER

MANNED

HOWARD D. CROW PETT3T RICKETTS SELLSTROM HARVESON

JOYCE

DE-151 DE-152 DE-21*9 DE-250 DE-251

DB-252 DB-253 DE-251* DE-255 DE-316

DE-317 DE-318 DE-319

887

191*5 (3)
NAME COMMISSIONED LST lli*B 6-94*5

1150 6-204*5 1152 6-304*5

KIRKPATRICK LEOPOLD MBNGES MOSLET NEWELL PRIDE FALGOUT

lOWE

9-294*3 9-294*3 9-84*3 8-304*3 9-164*3 9-274*3 9-234*3 10-54*3 30-124*3 10-124*3 9-304*3 10-234*3

DB-321*

DE-320 DB-321 DE-322 DE-323

Three of these LSTs manned by Coast Guard personnel were lost during the war, one (LST 69) burned and ex ploded at Pearl Harbor on May 21, 19l*a; one (LST 167) was damaged by enemy planes at Vella La Vella on September 25, 191*3; and one (LST 203) stranded on Nanomea Island, Southwest Pacific on October 1, 191*3. Another (LST 767) was so badly damaged by a hurri cane at Okinawa on March 9, 191*6, that she had to be decommissioned. Fuller details of these losses are given in "Coast Guard at War Lost Cutters VIH." Brief war histories of individual LSTs, where available, are included in Part 11.

DDRANT

RAMSDEN MILLS RHODES RICHET SAVAGE VANCE LANSING CALCATERRA CHAMBERS

DE-325 DE-385
DE-386 DE-387 DE-388 DE-389
DE-392

DE-382 DE-383 DE-381*

11-134*3 11-154*3 11-224*3 30-194*3 10-124*3 10-254*3 11-14*3

10-304*3 10-294*3 11-104*3 11-164*3 11-274*3 11-274*3

10-184*3 10-254*3 10-314*3 10-314*3

DE-390

MERRILL

DE-391

11-174*3

ESCORT AND OTHER CRAFT

DESTROYER
Upon receipt of a

directive from the Chief of Naval

These Destroyer Escorts, under DesLant, have seen much action while performing arduous convoy duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. They were a product of World War n and their agile maneuverability, accurate fire power and specially designed anti submarine weapons together with the courage of their officers and crews, helped preserve t-hg-l^el^^^^^

AND STRETCHING BACK IS THE ZIG ZAG OF THE INTREPID FIGHTING CRAFT
AS TT CARRIES ON ITS DUTY OF SAFEGUARDING A CONVOY

BELOW IS THE DECK OF THE COAST GUAHD DESTHDYER ESCORT MENGES

MtfBBR

COAST GUARD CRAFT ESCORTS A CONVOT

men and supplies which streamed across the Atlantic to crash the Axis might. One of these Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts, the LEOPOLD (DE-319) was torpedoed and later sank in the North Atlantic, IiOO miles south of Iceland on March 9, 1910*, With a loss

of 13 officers and 158 men. A full account of this disaster is contained in- "Coast Guard at War Lost Cutters VIII. Individual war histories of each Coast Guard manned destroyer escort, where available, are contained in Part 11.

"

Frigates proved the most complex of the various manning projects because they constituted the largest number of units, required the greatest percentage of personnel, necessitated the utilization and promulga tion of training facilities, as well as a wide geogra phic diversity of shipbuilding yards. The Coast Guard was originally committed to man 69 Frigates. This was subsequently increased to 79 and by cancellation of the building contracts of k ships, finally settled at 75. Two yards on the West Coast built 30, 6 yards on the Great Lakes were assigned the building of the re maining U5. Due to the scope of this phase of the manning program, itbecame necessary to establish certain receiving units, training facilities, Coast Guard manning details, and assign officers to focal Navy training bases and PreComDets. At the Coast Guard Training Station, St. Augustine, Fla., a course known as AOTS (Advanced Officers Training School) was inaugurated to prepare Coast Guard officers for the intense curriculum at Submarine Chaser Training Center, Miami, Fla. Itwas realized that the Great Lakes* built vessels would present the most difficult pro blems and require the greatest attention and coordina tion. Many problems in personnel assemblage and train ing schedules for the manning of these Great Lakes* built Frigates arose because of the wide fluctuation in progress of construction and ramifications of out fitting. Coast Guard programs had to be continually reorganized to meet Navy requirements, expected ship commissionings, and training facilities. Flexibility was, therefore, mandatory. New Orleans, it was soon evident, was to become the focal point for these Great Lakes* built Frigates, as they were towed there by the maritime authority and there delivered to the Navy. At this point the lengthy ordeal of completion of construction started, including the installation of numerous Navy class items before the ship could be commissioned. Itwas necessary for the Coast Guard to establish a direct Headquarters representative at New Orleans, known as Coast Guard Representative, ComDet, Algiers, Louisiana, as well as Sub-ComDets at other yards in the Gulf Area. This work was further complicated when the Coast Guard was directed to fur nish Nucleus Crews, composed of 7 officers and 53 men, from FF teams, for the purpose of moving the frigates from the Great Lakes 1 yards to the various yards in the Gulf Area and East Coast. This required the establishment of yet another manning office for the Great Lakes area at Chicago, which was the focal point for this operation. The delivery of most of these frigates was delayed over a year, adding to the problems of the manning office, which maintained con stant liaison and pertinent records with every phase of the frigate program, from their construction, through various stages of shakedown, to their actual reporting to the fleets for operational service. The principal duty of the PF's was in maintaining weather stations in the Atlantic and Pacific. The ocean weather station program had begun in 19ljO. Itwas made a joint Weather Bureau-Coast Guard operation, with the Coast Guard providing the ships and communications facilities and the Weather Bureau providing the ob servers and the special instruments and equipment re quired. At first, two of these stations were

PATROL FRIGATES (PFJ

The

crewing

of the Patrol

maintained on the great circle course between Ber muda and the Alores. During the susmrf&l33tt^"|V|gp plane guard, or flight security, stations were esta blished in addition, one between Labrador and Green land and one between Greenland and Iceland. On February 20, 1910*, the Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet directed that two additional stations be esta blished. Two more were established in May 1910* and, in order to adequately man all stations, several naval vessels of the Atlantic Fleet were used tempo rarily until the commissioning of patrol frigates (PF's) for this duty. Eight more weather stations were established on October 21, 19hh, including two After VE-day, in order to plane guard stations. safeguard the tremendous increase in air traffic involved in the redeployment of allied air forces, six more stations were established making a total of 22 stations in the Atlantic by July 1, 19U5, 15 being manned by the Coast Guard with 23 patrol frigates. It was not until April15, 191*6 that the Coast Guard entered the picture as an operating agency for weather stations in the Pacific. On that date opera tional control of five stations east of Hawaii passed to the Coast Guard, utilising 21 patrol frigates.' Brief war histories, where available, are included in Part 11. The names, class and number, and date of commissioning of PF's by the Coast Guard follows
NAME

CLASS & NUMBER COMMISSIONED PF-3

TACOMA SAUSALITO
PASCO

HOQUIAM

EVERETT

ALBUQUERQUE
POCATELLO

BROWNSVILLE GRANDFORKS
CASPAR PUEBLD

6 7 8 9 10 12 13

h 5

3-4*-l*l* 5-8-40* l*-15-40* 2-18-10*

9-25-I*3

12-30-40 1-22-10* 5-6-4* 3-18-W 3-31-J& 5-27-iili 5-27-10* 12-k-hk 11-22-W

8-S4&
3-n-Ui 9-7-10* 9-16-Ui 2-iMts 2-10-I*s h-zo-hk 2-19-JA 9-8-W 9-6-iih 10-7-Wi 9^-hk n-3-UU 10-10-bli 9-1-iih 9-10-40* 10-1-I*3 10-23-I*3
U-io-UU

GRAND ISLAND
ANNAPOLIS BANGOR KEY WEST

1U

ALEXANDRIA HURON GULFPORT

BAYONNE

1$ 16 17 18 19 20 21
22

GLOUCESTER SHREVEPORT
MUSKEGON
CHARLOTTESVILIg

23

2k 25

POUGHKEEPSIE NEWPORT EMPORIA GROTON

HINGHAM DEARBORN

GRAND RAPIDS WOONSOCKET LONG BEACH BELFAST

QLENDALE

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

3U 35 36
37

9-8-4*3 11-2l*-l*3 11-12-4*3 12-lii-l*3 12-15-40* 12-1-I*3

12-17-I*3 1-1-10* 1-29-40* 2-3-40* 2-i5-W 2-28-liU 3-6-Wi 3-16-Jili

SAN PEDRO CORONADO

OGDEN

38

EUGENE
EL PASO

VAN BUREN
ORANGE

CORPUS CHRISTI
HUTCHINSON

ko I*l U2 U3 I*l*

39

BISBEE
GALLUP

us

ROCKFORD MUSKOGEE
CARSON CITY

k6 U7 U8 I*9 50

t^BWffitt*

10

NAME

CLASS & FJMBER

COMMISSIONED

NAME

COMMISSIONED

NAME IP- 370

COMMISSIONED

BURLINGTON ALLENTOW MACHIAS SANDUSKY BATH COVINGTON SHEBOYGAN ABILENE . BEAUFORT CHARLOTTE MANITOWOC GLADWYNE MOBERLT KNOXVILLE UNIONTOTO READING PBORIA BRUNSWICK DAVENPORT EVANSVILLE NEW BEDFORD LORAIN MILLIDGEVILLB
ORLANDO

PF-51 52 53 51* & 56 57 58 5?

60 61 62

l*-18-10*
8-28-10;

3-21*40* 3-254*1*

TP-325

335

9-940* 10-1740* 10-11*40* 10-284*1*

31*1 361 362

GUNBOATS

339

7-15-I*3 2-26-I*2 6-7-4*3 3-24*2 U-l-40*

371 381 UOl I*ll 677

1-22-10* 8-I*l*

7-15-4*3

7-15-4*3 2-k-hk

10-940*

63 61* 65
66

10-2U-i*U 11-214*1*

U-29-W* ID-9-10*

67 69

68 70 71 93

8-19-404
5-21-4i5
ao-3-Wt 124*40*

9k
99

RACINE GREENSBORO
50RSYTH

100

11-154*1*

1-14*5 10-H-404

2-15-l5 11-1840*

In torch 191*3, officers (CORVETTES) and nucleus crews for two corvettes (Canadian) assigned to the Coast Guard were sent to Quebec for precommissioning detail. In June, the Coast Guard upon assignment by the Navy, furnished personnel for the complete manning of six additional corvettes. Altogether 850 Coast Guard personnel were furnished for these eight corvettes. The corvettes names, class and number, and dates of commissioning weret NAME
ACTION BRISK

CLASS & NUMBER PO-66

COMMISSIONED

ALACRITT

101 102

10-284*1* 1-294*5 12-940*

HASTE INTENSITY
MIGHT

87 89 ?u 95 96

92 93

"On June 17, 19U2" says Vroiil'ito Karig1 "Admiral King (*P) notified the commands of the Eastern and Gulf Sea Frontiers (Admirals AnDrews and Kauf fman) that all civilian craft capable of remaining at sea at cruising speeds for forty-eight hours, and preferably of carrying four 300-pound depth charges and a 50 caliber machine gun were to be acquired. The response from civilian owners was immediate, and frequently crews went with the boats, all incorporated into the Coast Guard reserve to gether* Owners may have winced as they watched handrubbed mahogany, scoured teak and gleaming brightwork disappear under thick gray paint, but they them selves, as often as not, put on the uniform of a chief boatswain l mate and traded a luxurious office s for the heaving deck of a IP. This splinter fleet organized as a picket line spaced along the 50 was fathom curve of the Atlantic and Gulf coats, parti cularly in those areas where submarines were found to be concentrated, and there they served as floating sentries until the converted fleet was given its honorable discharge in December, 1910*." The first of these patrol vessels was manned by the Coast Guard on lhDecember, 19l*l; tt* last on August, 191*1*. Brief war histories, where available, are included in Part ll* The names and dates of commissioning are as follows: NAME IP-28 70 1$ 93 COMMISSIONED NAME COMMISSIONED

PATROL

PERT
PRUDENT

11-22-42 12-10-I*2 12-64*2 l*-64*3 3-31-U3 12-224*2 6-23-4*3 8-11*4*3

li-28-40

98 11U 115
116 120 122 127 130 131 13li

2-9-4*2 3-20-I*2 2-W* 12-26-I*l

TP-135 IUO li*2 IU3

197

U-30-U3 12-26-la 12-15-U

198

227

12-31-4* l 12-26-la 12-llt-Ul 7-15-U3 12-I^-I*l

250 251 259

260

12-15-40. 12-15-40. 12-15-W. 12-15-40. 1-5-^2 5-29-ltf 9-17-U2

The following account of the sinking of a submarine by a corvette is typical of the work of these vessels during the war.1 "Unexpectedly, the U-boat surfaced about two miles ahead of us. I don't know why she came up. Perhaps we had kept her down too long, or thought she would try her luck at a shooting she match, or she may even not have heard us; but we didn't waste time with speculations just then. Our first shot fell short, our second was dead in line, but over, and our third plowed the water just where she had crash-dived again. We dropped a pattern of depth charges for luck, on her estimated diving posi tion, and then began a proper sweep. Tfe picked her up almost immediately and ran in and dropped another pattern; this brought up some oil* Out on a wide turn, and in again; once more the charges went over the side; once more, after a pause, there came that series of splitting crashes from below which told us they had well and truly done their stuff. Another run and still another t the afterpart was a scene of vast activity firing, reloading, priming, setting; then the awaited signal from the bridge, and down went the charges and presently the surface of the sea jumped and boiled, and the torpedoman rubbed his hands and called out happilyt 'Next for shaving* xxxxxxxxOne more run, one more series of thunderous cracks, and then the sea, spouting, boiling, threw up what we were waiting for oil in a spreading stain, bits of wreckage, woodwork, clothing, scraps of humanity Contact failed after that, and though we waited until dusk nothing else worth col lecting made its appearance. We had enough in any case." Brief war histories, where available, are

included in Part ll* SUBMARINE CHASERS (SC) (PC)

U-29-U2

316 323 321*

12-31-40. 12-9-^2 11-2M 7-15-40 '7-15-U3

7-15-U3

Guard manned ten Submarine Chasers (6 SC and 1* PC) One of these, PC-590, grounded and sank in a typhoon off Okinawa on October 9, 191*5* An account of this appears in "Coast Guard at War Lost Cutters Till." Brief war histories, where available are included in Part 11. Names and dates of com missioning are as follows t 2. "Corvette inAction* Harper's Magazine p. 177 by Nicholas Monsarrat

During the war the Coast

11

Urn

COMMISSIONED

NAME

COMMISSIONED

PC-5U5

PC-#6.
PO-$9O

10-5-i2

6-27-te 9-1-^

SC-527 SC-528 SC-688 SC-689 SC-701* SC-705

11-28-I*2
U-2-lj2

-28-ii2 6-13-J*2

9-28-l2 10-2-I*2

MISCELLANEOUS

The remaining fifteen vessels maimed for the Navy by the Coast Guard during the nar were used for a variety of purposes* Their names, class and umber, +>c, and dates of commissioning are as follows i
1

NAME

CLASS &NUMBER TYPE

COMMISSIONED

ABARENDA 810 HORN CELTIC SEA CLOUS AMETHYST HSUM MOSKEOET

IX-131
IX-207 TL-99

H-137

TL-59 H-61 PYC-3

HFC WAG TJB-3O YHB-22 AGP-2O

YNG-i*O 7J-677

lORTHEHB LIGHr

Misc. unclassified 2-26-U* Misc. unclassified 1-7-hh Misc. unclassified 1-15-UU Misc. unclassified k-h-iiZ Misc. unclassified 7-l-ii3 Misc. unclassified 7-2-4*3 Coastal Yacht 3-10-4& Submarine Chaser 8-11-Wt Auxiliary Misc. 6-42 Ferry Boat & Launch 3-2U-U2 Ambulance Boat U-13-U3 8-2-1(5 Gate Vessel Range Tender Motor Torpedo Boat Tender Q-ls-hh Unclassified 8-U2

On* of these, the MUSKEGET disappeared without trace while on weather station off Cape Belle Isle on September 9, 19U2. For further details see "Coast Guard at War Lost Cutters VIII." Brief war histories of others, where available, are included inPart n.

M^^L^^^j^^^^l

FAR! II
SHIP'S HISTORIES

CQC 8188

The U. S. Coast Guard cutter 8188 was built at the Navy Yard, Charleston, S. C, and launched being commissioned the same year. The ship in 1937> is 327 fet in length, with a draft of 12^ feet, and has a normal crew of 16 officers and 107 enlisted men. Her propelling plant consists of geared tur bines supplied with steam from oil fired boilers and driving twin screws.
COMMISSIONINQ

BOMBS FISH

o On Jtme 9, l the 8188 was li2 underway as escort commander convoy SCL-85, consisting for of It ships. Dropping a 600 Ib. depth charge on a contact, a school of stunned fish doubtful sound appeared on the surface* While circling the area to renew contact a whale and school of porpoises was also encountered. The search was discontinued.
On July 6, 19h2 the 8188 was moored in Hvalfjordur, Iceland, while part of the officers and soundmen received training on BLENHEIM. the anti-submarine attack teacher aboard HMS BIENHEIM The cutter assumed its duties of escort commander of convoy ONSJ-110, with 13 ships, on the 7th, in com pany withUSS BABBITT. This convoy was part of aa east bound trans-Atlantic convoy which had broken off and was headed for Iceland. On the Bth, with Skagi Point abeam to port, the Free French Corvette ROSEUS joined the task force. Two depth charges were fired on an underseas contact with no visible effects* On the 9th the ROSELYS sank a floating mine and later dropped one charge on a doubtful contact.

The first assignment of the 8188 after her commissioning 1938-190. was to the Fifth Coast Guard District, withNorfolk as her port. In 1938 the ship made a special practice home cruise with cadets from the Coast Guard Academy, and in 1939 spent about three months on temporary duty with the Navy, engaging in joint maneuvers. Later that year the 8188 joined a destroyer squadron for the assistance of shipping in the North Atlantic. In the winter of 1939 she was part of the Grand Banks Patrol. In February 19U0, the 8188 inaugurated the Atlantic leather Patrol, taking up station 35 38 N s3 21 w. During 19U0 and 191*1 much of her time was spent on ireather patrol. Under Executive Order of September 11, 191*1 the 8188 became eligible for trans fer to the Navy by agreement between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. ACTIVITIES

ICELAND 'tOMOI ESCORT

19U2
FIBST ATTACK The 8188 made her first attack on an enemy submarine on April 3, 191t2, firing five I guns and dropping two depth charges on what proved to be a doubtful sound contact. The 8188 was underway on zigzag courses at 5 knots at the time from Norfolk to Casco Bay, Maine. She had barely arrived at Casco Bay on April3rd, when she was under way again searching for a Navy plane that had been forced down at sea. The search was unsuccessful, but the cutter depth charged another submarine contact. Ordered to Boston Navy Yard for repairs, she searched en route for a Coast Guard plane reported down in the vicinity of White Island.
Standing out from Boston, after repairs, the 8188 received a from the MODOC on Af>ril 13th that a plane bad reported a periscope in her vicinity. Proceeding to

SEARCHES FOR Sfl

message

the area she searched with the MODOC without results.

FIRSTCONTOY TO ICELAND

On Uay ltth the 8188 was en route to Iceland as flagship of Task Unit 2U.6.2 with the USS LEAKY and USS BADGER. . On the 6th two other destroyers, the SCHENK and BABBITT were relieved, and the USS DECATUR and CGC DUANE joined the escort, which had met the 13 ship convoy ONSJ-91* on the southerly course to Iceland. Two depth charges were dropped on a sound contact on the 7th and the search continued for two hours before rejoining the convoy. Again on the 13th, off Skagie Point, Iceland, a charge was dropped on a doubtful contact*

On August 3, 191*2, the 8188 with escort commander in CGC BJGHAM was again on convoy duty, The Iceland Unit, consisting of 7 ships, detached from the main convoy at 1900. At 2210 the 8188 received a challenge on bearing 3bO and answering it, the challenge was identified as HH submarine SEAIDLF on the surface below the horiion. The 8188 was again underway on August 31* 19U2 screening the port bow of the eastbound transAtlantic convoy SC-97. At 0809, a large explosion was observed on a ship inthe convoy. The position was 57 KM N 37 I*7' W. Shortly after this flames were observed on a second ship, just ahead of the first one. No sounds of any kind were heard but the deduction, from visual impressions, was that both ships had been torpedoed. Five minutes later the ship on which the explosion had occurred sank, bow first. Ten minutes later the second ship sank stern first. Twice during the next two hours, first two and then one ship in the convoy fired into the water, and one of the escorts, HHS BURNHAM proceeded along side one of the ships that had fired and dropped 3 depth charges. An hour later, another ship in con voy fired at an unidentified object and soon after wards the lookout on the 8188 reported a wake cross ing the bow from port to starboard at a distance of about 500 yards, which faded. That evening gunfire was sighted on the horizon, presumed to be BUS BROADWAY in contact with an enemy submarine. Shortly afterwards star shells, denoting a submarine attack, appeared in the same area. Next morning, September Ist at 1110, the 8188 made a sound contact and five minutes later dropped a barrage of six small and two large depth charges. Regaining the contact ten min utes later she again attacked with a barrage of six charges. The contact was not regained after the last attack. That evening eleven ships of the convoy bound for Iceland departed the sain convoy with the 8188, INGHAM and SCHBNCK as escorts. Shortly after wards an American airplane, which had been patrolling ICELAND BOUND CONVOY ATTACKED

13

over the Bain convoy reported 2 submarines each 2k miles distant on different bearings. On the 2nd the 8188 made a sweep astern and on the 3rd dropped a . large depth charge on a doubtful sound contact. By noon on the 3rd the convoy was standing up the swept channel towards Reykjavik, Iceland.

Standing out of Reykjavik Har bor on September 21st, 19l2 the 8188 awaited the assembly of a convoy of two columns of 5 ships each which was underway by 1600. On the 2l*th she departed from the westbound transAtlantic convoy SC-100 which they had joined and pro ceeded to position 58 00 N 31 CO" IT to search for survivors of the SS FENMAR and other torpedoed vessels in the convoy, with the INGHAM taking a sta tion on the starboard beam. On the 26th at 0710, after sighting a red flare, she proceeded to investi gate and three hours later came upon a freshly broken spar, while passing through an area of oil slicks and debris. An hour later there were numerous red flares and shortly afterwards a lifeboat and raft were sight ed. At noon two boats were lowered and they began bringing 61 survivors aboard, including one naval officer and 23 enlisted men. Within two hours after being brought aboard, all survivors had- been fed, showered, wrapped in blankets and placed on mattresses on the mess deck and in the engineer* s passageway.. There were no seriously ill men among those brought aboard but all were weak and many required aid in going below deck. These men had been some 60 hours In rough seas in an open boat and on rafts and their condition was much better than would be expected. Many of them were suffering from exposure and edema, but after treatment almost all recovered. Itis be lieved that the type of rubber suit worn by the sur vivors contributed greatly to their withstanding the exposure. Many had edema of the hands, which resulted, itis believed, from the tight fit these rubber suits have about the wrist. Ifa type of glove had been in corporated in the suit instead of the tight fitting wrist bands, this edema, itis believed, would not have occurred. The FENMAR had been torpedoed about 2200 on 22 September, 19U2 and had sunk In about 10 minutes. Two and a half hours after this rescue, the INGHAM sighted red flares in position 57 58* N 32 38' W and the 8188 proceeded to cover the INGHAM while she picked up 8 survivors from the SS TENNESSEE. There was also an unoccupied lifeboat awash and two unoccupied rafts. On the 27th the 8188, in company with the INGHAM, searched for survivors of the tor pedoed SS ATHAN SULTAN, but being unable to sight any thing, even though both vessels bad a radar signal which was about 2-8 miles distant, they fired three BtarshellB. They rejoined the convoy on the 28th.

RESCUES 61 SURVIVORS

for air coverage, Identified the smoke as coming from friendly vessels. Next day she sighted a merchant ship on the horizon and challenged. her by blinker. The vessel was identified as the Norwegian MOSDAIE bound for Liverpool. On the 2l*th the 8188 changed course to effect a rendezvous -with convoy SG-105 Joining the convoy on the 26th in position 58 55 N 32 2iO< W. An hour later the Iceland bound section of the convoy departed the main convoy. That night at 2011 two bright red lights were sighted in the convoy and it was learned that the steering machinery on one of the vessels, the SS ORBIS, had broken down. The DUANB was directed to stand by while repairs were made. Four hours later the ORBIS was underway to re join. The convoy stood up the swept channel to Rey kjavik Harbor, Iceland on the 29th and anchored. COASTAL ESCORT ICELAND

On October 31 19U2 the 8188 r

was again underway escorting

the SS NOVA along the southern coast of Iceland. The NOVA discharged and took on U. S. Army personnel at Bey dar Fjord on the Ist of November and then proceeded to Seydis Fjord where she remained over night. On the 2nd they were en route to Raufarhofn, where the NOVA discharged and loaded passengers* On the 3rd they stopped at Akoeyri. On the Uth they observed a plane, which was providing air coverage, crash at sea. The bodies of the navigator and observer were re covered. DELIVERS SHIPS TO CONVOY The 8188 was underway on-Novem191*2 screening the right flank of a west bound convoy of eight ships. She was joined by the INGHAM. On the 11th the convoy became scattered about noon by winds of gale force and heavy seas but was reformed six hours later. The INGHAM and two merchant vessels were missing. Difficulty was ex perienced on the 12th in keeping formation due to high winds and heavy seas. At 0900 the 8188 received word that the INGHAM had the missing ships in company. On the lfsth the 8188 sighted the westbound transAtlantic convoy and delivered five ships, the INGHAM having delivered two earlier on the same date. The 8188 returned to Reykjavik Harbor, Iceland on the 10th where she remained until the 25th.
ber 9,

BRINGS CONVOY TO ICELAND

The 8188 closed eastbound transAtlantic convoy SC-101 on Sep tember 30, 19U2, screening the 7 ship Iceland bound sector SCL-101 which was breaking off and forming. The Ice land convoy was formed by 0900 and got underway, the 8188 screening the rear. At 0730 on October Ist a plane arrived to provide air coverage. On the 2nd all ships were inside Grotta Point, Iceland, maneuverIng for anchorages. ESCORTS ICELAND CONVOYS
Reykjavik Harbor, Iceland until October 19, 19U2, and then got underway escorting a convoy of five ships westward. At OUUB on the 21st she attacked a sound contact with a bar rage of depth charges with undetermined results, due to darkness and haze. Three hours later smoke was sighted on the horizon and the 8188 advanced speed to investigate, but friendly aircraft in the vicinity,

On November 25, 191*2, the 8188 stood out of Reykjavik Harbor to screen in the van of west bound convoy ONS-HlB consisting of eight ships. On December Uth two British excort vessels departed with some of the ships of the convoy for St. John's, New foundland. On the sth a friendly plane was sighted. On the 6th the 8188, together with the U3S McLBISH was relieved of further escoiu duty and departed the convoy setting a course for Argentia, where she arriv ed on the 7th. TO ABSENTIA ESCORTS RUSSIAN SUBMARINES The 8188 stood out of Argentia Harbor on December 7, 19^2 with the USS McLEISH and USS SIMPSON and on the 11th made rendezvous with two Russian submarines, taking station on them to act as senior escort to Halifax, N. S. On the 12th she delivered the two submarines to a local Canadian escort unit off the Sambro Light vessel. She then proceeded with the two Navy destroyers to point "COLD" to rendezvous with two more Russian submarines. At 1015, the SIMPSON was ordered to proceed to the rendezvous position at utmost speed. Seven hours later the 8188 fired a barrage of depth charges on a sound contact and a few minutes later the McLBISH reported a sound contact which was alomst immediately lost. Being unable to re-establish the contact the vessels returned to their former course. At 0810 on the 13th they effected a rendezvous wiih^the^OTSQN

The 8188 remained anchored in

VwMwHMakl

14

and the two Russian submarines and set a course for Halifax, delivering the submarines to the Canadian corvette LISCOMB at noon on the lUth. The 8188 then set a course for Boston and moored at Pier 3, South Boston on the 15th. She remained In South Boston Navy Yard until January j, 191+3 undergoing repairs to hull and machinery.

19k3
The 8188 remained at South Boston Navy Yard until January 16, 19U3, and then stood out of Boston Harbor for Casco Bay, Maine, where on the 18th she went into battle practice with the CGC COMANCHE making practice runs and simu lated attacks on au. S. submarine. On the 25th she proceeded to Argentia in company with SC-688 and SC-189. Investigating a radar contact astern on the 26th it was found to be the SC-689 which had separated from the company during the night. Later that after noon the 8188 dropped an eight charge barrage on a sound contact and what appeared to be a torpedo wake. On the 28th she moored at Argentia. On the 31st she was underway escorting USS SATURN to St. John's, Newfoundland, where she arrived at 0900. At 09U6 she set a course to rendezvous with convoy SC-UB. On February 1, 19U3, the 8188 was underway from St. John's to join eastbound convoy SC-118 and reported to commander Task Unit 2U.6.1 at 1005. On the 3rd information received was that there were some indications that enemy submarines were nearing the convoy. On the Uth the 8188 obtained two high frequency direction finder bearings and began running them down. Eight hours later she dropped one embarrassing charge on a contact believed to be using "pillenwerfer" tactics, which enable a submarine to escape at high speed underwater. The sth was spent covering the rear of the convoy. Next day, after an airplane had dropped a charge directly ahead, the 8188 fired a "Hedge-Hog" barrage of depth charges on a sound contact. At 0250 on the 7th she sighted four star shells in the vicinity of the convoy and a vessel was reported torpedoed. Additional star shells were, fired an hour later, indicating another torpedoing. At 1000 the 8188 sighted a lifeboat ahead and began taking aboard survivors from the SS HENRY S. MALLORY, a troop transport, bound for Iceland. Rescue opera tions continued throughout forenoon, 202 survivors being taken from three lifeboats and -numerous rafts. Six hours later while returning to. convoy the 8188 picked up 33 survivors from the Greek SS KALLIOPI.The MALLORYhad been torpedoed at 0600. No lifeboats arc believed to have gotten away from the starboard side of the vessel, which had 1*99 persons on board. The torpedo struck in a hold occupied by Marines, which probably accounted for the relatively small number of Marines rescued. The occupants of the lifeboats were in excellent condition when brought aboard. As raft after raft was brought alongside the 8188, itbecame necessary, to leave dead bodies on the rafts, there being no time for the dead, when the living were clamoring to be saved. The rafts were of the dough nut type and, due to the height of the sea, it was rarely possible to see more than two or. three raJCts at a time. The temperature of the water was 50 degrees, so that the survivors who wore winter under clothing suffered less in the water. Next day another ship was reported torpedoed. The 8188 made a full pattern attack on a sound contact at OldiO and ten hours later dropped three fullpatterns on three separate contacts. On the 9th at noon the SCL-118, conaJggigfcf seven vessels bound for Iceland, began '^bmKSil^HXitfqgi the main convoy, escorted by the 8188, INGHAM and USS SCHENCK and entered Reykjavik
Harbor on the lUtlu
RESCUES 202 FROM "3B HENRY 5. HALL iQRf 33 FROM SS* KALLIOPI ESCORT TO ABQENTIA

On February 15, 19U3, the 8188 departed for Hvalfjordur, Ice land. On the 17th she nas underway to report to the Escort Commander of Convoy HX-226. The 8188 joined convoy on the 19th. Next day she departed the the convoy in company with the SCHENCK and arrived at Hvalfjordur that evening, proceeding to Reykjavik ESCORTS CONVOY
next day. HIGH SEAS

SCATTER CONVOY

BABBITT in company. only four ships remained in the convoy while three had passed from the radar range and were scattered. One ship was reported later to have returned safely to Reykjavik. Next day two other missing ships were reported to have returned to Reykjavik safely. At the same time one of the convoyed vessels, the ELIZABETH HASSEY, gradually lost position due to heavy seas and light condition and begun to fall behind. The BABBITT was directed to join and try to bring her back to convoy. By the 28th- the ships were widely scattered and seldom in contact with each other. At 131*0 on that date the smoke of the main body of Convoy ONS-169 was sighted and two of the escorted vessels joined that convoy. The 8188 changed course to join convoy HX-227. BRDroSVBSSEL TO SAFETY
underway to
On March 1,

On February 25, 19k3, a convoy was formed with the 8188, as escort commander, escorting seven vessels, with the USS Next day, due to high seas,

2nd the 8188 received a report

from a ship with call letters KFFL that she had been torpedoed in position 62 10 N 25 28' W. A second message followed an hour later adding that the vessel was now on fire. An hour later the 8188 was ordered to detach from the convoy and return to Ice land, with the SS TOLTEC. The 8188 left the TOLTEC at the swept channel buoy No. U, Reykjavik, on the 3rd and proceeded out of the channel under orders to locate the SS COLLIS P. HUNTINGTON, which was in the VICINITY of; Sangerdi Light and without navigational Information on Iceland. The 8188 located the HUNTfIIGTON and led.her safely to anchorage at RByk-. javik. She then proceeded to Hvalfjordur, returning to Reykjavik on the sth. On March 7, 19k3, the 8188 got underway from Reykjavik to augment the escort of convoy SC-121. Next day she intercepted a message from SS VOJTODA PDTNIK stating that the vessel had been torpedoed and was sinking at l N 31 25* W. The 8188 joined convoy SC-121 58 and maneuvered to a position near the SPENCER. An hour later the SPENCER sighted a submarine dead ahead on the surface at about 2000 yerds and she proceeded to attack. Next day at 010l8188 attacked a the doubtful contact which was lost a few minutes later. Ten hours later word was received from a ship in the convoy that a torpedo had crossed her bow and five hours later the 8188, while sweeping 15 miles astern of the convoy, sighted a submarine fully surfaced about U miles away. The 8188 proceeded to the area and heard faint propeller beats but was unable to obtain a sound contact. At 2152 word was received that a vessel in the convoy had been torpedoed. The 8188 proceeded to the area and screened the SS MELBOSB ABBEY, the rescue ship, as she picked up survivors. Soon after midnight on the 10th two more vessels la the convoy were torpedoed. By 0305 the rescue ships had completed operations and were underway to rejoin the convoy. An hour and] a half later the 8188 sighted a raft close aboard with survivors, and three hours later dropped two charges on a doubtful sound contact,

Join convoy HX-227 which she did at 1625. On the

191*3, the 8188 was

gCKS UP SUHyIVORS j^OM tfro MORE VESSELS

15

while HMS DAUPHIN screened the rescue ship. Twenty minutes later she sighted a life raft with three men on it and she directed the rescue ship to pick them up* The rescue ship failed to locate the raft and as the increasingly rough weather and impending snow squall made it imperative that the men not be lost sight of, the 8188 rescued the 3 survivors from the SS COULMOHE. A few minutes later another raft was sighted dead ahead and two survivors, of the SS BONNEVILLE were taken aboard. The, 8188 now maneuver ed near the SS COULMORE and found- her in good condi tion and floating on an even keel, even with the tor pedo hols in her bow* There were no persons aboard* Four hours later the 8188 proceeded to the assistance of the SS ROSEWOOD, reported sinking, but could not locate her in the darkness and storm* Next day, the 11th, the 8188 sighted a ship on the horison and pro ceeded toward it. Itturned out to be the stern of a torpedoed tanker, with no signs of life on board, though one boat and one raft remained on board. The 8188 began searching for survivors and large quanti ties of debris, including a swamped lifeboat were sighted. Later she returned to the wreck and left it in a sinking condition from gun fire and depth charges. Next day she sighted the bow of the tanker and left itin sinking condition also. Several hours later she again encountered the abandoned SS COULMOBB* Soon afterwards she got underway to join HMS TRILLIUM and relieved her of escort of SS EMPIRE BUNTING. On the 13th the 8188 set a course for Reykjavik and an chored there on the 15th, later that day proceeding to Hvalfjordur* The 8188 left Hvalfjordur for Reykjavik on March 18, 1?13 and stood out to sea en route to Join Iceland bound convoy HXL-229A. The cutter reported to the escort com mander on the 20th and was assigned a station. That

On May 9, 19U3 the 8188 proceedd to Hew York and anchored in Sandy Hook Bay on the 13th in company with Task Force 66 con sisting of the 8188, as flag ship, the CGC INOHAM and seven Navy destroyers. On the lUth the Task Force got under way escorting convoy UGA-8A for Casablanca. Sound contacts were attacked that day and the next and on the 16th four more destroyers of Task Group 21.3 Join ed the escort group. On the 26th the USS CARD re ported a suspected sub 10 miles ahead. Two other destroyers dropped charges on doubtful contacts and the 8188 made an embarrassing attack on a contact at 600 yards at 11*30. A submarine periscope was reported close aboard. The 8188 regained contact and slowed for a "Hedgehog" attack* At the same time she opened fire with her 20 MMmachine guns on a periscope re ported ahead. Then she increased to full speed and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. Soon after, a streak of heavy oil, 30 yards long, was sighted. The 8188 was unable to regain contact and rejoined the con voy. On the 31st, the Casablanca section of the convoy, consisting of 27 ships, began breaking off. On June 2, 19U3, the 8188 moored in Delplt Basin, Casablanca. FIRES ON PERISCOPB EN ROUTJ CASABLANCA RETURN TO U. S. The 8188 was underway again on June 9, 19U3 *s flagship of Task Force 66 in company with the CGC INGHAM, and six Navy destroyers and six French escort vessels. At1)|)ili the Casablanca section started joining the main convoy -from Mediter ranean ports, GUS-8. On the 11*th several high fre quency direction finder bearings were reported and on the 19th the convoy made an emergency turn on a conAnother tack which later proved to be non-submarine. emergency turn was made on the 21st on a radar contact yards and at osl2 the 8188 dropped one depth at 3006 charge on an underwater sound contact that disappeared at ?00 yards. The New York section of the convoy be gan breaking off on, the 26th, with the INGHAM, as senior escort with four Navy destroyers, and the rest of the convoy stood into Chesapeake Bay entrance* On the 27th the 8188 was en route to New Tork where she anchored in Gravesend Bay, moving over to Brooklyn on the 28th to moor*
Standing down New York Harbor on July 8, 19U3, in company with Task Force 63, consisting of four Navy destroyers, the 8188 re CASABLANCA ported at Buoy "BWand the force stood out to sea on the 9th coverIng a section of convoy UGS-12 to Norfolk. That after noon the 8188 attacked a sound contact with a fullnine charge pattern and some heavy oil and light bits of debris resulted. A few minutes later a vessel in con voy fired a machine gun at a reported visual contact. The 8188 picked up oil samples and ordering the USS PORTENT to remain in the vicinity, rejoined the convoy. Oil was still rising in the area. The PORTENT made a \u25a0Hedgehog" attack and dropped five depth charges on a sound contact one mile north of the 8188 attack. Moor ing at Norfolk on the 11th three more destroyers re ported to the task force and they departed the same day to escort convoy UGS-12 to North Africa ports. On the 13th Task Group 21.13 joined, departing next day. On the lth the USS EDWARDS departed for Bermuda, her sound gear inoperative. On the 21st the PORTENT stood by to cover one of the convoy vessels that had steering trouble. On the 22nd the 8188 had a sound contact and fired a pattern of nine depth charges with no apparent results. Next day she fired her port X guns on a con tact with negative results. On the 2Uth two destroyers were ordered to cover the carrier BOGUE, while another destroyer transferred 15 survivors of an

DUff

ESCORT

afternoon she had an underwater sound contact and made an embarrassing depth charge attack SOOO yards ahead of the convoy with no visible damage. On the 22nd she broke off from convoy HXL-229A and began screening ahead of convoy HXL-229. Entering Reykjavik on the 23rd she proceeded to Hvalfjordur where she entered floating drydock on the 27th and remained there until the 29th.

DELIVERS CONVOY

On April 3, 191*3 the 8188 left for Reykjavik and later got underway standing out of the harbor to form convoy ONJ-176, consisting of three vessels with the USS SYMBOL in company as escort. Next day she identified convoy ON-176 and delivered the section from Iceland. Then she proceeded towards Iceland and arrived at Reykjavik on the afternoon of the sth. TO IRELAND AND NORFOIfr, VA. On April 6, 191*3 the 8188 got underway in company with the

BRINGS lIP OIL AND DEBRIS EN ROUTS

USS VULCAN and CGC INGHAM and on the Bth moored at the naval anchorage at Moville, Ireland. She remained there only seven hours and at 1729 stood out of Loch Foyle In company with the INGHAM and VULCAN for a trip dir ect to Norfolk, Va. Next day she had a sound contact and carried out an embarrassing attack, dropping two depth charges. The contact was evaluated as probably non-sub* That evening the INGHAM made an embarrassing attack on what was reported to be a periscope. The three vessels arrived off the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the 17th. On the 18th the 8188 dropped the escort of the VULCAN and stood out of the swept channel in company with the INGHAM en route Boston, where she arrived on the 19th for ten days availability. On the 30th she departed Boston for Casco Bay, Maine*

enem^^bsunk

16

by one of the BOGDE's planes on the 23rd. On the 28th the main convoy was turned over to the British escort and the Casablanca section began breaking off and an-

chored at the breakwater at 121*0. Three hours later the 8188 stood into the harbor and moored, remaining there until the 31st. SUB SIGHTED ON RETURN fRIP_ TO UNITED STATES

to Norfolk. On the 26th, the escort duty completed the 8188 proceeded to South Boston Navy Yard Annex mooring there on the 28th and remaining through the balance of October.
PATROL DOTY SAN JUAN The 8188 departed Boston on November 8, 191*3 in company -with the INOHAM en route San Juan, Porto Rico, for duty with Task Group 26.U and arrived there on the 13th. On the 17th the 8188 was patrolling the southeast entrance to Yieques Sound, being relieved by submarine chasers and then escorted the USS BEARN departing San Juan on the 27th. She nas relieved at 22 00 N 77 20W on November 30th by submarine chasers and arrived at Guantanamo Bay on December Ist, 19h3

The 8188 remained moored at Casablanca until August 6, 19U3 and then stood out of the harbor, forming Task Force 63 consisting of the INGHAM and fire destroyers en route Gibraltar, where they arrived on the 7th. On the Bth she stood out of Gibraltar Harbor incommand of Task Force to meet convoy GUS-11 at the straits. On the 9th the Casablanca section, escorted, by two destroyers, joined the main convoy. On the 13th the carrier BOGUS reported an attack by her aircraft four miles astern of the convoy and two destroyers were detached to assist the plane, out rejoined later re porting negative results. On the 16th the 8188 at tacked a doubtful sound contact with three starboard throwers without results. On the lSth the USS PORTENT made a depth charge attack on the starboard quarter of the convoy. Next day the 8188 fired her starboard thrower in an embarrassing attack on what was probably a non-submarine. On the 2lith, the New York section of 19 ships detached with h escorts. On the 25th a plane reported sighting a submarine diving lU miles from the convoy and the 8188 increased speed to search the area. She had -a sound contact at 900 yards and dropped a full pattern with negative results. On the 26th the Delaware section of the convoy departed under escort of the INGHAM and USS THREAT and at 0935 the lead ships were ordered to follow the 8188 to the swept channel of New York harbor* On the 27th the 8188 de parted for Boston and moored at the South Boston Navy Yard on the 28th. ESCORTS CONVOf TO GIBRALTAR
parted Boston on September 8,

ESCORT DUTY

She departed Guantanamo Bay on con 9, 19k3, December 9, 191i3, escorting coi voy GAT-10U and arrived at Trini dad on the lUth. Leaving Trini dad on December 20th, escorting convoy TAG-IOU, the 8188 arrived at Guantanamo Bay on the 25th. CONVOY

The 8188, with the UTGHAM, de-

The 8188 departed Guantanamo Bay QUANTANAMO on December 29, 19U3, escorting convoy GAT-108 and arrived at CONVOY ESCORT Trinidad January 3, X9hh On January 6th she left Port of Spain, Trinidad escorting U. S. Army Transport S-17 to San Juan. She arrived at San Juan on December 7th and departed on the Bth for Guantanamo Bay where she arritfpL on the 9th. Departing the same day for Trinidad she arrived at her destination and on the Hith left Trinidad for Guantanamo Bay, arriving on the 19th. Departing Guantanamo on the 23rd she arrived at Norfolk on the 26th. The 8188 was moored at St. Helena
Navy Yard, Berkley, Va., until
February 10, 19hh undergoing over haul. On the 11th she was under way proceeding to Norfolk and on the 12th was landing Roads, anchoring in Lynnhaven Roads. On down Hampton the 13th she stood down Chesapeake Bay swept channel and maneuvered while awaiting the formation of the convoy. The commander of Task Force 66 was in the CONVOY ESCORT TO CASABLATTS?

19hk

Island Sound for anti-submarine warfare practice, which consisted of simulated depth charging and head throw weapon runs on a submerged U. S. submarine and also acted as target for FT boats in combined destroyer and PT exercises. On the 11th she stood down Block Island swept channel for Norfolk and moored at the Naval Operating Base on the 12th. On the liitb she stood out of Norfolk preparatory to acting as escort commander of convoy UOS-18 en route to North African and Mediterranean ports. Task Force 63 also included the INGHAM and seven destroyers. When completed on the 15th the convoy formation con sisted of 12 columns of ships. On the 20th the 8188 investigated a sound contact, which proved to be nonsubmarine and was probably due to fish. A fire which broke out on the 8188 on the 21st proved to be rags burning in a bucket. On the 27th the USS CHASE de parted for Gibraltar and on the 2nd the main convoy stood up the main channel through Gibraltar straits. On the same day two vessels broke off for Europe Point and the convoy was joined by the Gibraltar section. British ships took over escorting the convoy on the 3rd and the 8188 with four Navy destroyers proceeded toward Casablanca where they arrived on the Uth. On October 7, 19U3, the 8188 with the four Navy destroyers departed Casablanca for Gibraltar and on the 9th began escorting the Gib raltar section of GUS-17. Later on the same day the INGHAM and a destroyer, joined with the Casablanca section and two PC escorts later departed for Casa blanca with four vessels from the main convoy. The passage across the Atlantic continued without incident. On October 25th the New York and Delaware sections broke off. escorted six vessels and the others continued RETURN TO UNITED STATES

19U3, for area R off Block

8188, while ComCortDiv US consisted of six Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts and one Navy manned destroyer escort. The Task Force was escorting convoy UQS-33, consisting of 78 merchant vessels to North African ports and also the USS BRANT (ARS-32) and six LCl's to the Asores. On February 15th the convoy dispersed inheavy weather with four escorts rounding up the stragglers. On the 17th a Navy seaman was transferred by pulling boat from one of the convoyed vessels to the 8188 for an appendectomy. On the 21st a doctor from the USS BABBITT was transferred to the 8188 to treat that ship's doctor who had been stricken with pneumonia. On the 27th friendly aircraft were sighted screening the convoy. By March Ist the Azores group had departed and on the same day the Casablanca sec tion of the convoy, consisting of seven merchant ves sels and the USS CASSATOT (AO-77), with three escorts detached. On March 2nd four merchant vessels detached for Gibraltar and Task Force 66 was relieved of es corting the convoy by a British task force. Task Force 66 relieved course and began standing up the Straits of Gibraltar and on the 3rd entered Casablanca Harbor. RETURN TO U. S.
parted Casablanca with Task Force 66 and on the Bth relieved the

On March 7, 19UU, the 8188 de-

senior British escort inHMS BITTERSWEET of convoy GUS-32. Om the same day eight merchant vessels with the oiler USS CASSATOT escorted

17

andthe main turbines stopped. The vessel fell off to northward and commenced drifting toward the con voy. Auxiliary diesel power for radio and lighting systems was cut in and the cutter shifted to hand steering. The breakdown had been caused by the tripping of circuit breakers on the main switchboard and within 35 minutes the 8188 had again shifted to power steering. On the 20th a Liberator was sighted screening the convoy* The barometer dropped and the winds rose with a number five sea. Because of the weather, zigzagging was discontinued. One merchant vessel was detached for St. John's. On the 22nd the Norfolk section of the convoy was detached, escorted by four destroyer escorts, and a little later the Delaware section left under escort of two destroyer escorts. On the 23rd the convoy entered New Tork Harbor and the 8188 moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard with availability expiring April 2nd. The 8188 departed Brooklyn for Casco Bay, Maine, on April 3rd and on the sth began exercises which continued through the 7th. Standing out of Casco Bay on that day, she moored at. Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, on the 9th, moving to Lynnhaven Roads on the 12th. On the 13th she stood down the Norfolk swept channel and then reversed courses and stood up to the Naval Operating Bases for Imperative repairs. Later in the day she took station "one" in convoy UGS-39 forming off Nor folk swept charmed as flagship of Task Force 60, with six Coast Guard manned, and six Navy manned destroyer escorts. One of the DE's was damaged in collision and returned to Norfolk Navy Yard for repair. The convoy consisted of 102 merchant ships* On the ll|.th three more destroyer escorts joined the task force. On the lth two YM's detached for Bermuda. On the 20th a destroyer escort reported picking up Morse Code signals on their underwater sound gear, and an hour later the 8188 picked up the same signals. Ten minutes later escort vessels of the inner screen dropped one depth charge each, followed at short in tervals by two more sets of charges, by each escort vessel of the inner screen. Two hours later a white wake was sighted passing astern from port to starboard and the 8188 maneuvered on various courses at 15 knots for a sound contact, resuming normal patrol speed an hour later. On the 23rd the 8188 sounded the sub marine alarm on receiving a sound contact and dropped one depth charge 600 yards ahead of one of the convoy columns. The contact was analyzed as doubtful. One merchant vessel detached for the Azores. On the 28th four merchant vessels and one destroyer detached, the vessels to be escorted to Oran by a British task force. An hour later three merchant vessels detached for Casablanca under escort of two U.S. P.O. vessels and a French destroyer. Another merchant vessel from Casablanca joined the convoy. On the 29th a ggneral alarm was sounded on receiving a radar contact at a range of 11 miles, thought to be a possible aircraft. Shortly afterwards the convoy was secured from general quarters as the contact proved to be negative. An hour later a Netherlands war vessel joined the task force as an anti-airctaft ship. On the 30th the oiler COSSATOT and four escorts detached for Oran and two destroyer escorts joined the task force. On May Ist seven meccnartt vessels were detached under escort of a destroyer escort for Algiers. On the 2nd five mer chant vessels joined the convoy from Algerian ports. On the 3rd the convoy commenced standing up the CONVOY ESCORT TO BIZBBTE"

by Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts VANCE and CHAMBERS, joined the convoy. At the same time eight merchant vessels under escort of PC Teasels were de tached for Casablanca, making the total number of ships in the convoy 82, plus the oiler. On the 12th three more merchant vessels joined. On the 16th all electric power on the 8188 failed, the rudder jammed

Tunisian War Channel and six hours later Task Force 60 was relieved of convoy UGS-39 by BUS DART at the entrance to Bizerte swept channel. The 8188 remained moored at Bizerte .until May 11th, 19hh and then was underway as flagship of Task Force 60 relieving HMS PHEASANT of convoy GUS-39 in the vicinity of Bizerte swept channel. On the 12th four merchant vessels were detached for Bone, Algeria, while three merchant ves sels from that port joined. On the 13th, sixteen mer chant vessels detached for Algiers while 23 merchant .vessels joined from that port. On the Utth ten mer chant vessels were detached for Oran while sixteen joined. On the 15th a destroyer escort fired across the bow of a fishing boat to keep it clear of the con voy after the fisherman had refused to follow orders. Eight merchant vessels were detached for Gibraltar on the lSth. Next day six merchant vessels detached for Casablanca while eight joined. One convoyed vessel detached for Horta, Azores on the 20th and two joined. On the 27th two merchant vessels were detached for NewYork. On the 28th thirty seven ships detached for Hampton Roads. The New York section, with the com mander Task Force 60 in the 8188, now consisted of U8 ships in 8 columns. The convoy arrived at New York on the 30th and the 8188 moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard with an availability period until June 10th.
ENEMY AIR ATTACK

EN ROUTE BIZBRTE

On h June, 19UU, Commander H. T. Diehl, USCQ, relieved Commander C.A. Anderson, USCQ, as commanding officer of the BIBB* On the 10th the cutter stood out for Casco Bay, Maine, where she held exercises and drills until the 18th, when she de parted for Hampton Roads. On the 2Uth she was'uncfer way out of the swept channel with Task Force 60, con sisting of 6 Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts and six Navy destroyer escorts, the escort oiler USS MATTAPONI (AO-Ul) and two French escorts, escorting convoy UGS-b6 to North African ports. The convoy con sisted of 69 merchant ships, 19 LST's and one British aircraft carrier. On the 28th one merchant vessel returned to Norfolk unescorted due to machinery fail ure. On the same day a member of the Naval Reserve (WT 3c) was t ransf erred from the USS MTTIVIER to the 8188 by breeches buoy for emergency medical treatment. The broken blower crankshaft if one of the merchant convoy was repaired on the 8188 and trans vessels in ferred to it by breeches buoy. On the I+th of July, 19144. there were detachments from the convoy for Horta, Azores and for Casablanca on the 9th and 11th. Ves sels joined the convoy at Gibraltar on the 10th. Various members of the Task Force departed as escorts for detachments and others joined 'for temporary duty. A warning of the presence of unidentified aircraft was received on the 12th. At 0115 the 8188, at general quarters, began making smoke to cover sector one of the convoy. At 0330 various escorts reported bandit planes closing over the convoy. Allescorts were given permission to open fire at will on unidentified aircraft. At 0336 escorts on the convoy's port side began firing and two minutes later escorts on the star board side began to open fire. The planes drew away at OliliO, the escorts ceased firing, and at Ol*2B the "all clear" was sounded and the 8188, ceasing to make smoke, was secured from general quarters. The attack took place at 36 23 N, 00 26.5' E. No planes came within range of the 8188 during the entire action. Much credit was given to the smoke screen for warding off possible air torpedo attacks. The smoke hung low, never rising above 100 feet, the wind was steady and moderate and from a most favorable position dead ahead of the convoy. The night was dark throughout the.ao* tion, though the moon was bright and cast a bright path. The convoy proceeded toward Bizerte, where, on the lUth, the 8188 was relieved as escort flagship by HMS PHEASANT and moored until the 20th.
\u0084

18

The 8188 departed for gunnery exercises on July 20, 191*1;, and, having completed these, got underway to take station one of Task Force 60, escorting convoy GUS-46. At 1521 she relieved HMS FLEETWOOD as Task Force Com mander. Two merchant ships joined on the 21st; six detached and six joined on the 22nd; and nine detach ed and seven joined on the 23rd. Also on that day two British escorts detached. The convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar on the 2Uth as six merchant ves sels detached and seven joined the convoy. Another joined on the 29th. On August 6th the 8188 expended U depth charges on a sound contact which was later evaluated as non-submarine. The convoy began breakoff operations on the 7th. Thirteen merchant ships under escort of the 8188 and ComCorDiv 45, consisting of 6 Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts, proceeded to New York, while the remainder, under the Navy manned destroyer escorts of ComCorDiv 67, detached for Norfolk. The 8188 was relieved of escort duty on August Bth and proceeded independently to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and moored. On the 19th she pro ceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, where she engaged in various drills and exercises until fie 28th. Then she departed for Norfolk and moored there for the rest of August. RETURN TO U. S. On September 2nd, 1944, the 8188 stood down Chesapeake Bay channel and departed for North African ports as flag ship of Task Force 60, escorting. convoy UGS-53. The
USS JOHNSON (DE-683) detached temporarily from the
task force on the same day and proceeded to Bermuda
for repairs, rejoining on the 6th. Meanwhile, one
merchant had joined the convoy and another had de tached for Bermuda on the sth. Between the Bth and
12th, the 8188 took aboard crew members from three
merchant vessels in convoy for medical treatment. On the 17th three merchant vessels detached for Casa blanca and, on the 18th, one detached for Gibraltar and two merchant ships and three British submarines joined the convoy. On the 19th and 20th a number of ships were detached for Oran and Algiers, others join ing from those ports. Three destroyer escorts left to escort three of these detached ships, two of the escorts returning on the 20th and 21st. The other merchant ships who detached proceeded i^. groups, without escorts from the task force. On the 21st, two merchant vessels joined from Bone, Algeria. On the 22nd Task Force 60 was relieved of escort duty by British vessels and the 8188 stood into Bizerte swept channel and moored. CONVOY TO BIZERTE The 8188 departed from Bizerte on SeDtember 21. 1944, zerte on September 23, 19hl and was joined by Escort Divisions 45 nd 67, forming Task Force 60. She anchored in Palermo outer harbor, moving next morning to the breakwater. On the 27th she stood out of Palermo and on the 28th, following gunnery and tactical exercises, the task force re lieved HMS SHIEID as escort for convoy GUS-53. On the 30th, 2 merchant ships detached and 10 joined from Algiers. On October Ist the convoy was augmentEd by 30 merchant ships and 3 Navy vessels. Four merchant ships were detached for Gibraltar and one joined Just before the convoy changed course to stand through the Straits. Three merchant ships joined the convoy on the 3rd and four were detached for Casablanca; three more joined on the 7th. From time to time on the voyage the 8188 rendered medical assistance to crew members, and to one German prisons' of war, aboard the various convoyed ships. On the 13th the commander of Task Force 60 was transferred aboard the USS MERRILL (DE-392) relieving the 8188 as f3*B^jj^^hel assumed a new patrol station RETURN TO U. S.

until the 15th, when she departed independently for Charleston, S. C. She arrived on the 17th, remaining there for the rest of October. CONVERSION TO AGO

19Ut, the 8188 remained at the ,

going conversion to an AGC

During November and December,

Charleston

Navy

Yard

under

(combined operation communications headquarters ship) type of vessel. A training program for the personnel was in progress during this time.

19U5
The 8188 was moored at the Charlestown Navy Yard from January 1 to 29, 1945, under going conversion to an AGC* On the 29th and 30th she was depermed, degaussed and tested. Taking on ammunition at the Navy Yard until the 4th of January, when she departed for Hampton Roads, 7a. On the 7th she stood up Chesapeake Bay and carried out various exercises and then proceeded to Norfolk, mooring at the Navy Yard there on the 12th. Escorted by the USS BARRY (APD-29) the 8188 departed Norfolk on the 15th of February and arrived at Panama on the 22nd. She passed through to canal and departed Balboa on the 23rd for Pearl Harbor. On the 27th she went to the assistance of the USS NARRAGANSETT (ATF-88) and float ing drydock ARDC-12. Sighting the NARRAGANSETT l miles distant, the 8188 came alongside and then pro ceeded to tha floating drydock, 2-j miles away, and took her in tow. On March Ist, 1945, she released the drydock to Tug ATA-225 in position 14 02 N 98 52 1 and proceeded to Manzanillo, Mexico. She departed Manzanillo on the 3rd and reached Pearl Harbor on the 11th. The 8188 departed Pearl Harbor on March 25th and arrived at Eniwetok on April 3, 1945. Departing for Palau on the sth her destination was changed for UlithiIslands on the 9th and she arrived there next day. On April 14th she departed for Guam where she arrived on the 15th and on the 19th rendezvoused with the AARON WARD who acted as her escort to Okinawa. She anchored at Kerama Retto, Okinawa on April 23rd. FLOATING DRIDOCK EN ROUTE OKINAWA
TOWS A

When an enemy aircraft was sighted coming in from the northwest on April 26, 1945, the 8188 commenced firing. The plane disappeared in a smoke screen. Again on the 29th the 8188 opened fire on an enemy aircraft identified as a Japanese bomber. Three ships in the area fired at the enemy aircraft which was knocked down about 1000 yards to the north of the 8188. Early on the 30th and again on the 6th of May the 8188 fired on enemy aircraft. All these planes were suicide planes which chose medium sized and large ships at anchor as their targets, and used various tactics, some attacking at night, some at dusk and others dur ing daylight. All came in at low altitude and seemed to approach a target from the stern, going into a steep glide about 800 yards on the quarter of their target. On April 28th one of these planes, undetected and unreported by any unit, approached the southern anchorage, flying at high speed about 100 feet above the water. Very few ships were able to fire on it as itpassed, "he plane crashed into the starboard side of the USS PDJKNEY (APHO2) a transport for the wound ed. On the same day all hands on the 8188 went to general quarters when another warning was received and the 8188 began making smoke. Than she began firing on an apparent target on the port beam, but was stopped a minute, later because the target could be neither seen nor heard. On May Ist a radar picket at 0340 reported a "bogey" coming in 45 miles from the BIBB'S position. Fourteen minutes later a "bogey" consisting of probably two planes at low altitude, was reported

KAMIKAZE ATTACKS

19

COAST QUAED COTTER 808

THE CAMPBELL UNDER WAY IN THE PACIFIC

tfl fIVFH

20

as casing rapidly. The 8188 commenced making smoke at 035U, even before SOPA ordered it 1* minutes later. A minute later at 0359 an enemy aircraft was sighted at a range of about 5000 yards and about 1000 feet in altitude. Itwas a clear night with a bright, full moon which made visibility very good. The plane had just flown over Tokashika Shima and was approaching the southern anchorage near the 8188. Various ves sels near the path of the plane opened fire. The plane was in a slight glide, losing altitude, apparent ly picking out one of the ships in the anchorage as a suicide crash target. The BIBB's gun fired one round at the target when it was dead astern but did not fire again because the crew had lost sight of the target. Just as the plane entered its steep glide, preparing to crash dive, two of the BIBB's guns picked up the target, and began firing. A few seconds later the
plane crashed in to the USS TERROR (CM-5) starboard
amidships. On the morning of May 6th, at 081*6, SOPA warned that "bogeys" as well as many friendly planes were within four miles. Hellcat fighters were being vectored to intercept the raid. Two minutes later lookouts on the 8188 sighted one aircraft identified as a "Val" at a range of 8000 yards appearing just over Hokaji Island, at an altitude of about 1000 feet. The 5" battery expended 7 rounds. The target was taken under fire by vessels in the anchorage but ap parently escaped, damaged, and disappeared flying north toward Oeruma Shima. Another nVal, ~ taken under fire by naval units, westward of Geruma Shima was brought down. Ten minutes later a "Tony" was sighted at about 5000 yards, and the 8188 commenced firing, but the firing was checked as the bearing became foul. The "Tony" crash dived into the stern of the USS ST. GEORGE (AV-16) causing only superficial damage. No other enemy action took place in the BIBB's vicinity during the rest of May and she remained anchored, continuing as flagship of Cominpac.

shifted his flag to"USS TERROR (CM-5) and the 8188 became relief flagship for Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble, USN, newly appointed Commander Mine Craft. On the 16th she got underway in the van of a number of Navy craft who stood out of Buckner Bay and pro ceeded independently in accordance with the typhoon plan. She returned to Buckner Bay on the 18th and anchored, acti:^ as supply and provision ship for VMS type of vessel. On 28 September the 8188 again departed Buckner Bay. She remained underway except for three days, until October 11, carrying out ty phoon plan, X-RAY. On the 11th she anchored in Buckner Bay and acted as flagship for Task Group 52.9 until December 1, 191*5> when she departed for the United States.
CQC 8188

COMMANDING OFFICER
January February

STIKA, Joseph E., Commander SCHLEITER, Howard W., Lt. (jg) BLOOM, Walfred G., Commander COLLINS, Paul \u0084 Lt. Comdr. BRODIE, Robert D. IV,Ensign BLOOM, Walfred G., Commander HEMINGWAY,
Henry 0.

March
April Ifey

June
July August September

Commander

TTIER, Qainea A., Lt. Ccmdr. BLOOM, Walfred G., Commander COLLINS, Paul W., Lt. Comdr. KOBLER, Jason S., Ensign BLOOM, Walfred G., Commander RANET, Roy L., Commander

On June I*, 19U5 the 8188 stood out of Kerama Retto, in company with two other Navy vessels, and escorted by three destroyers, to ride out a reported storm at sea. She returned to Kerama Retto, next morning and remained anchored there for the balance of June. At 181?O on June 21st the 8188 sighted one "Tojo" and one "Oscar" closing rapidly at about 800 feet altitude. The "Tojo" split off, pass ing the BIBB's starboard beam by 250 yards, and crash dived into the starboard side of the USS CURTIS. The "Oscar" then took a course northward, climbed to about 1000 feet, reversed course and began maneuvering for a crash dive, wih ber probable target the 8188, TJ6-331, or USS KENNETH WHITING all within close range of each other. The 8188 opened fire on the "Oscar" before it began reversing and maintained fire until . it was in the last phase of the crash dive. The plane received several visible hits on the left wing, close to the fuselage at the peak of the dive and began trailing black smoke, crashing into the water near the KENNETH WHITING. The BIBB's fire was thought to be directly responsible for causing the attack to be frustrated and the plane splashing harmlessly into the water. MORE SUICIDE ATTACKS EVADES TYPHOON The 8188 continued at anchor inKerama Retto until July 7, 19U5, when she proceeded to Buckner Bay, where she an chored remaining through the 16th. On the 17th she departed in convoy to a clear area, when a typhoon was expected to strike. The 8188 returned on the 21at and proceeded to Buckner Bay, where she remained at anchor during the balance of July. The 8188 remained at anchor in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, during August, 19U5, as flagship for Commander, Mine Craft, Pacific Fleet. On 10 September, 19U5f the Commander, Mine Craft,

October November December, 191*1 November 19U2 December, 191*2 October 191*3 November,
May

19l*l*

191*3

ANDERSON, Chester A.

A., Ccndr.

June,

December IskS

191*1*

DIEHL, Herman T., Commander

CQC CAMPBELL

19U

ber 11, 19l*l, all units, yes* sels and personnel of the Coast Guard previously transferred te, or under detail with the Navy and such additional units, vessels and personnel of the Coast Guard as was agreed to between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Coast Guard, would operate as part of the Navy and the per sonnel be subject to the laws enacted for the govern ment of the Navy. The CGC CAMPBELL was one of these units. She had been on duty with the Navy since early in 191*1.
PART OF THE NAVT

CQC CAMPBELL OTERATES AS

By Executive Order of Septem

v-i^iv-i^i

21

19U2

DBTrH CHARGE

On Ebruary 2k, 19h2, while

on convoy duty in the Atlan tic, the CAMPBELL made a eon-
tact on her underwater sound
equipment. She dropped six depth charges and fired two from her "I"gun. A few \u25a0Incites later on another contact, a second barrage was fired. Fifteen minutes later a third contact was made, then there were contacts made every ten or fif teen minutes in the next hour and a half. Altogether ten contacts were made during that period, with from two to seven depth charges fired on each one. In creasing speed to overtake the convoy she zigzagged
on each side of the course. An hour later another
contact was made at $00 yards and during the next k$
minutes she picked up four more contacts none of
which was definite enough to drop charges.
TEW
Underway on 22 March,
Army transport

ESCORT TO IHELAND

out of Casco Bay, Maine, the CAMPBELL escorted the American

IShZ

Argentla, N. F., being relieved of escort duty on the.

25th and anchoring in Placentia Bay, N. F. Early in
April she was underway again as part of a Task Force en route to Londonderry, Ireland. There was air
coverage by British planes the first day and the trip
was uneventful except for various radar and sound
contacts which yielded negative results. Sighted Ireland on 10 April and entered River Foyle and moored at Naval Depot at Lisabally at 2030. Returning to Boston she laid in at the Navy Yard undergoing repairs. Exchanged a 5" for a 3" gun, installed 6 more 20 MM guns, substituted 2 X* guns for "V guns and had splinter protection built around three gun decks, bridge and wheel house. On May Is, l?ltf Navy Task Unit Commander reported on board and shortly after she was underway again to Londonderry, in company with 6 escort vessels in "V formation and 18 ships in convoy. On the 25th two escorts departed the main convoy es corting 6 of the fastest ships to Liverpool. British escort vessels patrolled the port and starboard flanks and British planes provided air coverage on the 2Uth, radar contacts being made on them at a distance of 2k miles. On the 27th the CAMPBELL dropped a depth charge and fired two "X" guns on a contact which proved doubtful. Fifteen minutes later another con tact was made, classified as good, and she attacked laying a full pattern. Twenty minutes later a con tact at 2700 yards grew clearer as she approached and she laid another fullpattern, getting the hydrophone effect during the first stage of the attack. Fire on the surface for 75 feet around a watertight dropped over the side in the Middle of the charges indicated burning oil. Attempts to destroy a floating mine were unsuccessful. Relieved of escort duty she stood into Lough Foyle and launched a pyramid target for battle
practice.

SS CHATHAM to

ATTACKS SOB

CONVOY IS ATTACKED
BY A WOLF PACK

ONS-102 in company with the 6 vessel f^g^ Uni^ 2U.1.3 with escort commander in the CAMPBELL. Intercepted the convoy on the same day in two sections, the Liverpool section containing 35 ships and the Loch Ewe section 12 ships, 0 the lUth the convoy was joined by the Iceland escort to swell the number to 63 ships and 10 escorts. On the 15th the CAMPBELL intercepted test dashes on 500 LCS for Ifminutes apparently very close by. Proceeding, with two other escorts, to check these dashes, she received true bearing on vessel No. 11 in the convoy, the

underway was underway from Itovilla. Moville, North Ireland, to join convoy

On 10 June, 1?1*2, the CAMPBELL

Closed in for investigation and boarding the vessel with 3 officers and 9 men, the inspection party returned with two operators under suspicion and All operators denied trana made prisoners-at-large. mitting any signals and all the crew were questioned. On the 16th a strong HF/DP bearing, thought to be a German U-boat, sending a weather report, was inter cepted and an escort vessel was instructed to search 20 miles out on from convoy bearing 176 T. The escort sighted a submarine on the surface and re quested another escort. The CAMPBELL went to her assistance, made contact and fired a full pattern of depth charges. Later the CAMPBELL sighted the sub marine on the surface 6 miles ahead but it submerged immediately, doing full speed ahead to close she dropped depth charges with negative results. About the same time the INOHAM sighted a submarine an the surface bearing 115 T at a distance of about 8 miles and proceeded to close firing a 5" shell at 13,000 yards. A scouting line was fermed to continue the search, which was abandoned four hours later with negative results. Having received 7 submarine sight ing reports, sighted 3 subs on the surface to the east and received D/F bearings during the night, the Escort Commander, on the 17th, recommended a radical change of course to starboard after dark. At 0125 on the 18th, the SS SEATTLE SPIRIT in the convoy was torpedoed. The CAMPBELL sighted a submarine on the port beam, awash, about 500 yards and gave hard left rudder to try a run, but the U-boat turned left and a minute later dived. The CAMPBELL fired a star shell barrage ahead and began firing a depth charge barrage by eye with the shell p attern, but with negative results. At 0205 the AGASSIZ reported picking up survivors of the SEATTLE SPIRIT, in com pany with the SS PERTH, a rescue ship* She reported the NR-112 had been torpedoed also with three of the crew missing and one critically Injured. The escort commander directed the AQASSIZ to sink her as soon as all survivors were well clear. At 0020 on the lth the CAMPBELL sighted 3 white wakes, apparently tor pedo tracks and fired 2 rockets to broadcast the warn ing. At the same time the AQASSIZ fired a depth charge on a swirl of water caused by a diving sub marine astern of column 3* Five minutes later the COLLINQfWOOD felt a violent explosion close by, made by a torpedo at the end of its run after missing her* At 0828 three corvettes sent out by the CCNF joined the convoy to act as a striking force. On the 20th numerous sound and radar contacts were made through out the day and finally at 221*8 the AQASSIZ sighted a ship 3 miles astern on the s tarboard bow of the convoy which had fired 2 rockets, blown 6 blasts on its whistle and turned deck lights on, indicating it had been torpedoed. The AGASSIZ began searching north of torpedoed ship as other escorts were searching south. The CAMPBELL closed convoy at full speed and dropped three depth charges set at 100 feet at inter vals of 10 seconds as an embarrassing barrage. The MAYFLOWER heard a loud explosion and immediately thereafter a ship about 2 miles on the port beam showed a red over white light and blew a siren signal. The MAYFLOWER fired Btar she lls over an arc of 90 and swept the starboard quarter of the convoy. On re turning to station the ship had extinguished its lights and the SiYFIOWER proceeded with the convoy, having searched for survivors and found none. At 225U the COLLINGWOOD heard an explosion and saw two rockets. Turning toward the lead ship, and in the light of "snowflakes," a submarine was reported on the surface between NR 12 and 13* Machine gun fire was observed from a convoy ship toward the same posi tion and the COLLINQWOOD proceeded at full speed to the spot, dropping 5 single depth charges as deter*' rents, and firing a pattern of five starshells on .the outward leg, but observing no contacts. Two red lights in the middle of the convoy seemed tojtndicate^thj*^^ at least 2 ships had been 'hit. At 2Sf&:
FIOWEBQATE.

Hia^llltMfHP

22

reported "ship torpedoed one mils off my port beam*" Next day, the 21st, the CAMPBELL began a sweep around the convoy to count ships, check on escorts and deter mine what ships, if any, had been lost. She did not learn of any torpedoing, but found NR 13 (SS CANTAL) missing, with no survivors reported as having been picked up. There were now 60 ships in the convoy and eight escorts after several had departed in various destinations. On the 22nd the CAMPBELL departed the main convoy en route Argentia arriving there on the

23rd.

The CAMPBELL was moored in Little Placentia Harbor for minor repairs until 1 July, I2i2, when she got underway escorting a convoy of k3 ships to Londonderry, Ireland, with the CGC SPENCER and h British escorts in company. On the th, ship No. U5 reported man overboard. The CAMPBELL went astern to contact the ship and found that the man overboard had no life jacket and was pre sumably lost. At 0300 on the 10th, with Fared Point Light (Ireland) 25 miles distant, starshell illumina tion and gun fire was observed on the port sida of the convoy ahead. Later more starshells and gunfire ware observed at a greater distance. She moored at London derry at 1735 without further incident. MAN OVERBOARD STRAGGLER
Standing out of Lough Foyle, Ireland on 21 July, 191*2, the

CAMPBELL with the CGC SPENCER and the h British escorts, accompanied a 32 vessel 22nd, ship No. 31 dropped astern being convoy. On* the unable to maintain her position. Next day the SPBNCBR searched 30 miles astern for the straggler but was unable to locate her. Depth charges were dropped by the SPENCER and two other escorts on the 25th on doubt ful contacts with negative results. On the 31st the main convoy passed through the anti-torpedo net into Placentia Harbor, Argenti*. The CAMPBELL left Argentia on 3 August, 19U2, for Boston Navy Yard for repairs. Sn route on the Uth she made a radar contact and maneu vering to investigate found a British escort vessel with a convoy 5 miles abeam to starboard. She remained at the Navy Yard until August 25th, 19U2, undergoing
repairs.

USS WAKEFIELD * AFIRE

bor for submarine exercises, the CAMPBELL got underway on k September, 19U2, es corting two navy tugs en route to assist the USS WAKE FIELD which was afire at sea. She established contact on the 6th with the WAKEFIELD who was in tow of a Canadian tug en route Halifex and . the two tugs the CAMPBELL was escorting, were directed to fall in astern. On the 7th a navy tug and two more Canadian tugs 'joined, and at 0830 salvage party was put aboard the WAKEFIELD from the USS RADFORD and a Canadian tug maneuvered astern and played the fire hose on the burn ing vessel, flooding the after magazine. On the Bth the WAKEFILED hove to off tne entrance to Halifax : swept channel and was boarded by a pilot. The CAMP BELL relieved of. escort duty departed for Argntia* HEW COMMAND! 3 OFFICERS From the Bth to the 15th of September, 191i2, the CAMPBELL was moored in Little Placen tia Harbor, N. F., while officers attended the attack teacher exercises. Com mander J. H. Hirshfield, USCG, relieved Commander D. C. McNeil, USCG, as commanding officer on the 12th. Commander McNeil is to assume duties as escort com mander for Greenland convoys* STORM AND

Having proceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, and spent several days standing out of the har

route to rendezvous with Ireland bound convoy SC-100, which was sighted on the 16th and consisted of 22 ships, later augmented to 2k, and 5 escorts. A re port that a U-boat had been sighted was received at . 1517 and the CAMPBELL p&trolltd her sector without results. Eight hours later a sound contact was made and she dropped a pattern of 7 large (600 Ib.) and 2 small (300 lb.) depth charges with negative results, the contact being classified as doubtful. On the 19th the SPENCER, which was in company, reported a positive contact at 0621* and sighted the sub sur face two hours later. The convoy made a Us emer gency turn to port. On the 20th a British escort about 0900 again reported a sub on the surface about 6 miles away. The CAMPBELL was ordered to assist and increased to full speed to intercept the sub ahead of the other escort, but the sub was not sighted. The CAMPBELL continued to search for several hours with out sound contacts. At Hlis ship No. 71, the SS EMPIRE, was torpedoed and sank. All searches for the U-boat were negative. Itwas determined that the con voy was being shadowed by at least fiveU-*oats and extra lookouts were posted. During the night the CAMPBELL became detached from the convoy, due to high seas and westerly storm winds, but intercepted mes sages from the convoy on the 22nd indicated that 12 ships were riding out the storm on course 250, while others were on course 1110 The CAMPBELL, with ship darkened and a speed of only 8 knots, had extra look outs posted. Rejoining the convoy, the CAMPBELL departed on -the 2lith on a high speed sweep at 0930* At 1035 a plane reported that a sub was bearing 60 T. ID miles from the convoy and further reports from planes indicated that a total of 7 sightings had been made, with 2 attacks by aircraft and one direct hit. At H3O the CAMPBELL abandoned v ber sweep to hunt for the reported submarines, and at noon a plane reported
having sighted a sub and dropped smoke floats to mark
the U-boats last position. At 1219 the CAMPBELL'S
lookout reported a submarine on the surface bearing
65 and all hands were ordered to general quarters.
The CAMPBELL' opened fire with her 3" guns and reduced speed to 15 knots to search the area where the sub had last been seen, HMCS ROSTHERN assisting. At 121j5 the ROSTHERN reported a sound contact and dropped depth charges. At ll*l2aircraft were sighted apparent ly dropping depth charges and the CAMPBELL, at full speed, maneuvering to attack, obtained a positive sound contact and dropped a full pattern of six large and three small charges. The aircraft reported bubbles rising in the area of these depth charge ex plosives and the CAMPBELL then laid a deep pattern
in the area where the bubbles were rising and dropped
a pattern of 3 large and 2 small charges. Reducing
speed the CAMPBELL was unable to make contact, no
hydrophone or doppler effect being detected. The
search was continued until1550 with no further re sults. At 1655 a plane was sighted about i\miles
distant engaged in dropping depth charges and the
CAMPBELL increased to full speed and headed for that
position. The plane reported having depth charged
a sub with negative results and the CAMPBELL, using
the smoke bomb dropped by the plane as the center,
searched the surrounding area for two hours without
a contact. On the 28th, the convoy entered the swept
channel approach to Lough Foyle, Ireland, and moored*

t^j6ATAMAC|L^

On the 15th of September, 19U2, the CAMPBELL was underway en

The CAMPBELL remained anchored until the 3rd of October, 19U2, when she departed with the SPENCER as part of T." U. 24.1*3, and rendezvoused with the 30 ship convoy On-135. Later 6 more ships and h British escorts from Loch Ewe joined the convoy. Locating a floating mine, the CAMPBELL warned the convoy by sirenj, fired 30 rounds without hitting itand then stopped and drifted with it to indicate its position to the convoy. On the sth the wind increased to whole gale force with

STORMY UNEVENTFUL PASSAGE

r *lil|gi *^i
23

15th.

very rough seas scattering the convoy in poor forma tion. Tiro of the ships in the convoy turned back. On the 6th speed was reduced to 6 knots with the barometer dropping rapidly and the wind at whole gale force* On the 7th, the CAMPBELL proceeded down the starboard flank of the convoy to communicate convoy course and speed to three stragglers and sighted a convoy about 8 miles distant bearing 285 T. On the Bth the wind decreased and the convoy remained some what scattered with all 3U ships and 6 escorts ac counted for. On the 10th she commenced a five hour high speed sweep 15 miles ahead and then around the convoy. This was repeated on the Uth and on the 12th she contacted stragglers astern. On the 13th intercepted message during the mid-watch indicated
that a convoy in the vicinity was being attacked by
U-boats. At 1355 sighted a white rocket from the
center of the convoy but there were no further de velopments and two hours later she conducted a $1
mile sweep ahead of the convoy. On the lltth a
friendly plane and a Canadian destroyer were sighted
and at U405, along with SPENCER she was relieved as
escort, and arrived at Little Placentia Bay on the

After a preliminary ants submarine sweep out of Little Placentia Bay on the 21st of October, 19U2, the CAMPBELL got underway on the 23rd as flagship of Task Unit standing out of St. John's Harbor to rendezwus 2U.1.3 with a I*B ship convoy, HX-212, in company with trffe USS BADGER and k British escorts. At 1310 the local escort departed with four merchant ships. After several false sound contacts the CAMPBELL at 1753 obtained an HF/EF bearing on a U-*oat transmission^ on a bearing 290 dead astern and distant 25 miles, which was possibly reporting sighting the convoy. At 1920 the same message was picked up, the same message probably being relayed from a German shore station. On the 25th the BADGER made a high speed sweep ahead, and the CAMPBELL maneuvering astern at 1517 obtained an HF/DF bearing on a U-boat transmission bearing 252 T distant 25 Biles and directed the BADGER to search out 15 miles on this bearing and then sweep back and astern of the convoy for the rest of the night. Relieved by the RDSTHERN early on the 26th, the CAMPBELL commenced a 12 mile sweep ahead of the convoy at 1150 and swept across its van. At 1620 she commenced a stern sweep 15 miles out and took her night station. On the 27th the BADGER was sent 12 miles out along an HF/DF bearing and at 0215 obtained a sound contact bearing 065 T, range 1200 yards, which was lost at 900 yards and classified as doubtful. At 0310 obtained HF/DF bearing at 191* T range very close, and at 0ll5 another at 0298 T very close and dispatched the TRILLIUM to investigate. Another bearing at 0512 was also 298 T. The TRILLIUMre turned reporting negative results. The BADGER was then sent to investigate a series of transmissions but returned at 0700 without results. At 1210 the ROSTHERN searched along a transmission bearing 177 t and at 1715 one at 21*9 T. At 1830 two glows were sighted on the horizon at 150 and 160 and at 1900 two glows were identified as lights, source undeter mined. Eight minutes later three ships Nos. 12,21, and 23 were torpedoed in position Sk U0 30 12 W. Ringing general alarm, commenced "Zombie Crack" maneu vers jfired two white rockets and at 1918 commenced laying starshell barrage, patrolling up and down port flank of convoy, which made kS emergency turn to star board at 2000 and at 2022 similar turn to port to avoid 3 neutral Swedish ships, from which previous glow had come. At 0120 on the 28th sighted escorting corvette and at 021*5 6 miles off port quarters of convoy observed what seemed to be an explosion and a burning vessel in the convoy, apparently torpedoed. Convoy Commodore reported ship No. 22 torpedoed on SIX VESSELS SUNK IN CONVOY

starboard side at Sk 55 28 33 W and several ships fired "snowflakes, the BADGER firing stara stern sweep and at 0622 shells. At 0500 commenced observed another explosion bearing 270 T followed by starshells. This was believed to be ship No. 22 torpedoed a second time. At 0630 commenced patrolling starboard flank of convoy. At 1230 obtained sound contact at 1800 yards, ran it down, passed over it and lost it, regaining it at 12U3 at 950 yards, dropped 3 large depth charges and lost it again. Classified probably non-sub* At 1307 sighted plane at 7 miles which commenced tight circle at low alti tude and reported sub below it which had dived. Head ed toward spot and commenced search of area indicated by smoke pot dropped by plane. At 11*25 secured from general quarters and dropped astern of convoy 8 miles. At 15U0 plane attacked submarine submerging 12,800 yards distant and the CAMPBELL headed down the bear ing at 17 knots, picking up sound contact at 1617 at 2000 yards and fired five large and three small depth charges. After reversing course regained contact at 16U5, range 1200 yards, lost it, and picked itup again nine minutes later at 650 yards, losing itk minutes later. Continued to search the area until 1706 without results. At 0016 on the 29th ship No. Ij2 in the convoy was torpedoed forward on the starboard side in position 5U 58 N 23 58" W and fell astern, still afloat and biasing fiercely, the SUMMEHSHE standing by for rescue work. At 0020 escort commodore ordered a negative "Zombie Crack" and at 0100 commenced stern sweep and at 0200 started Up starboard flank at 3000 yards distance. At 0215 obtained HF/DF U-boat transmission at 20 miles. At 0318 convoy ship No. 2lt was torpedoed at 55 051 N 23 27* W. Fired two white rockets and began illumi nating van of convoy with starshells. At OUSU an other ship was reported torpedoed but this proved a alarm, the ship being disabled by.heavy seas* false At 1027 on the 31st, a radar contact, range 23 miles, proved to be a British Sunder land plane which was sighted at 6 miles. At 1200 on the 31st the convoy rearranged columns preparatory to splitting up at dispersal point* At 0500 on the Ist of November three ships of the convoy departed for Loch Ewe and the CAMPBELL proceeded to Moville for refueling, the rest of the convoy to Londonderry, where the CAMPBELL joined them later that day.

The CAMPBELL remained at Londonderry until November 8, 19U2, standing down the River Foyle to Moville after anti-aircraft firingpractice, and on the 10th at 0356 was underway to rendezvous with the 3U ship convoy ON 11*5, assuming command as flagship of Task Unit 2U.1.3, with USS BADGER, 3 British escorts and the Polish destroyer BURZA which joined on the 12th. On the lUth sighted a merchant ship UOOO yards ahead of convoy and in structed her to return to station. On the 15th con ducted bow and stern sweeps and on the 16th headed down the starboard flank to search astern for stragg lers, two of whom were found 2 miles astern and one 7 miles astern. Search for another was abandoned 18 miles astern. On the 17th, 15 ships of convoy were detached and proceeded independently for South Afri can ports, leaving 18 ships with 6 escorts. At 1021 on the 18th, one of the ships proceeding south re ported sighting a submarine and the BADGER departed to investigate. On the 19th three of the relieving local escorts arrived and with the arrival of the remainder on the 20th, the CAMPBELL departed for Argentia making two radar contacts which apparently were caused by low clouds in an overcast sky. At 05^5 received an SOS from a vessel in position 39 55i N 52 32 V which had been torpedoed with the crew abandoning ship. At 1330 she entered the swept channel at Argentia. At 1710 sbjt searched the , northern area off Shalloway Point for %' UNEVENTFUL HBTUEN TRIP

A^^^H^faAlT^hS^^K

'reffbiwl''^^^

24

submarine and on the 21st sighted a convoy 9 miles distant. Continuing she escorted the USS PONTIAC to wards Boston entering the swept channel at 9856 and leaving at 16U5 en route Curtis Bay Yard mooring there on the 26th. She remained in drydock until the end of November. ROUGH TRIP TO ICELAND
Remaining at Curtis Bay until
the 9th of December,

19U2,

the CAMPBELL departed for Boston at 161*3 and arrived there at 2038. She departed Boston on the 13th pro ceeding to Argen^ia escorting the USS SATURN, arriving on the 15th. Proceeding to St. John's on the 16th she departed for Iceland on the 17th, losing a 300 jJb. depth charge in a heavy sea on the 18th, with the barometer low and falling and the ship icing up in a heavy, very rough sea, in which three more depth charges were reported lost overboard and a man stand ing on the main deck appeared to go over the side. The engines were stopped, the ship swung to starboard and a small life raft thrown overboard. Following this, two gasoline drums were washed overboard and the #U boat struck by heavy seas, lifted from the chocks and carried inboard, where its propeller and shaft were bent. At 1600 with the wind at whole gale force, seas were very rough, the barometer falling to 27.90, with snow squalls and visibility 500 yards, all searchlights were inoperative due to icing. On the 19th waterlights secured to depth charges were ignited by the heavy sea and a life raft broke loose. With the barometer at 27,76 there weresoow squalls and heavy seas and No* 3 lifeboat was knocked out of its cradle by the sea At 1230 the wind moderated to strong gale force and by 1700 to fresh SSW gale with intermittent snow squalls. On the 20th there were occasional snow squalls with a rising barometer as the CAMPBELL entered Reykjavik Harbor.

had been in collision and was taking water in the fore peak and #1 and #2 h&lds. Later her steering engine became inoperative. On the 22nd, the stragg ler set her course for St. John's, Rejoining the con voy, the CAMPBELL was unable to keep her position be cause of heavy seas and wind. Heavy weather continued through the 2l*th with the convoy badly scattered. Ship No. 75, SS KOLLBJORO, split in half in the rough seas. The CGC INOHAM with 5 other escorts and 25 merchant vessels of the convoy were 35 miles west on the 25th. The convoy was not brought together until the 25th. On the 27th U vessels and 2 escorts de parted en route Reykjavik. On the 29th the convoy was again scattered by gale winds, the CAMPBELL round ing up ships by radar contacts. At 2215 she was de tached and proceeded to Londonderry. Here the strong current in the Foyle River caused her to ground for a short period before docking on the 31st. TWO ATTACKS
WITHOUT KEgPET The CAMPBELL remained at

Londonderry until 10 February, 19U3, when she proceeded down river and effected a rendezvous with convoy ON-166 on the 12th. She returned to Lough Foyle for calibration of HF/DF but was underway on the 13th, rejoining the convoy on the lUth. On the 21st

19U3
On the 28th of December, 19U2, she was underway escorting a seven vessel, west bound con voy ONSJ-156 with 3 escorts CTU-2U.6.5, CGC DUANE acting as flagship. On under the 30th she joined the main body of ONS 156 being detached from T.U. 2U.6.5 and becoming member of es cort group T.U. 21u1.3 with USS SPENCER as flagship. Heavy weather was encountered on the sth of January, 19U3 and two red flares were sighted which were un explainable. During a very rough sea and occasional rain squalls on the 6th the convoy became badly scattered and the CAMPBELL challenged an unidentified ship which did not answer correctly, claimed the name SS MOSDALE bound independently from Liverpool to Hali fax. The vessel was instructed to join the convoy. On the Bth the CAMPBELL was relieved of escort duty to proceed to Navy lard, Boston, independently. In vestigations of sound and radar searches on the 10th she received an echo bearing 230, range 2800. As the target was classified "as possible submarine, she attacked, firing the three starboard "X" guns, the starboard mousetrap and later 3 small depth charges and four mousetraps. Sighting Cape Cod and Cape Ann lights early on the 11th, she grounded between buoy #3 and Castle Island at 0736. She refloated 5 hours later and proceeded up Boston Harbor. TEST BOUND TRIP On the I6tfc! of January, 29h3
the CAMPBELL' stood out of,!
Boston, proceeding to Base
Roger in company with the SPENCER, mooring on the 18th. Proceeding on the 19th with the SPENCER she joined convoy HX-223 en route to the British Isles. On the 21st she went to the assis tance of ship No. 123, SS CITY OF LYONS, in trouble aru 'V;ta|?toffr and proceeded to screen her. The ship j CONVOY SCATTERED

the CAMPBELL intercepted several U-boat transmissions and during the ensuing search, echo and sound con tacts were made, the cutter releasing 10 large and 11 small depth charges early in the afternoon and nine each of the large and small in the evening. The after noon contact was at 900 yards and after the attack at 1331 the target moved slowly to the left and then rapidly to the right. An 11 charge pattern was set at 100-150 feet with no visible results. Two minutes later the cutter delivered 3 charges from the star throwers set at 250-300 feet, since the CAMPBELL board was believed to be passing astern of the target. Again no results. At 1338 the range was opened to 1500 yards for another approach. Double and triple echoes were now obtained, indicating a wake or bubble screen, and the target motion was away and to the right, so a lead of 15 to the right was taken and a 10 charge
pattern set to 200-300 feet, fired without visible results. In the evening at 1917, while investigating a smoke float from a plane, a sound contact was ob tained at 2000 yards, lost at 900 yards and regained at 1100 yards. A lead was taken at 500 yards. The bearing did not move down the side fast enough so 10 more lead was taken, being all that the time allowed, and a 9 charge pattern set to 200-300 feet was fired. No. 1and No. 6 throwers misfired. A reverse run to the area revealed an odor of diesel oil, indicating possible damage to the submarine. On regaining contact at 1700 yards, a lead was taken to the left where the target was drawing at 800 yards then the contact was lost, indicating a turn, but too late to correct the course, so a 9 charge barrage was fired without visible results. Then the search was

abandoned*

RAMS AND SINKS A SUBMARINE"

Next day, 22 February, 19k3,

at 0603 a submarine was. sighted
submerging at 2000 yards. Sound contact was made at 1500 yards which was drawing slowly to the left at 15 knots. A stern chase was
assumed and without taking a lead a 10 charge pattern set to 200-300 feet was fired.
Diesel oil appeared on the surface. Six hours later a sound contact was made at 1000 yards dead ahead. The bearing remained steady and the course was held. Then a persicope appeared 20 yards off the CAMPBELL'S port bow and passed rapidly down the port side. The conning officer watched the boil of the submarine's screws and fired 5 charges set 150-200 feet by eye to straddle the estimated position of the submarine, which appeared to run straight into the exploding depth charge from the #k thrower. Three surges of

25

water were seen after the explosion upheaval but no evidence of damage. Ten minutes later a sound contact was made at 700 yards, was approached and attacked with h charges set at 150-250 feet. Again no evidence of damage. Nine minutes later the contact was regain ed at 800 yards which was classified as depth charge turbulence and no charges were dropped. Eleven min utes later a faint echo was picked up at 500 yards, a lead to the left was taken, and two charges set to 150-250 feet dropped without visible results. Eight hours later at 2015 a radar contact was made at U6OO and approached at 18 knots. A submarine was sighted on the starboard bow and frillright rudder was ordered so as to ram her. The submarine hit the CAMPBELL under the bridge and then in the engine room. At the same time 3" and 20 mm gunfire from the cutter riddled the submarine and prevented her from manning her guns. A depth charge attack after the ramming further dam aged the submarine. Five survivors from the submarine were picked v?. The CAMPBELL'S engine room was flood ed and her power lost, preventing further action on her part. The submarine was sunk. Survivors, ramming and explosions proved this to be a difinite killand search was abandoned at once.

a sound contact and the CAMPBELL, with tiro Navy es corts conducted a sweep for an hour, without results. On the 6th a radar contact at 19,000 yards was thought to be probably a rain squall. A doubtful contact on the 7th -was classified non-submarine. On the Bth 27 vessels escorted by 5 Navy vessels escorted by the CAMPBELL, DUANE, SPENCER and one Navy escort headed for New York, where the CAMPBELL anchored on the 30th*

EN ROUTE CASABLANCA

Getting underway to Norfolk on the 26th of July, 19U3, the

CAMPBELL stood out of Norfolk on the 27th as part of Task

Force 6k in company with 3 Navy escorts accompanying convoy UQS-13 to Casablanca. On the 28th made a one mile box search of a contact reported by a Navy escort the 29th the convoy was badly without results. On

TOYED TO ST. JOHNS

Shortly after this the Polish destroyer BURZA came up with

orders to take the CAMPBELL

in tow, but because of the risks involved of proceeding without screen it was decided to await further assistance. On the 23rd some 120 members of the CAMPBELL'S crew were trans ferred to the BURZA as well as 50 survivors from the torpedoed Norwegian NBILSON ALONZOxwhich the CAMPBELL had picked up. The BURZA remained to guard the CAMP BELL until the arrival of the British tug TENACITY on the 26th. The TENACITY took her in tow and with two British escorts as screens, proceeded to St. John's where they arrived on the 3rd of March 191t3. On the 15th, after the openings in her hull had been closed she was towed to Argentia where she underwent repairs until the 19th of May, 19U3. ESCORTS CONVOY

scattered throu hout the first watch due to bad weather and on the 30th the cutter fell back 30 miles, screening two of the convoyed vessels with water in their fuel. Numerous sound contacts were Investigated which proved to be non-sub, and stragglers who had fallen back due to bad weather were instructed to close their positions. On the 7th of August a Navy escort dropped depth charges on a sound contact and the CAMPBELL joined her in a box search without re sults. On the 13th of August she moored at Casa blanca.
On 1? August, 19U3, the CAMPBELL stood out of Casa blanca Harbor as part of Task Force 6k en route to Gibraltar, arriving on the 20th, and departing the same day es corting the GUS-12 bound for New York. On the 21st a Navy escort dropped a pattern of charges with no fur ther developments and when another Navy escort dropped out of convoy with an engine breakdown the CAMPBELL screened her and next day sent two technicians to her to advise her, the escorts rejoining the convoy later that day. On the 26th a Navy escort reported sighting a submarine and another Navy c scort joined her in the search. On 3 September, 19U3 the Norfolk section departed with four escorts and the New York section, with* the CAMPBELL, as one of the escorts, continued arriving at New York on the sth. The CAMPBELL pro

RETURN TO NEW YORK"

one sound contact en route which proved to be non-sub marine, and moored there on the 20th. On the 25th she proceeded to New York. On the 29th she stood out of New York harbor as an escort to convoy UGS-9, being a member of Task Force 69. Keeping the convoyed ves sels from making smoke and leaving oil slicks, she screened one vessel while it took another in tow and investigated ships that had broken down and were straggling. Frequently carrier based planes were ob served as escorts, one of which attacked a submarine 19 miles away, another returning to the carrier safelyafter being! hit by submarine shell fire. On the 12th

TO CASABLANCA"

The CAMPBELL departed for Boston on May 19, 191*3, having

ceeded to Boston, with the DUANE and SPENCER, where she moored on the 6th at the Navy Yard Annex to under go repairs. She proceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, on the 17th of September, where she conducted drills and exercises for the remainder of the month.
Leaving

SCORES NEAR HIT

she screened two convoy vessels that had been in col lision, and later picked up a man overboard from an other. Her doctor gave medical advice to patients from several convoyed vessels. She anchored in Casa blanca Harbor on June 15, ISk3 RETURN TO NSW YORK

On June 21, 19^3, the CAMPBELL was underway as an escort to convoy UGS-&&. in company with the CGC DUANE and 5 Navy yes sels. Another Bizerte section Joined. Total I*3 ships Many of the convoyed vessels carried prisoners of war* On the 28th two of the Navy escorts dropped depth charges on sound contacts but without results. The CAMPBELL had a sound contact on the 28th and a radar contact on the 29th, both of which proved to be nonsub. On 5 July, 19U3, a lookout sighted what appeared to be a white feather wake about a mile distant and the cutter made a complete box sweep without results. Later that day a Navy escort dropped depth charges on

the U. S. submarine S-16 to area M-2 for anti-sub exer and next day stood out o* Casco Bay for Norfolk, cises in company with the DUANE arriving on the Uth. Next day she departed Norfolk as part of Task Force 65, escorting convoy UGS-20 to Casablanca in company with the DUANE and 7 Navy escorts. On the 7th, at oUis> she had a sound contact at IeOO yards which proved positive and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. The recorder trace showed the target to be a probable sub on which she had scored a near hit, but no evi dence of debris appeared in the area after daylight. On the 12th she conducted a sound search along an oil slick that paralleled the convoy 13 course at a distance of about 7000 yards but with no results. On the li*thshe had a sound contact identified as pro bable submarine and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. She regained the contact, lost it, and re gaining itmade a hedgehog attack at reduced speed. Five minutes later a whale was sighted on the bearing* On the 20th, the Casablanca section of 10 ships de parted the main convoy and on the 21st the CAMPBELL moored at Casablanca.
_\u25a0_

19U3, the CAMPBELL escorted

Casco

Bay on

1 October,

__^^ tol

JSS3Pw
26

RETURN TO NEW YORK

Force 65 escorting the Casa blanca section of convoy OUS-19 joining the main sec tion at 1355. On the 30th planes covering the convoy were sighted. A contact was made on the 31st and identified as fish. Another contact on 2 November was identified likewise. On the sth a seaman was transferred from one of the convoyed vessels by stretch stretcher rig fo r medical treatment. A number of contacts made on the 6th and 7th proved to be fiih- or non-sub. On the Bth a shallow pattern of depth charges was fired after a suspicious radar contact was made at 01*12 at a distance of 6000 yards. On the 13th the convoy divided, the CAMPBELL being assigned to the Norfolk-Delaware Section. On the 15th, -while escorting this section, she made a contact at 2700 yards and dropped a full pattern of depth charges. A second pattern was not fired at the regained contact when it was lost but 20 minutes later a hedgehog was fired after a completed box search before rejoining the convoy. Discharged from escort duty on entering New York swept channel the CAMPBELL proceeded to Bos ton through the Cape Cod Canal on the 16th and moored
there at

On 29 October, 19h3, the CAMPBELL was standing out of Casablanca as part of Task

fired a full depth charge pattern and instituted a standard search. The contact proved to be non-sub* She moored at Trinidad on the Uth. On the sth she escorted the SS BELLE ISLE to Puerto Rico and on the 7th departed for Norfolk. She arrived on the 10th at Portsmouth Navy Yard and underwent overhaul and replacement until the 20th of February, 19UU.

"CASABLANCA

0813.

On 29 November, 19^3, the CAMPBELL was underway in company with the DUANE to Guantanamo Bay as escort to a convoy of two vessels with SC-1281 as additional escort proceeding to San Juan, P. R., where she moored on the 7th. She was in Navy Dry Dock, San Juan until the 11th repairing a raptured sound dome and on the 12th departed San Juan for Guantanamo Bay arriving on the 13th. On the lUth departed for Trinidad, B. W. I. as escort of convoy GAT-105. On the 18th, 3 merchant ships fromCuracao joined. At U25 a full pattern of depth charges was dropped on a contact at 1800 yards. an hour later was classified non-sub. Another contact On the 20th the convoy formed a single column for passing through Boca de Navios and moored at Trinidad. On the 25th the CAMPBELL commenced patrolling off Boca de Navios as the convoy TAG-105 came out and foimed. A contact on the 29+*} proved to be non-sub as was an other four hours later. On the 30th the cutter having detached two merchant ships for Guantanamo Bay and one for Manati, was relieved of escort duty and on the 13st conducted a sound search south of St. Nicholas Hole, Haiti, returning to Guantanamo Bay at 171+0. CARIBBEAN DUTY

The CJMPBELL left Norfolk on the 23rd of February, 1914;, to screen ahead of convoy UO5-3U as flagship of Task Force 61 with 15 escort vessels. On 1March carrierbased fighter planes covered the convoy. On 6 March a man wearing a life ring, who had fallen overboard from ors of the convoyed vessels, was picked up and returned to his ship. On the same day the cutter dropped a full depth charge pattern on a target classi fied as a submarine. The convoy executed U5 emergency turns and the USS COCKRILL made two depth charge attacks after reporting sighting a periscope. The USS COLE remained to search the area. Extra lookouts were posted and an extra gun crew was put in standby action. Sweeps were conducted ahead of the convoy. On the Bth air coverage was sighted. On the 9th three vessels departed the convoy. On the 10th a doubtful contact was attacked by two of the escorts. On the same day, at Gibraltar, Task Force 61 was relieved by an English task force, and proceeded to Casablanca on the 11th where itmoored until the 16th. CONVOY TO Hbl'uhN TO NEW YORK
Standing out of Casablanca on the 17th the CAMPBELL joined convoy GUS-33 as flagship of

U escorts of Task Force 61, On the 18th ma escort dropped charges and remained with the contact half an hour. The escorts took turns of IFF and SG radar guard. On the 23rd a radar con tact proved to be a Swedish vessel travelling indepen dently. On the 29th two escorts were assigned to screen two vessels, one in tow when the the tow line parted. Air coverage was received on the 30th and 31st. On 2 April the Chesapeake Bay section detached and later the Delaware Bay departed. On 3 April nine fast ships of the New York section detached to proceed independently and later that day the CAMPBELL anchored off Staten Island.

19hh
On January h, 19kk, the
CAMPBELL departed Guantanamo Bay and relieving the escorts of convoy NG-UO7, began form ing a Task Group of 5 escorts for the 19 ship convoy GAT-109. On the 7th two ships from Curacao joined as did the Aruba section of 7 ships and 3 escorts. On the 10th the convoy passed through Bocas del Dragon and moored at Trinidad, On.the 19th she left Trinidad with 1* escorts and convoy TAG-110.. A contact which proved^ non-sub was investigated. 12 ships from Cura cao joined on the 21st and 5 ships from Aruba. On the 2lith the SS BETHORE was out of control due to a broken steam line and was screened by the CAMPBELL, after be ing relieved of escort duty. The cutter's doctor at tended a man wounded by the mishap, arriving at Guan tanamo Bay on the 25th. TRINIDAD CONVOY

TO NORFOLK

The CAMPBELL and six escorts

accompanied convoy GAT-lUj.

which left Guantanamo Bay on the 29th of Jaunuary, 19hh. Vessels from Aruba and Curacao joined on the Ist of February. On the 3rd she .^^^^^gH^Oassified as possible submarine and

After undergoing ten days of repairs and alterations at Brooklyn Navy Yard, the CAMP BELL carried out A/S exercises until 20 April, 19ltlt, when she proceeded with other vessels of Task Force 61 to Norfolk. On the 23rd she commenced screening ahead of convoy UGS-1;O as flagship of Task Force 61, air coverage being received until the 27th. The Oran sec tion departed on 7 May and the Casablanca section on the Bth. The cutter dropped a five charge shallow pattern on a contact that day but failed to regain contact. Air coverage was received from the 7th until the 12th. Sound contacts were attacked by two escorts on the 9th and the CAMPBELL dropped a four charge pat tern on a contact later classified as non-sub. Later that day the convoy passed through the Straits of Gib raltar. On the 10th the Task Force was augmented to 13 escorts. Enemy aircraft warnings were received six time that day without any aircraft being sighted. On the 11th a smoke screen was laid and an air attack by 5 to 10 planes declared imminent. The CAMPBELL com menced a fixed barrage at 2107 on bearings reported by radar, the target not then being in sight, when a wave of 12 to 15 planes forward of the port beam in line with this barrage, they were found to be below the bursts and the angle was adjusted accordingly. The plane attack lasted 30 minutes and consisted of k waves. One enemy plane was observed to go down to the CAMPBELL'S gunfire and three were damaged. In all 11 enemy planes were shot down by the convoy and escorts.

AN AIRATTACK

27

\u25a0f

A 19 knot speed was maintained during the attack and the cutter maneuvered radically. One torpedo passed close astern and two others came near. The attack ing planes were JU-88's. None of the escorts or con voy ships suffered casualties. On the 12th four em barrassing depth charges were dropped on a contact. On 13 May, the Task Force ms relieved and the CAMP BELL proceeded to Biierte. The CAMPBELL proceeded in21 May, 19Uh, to close GUS-UO as flagship of Task Force 61, relieving the British escort. Air coverage was received daily until the 27th. On the 23rd, the Algiers section joined and on the 2lith the Oran section. The Casa blanca section joined on the 26th and on that day the CAMPBELL dropped two embarrassing charges on a con tact classified as non-sub. On the 30th another es cort charged a doubtful contact, and several others were investigated. '\u2666 On 3 June, 19Uk, ne vessel de tached for the Netherlands, West Indies, and air coverage was received on the sth and 7th, when the Chesapeake section departed. After dropping a five charge enbarrassing pattern on the 7th the CAMPBELL regained contact and tbensighted a whale on the same bearing. On the Bth the Delaware section departed and on the 9th of June the CAMPBELL entered New York Harbor with the remainder of the convoy. RETURN TO HBW TORE'
dependently.on

Task Force 61 accompanying UGS-SU. While some of the escorts screened stragglers, two made an embarrasoipg attack on a contact on the 17th. A neutral vessel with lights encountered proved to be a man-of-war. On the 28th vessels joined from and departed for Casablanca. Next day the convoy passed through Gibraltar. Vessels joined from and departed for Oran. On 1 October, 19hh as ships joined from Algiers one of the escorts dropped an embarrassing charge' on a doubtful contact. On the 2nd, ships joined from and departed for Bone. On the 3rd of October, the CAMPBELL and Task Force 61 were relieved and proceeded to Bizerte. Later that day the cutter escorted a DB Division to Palermo, Sicily, re turning to Bizerte on 8 October, X9hh* RETURN TO NEW YORK

After 10 days at the Brooklyn Yard for repairs and re placements the CAMPBELL pro ceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, on the 20th of June, 19Uh, and remained there until the 29th for drills and exercises. She proceeded to Norfolk on the 30th. On h July she got underway as flagship of Task Force 61 escorting convoy UGS-4i7 Air coverage was received from the Uth to the Bth of July. From time to time during the trip various es cort vessels were absent from their regular stations conducting drills and exercises, screening merchant vessels that dropped astern,. giving medical assis tance to- convoyed ships or diverting vessels from entering the convoy. Several sound contacts nere in vestigated and depth charges dropped. Vessels from the Azores joined on 1h July. Air coverage was re ceived on 17th and 18th of July. Vessels from Gib raltar joined on the 19th. On toe 20th ships joined from Algiers and Bone and on the 22nd the British convoy Commodore relieved the U. S. Commodore, The ' convoy pass. through the Tunisian War Channel on the 23rd moored at Bizerte CONVOY TO BIZERTE
Navy

ship of Task Force 61 re lieved the British senior es cort of convoy QUS-51*. The Algiers contingent joined on the 10th and on the 11th a sound contact at 1000 yards was investigated and an 11 charge pattern dis charged. On the 12th the Oran section joined and the Gibraltar section left. Three vessels departed for Casablanca on the 13th and one vessel joined from the Azores on the 17th. On the 2ltth, a PBM furnished air coverage. The Chesapeake section broke off on the 26th, with 3 escorts. On the 28th the CAMPBELL pro ceeded up the New York channel with the convoy, re versed course and proceeded to Boston, where she re mained at the South Boston Navy Yard Annex until 9 November, 19hh*

19kk, the CAMPBELL as flag

On the same day, 8 October,

On 9 November, 19hk, the CAMPBELL proceeded to Casoo Bay, carrying on drills and exercises untilthe 16th when she proceeded independ ently to the Hampton Roads area, anchoring off Yorktown on the 17th. On the 21st she stood down Chesa peake Bay swept channel assuming station as flagship of Task Force 61 escorting the convoy UQS-61. Enter ing the Straits of Gibraltar on 7 December she com pleted escort duties, convoyed ships proceeding in dependently to their destinations. Task Force 61, with CAMPBELL, moored at Mers-el-Kebir, Algiers on December 8, 19kh. CONVOY TO ALGERIA On 13 December, 19kh, the CAMPBELL rendezvoused with convoy GUS-61, passing through Gibraltar next day, joined on the lth. On Decem the' Casablanca sector the Chesapeake section departed and on the ber 27, 28th the Delaware vessels left. The CAMPBELL con tinued as flagship of Task Force 61 and on the 29th entered New York Harbor. She then proceeded as guide with four escorts toward Boston and moored at South Boston Navy Yard Annex on 30 December, 19hh.

wkW

RETURN TO
XOHK

RETURN TO NEW YORK

Force 61, relieved the British escort of convoy GUS-it7. On 1 August, 19hh, ships bound for Algiers departed and vessels from that port joined. On the 3rd ships left for Casablanca and others from that port joined. AU. S. Liberator furnished air coverage on the Uth. One vessel de tached on the 7th for Angra and two on the 13th. Air coverage was received on the U*th and 15th. The Chesapeake section departed on the 16th. The CAMP BELL, after proceeding up the New York swept channel with the convoy on the 17th, reversed course and pro ceeded to Navy Yard Annex, Boston, where she remained on availability through the 28th of August, proceed ing to Casco Bay to hold exercises until 7 September,

Standing out of Bizerte on the 30th of July, 19hh, the CAMP BELL as flagship of Task

19U5
and until 28 March, 19U5, the CAMPBELL was at Boston Navy Yard undergoing conversion to HEADQUARTERS an AGC type vessel. This is a combined operations-commu nications headquarters ship. On the 28th of March she departed for Hampton Roads, Va., arriving there on the 30th. The next day she proceeded to York Spit Channel, to rendezvous with Naval aircraft for train ing exercises. After various drills and tests she moved to Norfolk Navy Yard on April 7th and after, repair work to Norfolk on the lltth. After exercises conducted until the 23rd, she moored at the convoy escort pier May 13, 19U5.
SHIP)

CONVERSION TO AGC (COMBINED OPERATIONS" COMMUNICATIONS

During January and Gebruary

19Wi.

CONVOY TO BIZERTE

Proceeding independently to Norfolk on the Bth of Septem ber, she received camouflage paint until the 11th and on Chesapeake Bay as flagship of the 12th stood out of

WHHr*

28

On May 13, 19h$ she departed for Panama, C. Z., proceeded through the canal next day and set course for San Diego,, California. She was now attached to the Pacific Fleet. Reaching San Diego on the 27th she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 5 June, 19U5, and shifted to sub marine base for installation of radio equipment and repairs. She conducted training operations under DesPac until 21* July* 191*5, when she departed for Saipan where she anchored on 3 August. Departing . Saipan on 10 August she anchored in Manila on the 15th. She proceeded to Leyte on the 19th, arriving DEPARTS FOR PACIFIC
on the 22nd.
IN JAPAN

port beam. General quarters was sounded and one em barrassing depth charge was released set for 300 feet. The DUANE made a run on the target releasing at five second intervals seven large depth charges (600 Ib.) set to explode at 300 feet. She fired her "V" gun . with the third charge with depth setting of 200 feet. She continued to search for eight hours in the general area, when a suspicious underwater sound was heard. She sought better contact with negative results. Sea gulls were sighted three hours later with considerable oil on their bodies.

On 1 October, 191*5, the Wakanoura Wan, Honshu,

CAMPBELL was anchored "at

Japan,

as flagship for Communications Service Division 103. On the 30th she proceeded to Sasebo, mooring there on 1November. On 26 November she was ordered to proceed to San Diego and report to DCGO, 11th Naval District for further orders. She departed Sasebo on the 30th of November, via Midway, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 12 December, 15(1*5. She left Pearl Harbor on 15th mooring at San Diego on the 21st. On the 23rd she proceeded to Charleston, S. C, via Panama, being underway at the end of the year from Balboa, Canal Zone.

On April1, IU2, the DUAKE was relieved from further duty in connection with the North Atlantic Weather Patrol and directed to report to the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, for convoy escort duty. She was in drydock at the Boston Navy Yard until April 8, 191+2, undergoing conversion. UNDERGOING CONVERSION GROUNDED
Departing Boston the DUANE passed through Cape Cod Canal on April10, 19U2 in a heavy snow. At 0529 she grounded at Hog Neck Light on the starboard edge of the channel. Attempting to back off without success, she requested aid and two hours later a tug passed her a tow line. The line parted

CGC CAMPBELL
COMMANDING OFFICER

December 191(1 to
September

191*2

McNEIL, Donald C,

Commander

September
May

19U3

191*2 to

ten minutes later and the current carried the cutter's stern downstream with the bow still grounded. When finally floated, the DUANE was maneuvered to the cen ter of the turning basin and returned to Boston for repairs. No hull damage was revealed but the dome for the underwater sound projector was believed crushed and binding on the projector. Aboard of investiga tion met to inquire into the facts after the cutter had drydocked for repairs.
\u25a0

May 191*3 to
January January

*
to

RTRSHFIELD, James, A., Comdri COWART Kenneth X, Commander LECKY, Robert S., Lt. Comdr. GRAY, Samuel F., Captain QARFIELD, Montague F., Comdr.

ESCORTS CONVOY TO ICELAND

191*1*

191*1* February 191*1*

December 191*5 December

191*5

On April 19, 191*2, the DUANE was joined by the CGC 8188 on anti-submarine exorcises. These were followed by attack teacher exercises at Halifax, where the DUANE arrived on the 28th escorting a merchant vessel in company with a British escort. On May 2, 191*2, the cutter was underway en route Reykjavik, Iceland, intercepting convoy SCL-81 on May 6th, the convoy consisting of 18 vessels with 5 escorts, including the DUANE, 8188 and 3 Navy destroyers. The trip was uneventful, the con voy arriving at Hvalfjordur on the Bth.

MEETS

19l2
WEATHER PATROL , The CGC DUANE operated as a weather ship on the North At lantic Weather Patrol during the first four months of World War 11. Beginning on February 10, 191*0, the DUANE along*; with four other cutters had taken tarns pat rolling two weather stations maintained by the Coast Guard located .as follows 1 Station No. 1 Z

SJCOSING

15, 19h2, the DUANE was ordered to meet convoy SC-83 and take over four vessels in it which were bound for Iceland, Navy Escort assisting. a The convoy was sighted on the 17th when the cutter took over 13 vessels. On dropped the'convoy at Grotta, Iceland, the 20th she the escort unit then proceeding to Hvalfjordur, Ice land, where the DUANE remained moored until the 26th.
On May CONVOY

- 35 38 - 37 W

JOMS EASTBODHD CONVOI

N N

53 21 I*l13

The stations patrolled were areas about 100 miles square and one cutter would patrol a station usually jfor 21 day periods. Their dally weather reports were designed primarily for the protection of the rapidly increasing trans-Atlantic air commerce.

|PtIUBHwAIBR

jjffTACKS JTABGET

AAHJHHHfI^

Itwas while on weather patrol on February 9, 191*2, that the DUANE picked up a strong echo on the echo ranging machine, about 500 yards distant on the

voy ONSJ-102, with two Navy destroyers to join up with the eastbound convoy ORS ' 102. She took charge of the main convoy on the 16th as the CAMPBELL and a British escort vessel searched for a submarine. Several hours later the DUANE was ordered to assist the INGHAM in a search. Ordered to rejoin the convoy at 1900, she and the INGHAM were unable to find it during the night, as lthad mad* ft sharp evasive torn to shake off the subs. The two . cutters finally sighted the convoy at 181*0 on the 18th and after release from further escort duty returned to Reykjavik on the 23rd, mooring at Hvalfjordur the

191*2, escorting a 15

The DUANE stood out of Reykjavik, Iceland, on June 30.

ship con

same evening.

29

IBBTS CONVOY

On July 3, 19k2 the DUANE pro ceeded to sea in company nith two Navy destroyers in search
formation to intercept a con voy of 13 ships on the sth* A report had been re ceived by radio on the "BK" broadcast that two sub marines were operating in the vicinity. The sub marines failed to materialize, however, and on the 9th the convoy stood up the swept channel and fjord for ' anchorage at Evalfjordur. SIGHTS WHALES While anchored at Hvalfjordur. on July 25, 191*2, the DUANB was ordered to proceed to

ITS &v& Search

had reported sighting a submarine. The DDANE got underway immediately and after proceeding for 5 hours ' at full speed arrived at noon in the vicinity of the reported sub, with the plane nowhere in sight. She began a search on a retiring search curve. Seven hours later she sighted what appeared to be a stick of bombs on the port beam exploding on the surface at the horizon. This was repeated at intervals and the DDANB changed course immediately and closed in. It
soon developed that the high columns of water were
spouts of whales, blowing. The DDANE resumed the
search until 2158 when she was ordered to proceed to

Reykjavik.

6U N, 2k W,

where a plane

Next day the ship was pre pared and at 11*55 Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet; bis staff} Admiral D. S. Beary, Commander Task Group 21*.6; his staff; and Mr. Stephen Early, Secretary to the Pre sident, came on board and were received with proper honors. They weighed anchor and proceeded up Hvalf jordur Fjord on an inspection cruise of harbor de fenses. The party left ship at 1628.
ADMIRALKtMQ SEARCHES FOR SDB

for a submarine reported to be 20 miles southwest of Reykjavik. A British destroyer was noted standing in the same direction. The search for the submarine con tinued on the l*th when a dispatch corrected the posi tion of the sighting as farther westward where a plane was sighted at 081(3, circling. On nearer ap proach the plane was observed to be dropping smoke bombs. The plane left on the arrival of the DDANE. Listening conditions were excellent and the search continued throughout the morning. At 1500 the DDANE proceeded to port for repairs to her steering gear which had failed and left two Navy and one British destroyer to take up the search in a heavy fog that had set in during the night. The fog obscured Skagi Light and the DDANE proceeded by radio compass and soundings to anchor at Reykjavik at 0235 on the sth. On August 9, 191*2, the DUANE stood out of Reykjavik in company with a Navy destroyer to rendezvous with an Iceland bound convoy. On the 12th she sighted suddenly, out ' of a rain squall, the Norwegian MV VIBRAN, with whom she exchanged signals and who proved to be friendly, after an exchange of messages with Commander in Chief Western Approaches. She was allowed to proceed east, but was examined closely and found to have no fittings for fueling U-boats. She had clean sides, no unusual' armament and a deck cargo of invasion barges. On the 13th she met a British destroyer and two other ves sels searching for derelicts and survivors from the convoy. At lUlis the DDANE turned the convoy over to a British escort and then proceeded to intercept con voy SC-95, .

on orders got underway and proceeded down fjord to search

on August 3, 191*2, the DOANE

While moored at Evalfjordur

While' escorting convoy SC-95 in coapany nith the Navy de stroyer USS SCHENCK, the DUAJDS early on August 15, 191j2 explosions, followed by white rockets and heard tiro "snowflakes*" They observed, on closing in, the black hulk of a ship among the ships of the convoy, with no signs of activity on or about her. At first she seem-r ed to have the outline of the HORLUHA and that vessel: was consequently believed to be the ship that had beea torpedoed. Smoke seemed to be coating from her but no flames were visible. The SCHENCK rejoined the convoy but the DUANE remained in the vicinity a short while longer in the hope of contacting the submarine. While itwas. deemed advisable for the DUANE to pick up sur vivors without cover from the SCHENCK, it was also very hazardous to leave the convoy without protection* When the SCHENCK rejoined the convoy she reported en* straggler and two ships remaining in convoy. The
DUANE, byr Changing course, attempted to intercept the
straggler, without success. Later in the oorning a
TBS was heard indicating that an American merchant vessel hcd been sighted with survivors on board. That night three submarines seemed to be following the con voy, according to signals, to the eastward. Increas ing signal strength indicated that they were getting closer and ships were darkened for protection* On the 17th a dispatch received indicated that a plane had on the preceding day sighted the BOHLDHA who proved not to have been torpedoed but the straggler from the convoy with the torpedoed vessel* s survivors, 30 miles north of tha convoy, proceeding at 9 knots. Ho attempt was made to bring her back into the convoy as she was several hours ahead of the convoy, had air! coverage, and would arrive at port with survivors, i some of whom might require prompt medical care, before the convoy. She was believed reasonably safe as no submarines were reported in the vicinity, the convoy, it was believed, having successfully evaded those con tacted on the lEith and 15th. The DDANE dropped the convoy off at Orotta at 1125 on the 17th* CONVOY RENDEZVOUS The DDANE remained at anchor at Reykjavik through Septem 5, 191*2, and then stood off Grotta Point with the Navy destroyer USS lEARY for rendezvous with an outgoing convoy of 1* ships* On the Bth the convoy encountered a fresh gals, blowing from the east and convoy speed was reduced to 3*5 knots, one vessel suddenly dropping out of the convoy because of engine trouble* She was advised to return to Reykjavik. On the 11th the DUAKS and LEARY were relieved by a corvette and proceeded to join the Iceland bound convoy SC-99* This convoy, which consisted of 66 ships, was intercepted on 13 September and the DDANB and LEARI assigned stations as escorts. On the 17th, the DUANE made contact at close range and dropped an "EN charge in close proxi mity to the convoy and then proceeded through tha convoy to the spot where the charge was dropped, searching astern until midnight without results. The convoy was anchored off Qrotta Point, in Reykjavik outer harbor, on the 17th without further incident*
ber

A TORPEDOED" VESSEL

Swedish vessels

INTERCEPTS

teaber 17 to October I*, 191*2. On October sth she began es corting, in company with the CGC INGBAM and USS SCHKNCK, the outbound 5 ship con voy. ONSJ-136. On the 7th the weather increased in intensity, blowing a whole gale. The convoy scattered badly, each escort remaining with a small group of ships. The DUANE stayed with the TUKON until about noon when contact with her was lost and the DUANB be gan searching for other ships in the convoy. Finally the one ship was found travelling alone, while the INGHAM was with another ship 6000 yards^ttigMKgg

STOEM SCATTERS CONVOY

Reykjavik, Iceland, from Sep-

The DDANE remained moored at

30

The INGRAM was instructed to bring the two convoyed ships together and the DUANE continued to search for others during the afternoon. The INGHAM"a radar being superior, the DUANE took over the escort of the two ships and the INGHAM began to search for the others. The SCHENCK reported being with another ship of the convoy and sighting others to the northward. The INGHAM found and Joined the latter group and knowing the course and speed of the others finallybrought them all together at 211$, with three ships still missing, what remained of the convoy was kept to gether with difficulty during the night, which was marked by rain and sleet squalls. At daylight on the Bth the convoy was again badly scattered. Air cover age appeared and the plane was asked to search for the three stragglers. Difficulty was encountered with the SS PETER HSI2IS which was repeatedly cautioned about smoke. The speed was reduced to 7 knots but during the night the PETER HELMS left the convoy, her master thoroughly miffed about the admonitions regarding smoke, and pxoceeded independently. On the 9th the main convoy was sighted and the convoy ON3J-136 turned over to its escort commander. The DUANE, with the INGHAM and SCHENCK, then proceeded to HvalfJordur, arriving on the 12th. SABOTAGE
Weighing anchor on October 18, 19U2, to shift anchorage, the steering gear Jammed and in vestigation showed that a the follow-up link system had been

non-cub was investigated and a floating mine was sunk* On the 3rd moored at Reykjavik and on the Uth pro ceeded to Hvalf Jordur.

i bkil^i'ktt

On December 17th, 19U2, th Reykjavik DUANB proceeded to Heykjavi] and on the 26th, in standing for anchorage, collided with the Norwegian drifter BOOHENB, that vessel sinking about 800 yards from Bngey Light. Allof the crew were taken off by another drifter and the DUANE saved 11 bags of mail. On the 27th the convoy ONSJ-156, with seven ships, commenced forming and proceeded out of Reykjavik, having air coverage on the 29th. At 0700 on that day the CAMPBELL augmented the escort force. On the 30th convoy ONS-156 was sighted on a converging course and the DUANE, maneuvering in the vicinity of the SPENCER was assigned outer screen on starboard bow of the main convoy. On the 31st she was assigned station A* COLLISroN WITH

19U3
BRINGS CONVOY TO ICELAND The DUANE and the Navy destroyer SCHENCK were proceed " ing from convoy ONS-156 on January 1, 19U3, to intercept the eastbound convoy SC-llU* At daylight the DUANB sighted the British SS INGMAN, who proved to be a straggler from OHS-156* She was informed of the rendezvous position for stragglers for Ist and 2nd of January and permitted to proceed. The SCHENCK sighted friendly aircraft at 0950 on the 2nd and asked whether SC-IIU had been sighted. The plane made reconnaissance and returned with the information that the convoy was 25 miles ahead. The DUANB and SCHENCK thereupon re ported for escors duty. At2030 on the 2nd the Navy destroyer BABBITT Joined. On the 3rd the convoy SCLw llli. as detached from the main convoy. Itconsisted of three vessels in convoy with two stragglers. On the sth the DUANB dropped the convoy off Grotta Point and proceeded to fuel in Reykjavik Harbor. On Hi January, 19b3, the DUANE received orders to Join east bound convoy SC-116, bound for' Iceland, which was threatened with a heavy sub attack. The BABBITT Joined off Skagi, Iceland on the 15th and the DUANB proceeded* at 18 knots. Thar BABBITT being unable to maintain this speed, due to the heavy seas, was directed to continue at best speed. Later that evening the DUANE slowed to 16 knots .due to heavy seas, increasing again early on the 16th at IB.knots and reached the estima ted convoy position at noon. She began searching south and east, while the BABBITT searched south and west* Two hours later she sighted the convoy 12 miles dis tant and notified the BABBITT. The DUANE was directed to act independently in the van of the convoy and the BABBITT"Joining | an hour later, took station to her starboardr Eight hours later the SCHENCK Joined and was assigned a station to, starboard of the BABBITT* On the 18th the convoy had plane coverage and one of the British destroyers detached to proceed to Reykja vik with leaking fuel tanks and boiler trouble. On the 19th the BABBITT detached to escort the USS POLARIS to Reykjavik while a PBY furnished air coverage for It hours. Another British destroyer departed for Reykja vik. On the 20th the Polish destroyer BURZA and INS EGLANTINE departed for Reykjavik for. fuel. The DUANE sank a floating mine. On the 21st machine gun fire was noted from ship #10, the reason not being deter mined. Another British destroyer departed for Reykja vik for fuel. On the 22nd the wind was force 10 with a heavy sea and a convoyed vessel sent an SOS that her stern post was being carried away. Another reported her No. 1 hatch stove in and the master injured. The SCHENCK returned to Reykjavik with a man who had sus tained serious face injuries and possible -kull frac ture, due to the rough seas. The DUANB was dtlled to stand by a straggler reported to have dropped astern

subjected to severe strain and had twisted about 25 degrees. Itwas noted that the cut adjusting nut on the hydraulic end was loose and the adjusting screw out of place on the starboard side. This was undoubt edly the cause of the accident to the steering gear. Itwas not believed possible for this to have come out of adjustment unless ithad been tampered with. The \u25a0tiering gear had been tested before getting underway but the derangement had not been noted. Precautionary measures were taken in handling the wheel, in case ' sabotage were being attempted.

vertical shaft on

ICELAND CONVOY ESCORTED "TO CONVOY

proceeded to Reykjavik and at 8 vessels 15U5 began escorting company off Qrotta Point in

On November 7, 19U2, the DUANE

with the CGC 8188. On the 9th the INGHAM Joined the escort group which proceeded westward. On the night of the 10th, the wind increased to force 8, and the radar in dicated the convoy was scattering. During the after noon of -the 11th, the DUANE was engaged in bringing four vessels together and escorted these until about 1600, when the 8188 Joined up with the remaining ves sels. Again on the night of the 11th, two vessels were apparently straggling, but not seriously. Due to sea conditions no attempt was made to bring them back* They were rounded up next day, however, and the convoy proceeded intact, except for two vessels believed to be with the INGHAM. The weather moderated during the day but the INGHAM failed to Join. On the lUth the DUANB scouted 15 miles ahead and 5 miles south for the main convoy but failed to sight it. The main convoy was sighted on the 15th and the DUANB turned her ships over to itand returned to Reykjavik. ESCORT CONVOYS JO AND FROM ICELAND On November 25, 191*2, the DUANB proceeded westward arid on the 29th stood in to Join convoy HX-216 proceeding from Iceland, with two Navy destroyers. On December Ist they were relieved of further duty with convoy HX-216 and pro ceeded to contact convey SC-110 proceeding toward Ire land. On the 2nd; sighted convoy SCL-110 which broke off from SC-110 and set course 350 T at 7 knots with "*|a^|^dJ^he_2an and the two Navy destroyers on beams. One contact which proved

mHHHHbb

tf^^H^^HHNfeird

31

-with steering trouble. On the 23rd air coverage -was furnished end the Iceland group detached, with a straggler, escorted by tiro Navy destroyers. On the 2kih the DUANE detached from convoy and returned to Hvalfjordur. 28, 191*3, in com pany with 2 Navy destroyers as c scort of the westbound AND SEARCHES conroy ONSJ-163 consisting of 9 ships. Air coverage was furnished on the 2?th. Stragglers from the main com voy ONS-163 were sighted on the 30th and the main con voy was joined at noon. Tbe two Navy destroyers re turned to Reykjavik and the DUANE was assigned to the port bow station of the main convoy. On February 2nd a U. S. bomber passed en route to base and tbe peaks of the, mountains behind Cape Farewell, Greenland were sighted. On February 3, 19k3, the DUANE departed the convoy to proceed to the scene of the torpedoeing of the SS DORCHESTER at 59 22' N, I*B U2> V, arriving at that position at 1525. Began diagonal search of a 5 mile, area extending 75 miles down wind and at 2000 a rectangular search pattern around same area. Dim lights were reported early on the Uth twice on the same relative bearing. Returning to the position of the torpedoing at daylight, oil patches, empty life jackets, boats and other small wreckage was sighted. At 0937 submarine was sighted about 8 miles distant and the DUANE headed for it at 19 knots. The sub headed directly away after drawing right and then turned right. Half an hour later it submerged at 10,5000 yards range and the DUANE began a retiring search curve allowing for the sub's speed of 6 knots. An hour later the cutter began using target speeds of 3 knots for the search curve. The retiring search plan was abandoned after a 300 arc had been com pleted and the cutter searched 6 miles from the point of submersion without results. The search was con tinued using the D.R. plot. At HU+5 the COG TAMPA arrived. The DUANE passed 8 bodies in life jackets, and two swamped lifeboats, one containing ten, and the other four, bodies of soldiers. On the sth the search for survivors continued in company with the JAMPA. A pattern of depth charges was dropped on an underwater sound contact. At 0572 the. search was abandoned and at 0900 a new search was begun to the westward on a rectangular pattern. Ordered to pro ceed to St. John's, N. F. on the 6th, the DUANE en countered a disabled ship from convoy ONS-163 screen ed by a British escort early on the 7th and later two stragglers from the same convoy. She began screening the first vessel which had made repairs and was steam ing at 8 knots for St. J obns. Five hours later she dropped a five charge pattern on a good underwater contact with no apparent results, searching the vici nity for 2 hours without regaining contact. On the Bth she stood through a thick fog to locate the es cort task unit of convoy ONS-167, but was unable to do so and was ordered to proceed to St. John's where she moored at 1625*
on

HELPS DESTROY

SS DORCHESTER

DUANE .TheJanuary was

underway again

mained moored until 11 April when she became part of CTU 2U.1.3 which inelade* 000 SPmWOB, a* flagship, ana v British escorts. This task. omit met conroy HX 233 n route Londondeiry oa the 12tt. On the Xftk the SB \u25a0OUT BJMPAHt, a convoy wssel. was terpodoea and the corvette ARTIDA took aboard k9 surriTors, three in need of acaifi s>oamlei. Thece the DBAal took aboard. At 1130 the DQJIS we* wane* t* tee*, tbe station aheed as the Mlam* we* zmpia< bask olAewdag a evateet om which she thorough the eoavey, f had already dropped twpat* eg otT depth ohavges. nntdmUt later the Sftttta* eviema the WUM te oleoe he* ad, tahm omr Urn eeataet. Tat JUW begoa a M*>ch en the liifHiUrt Jsicmttosi aai waavajr, adnztee later a 7UO ton Clirate V-o***eaarfiooa Am*iTBO yards from the DOAaVs qaarwar. A mimfte later the SPENCER opened fire and the flu*vent ahead at fall speed toward the snhnriae aai after clearing her line of fire so as not te hit the ewwMaV ** *P**" I ed fire. The submarine was now at right angles to the line of fire and eeverel hits were obtained, one nicely centered on the submarine's conning tower. Seven minutes later, as men on deck were seen jumping overboard, the DDAKE ceased fire. The conning tower wasenoking liberally and the submarine was moving ahead slowly, circling te the right. The DUANS began maneuvering to pic*, up survivors and by 1158 had picked up 9 Oermon enlisted men and one officer. Then she screened the SPENCER while that cutter sent a boat to the submarine. Twenty five minutes later the sub marine, later ascertained to be the U-175, sank stern first. The DUANE lowered a boat and picked up eleven more German enlisted men and one more officer. Four of the prisoners received medical attention. On the 20th the DUANE moored at North Qourock, Scotland, and delivered all prisoners to the custody of the British authorities and then proceeded to Londonderry arriving on April 21, 1&3. Ihile putting on survivors clothing on the DUANE, one of the prisoners from the sunken submarine, Wolfcane Yerlohr, Leutnant For See, began -talking freely and rather fluently inEnglish. He had been afraid that the DUANE would not stop to pick up the submarine's survivors in spite of his crew's shouts and armwaiving. He spoke of how cold the water was. He had jumped in soon after the submarine had surfaced* "Itis not easy down there" he said. "The bombs were bad. The ship was not hurt, but inside itwas all bad. Everything shaking, things fall down. Itsmelled bad and hurt the eyes." He commented On the excell ence of the attack. "We came up and saw you in the periscope, but you saw us and we knew it was all over. Our chance to get you was gone, we don't like the bombs. Itis hard when they shake the boat. We went down when you saw us and the bombs started going off, things stopped and would not work, a lot of things broke." He explained that they had raised the flipp ers and pumped air to try to steady the submarine. Not being able to steady her they surfaced and then our guns started and' very soon after that he jumped into the water. "Did you see the other boat?" he asked. "She picked up some of your crew" he was told. Then it was realised that he meant another submarine. He had been in Barbados a year ago and up until two trips ago had been in,the South Atlantic where they bad sunk a six or seven thousand ton ship full of "cement and things," bound for Moravia from Trinidad. Later he critioiied his commanding officer for making a daylight attack, which he considered proper procedure only Ifthe moon shone so brightly at night to make attacks after dark risky for the submarine*

Arriving at Argen&a on 2 April, 191*3, the DJJANE re

OJWItiEk

A GERMAN

TALKS

On February 9, 19U3, the DUANE stood out of St. John's Harbor to escort the USS ORIZABA to Boston and arrived on the 12th. Next day she proceeded to Curtis there Bay arriving on the 17th and remained there until March 21, 19U3, undergoing repairs. On the 23rd of March she proceeded to Casco Bay arriving on the 27th for anti-submarine exercises, attack teacher drill, and instructions in .range finding. Returning to Boston on March 29th, she entered drydock for repairs to her QC (underwater sound appartus ) dome and was underway to Argentia on March 31, 19U3.

EXERCISES""

REPAIRS AND

32

IMf

Tbo DUANB departed Londonderry for Moville on April 29, 1913, and on Hay Ist was en route Boston in company with the SPENCER. Air: Ting at Argentla on May 5, the DUANB began escorting the SABIHB SON to Boston en the Bth and arrived there on the 12th. She w undergoing repairs until the 2lith, proceeding to New York on the RETURN TO D. S. ATTACKS SUB CASABLANCA

25th.

PLANES DAMAGED BY SUB

May

Joining Task Fores

28, 10|j3, the DUANB began

69

on

Casablanca. On the Bth of June she had a bearing on a. submarine and later air a carrier attacked a surfaced submarine 17 craft from miles from the convoy. Two destroyers were, sent to attack the submarine but it submerged when they were 7 miles away* One plane returned to the carrier with an engine smoking as a result of gunfire from the sub marine. On the 10th an Army bomber was over the con voy and on the 11th Army and Navy planes provided eeverage. There wa a collision between two convoy ves sels en the 12th and on the 13th a Spanish vessel was sighted. On the llth the DUANE dropped three patterns of depth charges on an underwater contact; On the lSth the task' force began escorting the Casablanca section of the convoy Into port where they moored next day. - The DUANE stood out of CasaRETURN TO NEW YORK blanca on June 21, 19U3, in company with the SPENCER, CAMPBELL, and three Navy de stroyers for a sweep before convoy departure and next day joined the escort of the Casablanca section of convoy GUS-8A which they joined shortly after noon, relieving the British escort. On the 28th and 29th contacts were depth charged and investigated by escort vessels without results. While fueling at sea on July Ist the DUANE suffered slight damage to her propeller guard and gun platform sponson support. A sound con tact was attached by an escort destroyer. Another de stroyer departed for Bermuda on the 6th to hospitalise an injured merchant vessel seaman. The New York sec tion of 16 ships broke off on the Bth with the DUANE (Flag), SPENCER, CAMPBELL and a Navy destroyer as escort. The convoy anchored near Ambrose Lightship late on the 10th in a thick fog, moving into the har * bor on the 12th of July, 191*3. The DUANE proceeded to New London on July 23rd, 191*3, standing out next day for training exercises and then left for Hampton Roads in company with the SPENCER and 3 Navy destroyers arriving on the 25th. On the 27th stood out to join Task Force 6U, escorting UQS-31 to Casablanca. On August 7th one charge was dropped on a doubtful contact classified non-sub. Entering Casablanca on August 13, 191*3* the DUANB moored in the inner harbor. CONVOY TO CASABLANCA RETURN to NEW YORK
AND BOSTON

escorting convoy UQS-9 to

September undergoing repair* and on the 2Uth proceeded to Caaco Bay for conning, machine gun, anti-sub and anti-aircraft practice. Proceeding to Norfolk with the CAMPBELL on October 2, 19U3, she was again underway en route Casablanca on the sth as escort for conroy UOS-2O in company with the CAMPBELL and 8 Navy destroyers. On the 7th she dropped three depth charges and fired two X guns on a good contact which had no propeller beats or doppler effect. Hegaining contact she dropped an eight charge pattern

She remained on availability from the 7th to the 23rd of

but abandoned further search after two hours. An other pattern of 10 depth charges was dropped on a contact on the 12th without results. On the 20th the Casablanca section detached with the DUANE, CAMPBELL and 3 Navy escorts and moored at Casablanca on the 21st.

On October 29, 19U3, the DUANE, CAMPBELL and 3 Navy vessels began escorting the Casablanca section of CRJS-19, joining Task Force 65 with the main convoy later that day. On men were transferred from two November Ist and 2nd of the convoyed vessels to the DUANE for medical treatment. On the o.3th the New York section broke off with the DUANB and h Navy vessels. On the 15th the DUANB practiced dropping a shallow 50 foot pattern of charges and conducted tests with hedgehog. Later she detathed from the Task Force and proceeded in dependently- to Boston mooring at the South Boston Navy Yard on the 16th for ID days availability. RETURN TO BOSTON CARIBBEAN DUTY On November 28th the DUANE stood out of Boston in company with the CAMPBELL and arrived at Quantanaao Bay on December 2nd. On the Itth she was underway with a Dutch war ship and h PC's as escort for convoy GAT-103 en route Trinidad, 8.W.1. On the 7th the Aruba section of 5 ships detached as did the Dutch warship. An SC es corted two vessels to Curacao while an unescorted ship from Curacao joined. On the 9th the convoy entered Bocas de Dragon swept channel and on the 10th moored at Trinidad.
Underway on December 17, 19U3, 1 as Commander, Task Unit U..2,. 2, two sound contacts were made and lost on 19 December and a two ship anti-submarine search plan was commenced* Later an area was searched in which a plane had re ported contact with a submarine. On the 20th medical aid was rendered for an Argentla vessel contacted.

MAKES CONTACT

tlon escorted by the SPENCER and three other escorts joined later that day. Obtaining a sound contact at 2200 yards on the 31st the DUANE attacked with a shallow pattern of three charges but a study of the recorder trace revealed the contact as non-sub. On September 3rd the Norfolk section departed. On the sth the DUANB detached from the New York section as it entered the swept channel of New York harbor and, along with the SPENCER proceeded to Boston mooring at the South Boston Navy Yard on the 6th.

On August 19, 191(3, the DUANB proceeded to Gibraltar with Task Force 61* and next day de parted as escort to convoy QUS-12. The Casablanca sec

On the 22nd the escort vessels detached from the con voy and the DUANB after refueling at Santa Lucia re turned to Trinidad on the 2 sth. On the 30th she was underway escorting convoy TAQ-106 as Commander Task Group 26.1 with four PC boats. i

ISlth
CARIBBEAN On January 1, 19kh, the DUANE Three merchant vessels joined the convoy from Curacao es corted by an SC which escorted one of the convoy ves sels back to that port. That evening six merchant vessels joined from Aruba escorted by two SC's, which later returned to Aruba. Early on the 4th another convoy (TROJILLO-28) was diverted southward from the convoy' s path* Three merchant vessels were detached at 0730 and at 0810 a Guantanamo section of 3 yea .Is proceeded independently. Later a Navy destroyer and a

was underway escorting TAQ-106.

33

'^^VHHHHJH^V^^^^

British escort ioined the convoy as did 3 merchant vessels escorted by a IMS. The convoy arrived at Ouantanauo at 22h$ on the Uthy On January 12, lMi, the JXJANS *n route independently to lorf oik where she moored on the 16th at the Norfolk nary January 17th, 19hk until March 6, 19kh, Yard. From She was at Norfolk Navy Yard undergoing conrersion to pn AQC (coabined operations cenmunications head jquariera ship). Departing the Nary Tard on the 7th nderwent a series of tests and returned to the Yard on the 19th for a period of availability until <the, 28th when she aoved to H.0J8., Norfolk until

JO 400

COHVKRSIOM "

>

Then came a warning that friendly bonding Missions nere about to arrive at fire minutes intervals treat the southeast. Meanwhile Hare Ho. 2
of assault, craft departed followed at ten minute
intervals by lares Ho. 3 and Ho. k.
The air bombardment of the beach began at 0700 with 36 medium bombers and the DRAKE, . with all assault craft, pro ceeded from the outer to the inner transport area.
A P4i7 plane was observed falling and crashed into
the sea, bursting into flames. The pilot, descending
by parachute, was picked up by aPC boat. At 071*9 wave X was one mile from the beach.
'\u25a0
'

transport area.

Am WXBASOnan

\u25a0

April 3rd*

\u25a0

She departed Norfolk on April , 3rd as a member of convoy . UO3-38, which was escorted by Task Force 66. On the 18th she reported to the Commander, Eighth Amphibious Force, Mediterranean for duty. She was detached on the 20th and proceeded under escort to\ Algiers. The Commander, U.S. Haval Forces,, northwest African Waters, inspected her on the 22nd. She left Algiers on the 23rd for Naples arriving on the 25th and next day Rear Admiral F. J. Lowry, Commander, Eighth Amphibious Force, Medi terranean shifted his flag to the DUANE from the USS BISCAYNE. The DUANB stood out of Naples dn the 28th escorted by the BISCAYNB and SEER and after the 29th proceeded independently to Biserte, Tunisia. She pro ceeded te Palermo, Sicily on May sth and to Naples on the 9th, returning to Biserte on the 20th. She de parted Biserte on the Uth for Naples via Palermo where she moored on the 7th returning to Biserte on the Uth. Between lUth and 21st the DDANE made another trip te Palermo, Salerno and Naples, where she remained until 29 July, l?ltb. On the 30th Major Qeneral 6'Daniels and his staff reported on board to take part inassault practice exercise on the 31st. FIAGSIIP OF jbfllto&fftfPHl '

Wave #1 landed on Tellow Beach at 0800 -and 7 minutes later

LCT's were proceeding toward
the beach. Fifteen minutes
after that the LCI wave denarted. heading 'for th after that the LCI wave departed, heading for the was followed by the DDK! wave anl an beach. This other LCT wave. Little resistance was reported from Red and Yellow Beaches at 0903 and an hour later Alpha Red Beach reported satisfactory progress. Smoke blov ing from the beaches reduced visibility. Major
Qeneral o'Daniels and part of the operational staff
(BQ Co. 3rd Infantry Division) departed the DUANE in
an LCVP at IOUU. Two hours later a smoke screen was
laid down west of the DUANE to prevent attack on shipping by shore batteries, followed by another screen along the western edge of the Inner Bed Transport Area. AT "H* BOOR The- HMS ORION, lying east of the DUANB, commenced a shore
bombardment at 1507, firing a
shore bombardment at 1507,
firing over the DUANE for 23 minutes until the gun
emplacements ashore which were her targets were re ported knocked out. At 1612 the DUANE got underway
and proceeded to Bale de Cavalaire, anchoring there
35 minutes later. An alert was sounded as sixteen
unidentified planes approached. IflT's were observed
unable to beach directly on Red Beach a pontoon cause way being used in one case. Fires were still burning
or smouldering in the hills and frequent detonations '
were presumed to be demolitions by Navy units. At
;2046 all ships in the vicinity began operating their smoke generators. BOMBARDMENT FIRES ONPLAnB Next morning, August 16, I9IIU,
the DUANE departed for another
anchorage and that evening at
2100 all batteries on board
fired at a plane identified as enemy. The smoke
generator was put in operation and a boat lowered to make smoke with portable smoke pots, laying a screen ahead of the ship. On the 17th the DUANE again an chored in Bale de Cavalaire. Vice Admiral Hewitt,
Commander Eighth U. S. Fleet, came aboard to visit Rear
Admiral Lowry. The DUANE made smoke as various alerts
were given from the 18th to the 21st with shore and ship batteries frequently firing on unidentified planes. E BOATS REPORTED On the 21st of August, 'shortly after midnight, a report was
received that S boats were in
the outer Alpha area and that
one might have gotten through. All ships were ordered darkened for the rest of the night. On the 25th Trans port Division #3 stood into the anchorage, followed
on the 30th by Transport Division #1 and #5, which de parted that evening.

w- vv
WAVw
Yd.

tAmgMO_

gBBHB_

gUIDES LCT OONTOY " TO CORSICA

The DUANE remained at Naples until August 9, 19Wt, when Major Qeneral John W. O'Daniels and his operational staff re ported on board. That afternoon the DUANE got under way as guide to IGf convoy S&-1* She was in radio contact with the Island of Sardinia on the 10th and on the Uth five British minesweepers proceeded ahead of the convoy to sweep Bonifacio Strait. On the 12th the convoy stood into Ajaccio, Corsica and anchored. On the
evening

GUIDES LCT'a TOWARD SOUTHERN FRANCE

of the 13th of

on board. Upon reaching point "AN" on the liithshe departed the LCT convoy SS-1 to join convoy SS-lB assuming duty as guide at 1325. On the 15th she was still underway as guideof LCT convoy; SS-184 At OUSI the order "STOP" was passed to the LCT convoy on the outer transport area of Red Beach where the DUANB now fas and the cutter was released as guide. The DUANE got underway at 0506 and at 0531 stopped engines and took station on Queen Red reference vessel.
(ASSAULT

mander, Task Force 82i embarked

August she stood out of AJaccio as guide of the LCT convoy, withits commander and Com

MUgUB Ye,

BUVI

V,

JMJVBS HH^Akl

Ato6Qolon August 15, 19l*i*, naval bombardment of shore targets commenced. Fighters \ were circling overhead and enemy aircraft were reported 10 miles northeast. At 0617 lave No. lof assault departed and a minute later fire was observed craft in the LCT convoy, astern to port, either a burning teasel or barrage balloon on fire. This was followed ifja loud explosion and a column of water east of the

TRIPS MADE

The DUANE remained anchored in Bale de Cavalaire, France, until 10 September., jMm**m* she stood out,s|^^tog&j3

34

COAST GUARD CUTTER DUAME

COAST GUARD CUTTER DK3HAM

35

to Biserte on the 29th of October and remained there until the 13th of November. Departing Biserte on the l]*th she made stops at Naples and Palermo and returned on the 20th. Another trip to Naples and Palermo was begun on the 30th of November returning to Biierte on December sth, 19l(l(.

Ajaccio, Corsica several hours next day and mooring at Maples on the 12th. She reaained there until the 19th, made a 9 day round trip to Biserte, and after re turning to Haples on the 26th she reaained there until October 1, 19lih, and then proceeded to Bale de Cava laire, Toulon and Marseilles, returning to Biserte oa the Bth of October and remaining there until the 2l*th. Leaving for Palermo on that date she returned

dropped a complete pattern in the vicinity of the water light dropped previc^y by the INGHAM. The INGHAM and the destroyer then searched an area with a fire mil* radius from the last contact but failing to regain it, rejoined the convoy.

CONVOY TO IRELAND

aboard the CGC CAMPBELL. After reporting on the 18th, unloading supplies and taking on miscellaneous small
T. U. 214.1.3 consisting of the CAMPBELL and four
Canadian corvettes. The convoy EC 190 of 18 vessels
was taken over that day. On the 25th the convoy was
divided into two parts and
the IHGHAM and AGASSIZ and six faster merchant vessels proceeded ahead of the main convoy. The convoy was dropped at Londonderry on the 27th and the INGHAU continued to Lough Foyle, mooring on the 28th. While moored from June 1* to June 10, 191^2, parties from the INGHAM were detailed to a British Training Unit for instruction in lookout duty, anti-aircraft defense and submarine attack, the latter being with an attack teached aboard BUS OSPRET. On June 10, 191*2, she weighed anchor and in company with the CAMPBELL and four Canadian corvettes proceeded out of River Foyle to intercept the U8 ship convoy ONS-102. While patrolling the starboard bow of the convoy on the 13th, the INGHAM obtained a firm contact and fired two "X" gun charges. Regaining the contact she fired a com plete pattern of 3 large charges astern and 5 from "X" guns. The contact disappeared and no further action was taken. On the ll(th a convoy of Hi vessels from Iceland joined the convoy making a total of 62 vessels and the escort units were augmented by the CGC DUANE and two Navy destroyers. Mail from the INGBAM for the states was transferred to one of these destroyers. On the 16th the INGHAM broke away from the convoy to in vestigate a light brown smoke on the horizon and on approaching closer definitely sighted a submarine with conning tower and diesel oil anoke from the exhaust plainly visible. The INGHAM increased speed to 19 knots and gave chase, firing one round from the forward 5" gun at a range of 13,000 yards. The sub promptly dived and a search of the area produced no sound con tacts. One large depth charge was fired and an hour later a full pattern was dropped but with no results. Echo ranging was difficult because of the number of porpoises. Several hours later the INGBAM abandoned search and rejoined the convoy. On the 17th the INGHAM and DUANE departed the west bound convoy to intercept the eastbound convoy SC-87 of nine vessels bound for Iceland. The convoy was escorted by air coverage into the Harbor of Reykjavik on June 23rd. The INGHAM proceeded to Hvalfjordur Fjord to moor the RETURNS TO

Task Force 2U and Task Unit Commander 2U.1.3 who was

The BTGHAM departed Caseo Bay on Hay 16, 191(2, and proceeded alone for Irgentia, N. F, to report to Commander

supplies, the INOBAM rendesvoused oh the 20th with

19U5
The DUANE was stationed at Biserte until June, 19U5, when she departed for. Charleston, via Bermuda, ar riving there on 10 July, 191*5* From that date until the end of 19U5, she was at the U. S. Naval Shipyard, CGC DUANE COMMANDINGOFFICER December 19U1 to
January 191(3

Charleston, S. C., undergoing repairs and conversion*

MARTINSON,

Albert If.,Comdr.

January 191(3 to July 19h3 July

Kay

BRADBURI, Harold G., Captain JEWELL, Robert C,

Captain

19113 191*5

to

May 191(5

December 1?1*5

DIRKS, John A., Commander CGC INGHAM

19U.
OM DDTI

fxfH nllgT

relieved the CAMPBELL and took station at Lisbon, Portugal, in furtherance of our national Interests there.

During 191*1 the CGC INGBAM was already on duty with the Navy. On April 25, 19Ul, she

19U2
FIRST nth our entrance into the war the INGHAM returned to CONTACT Boston and early in 19b2 began escorting our convoys to Europe. Itwas while endsing in convoy formation on February 6, 19U2, that the sound operator picked up a sound contact at 1900 yards. The contact was described as "mushy" and one charge was dropped, set at 100 feet. A short while later she regained contact and dropped an embarrassing inter mediate pattern of five charges. About one minute after the last detonation a considerable number of large white bubbles were seen in the area. The spot was circled and soundings continued for kS minutes on all headings before search was abandoned.

SreMfiffl

same evening.

Next day, February 7, 191*2, Navy escort in the convoy, while patrolling, reported a submarine on the surface dis tant about 2 miles. The INGHAM began running down the indicated bearing at 15 knots but sighted nothing. One Navy destroyer which was searching in the vicinity, dropped a depth charge pattern. After several hours of search another Navy destroyer made contact and SUBMARINE SIGHTED

The INGBAM acted as weather patrol and plane guard vessel inposition 61( n and 30 W reporting weather conditions every six hours until July 13th. While on this duty, on July 1, 19l, her officers and men boarded the EL COSTON, flying the Panamanian flag out of Sidney, N.S. and bound for Reykjavik, found her to be friendly with papers in order. Relieved of weather patrol duty by the 8188, the INGHAMproceeded to Hvalfjordur and underwent minor repairs until July 26th, 191*2. Then she remained at Hvalfjordur until August 2l(tb, main taining anti-aircraft watches during the day.

WEATHER PATROL

36

TWO VESSELS

delivered the one merchant vessel to the ONS-121* and then changed course to intercept eastbound convoy SC-97 on August 29th. This was composed of two de stroyers and five British corvettes acting as escort for 57 merchantmen. On August 31st two vessels of the convoy, the SS CAPIRA and SS BRONXVILIE were tor pedoed without warning, the first sinking immediately and the second tf few minutes later. Escort vessels carried out a search and a merchantman, previously designated as a rescue vessel, picked up the survi vors. The results of the sound search were, negative. OB the evening of Ist September, Ilt2, eleven ships bound for Iceland departed the main convoy with the INGHAM, 8188 and USS SCHENCK as escorts. At 2015 an American plane patrolling over the main convoy re ported two submarines, each on opposite bearings and each 2h miles distant. The convoy reached Reykjavik at noon on September 3rd without incident. The INOHAM, in company with the 8188, stood out of ReykVESSELS Javik on September 21, 1942, as the ten ship convoy SC-100 assembled and then were under way as its escort. On the 2Uth they left the convoy to search for survivors of the SS FENMAR which had been torpedoed about 2200 on the 22nd and had sunk in 10 minutes at position 58 00 N, 31 00* W. On the 26th a red flare was sighted at 0710 and proceed* ing to investigate a freshly broken spar was sighted as they passed through an area of oil slicks and debris. Four hours later numerous red flares were, sighted, followed by one lifeboat and one life raft* At noon the 8188 lowered two boats and began bringing 61 survivors $f the FENMAR aboard, including one / ' naval officer and 23 enlisted men. The survivors ; were cared for,many of them suffering from exposure and edema, and after treatment almost all fully re covered. Four and a half hours later -the INGHAM sighted red flares in position 59 58 N, 32 38 and the 8188 covered the INGHAM while she picked up 8 survivors of the SSENNESSEB. A life boat awash was sighted with no occupants, as were two unoccupied rafts. On the 27th the INGHAM and 8188 searched for the survivors of the torpedoed SS ATHAN SULTAN. At 0520 a radar contact was reported at 2*B miles, bat being unable to sight anything three starshells were fired. The contact was lost without sighting any thing and on the 28th they rejoined the- convoy. On September 30th the Iceland section broke off SC-101. The INGHAM, in company with the 8188 and USS IART escorted convoy SCL-101 composed of seven merchantmen with plane coverage during the daylight hours, dropp ing itand mooring at Reykjavik on October 2nd, 19U2. She delivered the 8 survivors from the TENNESSEE to Army authorities at Reykjavik and proceeded to Havlf ' jorudr. PTXara PP

underway patrolling convoy ONSJ-Uli, composed of one mer chant vessel, to join convoy ONS-12U. The escorts

On August 2\\, 19U2 the INGHAM, in company with tba 8188 was

The HKJHAM remained at Bvalfjordur until October 27, 19k2, when she acred to Reykjavik and next day began escorting the SS OZARK to Angaagssalik, Greenland. A depth charge was dropped on a sound contact that afternoon. Air coverage was received part of the way during day ' light hours. On the 30th the INGHAM delivered the O'ZARK to the COC MANOK and commenced picking a rout* through the ice fields easterly toward Iceland* She moored at Reykjavik on November 1, I?U2.
QREENLAHD

CONVOY TO

16 SHIPS
TOHHEDOED

IN ONE CONVOY

proceeded to join convoy SC-107 in order to augment that convoy's escorts, along

On November 2, 19U2, she

bf Ty!)^tORPEDOED~~

SgrarTjTOS

'

with the USS SCHSNCK and LBART. The convoy was sighted on the Uth, the INGHAM being assigned to patrol the van. That evening she dropped one charge on a doubtful sound contact but abandoned search after losing the range. Next morn ing, the sth, she and the I2ARY began scouting the area on opposite courses to regain convoy which had changed course during the night. Regaining her sta tion she learned that 16 snipe of convoy SC-107 had been torpedoed so far on that voyage. She continued to patrol the van on the 6th with 22 ships in convoy and no air coverage. On the 7th four vessels destine*, for Iceland broke away and the INOHAHbegan patrolliag the* van of this group with the SCHEMCK and ISAVJ.^Air coverage was provided during the day. On the 9th the ! HBHAM departed the convoy to intercept convoy ONSJ-UiJj five hours later. This consisted of a convoy of 7 vessels escorted by the 8188 and OTAHB. Ob the 11th the convoy was separated in a hurricane with wind of force 12 and visibility less than 1mil*.. The INGHAM patrolled ahead of two of the detached vessels, the position of the rest of the convoy f'-ing unkaewa. , On the 15th with the two vessels joined convey OMS-lUi and the OGHAM departed to proceed independently for I Iceland, mooring at Reykjavik on the 16th aad at HvaU| jordur on the 17th. On the 22nd she escorted the tanker CDIfSPFES to Seydesf Jordur, Iceland, retaralav, to Reykjavik with her and the lISADXBS on the 2md ef ' Deoember.

The INGHAM got underway again from Reykjavik on October 5, 19U2, aa escort,
with the DUANE and USS SCHKNCK, of the
eight vessel convoy ONSJ-136. A few homrs later she
dropped one depth charge on a doubtful sound contact. Poor visibility and wind of force 12 on October 7th scattered the convoy and despite' searches there were only 5 of the 8 vessels in the convoy on the 9th. Th INGHAM found one of the stragglers. That afternoon the main convoy ONS-136 was intercepted end the INGHAM joined at 1955. Next day she joined convoy SCL-103* consisting of 5 merchantmen bound for Iceland, and , ;dropped it at Reykjavik on October 12th, prooeedlag L-^&alf4ojdurjith the JPAMB the ssjaa/ day.

MTnTcONYOI

\u25a0TOTS

The HQEIM proceeded to Beyk4 javik on December Bth, 1942, | and on the Uth began patroll ing ahead of convey ONSJ-152' as escort commander with two Navy destroyers. They joined the main convoy on the 15th and the three es corts then departed to meet convoy SC-112 which they joined on the 16th. the 17th the HQBAM dropjwd three depth charge* em a sound contact with screw beats identified as a submarine, dropping tea charge pattern four minutes later. Tailing to regain the contact the HGHAM swept the area for half aa near 4 rejoined the convoy. The two destroyers aeeompaan>* the Iceland unit when it separated from the ethers em December 19th, the IKBtM imaaiatsj with the maim waii, being joined next day fey the BCHBJOV The HOHAM reached Reykjavik on the *3rd aad roast Mil moored at BvalfJonfcur untilIhe cml of the year.
JMJBIUgaB

ATTACKS ATTACKS

am

224
0 Jaaaftry 8, 193, the to Reykjavik and wett on the lktk, jeiaim|[ westbooai ccmvoy 0V-l6, cumyiasil of elevem mci isaat vessels, taklag bar station patrolllmt tke Tarn. Ok 1 15th the ooavoy received air coverage aatil tt after noon. Oa the 16th earn ef the convoyed vessels rawan ed to Bsykjavix with engine tremble and the ooavoy agaia reoeived air coverage. Oa the 17th the mala oaray was sighted aad the HOIK pevUlr XHTmuum TRAMS-ATmnC

fililWOT

paraeeaded aaderway

mftif

\u25a0

37

port bow, air coverage continuing on that day and on the 18th. On the 22nd sighted smoke from the east bound convoy HI-223, which the DTGHAM joined, taking station on starboard bow. 1contact w investigated but classified as non-sub. On the 23rd the IHGHAM re duced speed and ceased zigzagging as a force 12 hurri

the

drydock for work apparatus. IKBCKAQE

then proceeded to HvalfJordur. On th 28th entered on the dome of her underwater sound

cane developed. -When this decreased to force 9 she increased speed and resumed patrol, commencing van and stem sweeps for stragglers. The convoy/ having separated during the hurricane, the IHQHAM, and three British escorts took over a section and by the 25th ; had rounded up 25 of the convoy, Air coverage was sighted on that day and- the next, and 2 sections of : the convoy were merged. On the 27th the INQHAM de parted the main convoy with 3 merchant ships bound for Iceland. That night about midnight the INQHAM Identified a radar target as a probable submarine on the surface and headed for it, but. it disappeared at 2900 yards and the INQHAM fired two depth charges over its estimated position but. failed to regain con tact. She moored at Hvalfjordur that evening, the 28th.
PICKS UP SURVIVORS

On March 3, I9ii3 the ' INQHAM Has ordered to sea to search for the survivors of a torpedoed ship and was underway on the Uth. Eight hours later sighted the USS KEYKADINwho reported her ohain lockers flooded and awash continually. The INGHAMdirected her to return to port, she having in dicated that she could proceed independently. The , INGHAM then proceeded to search the area and on the through sth passed pieces what appeared to be pieces of cork wreckage, of bulkhead and rubber tires which were strewn over the ocean for a distance of 35- miles. No boats or rafts could be sighted although search was extended for a distance of itO miles before dark ness shut in. Then she proceeded toward Reykjavik, mooring there on March 6th, 19U3.

fffMuT . StIIWiVORS

Two hours later several underwater ex were felt at 1935 and two white flares were fired in the vicinity of the convoy. These were followed an hour later by gun flashes from the convoy, followed by more underwater disturbances. Early on the 7th more gun flashes and underwater explosions were noted and the IHOHAM commenced a 10 mile sweep ahead of the convoy. A variety of flares and star shells was observed. At 0505 sighted red light and heard an explosion and three hours later was ordered to search stern for $0 miles to locate survivors. Two hours later, sighted a large quantity of lumber, and two life rafts. Uth the 8188 and tiro British escorts the INQHAMmaneuvered in the vicinity preparing to pick up survivors from three merchant vessels and one transport which had been torpedoed. The INQHAM picked up seven survivors in lifeboats and 15 others were re moved from rafts and wreckage. The INQHAM then secured while other escorts picked up survivors, and then re joined the convoy escorts picked up survivors, and than rejoined convoy. At 1610 sighted a friendly plane attacking a submarine 5 miles away. At 2220 sighted starshells and gun flashes on the horizon and 30 min utes later obtained radar contact at 3000 yards, los ing it at 800, but opened fire with 3" gun .on target believed to be a submarine. The target desappeared and the INQHAM rejoined the convoy. Early on the Bth the INQHAM sighted fire rockets and a red flare and several flashing lights low in the water were later determined to be signals from life boats of a torpe doed ship* Half hour later two explosions were heard and black smoke observed on the starboard bow. Made a Sound contact which was lost and shortly thereafter the cutter picked up four survivors from lifeboats and then rejoined the convoy. An hour later other underwater water explosions were heard. Later several doubtful contacts usre picked up but faded. Air coverage from flying fortresses continued on the 9th when at noon the Iceland group SSL-llfi consisting of 7 merchant vessels broke off from the main convoy, with the INQHAM as escort commander. A straggler identified as Norwegian SS ANNIK was ordered to take station astern of the convoy. On the Uth difficulty was ex perienced in keeping the convoy together due to a whole gale with wind force of 10. On the 12th a gun sponson was damaged by heavy seas and its platform was lost overboard on the 13th. Anchoring at Reykja vik on the lUth, the survivors left the ship, and she
plosions

Proceeding to Reykjavik on February 3rd the INQHAM de parted Reykjavik that day and
at 2115 on the sth joined the
8188 in Mrig a sweep astern
searching for a submarine re
ported by aircraft, but returned to the convoy with

out results.

On March 7th, 191t3, the INQHAM stood out of Reykja vik and proceeded to inter cept convoy SC-121 which was threatened with a submarine attack. On the 9th she sighted the convoy and assisted the 8188 in an anti-submarine sweep in the vicinity of a convoy ship which had sighted a submarine. Seven hours later , ship Ho. 2 in the convoy was torpedoed. The INQHAM fired a star shell and opened fire with 3" guns. Twenty five minutes later ship #7b was torpedoed but able to proceed with, the convoy. Next day ship #23 was torpedoed and another merchant vessel (#52) in the convoy reported ramming a submarine. The INQHAM made an anti-submarine sweep. On the Uth, B-17 and Sunderland aircraft provided air coverage. Shortly afternoon the INQHAM detached "from the convoy with the USS BABBITT and proceeded to Reykjavik, anchoring at Hvalfjordur on March 12th. THREE CONVOY RESCUES ALL HANDS On the 13th divers inspected the dome on the echo ranging equipment and reported it damaged and in operative. Oh the 15th the INQHAM proceeded to Reyk javik and on the 16th stood out in company with the BABBITT to join convoy SC-122. On the 18th the BABBITT detached to join an HZ convoy and the INQHAM sighted convoy SC-122 on the 19th and took station ahead. At 095b a column of water from torpedo ex plosions was sighted, followed by a signal and six minutes later sighted torpedoed ship SS MATTHEW LUCKENBACH and maneuvered in the vicinity to pick up the survivors. Succeeded in picking up all of the , , crew and the armed guard, all hands being saved. Ten hours later the cutter dropped one charge on what proved to be a doubtful contact. On the 20th she had another contact while patrolling ahead of the convoy and expended a pattern of charges with unknown re sults. Air coverage was provided by a Flying Fortress. On the 21st the INQHAM detached from the convoy and proceeded to Londonderry, Ireland, mooring at Lisa shally on the 22nd where she landed the survivors. On the 2i|th proceeded to Liverpool for repairs to the echo ranging sound dome, entering drydock l there on March 27th. RETURN TO U. S. On April 2, 19U3, theINGHAM stood out of the Mersey River en route Reyk javik. On the Uth she sighted a plane on anti-submarine patrol and later that day moored at Hvalfjordur, Iceland. Proceeding to Reykjavik on the sth, she stood out of that port on the 6th in company with the 8188 escorting the USS VULCAN to Londonderry. On the 17th theaftgegtsmcetb %&

38

receiving air coverage and anchored at Lough Foyle on the Bth. She departed the same day in company with the 8188 en route Norfolk, Va. Air coverage was re ceived on the th from tiro Sunder lands and the SS EMPIRE GRACE was sighted and identified, also a dere lict tank lighter on the horizon. Later two charges from X guns were fired on a contact that proved doubt ful. Other non-sub contacts on the lUth and lth were not fired on. On the 16th a friendly plane was sight ed. A full pattern was fired on a contact on the 17th without results and air' coverage began from a FEU plane patrol. At 2030 stood up swept channel at en trance to Chesapeake Bay and on the 18th stood out of the bay in company with 8188 for Boston where she an chored at the Navy Yard on the 19th entering drydock on the 28th.

Casco Bay and conducted anti submarine exercises until the 10th when she proceeded to New Tork and reported to Task Force 66. On the 13th she stood down the bay to await departure of convoy UGS-BA, checking vessels out on the llith and then beginning to patrol her station on the port flank of the convoy. That evening she dropped six charges in an emergency attack on a sound contact. A Radar contact on the 21st was run down without results. On the 26th an air bubble streak sighted by escorting aircraft was run down with nega tive results. Other negative sound contacts were ob tained on the 29th and air coverage from land based planes was received on the 30th. On June 1, 191*3, the INGHAM anchored at Casablanca. On 9 June, 19li3, the INGHAM with the Casablanca section of convoy tJOS-8 got underway bound for 0. S. and joined the main body of the convoy from African Mediterranean ports in the afternoon. Shore based air coverage was received on the 10th and from the 11th to the 13th medical assistance was rendered patients brought on board and by visual signaling. On the 21st an HP/OF bearing was investigated, indicating a submarine 25 miles distant, but without results. Land based air coverage was had on the 22nd and 23rd and on the 25th a sound contact investigated gave no results. On the 26th the Norfolk section broke off and on the 27th the convoy anchored in Gravesend Bay, New York. The INGHAMproceeded to Todd Shipyard, Hoboken on the 28th, RETURN TO
NEW

CONVOY TO CASABLANCA

On 5 Hay, 191*3, after test runs, the INGHAM departed for

a sound contact, had a good trace and dropped three depth charges. After regaining contact she made an other run and dropped a nine charge pattern set on shallow. This was followed by another nine charge pattern at medium depth. After temporary difficulties to the underwater sound apparatus, the radar and a fuel oil feed line which closed, putting one boiler out of commission, and cutting loose the main flooding valve in #3 magazine, damage control rigged a. pump for the magazine, the underwater sound apparatus was put back in order, and a fourth run on the sound contact was made, after hS minutes delay, with a nine charge deep pattern. No results were noted and the INGHAM returned to the convoy. On the 17th No. 13 ship had to return due to engine trouble and a tanker dropped back for repairs on the 19th. On the 20th a patient from one of the convoyed vessels was operated on for acute appendicitis. On the 28th an escort had a con tact with no results^ On the 30th land based air coverage became plentiful. English escorts took over the convoy off Point 'Europe in the Mediterranean on October 3rd and the INGHAM with two destroyers picked

up three tankers and escorted them fc^'Casablanca, arriving on October sth

YORK"

The INGHAM stood out of Casablanca on October Bth, 191j3, escorting two yes sels, in company with a destroyer, and 2 PC's, to meet the Gibraltar section of a convoy on the ?th. One of the PC's attacked a submarine. On the lUth the aircraft carrier CARD re ported getting three submarines. Qn. the 25th the New York section of the convoy broke off from the' rest of the convoy, proceeded to Delaware Bay arriving on the 26th. The INGHAM proceeded to Boston on the 27th and entered drydock at Navy Yard Annex.
PLANES GET

a hedgehog After installed and her perAT PANAMA sonnel drilled on the Attack Teacher and in Trace Analysis, the INGHAM departed Boston on Novem ber 8, 19U3, for Panama. She passed through the canal on the llith and moored at Balboa. After two days of attack teacher sessions, she proceeded to Perlas Island Submarine Area where she engaged in anti-sub marine exercises until the 28th. Standing through the canal on the 29th she proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on the 30th, acting as escort commander of con

ANTI-SUB SXBRCISES

voy GF-51.

RETURN TO BOSTON

with six other escorts reached Gibraltar on the 7th and on the Bth joined a westbound convoy. Air coverage from a Catalina flying boat on the 30th was augmented when the carrier BOGUS and two escorts joined the convoy. On the 16th the INGHAM bad a probable contact but lost it* Half an hour later another escort dropped depth charges and the convoy made two emergency turns. On the 18th two probable contacts faded out. On the 2Uth the New York section broke off and next day the 8188 dropped a fullpattern where a plane had sighted a submarine U alias ahead of the convoy* That evening the single colnm convoy 13 milas long entered the swept channel to Norfolk. Ob the 26th the INGHAM took a section of the convoy to Delaware Bay and then departed for 'Boston, arriving there en the 27th.

Standing out of Casablanca on August 6, 19U3, the INGHAM

CONVOY TO GUANTANAMO

On December It, 191*3, she left the convoy as it joined a New York convoy and went into Guantanamo. On the sth she departed Guantanamo as Task Force Commander of .convoy GF-52, arriving at Cristobal Harbor on the 9th docking at Balboa on the 10th. On the 19th she proceeded to Saboga Anchorage and con tinued anti-eubaarine exercises with the USS ROCK and 3-13 until the 31*t.

19hk
On January 11, YyUh, the INGHAM, after undergoing necessary repairs at Bal boa, was, ordered to pro eeed to Hampton Roads, Va., where she arrived on the 18th. On the 22nd Task fores 6k was organised con sisting of the INGHAM (flag), ten destroyers and a tanker, standing out of the swept channel on the 25th as escort to convoy UGS-31. On the 27th two LCl(L)'s rammed as their steering gears jammed simultaneously, a destroyer towing on* into Bermuda while the other made repairs an route. On the lth ten LCI(L)s departed forHerta^' Aaoras, escorted by a detreyr .
gUNTS

SUB

OFF SPAIN

THHB PATTXRFS

anti-submarine exercises off Hew London, Conn., until tat , 10th, when she preceded to Kerfelk. On the ll+th she {stood oat of Lynnhaven Roads with a 69 ship eastbound onvoyu|d^^swMortB. On the,lsth she Bade a run on

191t3, the INGHAM engaged in

Leaving Boston on September

7,

39

Land based Liberators and PBY's furnished air cover age on the Bth. On the 9th the Casablanca section departed and on the 10th two destroyers searched for a submarine reported in the area. The convoy passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on the 11th and the task force, relieved by British escorts, -was ordered to hunt a U-boat at 36 20 N, 06 21 W. Five were
ordered to patrol the area and the remaining six,
including the INGHAM hunted the sub
south off Cadiz, Spain. Five hours later all but five assigned to patrol duty returned to Gibraltar, without results, after attacking sound contacts. From the 13th to the 15th six escorts patrolled the strait.

for a woman patient. On April 30th a destroyer de tached to bring in a joiner from the Azores. (War diaries for May and June 19hh missing.) RETURN TO
NEW YORK As July X9kk began the INGHAM ias screening the van of convoy GUS-4U+ en route New York, as one of the es corts of Task Force 65, with Commander of Task Force 65 in the INGHAM. In company was ComCortDiv 58 in USS PRICE with five destroyers and ComCortDiv 62 in USS OTTER with seven destroyers (one French) One destroyer departed on the 2nd and two others on the 3rd. Between the Ist and 9th of July 11 ships with two towboats joined the convoy. Ten ships departed for Oran on the 3rd; three for Gibraltar on the Uthj on the 16th one tanker, escorted by ComCort Div 76, and three tows escorted by two destroyers, departed for Bermuda; also the Chesapeake section of ll*mer chant ships, USS POLARIS and four destroyers; three

On February 16, 19kk, the INGHAM relieved the British flagship of the Senior Mcdi terranean Escort Group and the 66 ship convoy GUS-30 passed through the straits. On the 17th the Casablanca section consisting of a tanker and k merchant ships, escorted by 3 destroyers and 2 PC's joined and three merchant ships departed for Casablanca. On the 18th and 19th bearings were obtained on U-boats transmitting messages. On the 20th one ship detached for Aruba and another for New York, while a destroyer and two ships joined just south of Ponta Delgada. On the 21st two ships de tached and on the 23rd the Azores section joined. During the last few days of February heavy seas caused quite a bit of straggling. On March 2nd one destroyer left to escort a damaged ship to Bermuda. Aircraft coverage was received from land based PBM's on the 3rd. On the l*th another ship departed for Bermuda because of lack of coal and another detached for Tampa, Florida. The Chesapeake section broke off. On the 6th all escorts secured their sound gear due to heavy seas. On the Bth the Delaware and Boston sections departed and the INGHAM detached, stood up to Gravesend Bay, removed ammunition and moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard. RETURN TO NEW YORK ESCORTS LST TO ORAN Yard workmen began repairs and alterations on the INGHAM on March 9, 9kk. Two offi cers attended Loran school from the 15th to 20th to learn the operation of Loran equipment being installed. On the 22nd the INGHAM de parted New York arriving at Norfolk next day. After being drydocked for inspection, the INGHAM was de signated Task Force 65.1 for LST-SUO and proceeded on March 27th to escort her to join Com Bth Fleet. On April 9 a concentration of submarines was reported northeast of her position. On the 12th the INGHAM moored in Gibraltar Harbor, received 11 sacks of con fidential hydrographic material which she delivered at Oran on the 13th where the LST-51*0 detached. The INGHAM proceeded to Bizerte on the lltth and reported there to CTF-65 and Com Bth (Adm) on the 15th. On April 21st the INGHAM stood outside Bizerte Harbor to hold anti-aircraft firing practice with Task Force 65, that day began escorting Convoy GUS-37. which later The Bone section joined on the 22nd and the U. S. Navy Commodore relieved the British Commodore of the convoy. On the 23rd 15 ships of the Algiers section departed and 18 ships joined from that port. On the 2l*th 15 ships of the Oran section departed. On the 25th the convoy passed through the Straits of Gibral tar, as Gibraltar ships detached and joined. On the 26th the Casablanca section joined and detached leaving 8U ships in the convoy. Air coverage was received from 21st through the 27th of April. On the 27th the Azores section joined. On the 28th doctors on the INGHAM furnished medical advice to a patient on a merchant ship via signal light, and a doctor from a destroyer was transferred to the ship to care
RETURN TO

merchant

17th.

On July 18th the INGHAM detached and moored at Brooklyn. Air coverage had been furnished the convoy almost daily since the Ist. On the 19th the Commander Task Force 65 transferred to USS STANTON (DE-2ii7) and the INGHAM carried out port routine until the 23rd. COMVEhTKD TO AGC

ships escorted by a destroyer

departed on the

personnel undergoing training.

HURRICANE

On July 2k, 19kh, the INGHAM departed New York and pro ceeded to Navy Yard, Charles ton, S. C, for conversion to an AGC (Combined operations communications headquarters ship). Conversion work continued through August, Sep tember and until October 21, 19U*, with the ship's SEARCHES FOR With conversion work completed, the INGHAM departed for Norfolk on October 22, 19kh, conducting a ladder search en route for survivors

SURVIVORS

of a ship lost in a recent hurricane. On the 23rd she altered her course to meet two destroyers to assist. A broad front ladder search, with reflection turns, was then begun with INGHAM as guide. Excessive vibra tion of the INGHAM's starboard main unit necessitated reduction of speed to ID knots. A small boat was picked up in position 3U 03' N, 75 U5 1 W and the INGHAM discontinued the search at 1900 because of en gine vibration, reaching Norfolk on October 2Uth where repairs were begun. Post repair trials were completed on November 20th, 191U4, and after four days of shake down, exercises and practice she stood out to sea on the 2i*th with orders to report to Commander, Seventh Fleet at Cristobal, Canal Zone. JOINS SEVENTH

UNITED STATES

The INGHAM reported at Cris tobal on November 29, lskk, PACIFIC and passing through the canal proceeded on orders to Bora Bora, Society Islands and thence to Hollandia, New Guinea. She reached Bora Bora on December 13th and Hollandia on the litth. On the 26th she arrived at Humboldt Bay, reported to Com mander, Seventh Fleet and was ordered to report to Task Force 76. On the 31st she moved alongside of de stroyer tender USS DOBBIN for repairs and alterations.

I*s
On January 21st, repairs completed, the INGHAM moved to the firing area for firing practice. On the 2ltth, as a member of Task Unit 76.U.1f, the INGHAM got underway with an American and Australian destroyer, holding firing practice en route Leyte, PhilippinjP Islands. 4

FLAGSHIP OF TASK GROUP 78.3

40

On arrival on the 28th the Task Unit nas dissolved and the INGHAM reported to C.T.F. 78. Under escort of a destroyer as Task Unit 78.12.6 she departed for Luzon on the 29th, with good air coverage provided during the afternoon of the 30th from USAAF base on Mindoro. Reaching destination on the 31st the INGHAM reported to Commander, Task Group 76.3 who transferred to the INGHAM with his staff. ATTACK ON MARIVBLESAND On February 1, 19kS, the INGHAM moved to Subic Bay and on the lUth the INGHAM
stood to seaward as the flagship and guide of the

CORREGIDOir

The INGHAM returned to the Blue Beach area at Tigbauan, Panay,on March 26th,to super NEGROS vise and coordinate the load ing of ships for carrying out the attack on Pulupandan, Negros, P. I. On the 28th she was underway forming up the Attack Group. Arrived off Green Beach, Pulupandan on the 29th and maintained position to direct landing operations. The first wave landed at 1859. There was no opposition and the land ing proceeded according to plan. The INGHAM continued to direct operations on March 30th and 31st, (April War Diary missing.)
PULUPANDAN,

ATTACK ON

"

Mariveles-Corregidor Attack Group. On the 15th, fir ing from the north coast of Corregidor caused several casualties to personnel in landing craft (LCP(R's) em barked from troop transports (APD's). The enemy bat tery was silenced by counter-battery fire from light cruisers and destroyers. The landings were made on schedule with light opposition. One landing ship (LSM) was damaged severely by an explosion believed caused by a mine. Light cruisers and destroyers con tinued firing on Corregidor throughoufthe day. The INGHAM maintained a position during daylight hours at the entrance to Mariveles Harbor, directing operations. Phase I the operations against Mariveles being suc of cessful she stood to sea at 1810. Next day, the 16th, returned to Mariveles and took station at harbor en trance while forming up the Corregidor attack group. At 0835 she commenced standing for Black Beach (San Jose) on the south side of Corregidor, in the van of the Corregidor attack groups. Paratroops began dropping on Corregidor at 181*0 and at 1005 the INGHAM took station about 2500 yards south of Black Beach to direct landing operations. The five waves landed at 1029 with reportedly light opposition. By 1150 the beachhead was reported established and secured. The INGHAM remained in position until 1600, then proceeded

The INGHAM left San Pedro off Tolosa, Leyte, P. 1., on May 5, 19U5, for Ormoc Bay where she conducted land ing rehearsals. On the 9th the Macajalar Bay Attack Unit (Task Unit 78 .3 .U) was formed with the INGHAM as flag and guide and departed for Mindanao, P. I. On the 10th a line of departure was established 3000 yards off Brown Beach and des troyers commenced shore bombardment of the beach area, INGHAM directing operations. At 0603, Landing Ships, Tanks (LST's) began discharging Tracked Landing Vehicles (LVT's) for the first and second waves, the first wave hitting the beach wityi no opposition at 0830 and the second h minutes later. At 0908 Medium Landing Ships (ISM) began, beaching and unloading. The INGHAM was 2500 yards off the beach. The opera tion proceeded as planned and the Army forces pushed inland. Retiring at night the amphibious forces re turned to the beachhead daily for the next several days. On the 17th she departed for San Pedro Bay, Leyte, P. 1., arriving on the- 18th.
LANDING AT

MACAJAIAR"BAY, MINDANAO, P.I.

Bay

to Mariveles Harbor until 2000 and stood for Subic where she anchored early next day. On the 17th she returned to Mariveles Harbor to observe and direct operations. When the USS MDATSA (TT-102) hit a mine at 1310 the INGHAM dispatched medical assistance. She hove to off Black Beach for two hours from l3o di Then she stood for recting landing of reinforcements. Subic Bay. She returned to Corregidor on the ltith, observed and directed operations at Black Beach and then returned to Subic Bay, where she remained until March 5, 19^5.
ATTACK ON TIGBAUAN.PANAY
On March

Bay,

Leaving Leyte on May 21st the' INGHAM stopped at Zambbanga, Mindanao on the 22nd, proceed ing to Polloc Harbor next day and anchoring in Taloma Bay, Davao Gulf on the 25th. Here she soon shifted an chorage because of projectile bursts, presumably of enemy origin in the area. At 17U9 she departed for San Pedro, Leyte, and anchored there on the 26th. She remained there until July 5, 19U5.

TO LEYTE &TOSR ftiJJTURN TO MINDANAO"

5, 19U5,

and LCI. On the 15th she stood out as flag and guide of an attack group en route to Tigbauan, Panay, P. I. She stood into the transport area off Red and Blue Beaches, Tigbauan, Panay, on the 16th as destroyers began firing at preselected shore targets. Maintaining her position near the line of departure for Red Beach, a boat tmls dispatched and re turned to the INGHAM with one of the many natives who had been observed on the beach. This guerilla report ed that all Japanese in the immediate vicinity were in the church at Tigbauan where they were surrounded by guerilla forces. The preliminary rocket bombardment which had been planned was, therefore, considered un necessary and the first wave landed at 0906. No oppo sition was encountered on the beach. Because of a sand bar off Red Beach the rest of the landing was shifted to Blue Beach, immediately west of the Sibalon River, where LST's made dry ramp landings. The beach head was established and unloading was carried out throughout the daylight hours. At twilight the land ing craft retracted and retired off shore, the INGHAM acting as flag and guide of the group. Unloading con tinued during daylight hours on the 19th and 20th, re tiring seaward at twilight. On March 23rd the INGHAM

departed Subic Bay for LinLin gayen Gulf with a destroyer

the INGHAM

5, 19U5, the Commander of Task Unit 76.6.11 transMINDANAO ferred his flag to the INGHAM, flag to the INGHAM. the Commander of Task Group 78.3 and staff having been transferred to shore headquarters at Tolosa on June 10th, and the INGHAM departed for Taloma Bay, Min danao, P. 1., arriving next day. On the 11th she de parted as flag and guide of the Sarangani Bay Attack Unit, arriving in the objective area at dawn on the 12th. The first wave landed on the beach and reported no opposition. Next day the INGHAM proceeded to Taloma Bay, then to Parang on the 16th. While en route to Zamboanga she was ordered back to Taloma Bay where she anchored on the 19th.
LANDING AT SARACANI BAY,
On July

LANDING AT BALUT ISLAND

proceeded^olloilo

Island Attack Unit, arriving off Balut Island on the 20th. The INGHAM and USS CHESTER T* O'BRIEN (DE-^2l) began a bombardment of the southeast portion of the island in preparation for landing a company of infantry to exterminate 140 or 50 Japanese reported on the island. The first group landed from three LCl's, an LOS and 3 LCM's at OB2li, the landing being completed without opposi tion in 16 minutes. The INGHAM returned to Talon* Bay that night, then to San Pedro Bay on the 25th where C.T.U. 76.6.11 transferred his flag. On the

On July 19, 19U5, the INGHAM stood out of Taloma Bay as flag and guide of the Balut

41

31st the INGHAM moved to Manicani Island Repair Base for availability. TO SHANGHAI
September 6, 191*5, the INGHAM

altering her course as necessary to avoid field ice. She stood into Argentia Bay on March 3rd, 191*2.

Allduring

August

and until

, Samar, p. I.or anchored in San Pedro Bay, off olosa, Leyte, P. I. On September 6th she got underway to rendezvous with convoy TF-71* as flag and guide en route Buckner Bay, Okinawa, where she anchored on September 12th. On the 17th the con voy departed for Shanghai, mooring there on September 20th.

remained at

Guian Roadstead,

ESCORTS CONVOY TO IRELAND

Shanghai on October 3, I?US, as flag and guide of the convoy formed there, she stood into Hongkong on the 7th* On the U*th she proceeded to Haiphong and Hon Gay Indo-China to carry on liaison work in connection with the lift of the 52nd Chinese Army.
TO HAIPHONG
Leaving

After taking on supplies the SPENCER departed Argentia on March 5, 191*2, in company with a Navy destroyer. She joined an east bound convoy on March 6th, taking her position on the port bow. On the 7th she commenced a run on a contact verified on her underwater sound apparatus and dropped seven depth charges. She re joined the convoy after losing the contact and fail ing to regain it. Again on March Bth she fired three depth charges on a contact, reestablished contact on the port beam but lost it in attempting to open range and rejoined the convoy. On the 10th she searched unsuccessfully astern for a straggler. On the 16th she stood into Lough Foyle, Ireland, and proceeded up the river to Lisahally where she moored. Her per sonnel attended anti-submarine, anti-aircraft firing and signalling schools on shore until the 20th. TO BOSTON

CGC INGHAM COMMANDING OFFICER

December l?Ul to
September September
January

19h2

GRKENSFDN, Joseph, Commander McCABE, G. 8., Commander MARTINSON, A. M., Commander STINCHCOMB, H. W., Commander MDORE, Harold C, Commander CHAIE, J. D., Commander ZTTTIE, Karl 0. A., Commander CGC SPENCER

19h3

19U2

to

January 19h3 to April19h3

May

On March 23, 191*2, the SPENCER got underway in com pany with a Navy destroyer for Lough Foyle, departing next day with the destroyer and 3 Canadian corvettes to assume assigned escort positions with a west bound 9 ship convoy which was sighted on the 28th. She moored at Argentia on April 2nd and departed next day to escort a Navy tanker to Portland. Relieved of es cort duty she proceeded to Boston.
RETURNS

July

1914.3 to 19^3

July 19J+3 to January 19hh January

May Uay

19hh to 19hh 19hh to 191*6

January

19U1
TRANSFER TO NAVY The CGC SPENCER became cligible for transfer to the Executive Order of September 11, 19kl, The transfer could be made by agreement between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. On November 1, 19l*l, the Coast Guard became part of the Navy.
Navy under an

She departed Boston on April 10, 191*2, and arrived next day at Halifax. On the 12th she left Halifax with a Navy destroyer escorting a transport to Argentia. She left Argentia on the 16th acting as escort for the USS TARAZSD until 0630 on the 17th when that vessel sig nalled she was ready to proceed alone. The SPENCER then awaited an east bound convoy which she contacted at 1550 and assumed her station as escort. On the lth she was ordered to stand by a straggler damaged on the starboard bow which at 2150 signalled its in tention of proceeding independently to St. John's, Newfoundland, and the SPENCER rejoined the convoy. Next day she was ordered to return to the straggler and early on the 22nd encountered HMS READING who in formed her that the straggler was proceeding to St. John's. The SPENCER changed course and rejoined the convoy. On the 2l*th she made a contact on her under water apparatus and heading toward itreleased a depth charge. Regaining contact she dropped another. Again regaining contact she dropped a barrage of nine charges. Three hours later another contact was made but lost shortly afterwards and the SPENCER resumed her base course. On the 26th all anti-aircraft bat teries were placed in readiness for an air attack. The SPENCER stood into Lough Foyle on April 27, 19i*2, and after fueling moored at Lisahally on the 28th. CONVOY TO IRELAND PICKS UP SORVIVDRS FROM TOD TORFKUOED

19U2
TO ARGENTIA 1, 191*2, while moored at Staten Island, the SPENCER relieved the CGC ACTIVE of radio and dock guard. Next day she pro ceeded to the New York Navy Yard where she remained until February 9th, 191*2. After loading ammunition at Gravesend Bay that day she returned to her duties at Staten Island until February 16th when she depart ed for Portland, Maine. On the 18th she left for Portsmouth, N. H. to convoy the USS SAPEIO to Port land, where various drills and exercises were con ducted until the 22nd. She got underway on the 26th and assumed escort position in a convoy until de tached on March Ist and proceeded toward Newfoundland
On January

exercises including night sub marine sighting with a Navy destroyer and three Canadian corvettes until the 7th. On that date she stood out of Lough Foyle with this group and another corvette and took her position on the port quarter of a west bound convoy. On the 11th a boat was lowered to pick up a seaman from a convoyed vessel who was suf fering from appendicitis and an emergency appendec tomy was performed by the ship's doctor aboard the SPENCER. On the 12th while cruising behind the con voy, searching for survivors from a torpedoed vessel

21* May, 191*2, the SPENCER got underway off Lough Foyla making anti-submarine practice runs and conducting other
On

|^^^^#
42

submarine, the SPENCER made a

contact and heard propeller beats. She released a
nine charge barrage set at 50 feet. She observed a
black column of water about 30 feet high after the last depth charge exploded at 0015* An hour later the SPENCER picked up 52 survivors from the torpedoed SS CRISTALES and S3 MONT PARNES. Two hours later she sighted red flares on the starboard quarter and passEd close aport of the torpedoed SS CRISTALES who was down by the bow and awash. The corvette SHEDIAC who was standing by signalled "Intend putting crew back on board at daybreak* Half an hour later the SPENCER contacted the rescue ship BURT and was informed that an unidentified freighter dead ahead had been abandonEd and the BURY was standing by to see ifit were ad visable to return the crew to the freighter in the event it proved salvageable. Pending receipt of the report of a survey party aboard the CRISTALES, the SPENCER, after searching further for survivors re joined the convoy at 0510. Later that day the SPENCER'S boat made two trips to the ARVADA for five injured sur vivors of the SS MONT PARNES. At 1850 the SPENCER sighted a dark object on the horizon which was sus pected to be a sub and headed for it. Smoke was sight ed at 1925 and the SPENCER observed a second submarine. She began firing on the object at 2006 using broadside guns and the U-boat submerged h minutes later. The SPENCER made asdic contact with the sub at 2028 and fired a depth charge barrage. The contact was renewed and a second barrage fired. At 20U5 she lost contact with the sub. On May 13th a submarine was sighted at 0535 submerging five minutes later. The SPENCER moor ed in Argentia Bay on May 19th, 19^2, and departed for Boston same day, arriving on the 21st. Survivors from the torpedoed vessels departed in custody of the se curity officer, U. S. Naval Drydock, South Boston, and on the 30th the SPENCER moved to Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston.
and for theattacklng

leaving the convoy with the DUANE and four Iceland ships. On the 17th two escorts and 16 ships of the Loch Ewe section departed and on the 18th another escort left with one ship for Londonderry and the SPENCER, relieved of escort duty., anchored in Lough
Foyle, Moville, Northern

Ireland, with the BABBITT.

KBTURN TO ARGENTIA

"

On August 31st, I?U2, Task Unit 2U.1.3 less the BABBITT got underway out of Lough Foyle with the SPENCER and five Canadian escorts. On the 30th they intercepted a west bound convoy of 28 ships. (Intervening war diaries being missing it is assumed that the SPENCER reached Argentia about September 10th.)

On September 15, 19h2, the SPENCER was en route to ren dezvous with the 2k ship con voy SC-100 with five escorts including the CAMPBELL. On the 21st the SPENCER re ported a positive sound contact and sighted a sub on the surface at 0825. The convoy made a I*s emergency turn to port and the SPENCER and hour later rejoined the convoy reporting negative results. On the 20th a Canadian escort reported sighting a sub on the sur face 6 miles away and at 11^5 ship No. 71, the EMPIRE; was torpedoed and sank. The convoy reached Lough Foyle on the 28th.

CONVOY

TO IRELAND

RETURN TO

SPENCER moored in Little

Placentia Harbor and was
underway on July Ist escort ing a convoy of k3 ships to Londonderry, Ireland with the CAMPBELL and U Canadian corvettes. The convoy arrived at itdestination on July 10th. RETURN TO The SPENCER stood out of Lough Foyle escorting a 32 ABGKNTIA" vessel convoy, along with the CAMPBELL and h Canadian es corts on July 21st, 19U2. On the 22nd ship No. 31

CONVOY TO IRELAND

Proceeding to Argentia the

to rendezvous with the 30 ship convoy ON-135. On the sth the wind increased to a whole gale with the seas very rough. The convoy scattered in poor forma tion and the SPENCER commenced a sweep back along the port flank of the convoy to round up stragglers and then commenced patrolling the entire van of the convoy, Only 17 ships were present, but all escorts. Later, at lsUs,the SPENCER returned and there were 31 ships in the convoy, with all escorts present. On the liith the SPENCER and CAMPBELL were relieved as escorts and got underway for Argentia where they moored on October

2U.1.3

On October 3rd the SPENCER in company with the CAMPBELL weighed anchor and proceeded to sea as part of Task Unit

15th. (War diaries mis3ing between October 15, I?U2 and November 30, 19U2).
CONVOY TO IRELAND

dropped astern, unable to maintain position and the SPENCER was directed to search 30 miles astern for it, but rejoined the convoy after being unaMe to locate it. Depth charges were dropped by the SPENCER, and 2 Canadian escorts on the 25th but the results were ne gative and the contacts classified as doubtful. On July 31st the convoy passed through the anti-torpedo net at Placentia Harbor, Argentia, Newfoundland.

The SPENCER departed Argentia on December 3 19U2, as one of the escorts of convoy SC-111 bound for Ireland. The convoy arrived at its destination on December 16,

19U2.

19U3
RETURN TO
BOSTON

ESCORTS CONVOY TO IRELAND

On August 7,

19U2, the

task unit 21*.1.3> weighed anchor and stood out of Argen tia, N. F., in company with the USS SCHENCK and h other escorts to intercept the east bound 111 ship con voy SC-95. The task unit relieved the local escorts. On the 10th one of the escorts obtained a radar con tact at 1200 yards which closed rapidly to I*oo yards and then continued to open. The escort changed course toward the contact but obtained no hydrophone effect. The range remained at about 1000 yards and one look out reported a low object seen for several minutes but not confirmed. The escort increased speed and dropped two precautionary charges and the rejoined. On the liithIceland escorts DUANE and BABBITT joined the con voy, the SCHENCK being relieved by the BABBITT and

SPENCER with flag of commander

On December 25, 19U2, the SPENCER left Northern Ireland as senior escort for convoy ONS-156. On January 7th, 19U3, a Canadian escort was detached for St. John's. On the Bth the SPENCER was relieved as senior escort by HMS ST. CLAIR, and proceeded independently to Bos ton, arriving on January 10th. BREAKS fiTTWO On January 16th, 19U3 the SPENCER departed Boston with the commander, Task Unit 214*1.3 aboard, in company wi with the CAMPBELL. After mooring for a few hours on the ]Sth at Argentia, the two escorts stood out to sea and sighted west bound 50 ship convoy HX-223 on the 19th. On the- 24th the Task Unit consisting of the SPENCER, CAMPBELL, two British and four Canadian es corts relieved the local escort vessels. One of the convoy ships, taking water badly after a collision with another, was ordered to St. John's. Several
ONE VESSEL

<m&

43

hours later the other ship leaking badly attempted to make herself seaworthy, as the CAMPBELL stood by, but finally also proceeded independently to St. John's. The INGHAM joined on the 22nd and the LINCOLN was de tached. Heavy weather on the 23rd and 2Uth scattered the convoy and the SS KOLLBJORG was reported broken in two. On the 27th a Canadian escort with the HGHAM detached to escort four vessels to Iceland. On the 29th a British and a Canadian escort detached to join SC-117. On the 30th the CAMPBELL left the convoy. Next day a Canadian escort broke off with the Loch Ewe section of the convoy* The SPENCER, with the rest of the convoy proceeded to Londonderry where she was relieved of escort duties and moored on February Ist. The SPENCER stood to seaward on February 12, 191*3, after holding anti-submarine exer cises inLough Foyle, and re lieved the British escort commander of the k3 ship west bound convoy ON-166, in company with the CAMPBELL; four Canadian and one British escort. The convoy re ceived air coverage and some submarines were .reported in the immediate vicinity. Oh the lUth five more vessels joined, air coverage continued and no submar ines were reported. On the 16th the USS BABBITT join ed with two vessels and then detached to escort one vessel to Iceland. On the 17th about 30 submarines were reported to be beyween U8 and 56 degrees north and 17 and 39 degrees west. Some were reported ahead of the convoy. On the 18th HF/DF bearings indicated submarines to the north about two or three hundred miles. The course was changed to avoid submarines in the area between 52 and 63 degrees north and 16 to 36 degrees west. Air coverage continued. On the 20th HF/DF bearings with the CAMPBELL definitely fixed a submarine at 52 32" N, 26 32' W, and reports indi cated that two or three might be shadowing the convoy. At 2315 the SPENCER made a radar contact at 8600 yards, increased full speed to investigate and 20 minutes ". later, sighted the conning tower of an enemy submarine about 5000 yards distant. The submarine dived about 7 minutes later. The SPENCER lost the radar contact at about 1800 yards but made a sound contact at 1500 and 5 minutes later fired a depth charge pattern of nine charges. The contact was lost at about 300 yards possibly indicating that the submarine was probably down over 200 feet. UO minutes later at 0030 on the 21st two more charges were dropped on the probable course of the submarine. Undoubtedly the SPENCER sunk this submarine for according to German records un earthed after the war, the SPENCER was credited with the sinking t*he U-225 on 21 February, 19U3, at 56 146*, 27 28* W. At 0812 aircraft coverage was sighted and the escorts were maintaining a close screen of the convoy ships. At 1250 the CAMPBELL departed to in vestigate a submarine wiich HF/DF bearings placed at six miles and dropped two patterns of depth charges 1(0 minutes later. At 1602 a straggler reported being attacked by a submarine and the CAMPBELL and a British bomber were despatched to investigate. A little later a British escort dropped a pattern of depth charges and at 1825 the bomber reported sighting two submar ines 26,000 yards from the convoy. The SPENCER de parted to intercept these and shortly afterward sight ed the marker flare dropped by the aircraft about 6000 yards away. An hour later after a box search she had a radar impulse and sighted a submarine UOOO yards distant. The SPENCER fired three shots and the sub marine submerged. A sound contact was established at 3500 yards and the attack was commenced withbow charges, without mousetraps. After expending two charges on what appeared a doubtful contact she sight convoy* ed a white rocket in the SINKS A SUBMARINE THREE VESSELS TORPEDOED The SS EMPIRE TRADER had been torpedoed but was believed
salvageable

escorted by a Canadian escort. On the 22nd another \u25bceasel was reported torpedoed and at 01i37, with three escorts absent, radar impulses indicated an unidenti fied object about 5100 yards distant. As the SPENCER increased full speed to investigate the impulse faded. At Osol* the CAMPBELL reported sighting a submarine. A few minutes later the DAUPHIN had a sound contact and the DIANTHUS sighted & submarine. HF/DF bearings kept shifting from port to starboard, then both sides and astern. At 191|2 the SS CITT OF CHATTANOOGA was torpedoed and ships commenced firing snowflakes. The BURZA, a Polish destroyer, attached as additional
escort.

%^m

At 2050 on the 22nd of February, the CAMPBELL reported sinking one submarine by Tntswrr.<t depth charges and colliding TORPEDOED with another her engine room was flooded. The BURZA was sent to her assistance. The CAMPBELL had sunk one torpedoed vessel which had fail ed to remove classified material when abandoned. Dur ing the first four hours of the 23rd there were eleven HF/DF bearings, mostly on the starboard side and at Oii26 the SS kinkiE was torpedoed on the port side. 25 minutes later the SPENCER established a sound con tact, then lost it, but commenced dropping charges, reestablished it and dropped a pattern at 050U. At 0513 the SS EULIMA was torpedoed on the port side. Four other ships SS GILLITRA, SS HASTINGS, SS EMPIRE REDSHANK and SS EXPOSITOR were reported by 0730 as having been torpedoed at various times during the night. Two escorts were picking up survivors and HMS SALISBURY proceeded to assist the CAMPBELL. Between 1200 and 1600 on the 23rd there were four HF/DF bear ings oh the port and six on the starboard side of the convoy. HMS ClANTHUS, shadowed by several submarines hesitated to return but sought to divert their atten tion from the convoy which now had only three escorts present with the main body. At 1810 the SPENCER de parted on an hour's high speed sweep to intercept and drive down shadowing submarines. Three hours later another vessel in the convoy was torpedoed. CAMPEBLL RAMS A SUBMARINE SEVEN MORE
ANOTHER VESSEL ~

TOHFKDQKP"

THREE SUBS SIGHTED AND ATTACKED

On the 2Uth the SPENCER was patrolling the bow and two Canadian escorts the port
convoy changing course at regular intervals U-boat

and starboard bows with the

and proceeded,

transmissions indicated the presence of several in the vicinity. At OUSO the SPENCER investigated a radar impulse at 5600 yards and sighted the wake of a submarine at 3900 yards which submerged at 0503. An attack on the sound contact was made with 12 depth, charges. When the contact was lost a box search was begun. At 0521 the SS INGRIA was torpedoed. A min ute later the SPENCER had a radar impulse and sighted a submarine ten minutes later at 2800 yards. The sub marine submerged as the SPENCER commenced firing. The SPENCER began an attack and 10 minutes later the sub marine passed down the port side as the SPENCER fired her 3 port "X" guns, then lost contact and began a box search. Nine minutes later the SPENCER had an other radar impulse and in 8 minutes sighted a sub marine on the surface at 2800 yards. As she commenced firing star shells the submarine submerged. Two min utes later fired 8 more charges, and lost it 2 minutes later after dropping one charge. At 0720 she observed the stern ships of the convoy firing at a U-boat and changed course to intercept but the submarine sub merged and no sound contact developed. At 0806 there were 30 ships and 3 escorts in the convoy. A Canadian escort rejoined after picking up survivors from the INGRIA. At 161U a ship in the convoy reported sight ing a convoy at 3000 yards. An escort vessel which departed for an attack failed to mak^contect. At

44

1712 a FBI plane was sighted as it searched ahead of the convoy and an hour later the SPENCER, while on a high speed sweep released one charge on a contact at IjOC yards. 15 minutes later a plane reported attack ing a submarine 10 miles away and 3 minutes later the SEENPEH fired mousetraps on a sound contact.
On the 25th of February, two British escorts joined the convoy as additional support forces. A submarine was sighted at 0517 after several radar impulses. It dived at once but a sound contact was established and a torpedo track sighted. As a mousetrap attack was being prepared a detonation was heard from the direc tion of the convoy and a message received that the SS MANCHESTER had been torpedoed. The mousetraps failed to fire and one depth charge was released. A sound contact was reestablished Hi minutes later but was classified non-sub. At 051*3 a torpedo track was sight ed close aboard on the port side and a sound contact established at 2800 yards. The contact was lost at 800 yards but a pattern of five depth charges was re leased and a box search commenced. kO minutes later tracers and flashes of gunfire were sighted astern of the convoy. 29 ships and four escorts were now in sight. At 1120 a conning tower of a submarine was sighted at 5700 yards, which submarged after the SPENCER'S ready gun was fired. Three depth charges were dropped but the contact was not reestablished after a box sweep. At 1500 four local British escorts joined and on the 26th, after transfer of survivors, one British escort was relieved and two others depart ed for St. John's. At 1652 Task Unit 21|.1.3 *as re lieved of further escort duties with ON-166 and depart ed for Argentia arriving there on the 27th.

MORE SUBS SIGHTED ANOTHER VESSEL SUNK

contact and began' a box search, reestablished contact and released two more charges. Then she picked up 35 survivors from the torpedoed SS GUUX), with 10 unaccounted for. A morning count showed 33 ships and 2 escorts with an unknown number of stragglers. A Canadian escort joined as additional escort. The GREER rescued the survivors of the VOSVODA FUTNIK abandoned in a sinking condition. TheBIBB rejoined the escort*. At 171*0 the SPENCER sighted a submarine submerging and released five charges but failed to regain con tact. An hour later she dropped nine charges on a sub sighted at 900 yards. At 1920 one ship reported a torpedo passing her port bow and another a sub on her port bow with which she believed she collided as it passed into the convoy. On March 9th one ship re ported coming from port to starboard and another ship reported sighting a strange object between the columns of the convoy. At 1925 a loud explosion was followed by the report that the SS MALANTIC had been torpedoed. Fifteen minutes later ship No. 7k of the convoy was torpedoed and an anti-submarine search with illumina tion was ordered. At 2201 two explosions were follow ed by reports of the torpedoing of the SS NAIL SEA COURT and the SS BONNEVILUB.
On March 10th the 8188 was standing by the torpedoed ships when the SS SCORTON at 0823 reported sighting a sub close aboard. She had definitely rammed it with no damage to herself. The morning ship count showed 35 ships present and 8 escorts while the submarine report indicated that several U-boats were still sha dowing the convoy. Later two escorts dropped charges on sound contacts. On the 11th there were 36 ships and 9 escorts present and the convoy received air coverage, the first plane reporting a submarine hk miles astern. Three escorts detached. On the 12th twelve ships with an escort departed for Loch Ewe and the SPENCER dropped a depth charge on a sound contact later classified as non-sub. On the 13th, being re lieved of further escort duty the SPENCER proceeded to Londonderry* On March 25th, 19U3, the SPENCER relieved local es corts of the 1(0 ship west bound convoy ON-175 with two British and two Canadian escorts. Five ships later to proceed independently and on the 26th air detached coverage appeared for the 36 convoy ships while sub marine reports indicated several west of the convoy* The GREER joined as escort. On the 28th the base course was changed farther north to avoid the concen tration of U-boats reported. On the 29th the convoy hove to in heavy weather, and at 18U0, 28 ships and 6 escorts were in sight. No reports indicated that the convoy had been sighted by enemy submarines. Slow progress was made on the 30th due to heavy weather but no submarines were in the immediate vicinity. On the 31st there were 29 ships and 7 escorts present and the submarines appeared to be moving southeast from their previous position. On April1, 19U3, the USS FOREST reported her rudder carried away and another ship and escort departed to tow to Reykjavik. On the 2nd a radar impulse showed a submarine at OkkS which submerged. After dropping a pattern of depth charges the SPENCER commenced a box search with a British es cort which reported a positive sound and dropped a pattern. On the 6th three escorts dropped charges on sound contacts. On the 7th the SPENCER was relieved of escort duty and proceeded to St. John's arriving P-BOATS AVOIDED SHIP RAMS A SUB

On March 1, 19k3, the SPENCER left Argentia for St. John' \u25a0 with the USS GREEK and on th* with the USS GREER and on the 3rd they stood out of St. . John's with two British and two Canadian escorts, rendezvousing on the Uth with the 56 ship east bound convoy SC-121. There were six stragglers on the port and one on the starboard. One British escort returned to St. John's with a faulty
condenser. Sub reports
indicated at least three and possibly more in the vicinity of the convoy. At 2205 there was heavy gunfire as a submarine was sighted off the port bow by the convoy commodore. An hour later numerous white lights were observed followed by a message that a submarine had been sighted off the star board bow of the convoy. The 8188 and IMGHAMreported as reinforcements to the Task Unit. On the 7th at 0612 an explosion and gunfire from the starboard bow
of the convoy was followed 30 minutes later by the
sighting of a submarine at 10*000 yards. The SPENCER increased to full speed, the sub submerged in 5 minutes and a box search resulted in a sound contact at 0727
which was losi after dropping 3 depth charges.
At 0907 a sub was sighted at U7OO yards, after a radar impulse, then lost and 3 charges dropped at estimated position of the sit, without gaining sound contact. A convoy vessel was reported to have been torpedoed on the 6th
with only 3 survivors. The USS BABBITT and a British
escort joined as additional support forces.
FIVE SHIPS TORPEDOED ONB ABANDONED On March Bth the SPENCER received a message from an tinknown ship using the call letters "Verdo" that she was being attacked and at 0630 the GRSER reported that the SS VOSVODA PUTNIK required assistance due to a rudder casually. At 0657 the SPENCER saw a ship torpedoed about 10,000 yards away and on arrival at the scene saw life rafts, one boat and several persons in the water. The SPENCER established a sound contact and released six depth charges. Then lost

THREE SUBS SIGHTED ANDA VESSEL TORPEDOED

tak&Tin

on April 8,

1913*

MUUUAkINE

SINES A

mmir \u25a0..\u25a0
45

a^^raof

211.1.3

April U, 19l3, the SPENCER departed St. John's in company with Task Unit consisting, in addition, of the DUANB, two

on

British and two Canadian escorts, and rendezvoused with the 56 ship east bound convoy HX-233 relieving the local escort ori the 12th. One straggler was re ported. The convoy proceeded due east to avoid sub marines reported south of Greenland and Iceland. On the 13th one escort was 2$ miles to the north with They joined next day as did another four stragglers Canadian escort. On the 15th the submarine report in dicated that the convoy may have been sighted by boats. On the 16th the SPENCER dropped a depth charge and delivered a mousetrap attack on a sound contact, firing eight more rounds of mousetrap ammunition on another contact an hour later. On the 17th the SS PORT RAMPART was reported torpedoed and the SPENCER screened the Canadian escort during rescue operations. At 06J46 she established a contact and dropped a pat tern of 10 charges and half an hour later fired mouse traps on another contact. Subsequent contacts were non-sub or lost and the SPENCER rejoined the convoy. At 10^0 she had a sound contact and dropped U charges and on reestablishing it dropped 11 more. At 1117 At 1138 a sub she regained it and fired mousetraps. marine surfaced to conning tower depth at 2500 yards drawing slowly right, still underway but apparently damaged. At llhO the SPENCER commenced firing all guns and observed many hits on the conning tower and at its base. The crew of the submarine was observed to be abandoning ship via the conning toner. The DUANE, in the immediate vicinity, assisted, firing all batteries, while merchant vessels in rear columns of the convoy opened fire on the submarine, some pro jectiles passing itand landing close to the SPENCER. At 111+5 the SPENCER ceased firing and maneuvered in the vicinity of the disabled submarine. The after davit of the SPENCER'S No. 1boat had been damaged by a projectile and the superstructure had been damaged s by shrapnel. %ght of the SPENCER I men were injured, one dying of his wounds. At 1215 the SPENCER lowered No. 2 boat with a submarine boarding party. At 1220 the sub began sinking and sank stern first at 1227. At 1238 the SPENCER began picking up survivors along side. The submarine boarding party returned at 1255, having boarded the submarine momentarily prior to its sinking. Three Germans were observed to be dead in the conning tower. One German officer and 18 men were rescued by the SPENCER and 22 by the DUANE.

got underway on May 28, 19U3, from Sandy Hook as units of Task Force 69 escorting convoy UGS-9 for Casablanca. The CAMPBELL joined the Task Force on the 30th and next tiro a merchant vessel and two LST's escorted by two destroyers joined the convoy. Air coverage was received daily from June 2, 191*3, and various drills were held* On the sth Task Group 21*12 joined Desron 19 to furnish carrier based air cover age for the convoy. On the Bth two escorts departed to investigate a submarine sighted by a plane from the carrier USS BOGUS. On the 9th four escorts de parted proceeding independently -with the BOGUS, ac companied by eight aircraft in formation. On the
10th Task Group 21*12 was detached. Next day air
coverage was received from U. S. Army bombers. On
the 12th two convoy ships were in collision and fell
astern. On the 15th the Task Force was relieved and escorted nine merchant vessels to Casablanca. The SJENCER patrolled the outer harbor on the 17th and on June 18th. moored in the inner harbor
On June 21, 19113, the SEENCEK in company with CAMPBELL,
DUANE and three destroyers
got underway and next day .
sighted 1$ ships of the Casablanca section of convoy
GUS-BA. On the 27th two carrier based aircraft were
sighted. On the 28th the three destroyers departed to investigate a sound contact astern. On the 29th the SPENCER dropped two charges on a sound contact, and edmenced a box search with negative results. On 'July 6th the convoy divided into two sections, the ', SPENCER; DUANE and CAMPBELL escorting the second sec tion of 16 ships to New Tork arriving on July 12th.

RETURN TO U. S.

ATTACK CONTINUES

from the convoy but an investigation brought negative results. Three harassing charges were dropped half an hour later after a search among the convoy ships. An other contact was investigated by an escort vessel but abandoned. Four escorts detached from the convoy to reinforce convoy SC-126. On the 20th the SPENCER and DUANE, relieved of escort duty proceeded to Gourock, Scotland, and moored, the enemy prisoners being trans ferred to Naval Officer in Charge, Greenock, Scotland. On the 25th the SPENCER moored at Londonderry.
TO U. S.

On April18th at 0055 a report was received from a plane that submarine was seen to dive in a position 3z miles distant

The SPENCER remained at the New York Navy Yard from the
12th to the 22nd of July,
19U3 when she got underway
following anti-submarine exercises on the 23rd and and 2lith in the Block Island area proceeded to Norfolk arriving on July 25th. She was underway on the 26th
and on the 2:7th assumed her position on the starboard
bow of convoy UGS-13, as a member of Task Force 6k
The convoy received air coverage until July 31st and on the Ist of August from planes based on the carrier USS CARD. Air coverage was again received from the Bth to the 11th. On the 12th a British escort. group relieved Task Force 61+ and that group proceeded with the Casablanca section of the convoy mooriqgat Casa blanca on 13th. RETURN TO U. S. On August 21, 191*3, the SPENCER with a destroyer pro ceeded out of Casablanca fol lowed by the Casablanca sec tion of convoy GUS-12. The convoy received land based air coverage until the 23rd. On September 3rd the Norfolk section of the convoy was detached with four escorts and the SPENCER took her position with the New York section, entering the New York swept channel on the sth. The SPENCER detached and arrived next day
at South Boston.
The SPENCER was underway on September 17th, 19U3, standing out of Boston and after three days at Casco Bay, engaged in exercises, made rendezvous on the 22nd with five Navy destroyers and proceeded to Norfolk where they report ed on the 2Uth as Task Force 6U. On the 25th the Task Force took its position with convoy UGS-19 en route Casablanca. Air coverage was received until the 30th^ and from the 9th to 11th of October, when the Casablanca section detached and, with the SPENCER, arrived at Casa
on the 12th.

CONVOY TO CASABLANCA

HBTURN

,On

April 30, 19U3, the SPENCER, in company with the DUANE, left Londonderry and proceeded in

On May 2nd one dependently. contact was investigated which proved to be non-sub.
On the 3rd the DUANE departed on duty assigned. Qn
the l*th a radar impulse was investigated with negative
results. The SPENCER entered Boston Harbor on May 6th
and on the 9th entered drydock for one day. On the
22nd she departed for Casco Bay for training exercises
returning to Boston on the 2Uth. Next day she proceed ed, via Cape Cod Canal, to Brooklyn arriving on May

CONVOY TO CASABLANCA

26th.

CONVOY TO

The SPENCER, in company with

the DUANE and 6 Navy destroyers

blanca

46

RETURN TO U. S.

On October 16th, 19U3, the SEENCER with Task Force 614. de parted Casablanca and arrived at Gibraltar on the 17th. On the l?th she took her position with Task Force 6U as escort to convoy GUS-18. On the 20th the Casablanca section joined and four ships detached for Casablanca. Mr coverage -was furnished until November sth. The Norfolk section departed on the lith and the rest of the convoy continued- to New York, entering New York channel on the 6th, when the SPENCER detached and proceeded to South Boston, Here she moored for 10 day's availability reporting to Commander, Carribean Sea Frontier by dispatch on November l#th, 19k3 t for duty with Task Group 26.1t. The SPENCER got underway from Boston on November 18, 19U3> en route Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and reported there on the 22nd. On the1 23rd she departed with SC-1312 as Task Unit 01t.6.2; -to rendezvous with convoy KG-671, as escort of the San Juan section of the convoy. On the 26th she arrived at San Juan, departing after a few hours to patrol the southern entrance to Virgin Passage until the 27th. After a short patrol at the southern en trance to Vieques Passage, she began escorting, in company with the 8188, and the French ship BEARN en route Cuba. Air coverage was received on the 26th. The SPENCER departed from her station long enough to identify the Swiss SS KASSOS, 13 miles distant. She was relieved of escort duty on November 30 19U3. OARRIBEAN DUTY The SPENCER was cruising in the vicinity of Porto Rico at 0959 on December 1, 19U3 when she had an underwater contact at 1200 yards. She reduced speed and passed directly target. Ten minutes later she fired a six over the ATTACKS SUBMARINE

CONVOY TO TRINIDAD

On December 25, 1910, tht SPENCER and U PC'S as Task Unit 0U.1.3 were underway escorting the Guantanamo see tion of convoy GAT-107 to Trinidad, meeting the main body of the convoy at 0925, and relieving C.T.U. 02. 9.7* Air coverage from land based planes was received daily. One vessel joined that afternoon and another on the 26th. The SPENCER departed station to render medical assistance to a convoy vessel on the 28th. On the 29th the Aruba-Curacao section of 12 ships, escorted by one PC departed. The PC-1239 ordered to divert HV RIO HACHA (Ecuador) on the 30th collided with that vessel and towed her to Bonaire. Seven vessels departed independently for Puerto La Cruz. The convoy reached Trinidad on December 21, 19U3.

19l+i*
RETURN TO GUANTANAMO

After conducting exercises in formation with Task Unit OU. 1.3 on January 9, 19Uh, the SPENCER and 3 PC's got under way on the 9th, with another PC and a VMS joining later, as escorts of convoy TAG-108. On the Uth the IMS departed and on the 13th one of the convoyed ves sels departed independently for Kingston, Jamaica. Later another departed independently for Cienfuegos and six for Guantanamo. The Task Unit moored at Guantanamo on January liith. On January 18th, 19kh, the SPENCER with T. U. 0U.1.3 proTRINIDAD ceeded out of Gu .tanamo Bay escorting convoy GAT-12 to Trinidad, 8.W.1. Later that day convoy NG-410 joined. On the 19th two vessels detached to proceed independently to Kingston, Jamaica, One of the escorts (PC-1239) attacked a sound contact, reattacking 15 minutes later and conducted a search with another PC. On the 21st one vessel in the con voy departed independently for Las Pietras, Venezuela and another for Curacao* On the 23rd five vessels de parted independently for Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. On January 2Uth the SPENCER and the rest of the Task Unit were relieved of escort duty and moored at U. S. Naval Air Station, Trinidad, 8.W.1.
SUB CONTACTED

'

charge embarrassing barrage and 15 minutes later an eight charge barrage. Half an hour later she re leased a 12 charge pattern. Shortly after this, sev eral on board the SPENCER thought they saw a periscope on the port quarter about 1700 yards distant. At 1156 there was an underwater sound bearing 800 yards distant but the target echo could not be kept separate from the disturbance resulting from the previous depth charge explosion. A retiring search was started at noon. Half an hour later the SPENCER fired an 11 charge barrage on a contact with hydrophone effects and started another retiring search. At 1500 two large oil slicks were noted five miles south of the last attack. A rectangular box search was then be gun, ending with a search across the entrance to Mona Passage which ended at 0700 on December 2nd and she moored at San Juan. Next day she entered drydock and remained there until December

RETURN TO GUANTANAMD

maneuvers, the Task Unit (0U.1.3) got underway on

After exercises and t actical

7th.

On December 9 19U3, after re ceiving passengers, mail and supplies, she departed for Trinidad, B. W. I. stopping briefly at Willemsted, Curacao on the 10th to aecort the U.S.A.T. EL LIBER TADOR until the 12th when the transport was turned over to SC-1302. The SPENCER moored at Trinidad on the 13th. TO TRINIDAD TO GUANTANAMO With 3 PC's the SPENCER left Trinidad on December 15 19l3, escorting convoy TAG-103 to Guantanamo. Air coverage from land based aircraft was furnished during the next five days. On the 17th the Curacao section departed and sections from Curacao and Aruba joineJ the convoy. On the 19th another PC joined the escort. Three ships were detached on the 20th to proceed independently to Cuban ports, and later the SPENCER and 2 PC's were relieved as escorts and proceeded into Guantanamo Bay.

February J, 19lth with the SPENCER and 3 PC's and screened the sortie of Convoy TAG-H3. Another PC joined. At 1755 the SPENCER attacked a contact later classified as non-sub, but conducted a box search of the area. On the sth the Curacao section joined followed by the Aruba Section, with vessels for Aruba detaching shortly afterwards. A friendly merchant vessel was identified on the 6th. On the 7th three vessels detached for Guantanamo and the SPENCER moored after being relieved of escort duty on the Bth.

TO NORFOLK

On February 9, 1914, the SPENCER stood out of Qianta namo Bay and proceeded inde pendently to Hampton Roads, Va., where she moored on the 12th reporting for duty to CinClant. She pro ceeded to Norfolk Navy Yard on the lUth where she was on availability until March 1, 19Ui. After post repair trials, the SPENCER stood out of Norfolk Norfolk on March It, 19kh, with Task Force 62, escorting UGS-35* The convoy received air oover age from land based aircraft on the 6th and from carrier based planes on the 13th and 15 th. On the ATTACKS UNDERWATER
CONTACT OFF GIBRALTAR

47

21st the Task Force was relieved of escort duty and proceeded to Gibraltar where itmoored. Getting underway for Casablanca at 1800, the SPENCER had an underwater contact forty five minutes later and fired four hedgehog barrages. Two underwater ex plosions were heard and she commenced a box search of the area. Another depth charge was fired on the

tranferred to USS ELDRIDGB on the 22nd and on the 25th theSFENCSS departed for Norfolk where she moored on the 26th to undergo conversion to an AGC (Combined Operations-Communications Headquarters Ship). The SPENCER remained at Norfolk Navy lard, Portsmouth, until September 11, llili, when, after being depermed, she proceeded to N.0.8. Norfolk, leaving there on the 13th for an anchorage in Chesapeake Bay to seek shelter from a reported hurricane. The 36th Signal Detach ment Headquarters Company, U. S. Army,consisting of 3 officers and 23 men reported aboard for duty early on the 13th. She underwent a post-conversion shake down from the 16th to the 23rd and after post-shake down repairs at N.0.8. Norfolk, stood out on the 27th escorted by the USS MDSKEGON (PF-2U) On October 3rd* 19kh, she arrived at Cristobal, Panama, Canal Zone, where she reported to Commander Seventh (Pacific) Fleet for duty. JOINS PACIFIC FLEET
7a.,

underwater contact. A British and Dutch escort joined in the search which continued until early on March 22nd when the SPENCER proceeded to Casablanca and moored. rittl'UKN TO NEW YORK
Standing out of Casablanca on March 26th, 19l*U, the

SPENCER in Task Force 62, re lieved a Dutch escort of con voy GDS-31*. A sick man was transferred by breeches buoy to -the SPENCER from one of the convoyed vessels later in the afternoon for treatment. Air coverage was furnished by land based planes through the 27th. A French vessel joined the convoy on the 28th. The Horta section joined on April 1, 19hk. The SPENCER took aboard several crew members from other vessels for medical treatment during the voyage. Three sea men died. Air coverage from land based aircraft was received from the Uth to the lltth. One vessel de parted under escort for Bermuda on the Uth. On the 12th the Norfolk section broke off and the SPENCER porceeded with the New York section, mooring at New York Navy Yard on April lUth. After 15 days availability the SPENCER got underway froa Brooklyn on May 1, 19kh, and moored at Norfolk on the 2nd. On the 3rd she departed Nor folk with Task Force 62 as escort to convoy UGS-ltl. Air coverage from land based planes and blimps was received on the 3rd and from planes alone through the 7th. On the 17th a sound contact was classified nonsub. One merchant vessel with escort joined the con voy from Santa Maria, Azores, 60 miles distant. Sev eral men were transferred to the SPENCER by breeches buoy from other vessels during the trip for medical treatment.* A British submarine and a British destroy er joined the convoy on the 20th, and aircraft cover age by land bases planes was furnished. On the 21st all hands were called to air attack quarters and a smoke screen was laid for 50 minutes from 0603. Seven hours later air attack quarters was again sounded, an unidentified plane being reported 8 miles distant, presumed to be an enemy shadow plane. It disappeared and all hands were secured shortly afterwards. At 2Q!|6 another call to air attack quarters was made and a smoke screen laid for an hour and a half. Three escorts rejoined and the Oran section detached with 11 merchant vessels from that port joining. Two more escorts joined. On the 22nd one merchant ship and one escort detached for Algiers. Air attack quarters with smoke screen was called at various times, through the 23rd. On the 2l*th the Task Force was relieved and the SPENCER proceeded to Gaulet dv Lac, Tunisia, where she anchored until the 31st, when she proceeded to Bizerte. AIR ALARMS ON WAY TO BIZkkI'K RETURN TO U. S. After anti-aircraft exercises the SPENCER got underway with Task Force 62, as escort of convoy GUS-Ul on May 31, 1?1*U On June Uth she was relieved of her escort station and proceeded alone toward Europa Point where two officers departed to be detached from the Task Force and the SPENCER stood out of Gibraltar Bay to regain her convoy escort station. Air coverage was furnish ed by land based planes on the 17th, 18th and lth. On the 18th convoy was divided into two sections, the SPENCER proceeding with the New York section. Moor ing at Brooklyn on June 20th, Task Force 62 flag was
'

On October U, 19hk, the SPENCER passed through Panama Canal to Balboa and, operat ing independently without surface escort or air coverage, proceeded toward Bora Bora, Society Islands. She arrived there on the 18th and left the same day, proceeding independently for Finschhaven, New Guinea. Arriving on the 29th she re ceived orders to go to Langemak Bay and thence to Hollandia. She anchored in Humboldt Bay, New Guinea on October 31st. While en route to this point from Balboa she had held numerous target practices, four fire, two collision and two abandon ship drills. Crew members had been familiarized with their duties through various classes of instructions. TO SOUTHWEST PACIFIC 11 SWIMMERS

ASSISTED*

The SPENCER moved from Humboldt Bay to Hollandia Bay on November 1, 19hh, and re ported to Com 7th Phib on November 3rd. On the 6th she moored to USS OTUS (AS-20) and began undergoing conversion and repair work as directed by Commander Task Force 76. When a swimming party from the SPENCER observed three groups of swimmers clinging to flotsam one and one half miles from shore on the 7th, the ship is No* 2 boat picked them up, landing seven of the men at their camp, transferring two Navy r eservists and two WAC 's to the SPENCER, the latter four being covered with fuel oil and the WAC's also suffering from shock. They were issued emergency clothing, fed and sent ashore to their units. Repairs and conversion were completed on November 25th.
QEOUNEBD

Getting underway with Task unit 76.U.5 on November 26, 19hh, the SPENCER proceeded to Leyte where the Task Unit was dissolved on the 30th. The SPENCER anchored in the vicinity of USS iff.Me KINLEY (AGC-7) in San Pedro Bay. Later that day Rear Admiral A. D. Struble, USN,< and staff reported on board and the SPENCER became flagship of Task Group 78.3." Later Brigadier General Dunckel and staff reported on board for duty with the Task Group. On the 6th the flag of the Commander,
Task Group 78.3 was shifted to the USS HUGHES (DD-JilO).
On the 7th, while standing up San Pedro Bay to refuel
the SPENCER became grounded on a reef. The fire room and compartment A-Ul3 were flooded and the main en gines and boilers were secured. The USS QUEPAW (ATF 110) arrived to stand by and next day the SPENCER was floated, towed by an Armyflarge tug (LT-20) and an chored in San Pedro Bay where" divers completed tem porary repairs by placing a wooden patch on the hull. While anchored on the 20th the SPENCER fired on an enemy plane two miles distant. The 36th5ignal

ON AREEF

\u25a0

48

#\u25a0

amh^h^^^^^^^
Detachment transferred to USS GILLIAMfor temporary duty, and on the 22nd LCC's 92 and 91; reported for duty with the SPENCER, who then moved to Leyte Gulf as examination vessel.
damaged enemy defenses and other installations. Ex cept for numerous land mines and mortar fire on the left flank, no opposition was met on the beaches. Under-water log obstructions hampered unloading of the larger landing craft. Pontoon causeways overcame the low beach gradient. Several midget submarines were attacked south of the city during the afternoon. Cebu City was occupied the day after the landing with the docks found essentially undamaged. The rest of the city, however, was largely in ruins, Japanese demoli tion squads beginning a systematic destruction of all major installations almost simultaneously with our landings at Talisay. At 1555 on the 26th Major Gener al Arnold departed the SPENCER to take command of operations ashore and the SPENCER got underway patroll ing Bohol Strait in company with various units of Task Group 78.2, Patrol duty was completed on the morning of the 27th on which date at 1931 there was an air alert and a single Jap plane, probably a Val, dropped two or three bombs on the beachhead and in the water off Talisay, without causing any damage. The SPENCER departed Talisay on March 28th, anchoring in San Pedro Bay on the 29th.

1&5
On 28 January, 19U5, the SPENCER was underway from San Pedro Bay, Leyte as flagship Bay, Leyte flagship and guide for the Bth Amphi bious Group with Lt. Gen. R.L. Eiehelberger, Commanding General, Bth Army and Major General Swing, Commanding General, 11th Airborne Divi sion on board. The landing was made on 31 January, 19U5 after a preliminary naval bombardment. Minor opposition was encountered on the beaches, which was quickly wiped out and the 11th Airborne Division dash ed up the valley 35 miles to the southern limits of Manila. On February Ist, the SPENCER patrolled off Nasugu Bay, Luzon, P. 1., in company with two other vessels. Later that morning Lt. Gen. R. L. Eichel berger, Commanding General, U. S. Bth Army and staff departed to take charge of operations ashore. On the 2nd the SPENCER moved under escort to Mangarin Bay, Mindoro, p. 1., and left there on the 9th escorted by the USS FLUSSER receiving air coverage from I** based aircraft. Anchoring in San Pedro Bay on the 16th she returned to Mangarin Bay. on the 18th-. LAUDING AT NASUGBU, LUZON, P. I.
Following a rehearsal exercise with Task Group 78.2 on February 25, 19U5, the SPENCER stood out on the 26th as flag ship and fleet guide, with Brigadier General Harold H. Haney, Commanding General, Ulst Infantry on board. The amphibious irv*lne to seize the Puerto Prince ssa area was made on February 28th. There were estimated to be 3500 enemy troops on Palawan, of which 2000 were thought to be in the Puerto Prince ssa -*rea. Only 600 of these, however, were combat troops. Beaching conditions were gener ally unfavorable due to fringing reefs, coral heads and mangrove swamps backing some beaches. 5,322 com bat and 2,09U service troops were landed in various types of landing craft. Extensive bombing and straff ing had been effected two days before landing. The initial landings were completed with no opposition encountered, our troops advancing rapidly inland, securing both the nearby airfields by 1300. During the afternoon, one infantry company was transported in LVT's and LCM's to the mouth of the Iwahig River, where they landed with only a few rounds of opposi tion small-arms fire. At 181*9 the SPENCER was under way patrolling off Puerto Prince ssa in company with combatant units of Task Group 78.2. She departed on the 3rd and anchored inMangarin Bay, Mindoro, on the Uth. Leaving there on the sth, under escort, she anchored in San Pedro Bay on the 7th.

LANDING AT PUERTO PRINCBSSA, PALAWAN, P. I.

On April17th, 19U5, elements of the U. S. 10th Army Corps landed unopposed along the Gulf, eastern shores of Moro Gulf, Mindanao, P. I. Troops of the 2Uth Division were put ashore at Parang, about 15 miles north of Cotabato, after a preliminary bombardment of the beachhead by cruisers and destroyers. By midday they had advanced more than 5 miles south of Parang, still meeting light opposition. Meanwhile, farther to the north, other units landed at Malabang. As the amphibious force, of which the SPENCER served as flagship, approached Malabang, and a few minutes before the heavy naval bombardment of the beach and nearby austrip were sche duled to begin, a small motor boat put out from shore. As she approached, the American ensign could be iden tified in the pre-dawn light. The craft was manned by native guerillas and carried three U. S. Army fliers. They reported that the Japanese had fled the area and that the beachhead was unguarded. Troops of the 2ltth Army Division were landed and took up pur Japanese. suit of the fleeing LANDINGS AT PARANG AND MALABANG, MINDANAO, P. I. Units of the 2Uth Division, working overland from Parang, secured Kabacan, an important road junction in the center of the island of Mindanao and moving swiftly through the hills to the east had reached Digos, on the west coast of the Davao Gulf on the 27th of April. Here they spread out while units advancing to the north reached the western outskirts of Davao on May 1, 19U5 The same task force that had operated in the Moro Gulf, with the SPENCER, as flagship, swept around the south ern tip of Mindanao and landed troops and material at Santa Cruz near Digos on May 3rd where the 2Uth Divi sion had already cleared the beachhead of the enemy. The city of Davao was captured on May Uth. and the city seaport, Santa Ana, was taken on May 3rd. The SPENCER proceeded to Polloc Harbor on the Uth and then re turned to Leyte on the 9th. LANDING AT BRUNEI, NORTH BORNEO The SPENCER proceeded to Morotai, N. .1., on May 23, 8 19U5. on 19U5 and anchored there on the 25th. On June Uth she departed, together with othar units of Task Group 78.1 having been designated pri mary fighter direction ship for that Task Group and flagship for Commander of white and Green Beach assault units of "Oboe Six" operation, Brunei, North Borneo. Shortly after anchoring off Green Beach, (Muara Har bor), Brunei Bay on June 10th, there was an air alert ATTACK ON DAVAO

On March 21st, 19U5, Acting Commander, Phib Group 8, Captain Albert T. Sprague, Jr., USN, and staff and Major General William Arnold, Com manfting General, Americal Division, U. S. Bth Army and staff reported aboard. The SPENCER participated in rehearsal for V-2 operations with other units of Task Group 78.2 and on the 2Uth stood out as flagship and guide for the task group, receiving land based air coverage on the 25th. On the 26th the SPENCER anchored in Bobol Straits off Talisay, Cebu to direct V-2 operations against enemy occupied territory. r About IU,OOO combat and service troops of the Americal Divi sion landed at Talisay Beach, southwest of Cebu City on March 26th. The assault followed a bombardment of the beaches by cruisers and destroyers of Task Group 7U.3 and two weeks of aerial attacks which severely

OPERATION
AGAINST

TALISAT, CEBU

49

COAST GUARD CUTTER SFENCER

COAST OTARD CUTTIE TANET

50

\u25a0

and a Japanese plane, identified as a Nick dropped one bomb near the Transport Ai'ea off Brown Beach, but caused no damage. At 1230, Brigadier General William J. V. Windeuer of the Australian 9th Division and staff departed the SPENCER. Besides providing com munications facilities for the 20th Australian Bri gade, which had landed on three beaches on the south ern side of the Bay, as they pushed toward Brooketon, the SPENCER had acted as radar guard against Jap planes, coming in near the mouth of the Bay. On the 13th a ff. S. P-61, night fighter, controlled from the SPENCER, shot down one Nick twin engine fighter about "lo miles south. Relieved by the USS BANCROFT on the lUth the SPENCER returned to Morotai, N.E.I.

19h5

the SPENCER iras underway for Shanghai, China. \u25a0While on the way, several floating mines were sunk by gunfire. She moored at Shanghai on the 12th. On December sth, 191i5> she was released from ComSeryDiv 101 and was underway independently for Pearl Harbor where she was to receive onward routing to San Diego, California, to report to DCGO, nth Naval District
CGC SPENCER COMMANDING OFFICER

December 19ltl to
January January

I?U3

FRITZSCHE, Edward H. Comdr. BERDINE, Harold S. Comdr. CAPRON, Walter C. Comdr.

HINNANT,

ATTACK ON BALIKPAPAN,
rivrimi. BORNEO
Borneo.

The SPENCER, anchored at

Morotai on the 20th and reported to Commander Task Group 78.2 for duty on "Oboe Two"
operation against Balikpapan,

On the 22nd Captain C. W. Gray, USN, and staff and various officers and men of the 7th Austra lian Division reported aboard. The SPENCER was to act as relief group flagship for the operation. After rehearsal on the 2itth, officers and men of the First Australian Air Liaison Group reported aboard for duty on June 25th and the SPENCER proceeded to her assign ed station in the assault echelon on the 26th as the Task Group got underway. On July Ist the SPENCER anchored in her assigned station for the Balikpapan operation and staff officers of the Australian 7th Division left tha vessel. The SPENCER became flag ship for Task Group 78.2 on Ju3y 3rd. The support force consisted of Seventh Fleet cruisers and escort carriers and elements of the Royal Australian and

191+3 to 19U3 July 19U3 to August 19UU

July August 1914t to December 19U5

James R. Comdr.

CGC TANET The CGC TANET was built at Philadelphia in 1936. She was one of the "secretary" class cutters designated by the Navy as a WPG. She is 327 feet long with a 1;1 foot molded beam and a draft of 12 feet 6 inches. She has a displacement of 2216 tons and a gross tonnage C.H. of 2lUl. Built of steel she is an oil burner and has a speed of 20 knots with a twin screw geared turbine developing 6200 horse power. Early in 19bl she was on duty with the Navy stationed at Honolulu, her commanding officer being Captain G. B. Gelly, USCG. He was succeeded in 19U2 by Captain L. B. Olsen, USCG, who was succeeded by Commander H. J. Wuensch, Commander George D. Synon succeeded Commander Wuensch and Commander C. G.Bowman, USCG followed Commander Synon.
DESCRIPTION

Netherlands Navies. After preliminary bombardment, the landing was made on July Ist. There was serious enemy mortar fire at the beaches causing temporary withdrawal of some landing craft. This fire was quickly knocked out by destroyer gunfire and the land ing operations resumed. Inland, stiff fighting was On the 7th, escorted by the USS KLINE encountered. (APD-120), the SPENCER departed for Manila arriving there on the 10th. She proceeded independently to Subic Bay on the 17th, returning to Manila on the 19th, where she remained at anchor until August 1, 19U5> as flagship for ComPhibGrp 8.
TRIPS TO

On August 2, 19^5* the SPENCER, with Rear Admiral Albert S. Noble, Commander Amphibious Group Eight aboard, got under way en route independently to Zamboanga, Mindanao, P. 1., where Rear Admiral Noble was to confer with the Commanding General of the 35th Division. Arriving on the sth she moored at Govern ment Dock, Zamboanga urvtil tlie ,7th when she returned to Tolosa, Leyte, P. 1., "f0r emergency repairs. She arrived at Tolosa on the Bth and on the 10th received unofficial news of the Japanese desire to surrender. On the 11th she proceeded tc Manila, escorted by the USS BRAZIER (DE-3U5) arriving there on the 12th. On the 25th she departed for San Fernando, Luzon, P. I. where Rear Admiral Noble was to confer with the ' Commanding General of the 33rd Division. She return ed to Manila on August 28th.

ZAMBOANGA AND SAN jFERNANDO

On September 10th, the Com-

mander, Amphibious mander, Amphibious Group Eij
Eight, transferred to the USS WASATC (&GC-9) and the SPENCER reported to Commander Service Division 101. She proceeded to Leyte on the nth and on the 17th was underway inde pendently to join the convoy 10K 31 consisting of
LCS Flotilla 5 en route Okinawa. On September 22nd
she was en route independently to Jinsen, Korea, where she anchored on the 2Uth, serving as auxinary com municatignri^p for ComServDiv 101. On October 9, AND SAN DIEGO

TO JINSEN, SHANGHAI

When anti-aircraft fire was first observed over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 19Ul general quarters was sounded aboard the TANEI, stationed in Honolulu Harbor, and all officers not on board were ordered to return. The anti-aircraft battery on the TANET as well as all other guns were ready to fire with their fun crew and three officers at their stations within four minutes after the attack begun. Steam was ordered and the vessel was ready to get underway. Without receiving orders from any source, the cutter opened fire on scattering formations of enemy aircraft passing over the harbor between 0901 and 0918, at high altitude, west to east. The 3" guns were used as the machine guns were outranged. At 1135 the TANET opened fire on a small forma tion of enemy planes which had passed over the city from north to south and were almost overhead at the time of firing. At n5B a formation of five enemy planes approached the TANET directly from the SSW, over the harbor entrance, on what appeared to be a glide bombing or strafing attack on the cutter, or more probably, a bombing attack on the power plant located north of the vessel's berth at Pier 6, Hono lulu. The cutter opened fire with 3 inch guns and 50 caliber machine guns after the planes were in range. There were no direct hits but the planes were rocked by the fire and swerved up and away.
ATTACKS AIRCRAFT

ATTACKS ENEMT SUBMARINE

entrance.

December 8, 19ltl, the TANET commenced a patrol of the vicinity of Honolulu Harbor patrol she made seven sound contacts On this

Proceeding to sea at

05U6

on

51

and dropped depth charges between December Bth and on December 10, 19kl at 201<3, mt de veloped shortly after tracer bullets from the vicinity of the harbor entrance were observed ahead, apparently aimed at a surface vessel. A sound contact was made on the starboard bow shortly thereafter and the TAKE! made an approach beginning with a sharp turn to star board to bring the submarine ahead. The rate of change indicated that the submarine was running away. The cutter completed the approach and dropped three charges at 100 yards spread. A very strong odor of fuel oil was noticed aft after the attack and the turn down wind. This was noticeable for several hours afterwards when passing the spot. A definite oil slick persisted at this spot for two days. On Decem ber 11th the TANET dropped six charges using the "T" gun on an urgent approach at full speed on a sound contact made while a cruiser was leaving Pearl Harbor and withintorpedo range. On December Ujth the cutter dropped five charges on an excellent contact with the range closing fast from dead ahead. This was the best contact made although no visible evidence of damage to the submarine was found.

lUth. A contact

~"

As January 19U2 began the TANET was patrolling the entrance to Honolulu Harbor. She remained in the Honolulu area until the 22nd, patrolling for two periods of 6 days each with relief from the USS SOUTHARD. While patrolling on the 9th she dropped five charges on a sound contact at OU3O with unknown results. On the 15 th she. released five charges on a contact at 21 13.6" N, 15? 50.U W with unknown results. The CHEW (DD) made a depth charge attack about 1000 yards from the TANET who closed but did not make contact. On the 1 7th, however, theTRNEY followed an attack by a destroyer by three minutes and released four charges at 0753. At 0810 she dropped seven charges on a good sound contact at 21 16 50" N, Is7 $3' #>" W and expended two T arbors and two "T" gun charges. At 0900 a periscope feathered at 2000 yards but after h5 minutes the TANEY, unable to get contact, was secured from general quarters. DEPTH CHARGES OFF HONOLULU

'. exchanged for Honolulu Entrance Patrol relieving the USS MONTGCMBRT. This duty continued for 6 day periods through April18th, the TANEY patrolling in Mamala' Bay for 6 days and mooring at Honolulu for 2 days. On the IBtlr the Force Commander's stateroom on the TANET was cleared and converted into a "radar" room. Work on "radar" and depth charge projector installations-pro ceeded through the balance of April as crew members took instruction at the radar school at the Pualloa Rifle Range. (Ho further war diaries of the TANEY are available until April 19hk. The September November 19U2 war diaries. of the Honolulu District mention the TANET, .along with the TIGER, and RELIANCE as continuing operations under Commander, Sea Force, Hawaiian Sea Frontier, with logistics under DCGO, Honolulu. The January 191i3 District diary states that the usual logistics operations were maintained for the TANET, TIGER, RELIANCE and PC-590 by the Districts. According to "History of Coast Guard, ihtb. District" there was practically no expansion of vessel opera tions in the Honolulu District during the war. Opera tional control of the TANET and of the 125 footers TIGER and RELIANCE was under the Navy. The amphibian aeroplane V-135 which was attached to the TANET at the beginning of the war was turned over to the Navy shortly after the outbreak of the war).

ESCORTS

19U2 the TANET stood out of Honolulu Harbor as escort of SS BARBARA OLSON to Canton Island, the PERRY (DD) escorting until 1910. duty on January 29, 19^2 the TANET made While on this sound contact at 1615 and at 1620 dropping seven . charges at 2 06 S, 170 20 W, withunknown results. The OLSEN was then directed to proceed at her best speed as the TANET continued to sound search which was abandoned without making another contact* The convoy reached Canton Island on January 30, 19h2 and until February 7, 19^2 patrolled off Canton Island sending a working party to assist in unloading the OLSON. On the 7th she resumed her escort of the OLSON sighting Enderbury Island at 0630 and by 0800 was drifting off the island while three of her boats assisted in land ing operations. At 1015 the National Ensign on Ender bury Island was hauled down as four Department of In terior colonists embarked for Honolulu. Houses on the island were destroyed by gunfire. Resuming escort of the OLSON they proceeded to Jarvis Island which was reached February 10, 19U2. After the National Ensign was hauled down here also all buildings and equipment were burned and four Department of Interior colonists were embarked for transportation to Honolulu. The TANEY, trailing the OLSON entered Palmyra (Island) Harbor on February 12, 191|2 and moored. Here she re mained until the 15th and then got underway for Canton Island to patrol the area until the 25th* Then she proceeded to Honolulu arriving March 5, 191*2.
PATROL DUTT

ESCORT PUTT

On January 22,

The TANET arrived at Bostoa CONVOT UGS-38 March IU, 19hh and was at the Boston Navy Yard until March 29, 19hh, while combat infor mation centers were being installed. She arrived at Hampton Roads March 31, 19U*, and on April 2, 19kh, departed Norfolk as a unit of Task Force 66, having Commander Task Force aboard. Next morning she de parted Hampton Roads and took her assigned position UOOO yards ahead of the convoy guide as convoy UGS-38 departed. The trip across the Atlantic with the 85 merchant vessels and 2 Navy tankers in convoy UGS-38, the USCGC DUANE, lU TJfifs and 10 I/3I(L)s in 13 columns was uneventful. On the 13th vessels of Task Group 66.9 ere detached for the Azores and on the 15th the J. E. CAMPBELL detached to proceed to Gibraltar, re joining on the 18th as the convoy passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean Sea. At Gibraltar the convoy was joined by three Bri tish submarines, the tug VAGRANT and the HNMS HEEM SKERCK, an anti-aircraft ship. The USS LANNING, which had detached on the 17th to proceed with a straggler to Gibraltar rejoined on the 18th, while the USS LANDSDALE, USS SPEED and USS SUSTAIN joined the Task Force on the 19th* The convoy was attacked by
German torpedo planes about
35 minutes after sunset on
April 20, 1914J1, at 360 59* H 3 5U1 E. The convoy was then in 10 columns with 3 British submarines in column 600 yards on the port beam of No. 71 (Convoy Commodore). At the time of the attack several escorts were not in their normal posi tions due to the proximity of land to starboard. HUMS HBEMSKERCK assumed responsibility for fighter direction, air warning guard, the making of "shad" and "help" messages and the maintenance of contact with fighter sectors. She was given considerable latitude in alter ing her station as she deemed necessary. The LANDSDALE, SUSTAIN and SPEED were given stations of maximum ef-. fectiveness for their jamming equipment. Two days prior to the attack a gunnery doctrine in the event of air attack during darkness had been given, directing all escorts to fire machine guns only at seen targets at night and only when satisfied that their own ship's position was known to the planes* AAA. At longer ranges main battery controlled fire only wotOd be used. Coded signals had been received from radio Algiers be tween 19U7 and 2022 on April 20, 19hh andat 202*5 At 2fl**tiptreen enemy glider bomb* s transmissions. CONVOY ATTACKED

Entrance patrol at Pearl Har bor was resumed March 19th, this duty being subsequently

52

and at 2052 "negative tiptree" reports were received and passed to the HEEMSKERCK. At the same time the LANDSDALB reported only friendly planes on its screen. Warnings received at 2055, 2057 and 2058 were passed to the HEEMSKERCK and at 2101 the LOWE reported radar contact on five enemy planes from dead ahead and two minutes later reported sighting about 5 enemy planes flying low over water. PAUL HAMILTON BLOWN DP

LANDSDALE" SUNK
seven planes,

was hit with a torpedo and exploded, killing $0U men, all that were on board. At 2106

At 2105 the SS PAUL HAMILTON

aircraft near the LANDSDALE. The low approach over the water and with land as a background rendered SC andRA Radar ineffective. In addition the jamming of the TANEY's SC Radar throughout the attack might have been an attempt at I.F.F. (Identification Friend or ' Foe). The MOSLEY reported the same experience with its SA Radar. SL and SG Radar was not affected and brought the first detection although at limited ranges. Allthe damaged vessels reached Algiers, except the ROYAL STAR which sank next day. The convoy continued to a point off Bizerte, NovthAfrica where on April 22, 19hh Task Force 66 was relieved by a British escort.
\u25a0

of the forward screen. Communications could not be established by the TANEY with the HEEMSKERCK to report all these as the TANEY's TRC transmitter was inopera tive. At 2120 the attacking planes began retirement. The Commander, Escort Division U6 was directed to take charge of rescue operations astern in which the MENGES, NEWELL, FESSENDEN and CASE were directed to participate Commander Escort Division 21 in the J. E. CAMPBELL was directed to take position astern of, the convoy to act as communications relay between rescuing ships and Task Force Commander. Itwas learned that the SS PAUL HAMILTON had exploded immediately and USS LANDSDALE had been sunk in 15 minutes while the SAMITE, the STEPHEN E. AUSTIN and ROYAL STAR had bees damaged. Tug #136 immediately took one of the damaged merchant ships ija tow and two other tugs were requested from
Algiers.

flying low, coming on the port bow of the convoy. Thereafter planes were sighted by most

the J. E. GfIMPBELL reported

HOW ATTACK WAS MADE

of planes. Each wave came in from a bearing of about 100 True, ftying very low and making use of shore background. The first wave of nine JU-88<s sheared off from shore background and attacked the convoy from dead ahead, the leading aircraft probably being respon sible for the sinking of the PAUL HAMILTON and damaging the SAMITE. On retiring they were fired upon by the convoy ships and the HEEMSKERCK. The second wave of seven JU-88s apparently followed the first and con sisted of seven planes. Part of this wave continued down the starboard flanks of the convoy and attacked, resulting in the damage to the AUSTIN and ROYAL STAR. In this wave two torpedoes seemed to have been dropped at the LOWE and two at the TANEY, torpedo wakes being reported close aboard both ships. The third wave of five HE-lll's was concentrated on the port bow and probably sank the LANDSDALE. The HEEMSKERCK saw wakes of three torpedoes apparently dropped by this wave. The attack was well planned, due apparently to effec tive reconnaissance by enemy aircraft about noon of April 20, 19kh. Employing twilight and shore coverage to fullest advantage, the enmmy plane further escaped detection by flying low over the water and using only torpedoes all of which made straight runs. No shooting was done by the enemy aircraft and only explosions from depth charges, dropped by the PRIDE for reasons unknown to the Task Force Commander, were heard. No flares were used by the attacking planes. The FECHTELER claim ed to have shot down one plane, damaged another and ob served a third in flames between columns #1 and #2 of the convoy. The TANEY and SPEED reported possible damage to one aircraft each and the MOSLEY damage to two and also to shooting down one. The LANDSDALE wag verbally reported to have claimed three aircraft shot down. 830 survivors from the LANDSDALE, including two surviving German aviators, were picked up by the MENGES and NEWELL. No concerted effort at smoke laying was made by the escorts. Effective fighter protection was apparently totally lacking in the vicinity of the coa voy, although one fighter was reported engaging enemy

participated in the attack which took place in three waves

Itappeared that from 18 to 21; JTJ-^Bs and/or HE-llls

The TANBT left Bizerte on May 1, 19kh in company with other units of Task Force 66 which relieved the British Escort Commander of GDS-38. On the 2nd an enemy submarine was reported in the area to be traversed that night so convoy vessels streamed nets and balloons. On the 3rd the TANEY was patrolling her station at 12 knots when at 0130 the MENGES was torpedoed by an enemy submarine. She was towed to Algiers with a damaged stern. During the day ships for Algiers departed the convoy and others joined. At evening all escorts made smoke. On the Uth an enemy U-boat was r eported in the a rea ahead of the convoy, and fixer gear was streamed. This submarine (the U-371) was later confined as sunk at 37 U91 N, 05b 39 Eby the PRIDE, J. E.CAMPBELL, F. S. SENEGAL and HMS BLANKNEI. On the sth the TANEY picked up a surface radar contact, which was also reported by the outer screen and the convoy made an emergency diver sion to starboard as itwas investigated; but later lost. Shortly afterwards at 02U5 the outer screen sighted a submarine, which submerged, losing contact. At 031*6 the USS FBCHTLER, in a position ahead of the port side of the convoy was torpedoed. The convoy was diverted to starboard and all units searched for the submarine. The convoy proceeded without further incident or loss, passed through Gibraltar and on. the 19th the New York and Chesapeake sections s eparated, the TANEY proceeding with the former and entering New York at 1255 on May 21st, 19kh, After an availability until June 8, 19Wt, the TANEY pro ceeded to Hampton Roads and on the 12th, together with Escort Divisions U6 and 21 proceeded to sea escorting UGS-lis, the TANEY patrolling I+ooo yards ahead as con voy guide, and conducting continuous 360 surface radar search, a sound search 60 on either side of the base course and degaussing at all times. On the 18th she investigated a sound contact whichproved to be non-sub. On the 26th the Casablanca section departed and on the 27th the Gibraltar section. Shortly after wards all ships of the convoy passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and began forming a broarf front of 13 columns. The Oran section departed and a British cruiser and two destroyers joined, the escort laying smoke around the convoy during the dusk alert. On the 29th joiners from Algiers took assigned stations and smoke was again laid as well as on the 30th during dawn alerts. Qn July Ist Task Force 66 was relieved by a British escort commander and the TANEY stood in to Bizerte Harbor. She remained there until the 10th. On May IX), 19M, the TANEY departed Bizerte Harbor in company with other units of Task Force 66 and relieved the British escort of convoy GUS-U5. Forming a broad front of seven columns, the escorts laid smoke at dawn and disk alerts on the 11th and 12th. Joiners from Algiers and Oran on the 12th and 13th took assigned positions, the convoy clearing the Straits at 1200 on the 13th. Sound contacts investigated On the 16th, CONVOY GUS-4t5 ESCORTS CONVOY UGS-^5

TWO ESCORTS TORPEDOED IN GUS-38

-W^H^lf
53

18th and 19th proved to be non-subs, the TANEY leav ing her station for twelve hours to escort a straggler on the 21st. On several occasions patients were taken a board from convoy vessels for medical treatment. A depth charge was fired on a contact on the 24th, fol lowed by a hedgehog pattern. The contact was finally evaluated non-sub. On the 28th the Chesapeake and Delaware sections departed the main convoy which, proceeding in four column formation, entered the New York swept channel while the TANEY proceeded to Brook lyn Navy Yard for availability. After an availability until August 4th, the TANEY under went training exercises at Casco Bay, Me., untilthe 18th, when she proceeded to Hampton Roads, Va. On the 22nd in company with Escort Division 21 and I+6 she put to sea escorting convoy UGS-52 as convoy guide. Drills were conducted on the 24th after which operations continued uneventful. On September 6th the Casablanca and on the 7th the Gibraltar section departed. These were followed on the Bth and 9th by the Oran and Algiers sections. On the 11th the Task Force was relieved by British escorts and the TANEY moored at Bizerte. CONVOY PGS-52 The TANEY, with Task Force 66, relieved the British
escorts and commenced es corting convoy GUS-52 on

CONVOY PGS-52

Ed air attack on the 2Uth and 25th, but a small at tack came on the 26th and on the 27th planes attacked shipping and shore installations from the North des pite cloudy weather. On the 28th strong attacks were made, the TANEY opening fire on two planes crossing her bow at 0320 and 0321* with no observable results. Four attacks on the 29th were followed by two on the 30th all directed at vessels and shore establishments in the vicinity. During the 45 days preceding May 26, 1945 it was necessary for the TANEY to go to general quarters 119 times, with the crew being kept at battle' stations for as long as nine hours at a stretch. Dur ing this period the TANEY was credited with downing four suicide enemy aircraft plus numerous assists. CONDUCTS INFORMATION CENTER
During all this period the TANEY was assigned full con-

cial communication facilities). She remained at Bos ton undergoing conversion until January 19, 1945 when she departed for Norfolk. After shakedown and training OKINAWA until the 25th and post shakeOFERATIONS down availability until the 28th the TANEY proceeded on the 29th with 4 other vessels to Pearl Harbor via the Canal Zone and San Diego. Reach ing her destination on February 22, 1945 the vessel reported to Rear Admiral Calvin H. Cobb, USN, for operationalcontrol. On the 26th she began undergoing minor repairs and installation of new communication equipment through March 5, 1945. On March 10, 1945 she departed for Eniwetok, operating independently without surface escort, and then on the 19th for Ulithi where she anchored on the 23rd. The TANEY remained at Ulithi until April 7, 1945. Rear Admiral Cobb, who was on board, beicg prospective commander, Naval Forces, Ryukyus (CTG 99.1). Getting underway on the 7th with Task Force 5l8 she proceeded to Hagushi Landing Beaches, Okinawa, arriving amid air alerts on the Uth. On the 12th at 0543 hits were observed on a "Betty" crossing the TANEY1s bow. at 1200 yards and itcrashed shortly afterwards. Four more attacks were experienced on the 12th and two on the 13th. Later, on that date, the TANEY moved to Kerama Kaiko, Kerama Rhetto and though alerts were received later, no plane 3 were sighted. Returning to Hagushi on the 15th the TANEY again fired on enemyaircraft which were eventually shot down by naval gun fire. On the 16th strong concentrations of enemy air craft attacked the area, most of them being shot down by combat air patrol. Minor attacks were experienced through the 23rd, vessels on radar picket duty re ceiving the heaviest punishment. Low ceilings prevent-

September 18, 1944. Additional sections joined from Algiers on the 20th, Oran on the 21st, Gibraltar on the 22nd and Casablanca on the 23rd. Crossing the Atlantic was uneventful and when the Chesapeake sec tion broke off on October 6, 19hk, the TANEY proceeded with the New York section, which forming a narrow front of two columns entered the New York swept chan nel. Next day the TANEY detached as a unit of Task Force 66 and on the 9th left for Boston Navy Yard where she was to undergo conversion to an AGC type vessel (amphibious force flagship equipped with spe

duct of combat information center duties, maintaining complete radar and air-net coverage* receiving and evaluating total information of all activities, enemy and friendly, and issuing orders to all activities for which she was responsible. Additional duties included full conduct of visual sig nals and joint conduct of all other means of rapid communication. Medical personnel attached also gave treatment to numerous battle casualties from other units. In addition to air attacks the enemy used suicide boats, midget *bmarins and on one occasion shelled the TANEI by snore batteries. Because of her exposed position to the north the vessel experienced a disproportionate share of the actual fighting. ATTACKS CONTINUE DURING JUNE
throughout June. Most of the enemy planes were intercepted by combat air patrols before they reached the Hagushi An chorage. Such raids took place on eighteen out of the thirty days in June 1945. On the 6th two .vessels were hit with unknown damage but none was at Hagushi anchor ages. On the 7th, 10 planes attacked the forward area and a}l were splashed. The raids continued and on the 10th a plane bombed Ie Shima airfield. On the 11th 8 planes were splashed out of two raids. Again on the 16th an LCVP smoke boat was lost as 10 planes bombed the vicinity in four raids. On the 17th stray shrap nel fragments hit the TANEY as lone enemy aircraft made a low level attack. Successful suicide attacks on shipping at Kerama Rhetto. anchorage on the 21st and 22nd indicated 30 enemy planes in 15 raids. Later that day 25 planes closed the a rea, 10 being destroyed and none penetrating the transport area. One out of seven more, attacking later in the day, was destroyed. On the 24th a plane bombing Ie Shima airfield was destroyed and two more, approaching fran the northwest, were splashed. Yontan airfield was bombed on the 25th and shore installations on the 26th. When a Japanese float type seaplane passed overhead at low altitude and circled the TANEY at 0120 on that day, ship and shore batteries splashed it. Another was destroyed by night fighters on the 27th. In all at least 288 enemy planes attacked the area during the eighteen days in June when attacks occurred and at least 96 were destroyed.

Suicide air attacks continued

NO LET-UP 'TIL VJ-DAY

The suicide raids continued thrdughout July 1945. On the 19th the TANEY led all ships at the anchorage in convoy eastward, to avoid a typhoon which was moving north Northeast and returned on the 20th to anchor in Buckner Bay, "Okinawa. On the 22nd an enemy plane dropped a bomb on a vessel 13,000 yards from the TANEY. On the 29th picket boats to the southwest were attacked and one ship sunk. Next day a suicide plane crashed into the USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD) Again on August 1, 1945 the TANEY led Task Unit 95.51 to sea toaroid a

54

suicider struck the USS LAGRANGE (APA-12l) amidships and a second scored a near miss off her bow. On the

tropical storm, returning to Buckner Bay on the 3rd. Nightly enemy air raids continued. On the 13th, a

day after VJ-day, the TANEY got underway to support the USS PENNSYLVANIA against probable air attack as three enemy planes closed from the northeast. One crashed on land 30 miles north and two dropped a bomb and crashed at Iheya Rhetto. Task Group 95.5 was dis solved August 25, 19U5, and Admiral Cobb departed four
days

On October lit, 19U5 the TANEY left Wakayama and returned to San Francisco on October 29, 19kS, via Midway. On November 29, 19U5 she reached Charleston Navy Yard for reconversion to peacetime operations.
RETURN TO UNITED STATES CGG TANK! COMMANDING OFFICER

later. December 19U1 to

September

On September 9, 19U5, the TANEY departed for Wakaya ma, Japan, as part of Task Unit 56.16.2 and two days later was proceeding up the Xii Suido channel to an chor in Wakanoura Wan. On the 12th a working party departed to report to the Wakayama Evacuation Unit ashore. On the 17th a typhoon was reported with a center 280 miles distant, bearing 235 T and moving northeast at 17 knots with force eight winds for a 300 mile radius, and force fourteen winds at the cen ter. The TANEY Was in 9 fathoms of water and had a sticky clay bottom to hold to. She veered to 90 fa thoms of chain to starboard anchor and port anchor was dropped underfoot. Engines had steam at the throttles ready for use. On the 18th the barometer fell to a low of 29,11 with winds at 60 knots and gusts at 85 knots. The storm center was 85 miles north of the an chorage moving northeast at 2it knots. The TANEY did not drag her anchor, being one of the few ships in the anchorage that stayed in their berths, with ground TO JAPANTYPHOON STRIKES

19U2 19U2

OLSEN, Louis 8.,

Commander Commander

September

to
GELLY, George 8.,

March 19U3

March 19U3 to
April19i+U April19UU to
October 19U+

October
August August

PERKINS, Henry C, Captain WUENSCH, Henry J.,

Commander

19hh 191i5 19U5

to
SYNON, George D., Commander BOWAN,

Carl G., Commander

tackle

holding.

qpm

COAST GUARD CUTTER ALGONQUIN

55

reached on the 10th* COAST GUARD VESSELS CGC ALGONQUIN (wfg-75) The CGC ALGONQUIN (WFG-75) was built at Wilmington, Del., in I?3U, and her' peraanent station was at Portland, Maine At the outbreak of World War H she was on duty with the Navy. She was 165 feet long with a 36 foot beam and a maximum draft of 13 feet, 7 inches, inches. She displaced 1005 tons with a gross tonnage CH of 718. Her hull was of steel and she had a speed of 13 knots,- being oil driven by a loo HP geared tur bine. COMMISSIONING

G5-5

CONVOYS and SQ-6 SUB ATTACK

On August 15, 191(2, ths

ing a 5 -vessel convoy GS-5, in company with the MOJAVB

out of Kungnat

ALGONQUIN

was underway

Bay

escort

19h2
Departing Portland, Maine, on June 2, 1&2, the ALGON QUIN stood to the eastward and at 1915 received a message indicating that a submarine had been sighted along a course at I*o 13' I,66 50 W. At 195? a "screw" noise was heard at position Ij3o 22 N, 67 5U* W and she cruised for an hour and 25 minutes in the immediate vicinity, trying to establish or con tact, without success. She stood into Argentla on ,

ON SUBMARINE

June 5, 19U2.

The ALGONQUIN was underway out of Argentia on June 6, 191*2, and on the 10th, stood off Skov Fjord, Green land, at whose mouth she found heavy pack ice that was however, workable. Replenishing fuel and water at Bluie .West One, she proceeded to Ivigtut. After a .. week of local transportation service she was en route Julianahaab on the 18th investigating ice conditions* She returned to Bluei West One on the 19th and assumed weather station "AFFIRM11 off Narsuk, on the 20th, standing out to sea while investigating ice bergs off shore. She remained on weather station until July 3rd when relieved by the COMANCHB. On June 29, 19U2, she took aboard 12 survivors of the SS EMPIRE CIOUOH from two Portuguese fishing vessels encountered. All had been suffering from 17 days of exposure in a lifeboat prior to rescue. TO GREENLAND

OS-i

CONVOYS AND SG-2

convoy GS-1 consisting of two vessels in company with the MOJAVS. They arrived at Sydney, N. S., on the 11th. On the 16th she stood out of Sydney escorting in company with the MOJAVB oonvoy SG-2 consisting of five vessels. On the 17th the MOJAVS dropped a pattern of depth charges on a con tact. Occasional icebergs were encountered in the Labrador current. They arrived at Bluie West One on
Bay escorting

On July 7, 191*2, ths ALGONQUIN stood out of Kungnat

the 22nd.

On July 26, 19l2, the ALGONQUIN stood out of Kungnat Bay to form convoy GS-3 consisting of two yes 'sels, one of which dropped out of the convoy en route, which reached Sydney on the 31st. On August 5, 19U2, the cutter was underway escorting a seven vessel con voy SG-h in company with the MOJAVE, TAHOMA,v SC-527 and SC-528. The NOGAK dropped out on the 6th and the MDJAVE dropped astern on a possible contact,, rtjoining an hour later. The ARLUK dropped out an hour later due to thick weather. The MOJAVE detached with the USS MUNARGO on the Bth and ALGONQUIN assumed the flag. The ARLUK rejoined on the 9th. Bluie West One was CONVOYS GS-3

ANDSG-4

MIE fran further attack. At 2205 the cutter noted that the ALCOA GUARD, BISCAIA and HARJURBAND were steaming full speed toward Cape Bauld with a low bright moon illuminating them, and stood over to cover them. She
established no contacts, however. The ALGONQUIN
steamed toward each vessel indicating best course to follow to avoid moonlight, maintaining radio silence
and avoiding visual signalling, the purpose being to
get the vessels eastward
of Belle Isle and the coastal waters and yet make northerly progress, so as not to
lead submarines, if following,- across
to the path of
the southbound convoy GS-6, and at the same time seek
safety afforded by the ha^y waters in the path of the
Labrador current offshore. At daylight ordered re maining 2 vessels to zigzag and reduce speed to avoid detection of heavy smoke. CTF dispatches indicated to proceed Sandwich Island to await further orders, and D/F fixes on submarines were 53 00 N, 55 00 W, the convoy's position then being 52 $y N, 52 38' W. The course to Sandwich Island being directly in line with reported submarine and requiring a night land fall, course was continued to gain area of reduced visi bility of the Labrador current. At 1213 on August 28, 19U2, sighted a Canadian patrol plane and a message detailing reasons for not attempting Sandwich Island landing was given for relay to CTF 21*. At nip on the 29th two submarines with periscopes awash were report ed by Canadian planes
90 miles NB of Cape Harrison. This led to conclusion that any further progress north ward or westward at this time would subject vessels to possible attack by a number of submarines searching along the designated routing of the convoy, it was accordingly determined to make a direct run to the Greenland Fjord entrances at best possible speed of about 9 knots. On August 30. 19U2, at 0800, having ar rived at position 58 118N. k9 05 W without attack, concluded that convoy had covered sufficient distance inUS run toward Greenland to preclude danger from subs, had they assumed the correct intersecting course after report of their position by plane. Continued on base course 30 T. At lld*o received plane coverage from Onoto until dark. After dark encountered number of icebergs in Greenland current but no "storis" ice. At 02U5 on August 31, 19U2, stood toward entrance of Skov Fjord and at 091 anchored. CONVOY TO GREENLAND On Septembil

proceeded direct to Botwood, N. S. unescorted, the rest of the convoy reaching Sydney on the 21st. On the 25th the ALGONQUIN was again underway escorting the 5 vessel convoy SG-6 in company with the MOHAWK, the MOJAVS escorting the USAT CHATHAM ahead at in creased speed. On the 27th the CHATHAM was struck by a mine or torpedo and an hour later the MOHAWK indicated a sound contact, the ALGONQUIN standing through the convoy to back up the MOHAWK at full
speed. The object was identified as a whale which
had surfaced. At 1800 a message was received from
the MOJAVS sighted soutbmstward through Belle Isle
Straits "Submarine attack at Uitf in position sl
U5 1 W whether torpedo or mine unknown." At 2132
the ALGONQUIN heard a report and observed a blast and
flare of a torpedo striking the ARLTN, apparently
amidships on starboard side in position sl 551 , 55 30 W. While planning to round the ARETN, which
had sheered inshore, another sound was heard and the
ALCOA GUARD was believed hit. Stood northward and
observed lARAMIB well down by the head. The ALGONQUIN stood eastward and southwestward attempting to gain sound contact and at the same time covering the LARA

(Flag) and MOHAWK. On the 18th toe SS GHEEN MOUNTAIN

l*l9|&the

56

ALGONQUIN was underway standing out of Bltde West One escorting in company with the SC-257 a convoy On 2nd anchored off Ivig consisting of two vessels. tut to install radio equipment with assistance of Army Signal Corps men. On the sth ALGONQUIN and TAHOMA stood out to await merchant ships. Searched possible sound contact considered doubtful. < On 6th winds reached gale force by midnight and NORLAGO headed off to SSE separating after change of convoy course. At 1710 on 7th sighted NORLAGO which had had boiler trouble. Rejoined convoy and reduced speed to 7 knots. On the 10th two unidentified ex plosions heard some distance from convoy. Plane coverage during day* On the 12th the ALGONQUIN an chored in Sydney Harbor*
The ALGONQUIN was flagship of Task Unit 2U.8.2 when Commander D* C. McNeil, USCG, arrived at Sydney, N. S., from Argentia on September Hi, 19U2, and assumed command of the unit. One other vessel of the unit, the TAHOMA, was present on that date. On the lth the CGC ALATOK stood in and moored and on the 16th the USS BERNADOW reported for duty with the unit. On September 17, 19b2, the Task Unit passed through the boom as escort for con voy SG-8 consisting of five vessels. Contact with several of the convoy was lost because of fog on the 19th. On the 20tb warning was received that the con voy was possibly being shadowed by a submarine. On the 21st the TAHOMA rejoined after being out of the convoy since the fog cleared on the 20th and took station on the port bow with the ALGONQUIN on the
starboard bow. On the 2ljth the MOJAVE and COMANCHE
were contacted off Arsuk Fjord. The other vessels
departed for various destinations and the ALGONQUIN
escorted the RAPIDAN to Base Bijsed.
CONVOY ESCORT GREENLAND "PIfROL CONVOY SG-g On September 25, 191i2, the MOJAVE and ALGONQUIN escort ing the USS PEGASUS departEd Kungnat Bay for Sydney, N. S. On the 27th the MOJAVE lost contact with the convoy in poor visibility and very rough sea but re gained it as the weather cleared. Itwas lost again on the 28th in thick fog, which lifted on the 29th. At 2130 on the 29th warning of a submarine attack fiftymiles ahead on the course being followed was received. Put the PEGASUS on east true for base course and zigzagged her. At midnight changed course to south true with vessel in good visability. On the 30th coverage was had by PBY's. At 1230 on October Ist possibility of submarine in vicinity was receiv ed. At IUOO a mushy contact was made on sound gear. Itwas not attacked. The contact was segained and was clear with a good trace and a five charge patters was laid down with negative results. The convoy was sent ahead in charge of the ALGONQUIN and the MOJAVB searched the area with several doubtful contacts of short deration for over an hour and then departed to rejoin. The escort vessels reached Sydney at 2100*

convoy GS-11 consisting of four vessels, escorted by the MDJAVE, COMANCHE and ALGONQUIN, cleared Kungnat Bay for St. John's, N* F. and on the 22nd one of the ships with COMANCHE as escort left for Botwood, N. F. At 231*5 the UOJAVE dropped an embarrassing pattern about 700 yards on the ONEIDAI starboard side in an s attack on a very probable sound contact. The ONEIDA because of the shock of the discharge assumed she was torpedoed and broadcast an SOS to Belle Isle Radio Station. On 0015 the ONEIDA now convinced she was not torpedoed cancelled her SOS* The convoy arrived St. John's at 1800 and the MOJAVE and ALGON QUIN stood for Argentia at 2000. The USS SANDPIPER reported for duty as part of the task unit on the 30th.

On November k, 19k2, the ALGONQUIN as part of Task Unit 214..8.2 departed St. 8 escorting convoy SG-12 to Greenland. John* The con voy consisted of four American and one Panamanian merchant vessel. On the 9th the convoy divided into a slow section consisting of the ARISTIDES (Pan.) and TINTAGEL escorted by the MOHAVJK and a fast section consisting of the DORCHESTER, FAIRFAX and EASTERN GUIDE escorted by the COMANCHE, ALGONQUIN and SAND PIPER. On the 10th the SANDPIPER fell back to stand by the EASTERN GUIDE which had suffered a steering breakdown. The ALGONQUIN sank a floating mine. Land fall on Skov Fjord was made on the 11th and the COMANCHE escorted three ships to Onoto. SG-12 COTVOY On November 13, 19U2, Convoy GS-13 was underway consisting of four Pana manian, one Greenland, two Norwegian and four U. S* vessels, escorted by Task Unit 2U.8.2. They picked up air coverage on the 18th and arrived off St. Johns, N. F* on the 19th. The Task Unit departed same day for Argentia escorting the USS BEAR. On the 20th the Task Force commander shifted his pennant to the MOHAHK. On the 29th the MOHAWK and ALGONQUIN set out searching for survivors of an attack on a convoy off the Newfoundland coast, returning to St. Johns same day without success. Again set out on search for survivors SS BLAIR ATHOLL with MOHAWK on 29th, en countering gale force winds. Returned to St. John's on December 2, 19U2, no results. Proceeded same day with convoy toward Greenland arriving Arsuk Fjord on December 6, 19^2. CONVOY GS-13

G&-9

CONVOY

SQ-llb

CONVOYS GS-15
and

55=17

On December 8, 19l2, the ALGONQUIN sailed from

On October 6, 19U2, the BADGER reported for duty with the task unit and on the Bth the unit departEd Sydney escorting convoy SG-10 with excellent air coverage. On the 10th the SS KING joined. On the lilththe USS MUNARGO and BADGER left for the south. On the 15th the COMANCHE and ALGONQUIN departed es corting four ships and these split again, the COMAN CHE escorting the MARGARET LYKES to the east coast of Greenland and the ALGONQUIN escorting the remaining three vessels to Onoto. The remainder of the origin nal convoy continued to the north. CONVOY

SG-10

tian same day. Returned to St. John's independently On 23rd began escorting 2 vessel convoy SG-I6 to Greenland arriving off Skov Fjord on 28th. proceeded Ivigtut and next day December 30, On 29th 191(2, began escorting with MOHAWK and BOJAVE one ves sel convoy SG-17 to St. John's*
on 21st.

to meet other units with MOJAVE in Davis Straits. On the 12th the weather moderated and the crew removed same 50 tons of ice from the weather deck and super structure. The convoy arrived at St. John's on De cember 13, 19U2, and stood out with MOJAVE for Argen

Kungnat Bay with units of five vessel convoy GS-15

2M

CONVOY G&iO3ri

On October 19, 19^2, the

On January 2, 19U3, it was noted that the con voyed vessel SS NORLAGO had dropped out and the changed course to search for her. At 1210 ALGONQUIN PBY patrol plane joined in the s earch and at 2029 the ALGONQUIN changed course to search for the NATSEK reported missing while proceeding through Belle Isle Strait toward St. John's. The ALGONQUIN continued SEARCH FOR

57

the search until the 6th proceeding to St. John's on the 7th without locating the NATSEK, which was never accounted for. Later that day she began escorting the SS BtPEROYAL toward Boston.. En route that day made three runs on sub-surface target dropping 11 charges only 3 of which exploded because of heavy casing of ice that covered the vessel. Arrived Argen tia on Bth and Boston on 13th remaining there until February 7, 19k3> undergoing repairs. CONVOY Sil-21
Departing for Casco Bay

four other escorts to the h vessels. On June 13, l?U3j at 0509 a lookout reported a cloud of smoke from the ESCANABA, one of the escorts and tiro minutes later the cutter sank. At 0523 wreckage -was reported by the STORIS and the ALGONQUIN covered the RARITAN as: she engaged in picking up three survivors. Pro ceeded to Halifax on 20th and then to Argentia. CONVOY ESCORT DUTY
Standing out of Argentia

arid

training exercises

she re

mained there until February 23rd, Ili3, and was then underway for Argentia escort ing USS BEAR in company with two other escorts and three YMS's. Moored at Argentia until March 5, 19U3 and then proceeded to St. John's with three other es corts. En route started search for enemy submarine reported by plane continuing it through 6th and ar riving St. John's on 7th. On Bth joined k vessel con voy SG-21 escorted by eight escorts. On ll*thtwo ves sels and two escorts proceeded to Kungnat Bay and the ALGONQUIN with the remainder moored at Narsarssuak on March 15, 1&3.
ALGONQUIN formed a search ign party for a wrecked plane anchoring at Juliane haab while the working party removed the salvage ma terials and 11 bodies of the Navy PBY-5 to the ship. Proceeding to Narsarssuak on 20th, the ALGONQUIN got underway proceeding to the aid of the SS SVEND FOYNE, reported in collision with an iceberg, and commenced searching south and west of position of distressed vessel, at 58 35' N, hiP 50 W. On 21st at 0018 sight ed lights of HMS HASTINGS, CGC FREDERICK LEE, AIVIK and SS SVEMD FOYNE and received visual message from HASTINGS asking ALGONQUIN to pick up survivors. Picked up 15 men in lifeboat and 3 bodies. The SVEND FOYNE sank at 0l;05 approximately 3500 yards ahead of the ALGONQUIN and at OUIS the cutter picked up seven men from a lifeboat. At 0920 proceeded to Cape Farewell with other Coast Guard vessels, transferring 22 sur vivor* to MODOC and receiving 1body from her. Ar rived at Narsarssuak on March 22, 19U3.

SVEND FOYNE RESCUE

On March

16, 19U3, the

ALGONQUIN was escorting a one vessel convoy with TAMPA and MODOC, in company, anchoring in Kungnat Bay on the 30th. On July Ist she escorted another vessel with three other escorts to St. John's, arriving Ar gentia on the 6th. Underway again on the 9th, with k other escorts she reached St. John's and departed again on 15th with 6 other escorts and a 15 vessel convoy toward Greenland. On the 20th the convoy split all except the MANA destined for Ivigtut, proceeding to Kungnat Bay. After mooring a few hours the ALGON QUIN began escorting a one vessel convoy with two other escorts toward Argentia. Proceeding on the 2Uth she separated and proceeded independently toward Bos ton where she remained until August 2, IU3*

on June 26, 19U3, the

Until April 16, 19l;3 the ALGONQUIN was occupied in breaking ice and in ice reconnaissance and patrol work,her officers attending Board of Investigation of SVEND FOYNE disaster on 10th. On 16th she was underway en route St. John's with a four vessel convoy and four other c scorts arriving on 21st and proceeding to Argentia same day. On 22nd she departed Argentia for Boston escorting the USS GUMTREE, dropping four depth charges en route on a sub contact on the 2l*th. She arrived at Boston on April 25, 191*3, and remained there until May 15th, 191t3, undergoing TO BOSTON
repairs.

On August 2, 19U3, the ALGONQUIN proceeded to Hali fax in company with the arriving on the Uth and on the 7th at St. John's. MODOC 12th she, with five other escorts, was proceed On the ing with a 15 vessel convoy to Hudson Bay and Green land. Six ships were detached for Hudson Bay en route and the ALGONQUIN escorted two vessels with the MODOC to Sondrestrom Fjord. On the 22nd she proceeded to Gronne Dal and to Narsarssuak on the 25th. On the 26th she proceeded to Angmassalik Fjord to investigate ice condition, returning to Skof Fjord on the 31st. September 1, 19U3, found the ALGONQUIN escorting the YARMOUTH toward Newfoundland, later being joined by USAT FAIRFAX and three escorts and arriving St. John's on September sth. On the 9th she began escorting a 15 vessel convoy toward Greenland with k other escorts. On the 11th she dropped 11 charges on a sound contact. The Greenland section arrived Narsarssuak on the 16th. Again on 30th the ALGONQUIN was escorting a k vessel convoy to St. John's, in company with the TAMPA. On October 3, 19U3, they were joined by the MOHAWK and MOJAVS, entering St. John's on sth. On the 6th she was underway toward Boston, via Argentia, escorting the SS FALCON. Here she remained until October 30,
UDRE ESCORT DUTY

19U3, undergoing repairs.

After three days at Casco Bay for training exercises the ALGONQUIN proceeded on May 19, 19ii3, to Argentia escorting two sections of YFD-25 in tow with three other escorts, dropping three charges as a nuisance barrage on the 20th. Arriving Argentia on the 2Uth she was underway on the 30th es corting convoy SG-25 with MDJAVE and TAMPA. She an chored at Kungnat Bay June 2, 19U3, proceeding to Har sarssuak on the sth. On the 11th she was en route in vestigating a periscope sighted in Skov Fjord. On the 12th she encountered heavy fog and ice searching for convoy GS-21* and after sighting it took position with 1. See CG at War

~ CONVOYS SG-25 AND GS-2U LOSS OF ESCANABA

After 6 days at Casco Bay for exercises the ALGONQUIN proceeded to St. John's with the STORIS on Novem ber 7, 19U3, arriving on the 11th. On the 13th she and the STORIS began escorting the SS PRIMO to Green land, anchoring in Kungnat Bay on the 17th. After fuelling at Gronne Dal on the 13th she stood out of Kungnat Bay on the 19th with three escorts and five vessels in convoy to St. John's, arriving on the 2lith. She returned to Greenland on the 20th with the SS LARAMIE in company with the TAMPA. On December U, 19it3, she and five other escorts were underway with a six vessel convoy for St. John's arriving on the 9th. Two days later she was escorting the USS KAWEAH in company with the STORIS, MODOC and TAHOMA to Green land arriving at Narsarssuak on the 15th. On that date the STORIS departed to search for the USAT NEVADA. On the 2Uth she began escorting the USAT FAIRFAX to Argentia in company with the STORIS, MODOC and TAMPA. ESCORT DUTY LOSS" OF USAT NEVADA

Lost Cutters

VIII.

58

fj^Mfci
19hh
ESCORTING AND
ICBBREAKING

On

Januaiy

Boston from Argentia escort ing the SS SAPELO. She reached Boston on the 2nd and was undergoing alterations and repairs for the re3t of January, 19hh On February 2, 19kh t she stood out of Boston for Casco Bay, Maine, and lU days of training exercises. Proceeding to Argentia with the TAHOMA she departed for Narsarssuak on the arriving on the 27th. The ALGONQUIN was engaged 23rd in icebreaking in Skov Fjord throughout March, 19U1*. At the end of the month an inspection showed that all four of her propeller blades were bent and she was docked until April16th awaiting a rrival of a new propeller. On the 2l*th she proceeded to Gronne Dal where she moored until May 1, 19kk, TO BOSTON 1, 19Uk, the ALGON On QUIN in company with the NORTHLAND and three sub-chasers proceeded toward Ar gentia, encountering ice fields and icebergs en route. Here on May 10th she entered drydock where damaged propeller was removed and she proceeded on ll+th for Boston arriving on 17th for availability until May 30, 19Uh4
May

ALGONQUIN

1, 19kh, the
was en route

released a 5 charge pattern, sighting a large oil

bubble upon completion of the attack. Investigating
the position where the charges were released, she
found a large area all bubbles and an oil slick ax-
tending to the horizon, a long oil slick presumably
in the vicinity but beyond where the attack was made. At 0210 she released a pattern of three charges and oil was still bubbling to the surface. She then re leased one charge at 300 feet plus (all previous set tings being 200 feet). Assuming the target destroyed she resumed her course to rejoin the convoy. (Further war diaries and log extracts are not available). COC BEDLOE (Ex-CGC ANTIETAM) WSC-128 DESCRIPTION Tto CGC BEDLOE (ex-CGC
ANTIETAM)was built at
Camden, N. J. in 1926.
Her first station was Stapleton, Staten Island. She was 125 ft. long, 23. ft. 6 in. molded beam, and had
a maximum draft of 9 ft. With a steel hull she dis placed 220 tons and had a speed of 11 knots developed
by a 350 HP diesel twin screw engine*
The BEDLOB was attached
to the Eastern Sea Fron tier and was engaged In coastal escort duty early in the war. She was opera ting between Cape Lookout and Norfolk in June, 19Wu Her commanding officer was Lt. A. S. Hess, OSCQ. In July she escorted tiro small vessels from Cape May to New York. Later she escorted the CHARLES FORT, carry ing high explosives from Cape Lookout to New York. Returning to Cape Lookout she became part of Task Group 02.5 on escort duty to New York. She returned to Nor folk August 9, 19hk, and was assigned to assistance work out of Norfolk. COASTAL ESCORT

LEATHER PATROL

During

the ALGONQUIN was on weather patrol duties, relieving the MOHAWK, MODOC, COMANCHE and TAHOMA periodically on Weather Stations "Charlie" and "ABLE."

the rest of 19hh

191*5
HEATHER PATROL AND ESCORT IN GREENLAND
during 19U5, alternating

Weather patrol duties of the ALGONQUIN continued

with the TAKOMA and COMANCHE on Weather Station 1. Dur ing the first half of March she was in drydock at Portsmouth, N. H., and from then until April17th on training exercises at Casco Bay. On the 18th of April 191*5 she dropped a full pattern of depth charges on a target off Boston, while en route Greenland to assume weather patrol duties. Beginning in July 191i5> weath er patrol duties were succeeded by local escort duties in Greenland. The end of the war on August Hi, 19U5 found the ALGONQUIN en route Boston to prepare for peacetime activities. CGC ARGO COMMISSIONING

(T/PC-100)

The CGC ARGO was built at Caraden, N. J. in 1933. Her pernanent station at the outbreak of World War II was Newport, R. I. She was 165 feet long, 25 feet 3 inches beam, and drew 9 feet 6 inches, with a dis placement of 33U tons. She had a steel hull and could attain a speed of 16 knots. Her twin screw, diesel engine developed 13^0 HP.
AND SHAKEDOWN

on September Ik, 19hh, the BEDLOE had gone to the

assistance of a Liberty
ship which had been tor pedoed off the North Carolina coast and almost driven ashore in a later hurricane but had weathered the
' blows and had been towed to Norfolk with no casualties
to her crew and only slight damage to her cargo. Soon
the BEDLOE found herself in extremely heavy seas.
Struck four times by the towering waves, the BEDLOB tossed like a matchstick inthe ocean before going down. AHofficers and crew, 38 in all, safely abandoned ship and at least 30 men were able to obtain a hold on liferafts. However, the strain of fighting the hurricane aboard plus the ordeal of to LLferafts for 5l
hours before help came, proved too much for most of
them. Only 12 were rescued*

SUNK IN HURRICANE CGC

(WPC-372)

While engaged inescort duty on June 22, 19U2, the ARGO made one depth charge attack when the charges failed to explode. Later on the 27th she made another contact at 10U5 but abandoned the search fifteen minutes later. Two minutes later a ship was torpedoed on the starboard bow of the convoy at 3U U7 N, w, and at Olltf the ARGO esta blished a contact at 1500 yards with the target shift ing slowly to the right. The cutter closed to 650 yards bw*^g|ontact at 150 yards and immediately

CONTACTS SUB

7519t

The COC BELLEVILLE had been commissioned March 20, 19U3. Her commanding officer was Lt* (is) Conrad W. Rank, USCGR, On-March 25, 191(3, she was ordered to Horn Island to escort the TAMPA, but was diverted next day to Egmont Key. On April 15, 19hk, she was unassigned, being located at Miami, Florida, under the Gulf Sea Frontier. Ordered to the Bth ND for duty April 22, liiU, her permanent station was changed to New Orleans shore she transferred from the Bth ND ti the Gulf Sea Frontier as a substitute for SC-1292 on escort duty. AND OPERATIONS DECOMMISSIONED On June 1, 19U5, she was ordered to Coast Guard Yard

GCjffIHSSttONINQ

59

COAST GUARD CUTTER

FF.DI/y

COAST GUARD CUTTER COMANCHE

11 j| P^fflHl^

60

May 2,

where she arrived June 26, 1945. She vu deoommis \u25a0ioned June 30, 1945. She was sold to Sydney R. Smith

1946.

USS BIG HORH (AO-45) Of the several disguised merchant ships operated by the Navy to help combat the Nasi submarine menace in the Atlantic during the early days of the war, none was more formidable than the 810 HORN, formerly the A. H. Bull SS Co. tanker SS GULF DAWN. These armed' vessels were known as "Q ships" andwere designed as the answer to the Nasi strategy of concentrating their attacks on tankers. Conversion of the SS GULP DAWN began on March 1942 at the Bethlehem Shipyards, Brook lyn and construction was continued at the Boston navy lard where the work was completed in July 1942. The BIGHORN completed her shakedown cruise inlate August 191*2. Her first commanding officer, Commander J. A* Qaihard, was formerly the skipper of the ill-fated SS CITY OF FLINT, which was captured by the Germans at the beginning of the war and was later sunk by a U boat. InMay 1943, while the BIG HORN was operating with a small task, force of PC boats (submarine chasers) she attacked two undersea contacts, dropping depth charges during a four hour period after sighting a periscope on the starboard bow. There was a heavy swirl as the U boat dove below the surface. Later that day, an oil patch was visible over a wide area and it was presumed that one submarine had been de stroyed; and that another U boat, which had been sighted, had moved out of the area. On her first cruise, tfa BIG HORN operated out of Trinidad, on the aluminum ore route. Later she travelled in convoy between Trinidad and Norfolk and on at least one occasion, was prevented from attack ing Hasi submarines because of other ships of the convoy crossing through the line of fire. After January 192+3, when German submarines left U. S. fron tier waters, the BIS HORN began operations with a small task force of submarine chasers. Inmid-summer 191*3, the BIG HORN served as the flagship of a small task group (21.8) and Captain Oalnard was succeeded by Commander L. C. Farley. This oruise covered the general area of the Asores and as far south as Dakar, Brazil. During one five day per iod, late in November 1943, the larfk group was in the midst of a pack of from 10 to 15 German submarines. Mine contacts, sighting or attacks on the submarines took place in her Immediate vicinity. Commander Far ley expressed the belief that the German raiders were wary of attacking an independent tanker, and that be cause of the presence of the BIG HORN, many independ ent merchant ships may have escaped attack. On, January 1, 1944, the BIG HORN ma assigned to North Atlantic Weather patrol duty under the super vision of the Coast'Guard'. Her first Coast Guard crew boarded her on January 7,. 1944. At the completion of this duty the BIG HORN became the U-207 and was as signed to the Pacific where she operated as a tank supply vessel. Her Coast Guard crew was removed -in

beam and drew 13 ft. 7 in. of water. With a gross tonnage CH of 718 she displaced 1005 tons, having a steel hull and making 13 knots. Her geared turbine develops 1500 HP, burning oil. the COMANCHB left Boston escorting Lightship Ho. 110 to Portland, Maine. There she engaged in anti submarine exercises and on the 29th got underway with the FREDERICK LBS escorting Lighthips Ho* 110 and the SS OMAHA, to Argentia, arriving there April 4, 1942.
Next day she was escorting the OMAHA to Greenland
anchoring at Bluie West One. On the 15th she departed for Ivigtut. Here until the 28th she transported aad assisted a survey party of Army personnel in the pre liminary survey and selection of a tank-farm site at
Ivigtut, also construction site C at Kajartalik. She
returned to Blute West One April 28th remaining
there until May 8, 191(2. While there details were arranged for the flight of six PBYs fromArgentia to Iceland
via Bluie West One,
the COMANCHB taking communication guard of planes in the flight. On May Bth she proceed ed to Ivigtut to guard mines there, remaining until May 20, 191*2. ASSISTS PARTI

fggOHJMJOTrSUkVgT

on March 27, 1942,

wPthk FaTol

ICE BREAKING

Weather Station "a" *ter she remained until June 20,

19U2, being relieved by the ALGONQUIN. From Jane 25 to July 2 she was on airplane guard at the mouth of
TungliarfikFjord being relieved by the USS BEAR.
From July 4 to 17,, 191(2, she
relieved ALGONQUIN on weather station "A" and after repairs to steering
gear returned to Bluie West One
on the 20th.

towing the RARITAN from Sodthaab to Blnie West One*

Arriving on the 28th she met the SS DORCHESTER in
Tungliarflk Fjord and en route her to Bluie West One
arriving May 3, 1942. On June 6, 1942, she patrolled

The rest of May, 1942, was employed in ice-break ing activities inSondre Stromf jord and then in

use:

On July 22, 19^2, Captain C. C. Ton Paulsen (S.O.P.A, ) Greenland) and Ensign J. Starr, TOCO, ease aboard w . . and she proceeded to Jullanehaab whence the 23rd
pilots S. T. Sorenson
and Julius Carlsononease aboard to cruise through the inside passage of Southern Greenland taking soundings and making observation of uncharted areas. She returned to Julianehaab on the 27th.

LOCAL |SCOKr IKB CAP

May,

19k6.

CGC COMANCBB (WPG-76)

COMMISBIO]

the CGC COMABCHE was built at Wilmington, Delaware, In193k and at the outbreak of World War II on duty was with the Havy. She is 165 ft. long, with 36 ft.

!i!

AHCHE met <\u25a0< ?ig con voys and relieved their escorts. Then she .took on fuel and stores for the lee Cap Station which was
; to be established
on the East Coast of Greenland on the 13th embarked tea Army enlisted personnel aad
i
and two civilians and their gear, leaving Ivigtut with !
the NORTH STAR to escort
the DOHDHBSTEE and ALCOA PILOT to Bluie Bast Two, where she arrived on the 17th. Here she took on more supplies for the Ice Cap Station and proceeding to Aagmagssalik, three enlisted Army personnel departed while three Army officers came board. She departed on the JLBth and proceeded down the Bast Coast to an unnamed Bay at 6s* 03 M, \ 18 1 W which was to be the site of the lee Cap Station! Arriving on the 18th the Bay was named Comancbe Bay. Her five days were spent mw^i; supplies and on 1 the 24th she left for Angmagssalik and Bluie But fm to get more supplies for the lee Cap Station. Return ing tcComanehs Bay- the cutter took soundings and ! blsh-d acho * *. On September ZU Isii2, the COMAHSB completed all peration* .and

STATION

From July 29, 1942, to August 7, 1942, the COM*

W*

*"*

l3t

61

to Bluie Bast Tno. On the 7th she left Bluie East Two escorting the DORCHESTER to Bluie West One, ar riving on the 9th.
IDCAL ESCORT DOTY

Amy personnel and civilians at the station returning

From September 11, 19U2, to October 19, 19U2, the COUANCHE was engaged in local escort duty in Greenland, escorting with other Coast Guard vessels, various merchant vessels and Army transports between the bases that had been esta blished on the West Coast of Greenland and meeting incoming convoys. Her duties took her to the East Coast of Greenland as far as Danmark Straits on October 17, 19U2. On October 19, 19U2, she left Kungnat Bay with the MOJAVE and ALGONQUIN escorting five freighters to Newfoundland, arriving Argentia on the 2l*th. She arrived at St. John's on November 3, 19U2, and along with three other escorts left St, John's escorting 5 vessels to Greenland. She arrived Bluie West One on November 11, 191*2, and on the 13th left Kungnat Bay escorting eight freighters, two Army Transports and the USS BEAR to St. John's. On the 19th she proceeded with the ALGONQUIN, MOHAWK and USS BEAR to Argentia arriving on the 20th and leaving same day for Boston where she arrived November 2\\,

freight and anchoring at Kungnat Bay on June 30, 19U3. On July 1, 19U3, the COMANCHE was underway from Gronne Dal with three escorts and a one vessel convoy to St. ' John's. The COUANCHE proceeded directly to Boston, arriving on July 9, 19k3 and remaining there until the 25th, after which she spent 5 days on training exercises in Casco Bay, returning to Boston on July 30, 191*3.

INEAST GREENLAND

Leaving Boston on August 1, 19U3, the COMANCHE

arrived at St. John's

on

19U2.

19U3
On January 29, 191i3, the COMANCHE was underway with the TAMPA and ESCANABA out of St. John's, N. F., corting convoy SO-19 consisting of the DORCHESTER, SS BISCATA and SS LUTZ for Greenland. On February 3, 19U3, the DORCHESTER was torpedoed and sank without warning at 0055 at approximately $9 10 "N,I*9 00' W. Six survivors, American citizens were landed at Bos ton from Bluie West One, Greenland on March 3, 19U3 678 persons were lost. One torpedo struck aft amid ships sinking the vessel in about 15 minutes. No avoiding or counter action was taken. The ship was abandoned in lifeboats and liferafts and about 230 persons were reported saved. At no time was the sub marine sighted. The COMANCHE and ESCANABA landed the survivors at Bluie West One on February It, 191i3. Classified publications went down with the ship. The COMANCHE served as local escort during the rest of February and late in March departed for Boston. From April to to 8, 19U3> she was on availability at Boston Navy lard. DORCHESTER TORPKDUBD After twenty days of train ing exercises at Casco Bay the COMANCHE arrived at Argentia with the TAMPA and MOJAVE escorting two tugs towing sections of YD-25 She departed Argentia for Boston on May 6, 19U3, escorting three tugs to Boston stopping 3 days in Halifax while one of them was re paired, and arriving at Boston on the 15th. Departing on the 17th for Casco Bay, the COMANCHE on the 19th began escorting two tugs towing two more sections of TD-25 to Argentia, arriving on the 2l|th. Proceeding to St. John's on the 25th the COMANCHE escorted two vessels as convoy SG-71* with the STORIS and ACTIVE to Greenland on the 27th. She remained at Gronne Dal from the 3rd to the sth of June, while the convoy un loaded and then proceeded to Narsarssuak, returning to Gronne Dal on June 6, 191+3. On the 10th she began escorting two vessels to Bluie West Eight, breaking through heavy ice. She departed Bluie West Eight June 16, 191*3, for Gronne Dal, proceeding with diffi culty through the ice, anchoring one day off Godthaab and 3 days at Marrak Point. She escorted 2 vessels to Narsarssuak on June 23rd and anchored with the third at Gronne Dal. Between June 2k and 29 she went to Godthaab bringing back 58 eskimo dogs and other ESCORT DUTY

the 7th and was underway on the 12th screening convoy SG-29 to Kungnat Bay which was reached on the 22nd. On the 2i+th she was escorting convoy GS-27 to Placentia Harbor, N. F, arriving on the 30th. On August 31st she was again underway escorting a convoy to Sydney, N. S., and thence to St. John's. After an inspection on Septem ber 8, 19U3, she began escorting convoy SG-30 with four other c scorts to Greenland. En route she depth charged a sound contact on the 11th anchoring In Kung nat Bay the same day before proceeding to Gronne Dal. On the 15th still escorting one section of convoy SG 30 she departed Gronne Dal and reached Ikateq on the 18th. On the 21st she searched Angmagssalik Fjord for a lost ship's motor boat which returned safely later the same day. Another missing motor boat was . searched for on the 25th and was picked up by the BLUEBIRD outside Angmagssalik entrance. The COUANCHE remained in Angmagssalik Fjord until October IS, 19U3* She then proceeded to Kungnat Bay escorting three vessels in company with the NORTHLAND. On local es cort duty until October 25, 1913, the COUANCHE began escorting the 16 ship convoy GS-3U with seven other escorts on that date. Diverted three times by report ed submarine action on charted route the convoy was sent to Cape Race. On November Ist she departed Ar gentia as escort for a convoy to Boston. On November Hth she proceeded with screen the USAT NEVADA, which to engine trouble. She moored at had slowed down Boston on November 5, 191*3, for availability until November 27, 19U3. LOSS OF USAT NEVADA RESCUES SURVIVORS

Departing Boston for Argentia on November 27, IU3, she proceeded at best speed to overtake the
MODOC and USS KAIEAH tak

ing position as escort on the 28th, as the MODOC dropped back withboiler trouble. Arriving Argentia on December 1, 191*3, she departed on the 6th escort ing a British tanker to St. John's where she remained until the 13th. Then she proceeded with the MODDC and TAMPA to escort the USAT FAIRFAX as convoy SG-37 vestigate position

snow squalls, a darkened ship lying low in the water, apparently abandoned. The boat falls were hanging empty and no personnel could be seen aboard. Half an hour later a red flare was sighted and proved to be a lifeboat crowded with men. 29 men and a dog were taken aboard, three men being lost as they attempted to jump to the COMANCHE s deck in spite of heroic efforts to save them. The area was

was sighted through

COMANCHE proceeded at full speed.

to Greenland. On December 15th she detached to in a distress message from the USAT NEVADA in 56 35' N, I9 10' W to which position the

At 2100 the NEVADA

box-searched for other survivors until the 19th, the COMANCHE being joined in the search by the STORIS, MODOC and TAMPA. The NEVADA sank on the 18th and the COMANCHE reached Bluie West One on the 21st, delivering the FAIRFAX and landing the 29 survivors of the NEVADAp proceeding to Gronne Dal on December 21*, 19U3*

1. See"CG at War

Greenland Patrol II" fuller for account.

62

19hh
CONVOY
ESCORT

19W*.

ember 25, 19h3, the COMANCHE with three other escorts be gan screening convoy GS-39 which moored at St. John's on January 1, 19hk. On the 3rd she departed for Boston with three other es corts and the convoyed YD-2 arriving on the 7th. Pro ceeding to Casco Bay on the 23rd she remained there through the 29th undergoing intensive drills, re turning to Boston until February Ist. On that day she departed with two other escorts for the USAT FAIRFAX reaching Argentia on the l;th and remaining
there until the 9th. f Then she departed for Halifax
escorting the SS POLLALAND and returned to Argentia
on the 13th, departing for St. John's on the 15th.
On the 16th she was enroute Greenland escorting, with
the NORTHLAND, the SS JULIUS THOHSEN to Greenland.
She anchored in Kungnat Bay on the 22nd after dropp ing a 9 charge pattern on a sound contact, bringing
up an oil slick and air bubbles. Proceeding to
Gronne Dal she remained there until the 3rd of March,
WEATHER PATROL
During the remainder of March,

Departing Gronne Dal on Dec-

CGC DIONS (WPC-107) The CGC DIONE was built at Manitowoc, Michigan in 193U. On July 1, 19U, her permanent station was Norfolk, Virginia. She nas 165 ft. long, irith 25 ft. 3 in. beam and drew 9 ft. 6 in. with a displacement of 33U tons. She had a steel hull and could make 16 knots. She was powered with a 13U0 HP twin screw diesel engine. At the beginning of the war the DIONS was placed on coastal convoy escort duty. On March 20, 19U2, planes from the Elizabeth City Air Station dropped two depth charges on a con tact made by the DIONE with unknown results. On April 5, Il*2, the oil tanker BYROH D. BENSON was torpedoed at 3910 N, 75 31 W. The DIONE picked up one survivor. Again on April18, 19U2, a plane of the same air station observed the DIONE dropping depth charges after a submarine had attacked a tanker, but there were no visible results. On June 2U, 191*2, at 1900 the DIONE while on escort duty made an under water contact. Five minutes later she dropped one charge from each reach with negative results. At 1910 two ships in the convoy, the SS NORDALAND and the SS MANUELA appeared to have been torpedoed. The DIONE made a sweep search for the submarine which appeared to be on the starboard side of the convoy in position 3li 31' N, U2' W. At 2000 the NORDA LAHD was in a sinking position with a fire amidships, with the NORWICH CUT! rtanding by to pick up survi vors. The DIONS mad* another underwater cpntact on June 25, I?U2, and expended five depth charges re sulting in quantities of oil rising to the surface. On the 27th another contact was made at 105U and the DIONE dropped four charges, but the contact was doubt ful. (No further details on the DIONE 's operations are available.) COASTAL ENVOYS ATTACKED 35$ COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

19i0t, the COMANCHE broke ice

Station "Ablell where she remained until relieved by the ACTIVE on the 2lith. Returning to Gronne Dal she remained moored there and at Narsarssauk until April 22, 19hh, when she departed with the MOHAWK escorting the SS lARAMTK to Boston. Encountering impassible ice she returned to Gronne Dal again departing on April 2k, 19kh, for Boston. She arrived Boston May 19hh, for a 20-day availability, after which she pro ceeded to Argentia arriving on the 29th and at Gronne Dal on June 3, 19hh. The balance of 19kk the COMANCHE spent on weather patrol on Weather Station "Charlie" returning to Boston on August 6, 19kh, for generator repairs. On returning to Greenland in September, 191U*, she acted as escort for convoy SG52. Again assuming weather patrol duties on Station "Charlie" during October, November and December except when she went to the assistance of the German prize EXTERNSTEINE on October 23, 19kk, and acted as screen on October 26, 19UU, for the STORIS, towing the disabled NORTH LAND. On November Bth she searched for the schooner EFFH MORRISON without results and also on the 13th for a lost plane, also without results. The COMANCS was on weather patrol on station "Able" as 19UU clos^ ed.

lUth she departed Gronne Dal to establish Weather

in Skov Fjord and engaged in local escort work. On the

75

CGC DEC (WSC-136) The CGC DEC was built at Camden, N. J. in 1927 and on July 1, 19141, her per manent station was Boston, Mass. She was 125 feet long, with 23 ft. 6 in. beam and' had a 9 ft. draft with a displacement of 220 tons. She had a steel hull and made 11 knots. She
was powered with a 350 HP diesel engine and was a
twin screw*

AND DESCRIPTTON

COMMISSIONING

The COMANCHE continued on weather patrol, patrolling Station No. 6, during January and February 191*5 relieved by the ALGONQUIN and TAHOMA. In March, 191*$, she re turned to the United Statejs and after 30 days availa bility and ten days of training exercises at Casco Bay arrived at Argentia on May 29, 19U5* Here she was assigned to Ice Patrol Duty until June k, 19U5, when the assignment was cancelled. Proceeding to NOB, Iceland on June 20, 19U5* she was assigned to Air-Sea Rescue Station at 62 US* N, 29 00 Won July lit,19U5, returning to Iceland on July 20, 19U5, She maintained the station again from August 1 to 7, 19U5, from August 16 to 23, 19U5, during which patrol the war ended, and from August 25 to 28, 19U5. From September 9, 19U5, she was on U hour standby airsea rescue duty at Reykjavik for the rest of the ; month. The COMANCHE was now preparing for her peace time duties.

weather ice patrol*"^""

patrol

19U5

alr sea rescue

On July 9, 19U2, at 1225 at 22 31*' 30" W, 78 U*t 30" W the DIX picked up a distinct echo at 1200 yards and ran the echo down to 200 yards when she lost contact. The sound opera tor had reported the sounds of propellers. At 1233 the DH dropped the first of a pattern of five depth charges. There were some signs of oil and water agitation at the scene. (No further reports of the operations of the CGC DEC in World War II are avail ATTACKS SUB
able.)

CGC EASTWIND (WAO-279) The CGC icebreaker EAST WIND was placed in eoa mission on June 3, 19kk, at San Pedro, California, where she remained at the builders yard, Western Pips and Steel Co. San Pedro, COMMISSIONING

63

for fitting out until June 10th, moving to Terminal Island Naval Drydock on that date for continuance of fitting out. On June 18th she departed from Naval Supply Depot at San Pedro where she loaded ammunition, thence to Long Beach for fueling on the 20th. Her first commanding officer Captain Charles W. Thomas, USCQ, reported to Commander Task Group lU.U for duty on the 22nd, trials wore conducted on the 2Uth )and on the 28th she proceeded to Terminal Island and San Pedro for adjustment and repairs. Her shakedown training continued until July lU, 19hh, when she re ported to Task Group Hi.2 at San Diego for antisub marine warfare training and training of personnel at the Vest Coast Sound School. On the 2Uth she finally got underway from San Pedro, setting course for Bal boa, Canal Zone. The EASTWIND was one of five heavily armed ice breakers, designed to serve as war ships in the frigid northern waters. They resemble in appearance a miniature battleship. These ships actually "pump the ocean" into huge tanks to free the ships from possible ice traps encountered during the double wartime job of aiding navigation and battling the enemy. These large tanks are located within a double hull on either side, and by swishing 2l{o tons of water from three port tanks to three starboard tanks and back again in three cLnute cycles, a slow motion, rocking effect is pro duced. For extra stubborn ice this "heeling" or rock ing is augmented by additional water transferred from single tanks located in fore and aft' compartments to cause "trimming," or a teeter-totter effect. Ex perts explain that this motion keeps the hull moving at all times, even though the ship might be wedged into the ice, and facilitates backing out or continu ed forward motion. Marine engineers have termed these ships the most unusual ships to come off the ways dur ing World War 11. The existence of a third propeller in the bow to churn the water in front of the ship when operating amidst ice flows, and the broad stern with a notch into which the bow of another vessel can fit so that the power of both may be used in breaking through the ice formations, make them unique in appear ance. The large number of electrical devices and controls, including an additional set of complete con trols in the crow's nest, are less conspicuous but add to the interest of ship designers in the new type. DESCRIPTION OF ICEBREAKER The EASTWIND is 269 feet long overall, with a waterline length of 250 feet. Her maxi mum beam is 63 feet 6 inches and her waterline beam 62 feet. -Her normal draft is 2$ feet 9 inches and her mairiinnTTi draft 29 feet 1 inch. She has a normal dis placement of 5300* tons and a maximum displacement of 6515 tons. She carries a complement ofIlis> and has a speed of 16 knots. Her propelling machinery is Diesel electric, her forward engines having 3333 normal horse power and her after engines 6666 or 10,000 horsepower, depending on whether her bow propeller is in use or not. She has a cruising radius of 10,800 miles. The capacity of her trimming tanks, used for shifting the water ballast used in the icebreaking operation, is 717 tons. The ice belt plating of her hull is 1 5/8", PHYSICAL DATA
Proceeding through the Panama
Canal on August 3, I9UI, the
EASTWIND reported for duty to Comraander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet, arriving at Boston Navy Yard on August 12, 19U4, she underwent repairs and alterations until the 25th followed by various inspections.

she got underway on September 3, 19U*, taking on a plane while standing out of Boston Harbor and was proceeding to Reykjavik to top off fuel and take on a cargo of provisions, when she was requested by Commander Task Force 2li to proceed directly to destination unless essential to stop. She replied that she would proceed by great circle course from Cape Race to the edge of the ice off Scoresby Sound, and thence northward to destination. On September 9th, she made three hedgehog runs. on an underwater Greenland,

sound contact at 65 50' N, 35 07' W, but the con tact was lost, later being classified as doubtful. Later a radar contact was identified as an electrical disturbance or marine life. Encountering an ice field she pushed through a tongue of ice in order to test the bow motor and general ice navigation quali ties of the vessel. On September 13* l?14i, she ar rived at the NORTHLAND'S position at 75 79' N, 17 Us>' W and moored alongside. At o^oo she broke out the flag of Task Unit 2U.8.5 and relieved the STORIS. She made an aerial reconnaissance covering in two flights the East Coast of Greenland from 78 00 < N to 73 30' N. Then she stood into Dove Bay on Sep tember lUth and exercised a landing force on Grouches Snack. She t hen made another aerial reconnaissance Including a survey of heretofore unsurveyed parts of Eastern Dove Bay in order to locate enemy activity. She broke through one foot of new ice without appre ciably slowing down. On the 15th she completed col lection of hydrographic data and made an aerial re connaissance, meanwhile provisioning a sledge patrol station of the Greenland Army. She then proceeded southward. BREAKS TEN FOOT ICE
Proceeding south on September 17,

19hh,

ice, breaking floes of estimated thickness of ten feet with her four generators on the line and below fullpower but not using the bow propeller. Landing supplies at Sandodden on the *l6th, the EASTWIND pushed through five miles of closely packed "storis" ice on the 19th and found a boat with two missing members of the sledge patrol who were hoisted aboard and returned to Sandodden. Neither the STORIS nor the NORTHLAND could have penetrated the ice" to make this rescue The cutter stood to northward on the 23rd to locate the limits of the Arctic pack and seek signs of possible enemy infiltrations. Approaches to Franske and Nordske Islands were blocked by solid ice through which the EASTWIND pushed far enough to determine that no eneujr vessel could have made a landing. On the 29th the EASTWIND went to the assistance of the NORTHLAND, who had a damaged propeller and s teering gear and towed her UO miles in a whole force gale, casting her off in the lee of Pendulum Island, inside the ice, where the STORIS and EVERGREEN stood by as she made repairs.

pushed through about five miles of closely packed pan

the EASTWIND

CAPTURES GERMAN AND tIMBLVE PRISONERS WITH CONFIDENTIAL " DOCUMENTS

WEATHER STATION

TO BOSTON

TO NORTHEAST

Ordered to proceed as soon as possible to support Commander Task Unit 21;. 8.5 in Northeast

in tow, escorted by the STORIS, departed for Reykja vik, leaving the EASTWIND
alone. Next day the EAST WIND'S plane reported sight ing a west bound trawler at Little Koldewey Island and the EASTWIND stood to northeastward to search. She reached north Flank at Arctic Pack on the 3rd and searched westward through new ice. Her plane observed signs of enemy activity but no signs of life on North Little Koldewey and the cutter worked through heavy "storis" ice off the entrance to Koldewey Straits, heaving to at Storm Bay. Early on the Uth she moved down the southwest side of North Little Koldewey and landed a force on the island in two waves. The force advanced over the island to, the east side and captured a German Weather Station with 12 prisone^isisfija. v
.^^

EVERGREEN with the NORTHLAND

On October 1, 19Ui, the

"Wgjj^^^^^

64

EASTWIND stood around the north end of the island and loaded seized materials, including confidential pub lications. The documents contained military secrets Those gist was communicated to Commander, Greenland Patrol on the sth with request that the STORIS re port to C.T.U. 2U.8.5 aboard the EASTWIND in order to get the documents into proper hands quickly. The EASTWIND then proceeded to Morkefjord and issued seized food and fuel to the Greenland Army. On the 7th she resumed patrol station off Cape Philip Broke, rendezvousing with the newly arrived sister ice breaker SOUTHWIND for fuel transfer, in Freeden Bugt. On the 9th the SOUTHWIND assumed the patrol station off the cape, as far as ice conditions permitted navi gation, as the EASTWTND patrolled south of the Cape. More of the captured supplies were transferred to the Greenland Army at Sandodden, greatly strengthening that force and enabling capture by the "WIND" vessels of enemy forces sighted by the sledge patrol, before such forces could be evacuated. On the 13th the German prisoners, stores and equipment, were trans ferred to the STORIS who had reported and was direct ed to proceed direct to Reykjavik. On October 15, V?hk, the EASTWIND s plane sighted a ship in the ice 10 miles off Cape Borgen and the EASTWIND and SOUTHWIND were immediately ordered into action. The EASTWIND had her choice of following open leads in the ice, then crashing through heavy ice, or working outside the ice and approaching from the east* The former course was selected and plans were made to take the vessel intact. When the target was definitely identified at 211*1 as an enemy vessel, the EASTWIND began firing until 2250 expend ing 28 rounds of 5" 38 cal. illuminating and 13 rounds of service ammunition. There were no casualties. The enemy signalled "we give up" and the EASTWIND signalled the enemy not to scuttle the ship. Then the ice breaker began working through the ice closer to the enemy vessel. While swinging stern to bring all guns to bear, the EASTWIND had lopped off two blades of her starboard screw, and besides this handicap, she was working through ten feet of polar ice, the heavi est she had ever been in. The Greenland cruiser and ship's plane were wrecks. At 0100 on the 16th the EASTWIND finally hove to about I*oo yards from the enemy vessel and sent the first platoon of a landing force to take the ship and prisoners. The vessel proved to be the EXTERNSTEINE, an expeditionary vessel of the neather station seized on the lith. The 17 pri soners were brought to the EASTWIND as a salvage party was disembarked to work over the captured vessel.
CAPTURE

getting her ready to go through the ice

On October 17, 19hk, the EASTWIND took the EXTERN STEINE through the ice into Freeden Bugt where she rendezvoused with the SOUTH Ice conditions along the entire Greenland WIND. coast were bad, according to the SOUTHWIND 's plane and on the 18th the vessels got underway, the EASTWIND breaking ice and the SOUTHWIND following with the EXTEHNSTEDJE in her wake or in tow as conditions re quired. Open water was reached at 0900 on the 19th and the SOUTHWIND was detailed to escort the EXTERN STEINE while the EASTWIND made ice reconnaissance. On the 21st the captured vessel with 3 officers and a prize crew of 3U men proceeded to Reykjavik without escort where she arrived on the 2Uth. The two "wind11 vessels continued patrolling and exploiting all leads. By October 31st itwas apparent that there were no leads, in spite of northerly gales which often change ice conditions, and that the ice pack was tighter than ever, so patrol was discontinued for the season at noon and the two vessels set course for Reykjavik.
TO OPEN W4TER

OF THE ETTERNSTEINE

FLIGHTS TO LOCATE SOURCE OF TRANSMISSION

Ice conditions now precluded enemy access to Northeast Greenland, making patrol
there no longer necessary.

The two ice-breakers arrived at Reykjavik joining the prize on November 2, 19hh, and on the sth the prison ers of war were transferred to the Iceland Base Com mand, U. S. Army. On the 6th a dispatch was received from Commander, Greenland Patrol, indicating that a transmission had been intercepted on an enemy weather frequency. After a conference on the 7th the Task Unit Commander requested that a flight be authorized to locate the latest source of transmission on UBOO KCs, bearing 315 from Jan Mayen Islandjassuming that an enemy vessel was on that bearing. Four planes were to participate but the results were negative, two planes being withheld. On the Bth results of a flight to Northeast Greenland by PBY were negative due to poor visibility and further operations were cancelled. of Captain Thomas on November 12, Commander R. W. Hoyle, USCG, aboard the SOUTHWIND assumed duties as acting CTU 2U.8.5 and the vessels proceeded towards Narsarssuak escorting the ex-EXTERNSTEINE, renamed EAST BREEZE, with the TRAVIS and FAUNCE. They arrived on the 16th. On the 22nd a convoy formed and proceeded, escorted by the EASTWIND and SOUTHWIND, to Argentia. On the 30th the TRAVIS collided with the EAST BREEZE. at Uh UU 1 N, 60 53 W and the EASTWIND was ordered to stand by the TRAVIS. The damaged vessel reported water-tight integrity secured but steering gear out of order, her after lazarette flooded, and the ship slightly down by the stern* The EAST BREEZE took the TRAVIS in tow and, escorted by the EASTWIND, proceeded toward Hali fax, the rest of the convoy maintaining original course. The three vessels arrived at Halifax on Decem ber 2, 19UU, after the towing hawser had parted three times. Temporary repairs to the TRAVIS would require three or four days so she would proceed to Boston later. The EASTWIND and EAST BREEZE set course for Boston on the.3rd arriving on the sth, the EAST BREEZE mooring at Constitution Wharf and the EASTWIND report ing to FAO for 30 days availability. The EASTWIND got underway January 20, l9h5t for Ar gentia, arriving on the 23rd. Departing that afternoon, rough seas damaged her slightly and she returned for emergency repairs. She got underway for Narsarssuak on the Uth of February, 191*5. She arrived at Bluie West One on the 9th and was soon underway to assist. ICEBREAKING ESCORT IN GREENLAND RETURN TO U. S.
Upon departure

At 0700 she got underway without assistance,

ing slowly.

When the SOUTHWIND hove to yards distant, her officer came on board and reported that his ship was stuck and her was decided that she was in port screw damaged. It worse shape then the captured vessel, so she was to try to get out of the icf as soon as possible, with the EASTWIND breaking her out if absolutely necessary.

SOUTHWIND DAMAGED

about 700

commanding

progress

The EASTWIND left alone, broke a track across the bow of the EXTEHNSTEINE worked back to a "lake" in the ice about 1200 yards away and then made a second approach through the original track back to the German ship. Then the mining partly blasted the ship loose and the engineer ing party got up steam. The EASTWIND broke the stern out and pushed it around, then towed backward with a hawser from bow to bow, retracting the now well defin Ed path made on her two approaches. After getting her into thsftJtLake she lay all night raising steam and EXTKHNSTBINB BROKEN OUT

"

65

ed to relieve the USS TENACITY escorting the Danish freighter LINDA, convoying her to Julianehaab. On the 23rd she set out to assist the NORTHLAND through Fjord ice. On the 27th she assisted the STOKES and then the LAUREL. On March 3rd she rendezvoused with a convoy consisting of the LARAMES, escorted by the TAMPA and MODOC, to assist as ice breaking escort, at the mouth of Brede Fjord. Here she lead a column through loosely packed "storis" and float ice to Nar sarssuak Reach, again assisting them on the 10th. On the 13th she proceeded to Skoldangen, East Greenland, to evacuate Army personnel at Caroline Amelice Harbor. She passed through "storis" ice most of the way, with a heavy belt of pack ice off the coast. This was very heavy and threatened damage to the propellers and she emerged, skirting it to the nortb^.ooking for a lead to the coast. During the morning an aircraft advised that the pack was increasingly heavy near the coast with no leads through it. Hence the mission was abandoned and the EASTWIND returned to Narsar ssuak. ATTACKS SUB
search of a submarine On March 21, 191*5, the EAST WIND was ordered to proceed

2337. She broke ice until the 18th when she

the NORTHLAND through the ice returning with her at

proceed

moor at Narsarssuak during July, 191*5, and on August 6, 19U5 departed en route to Scoresby Sound, Northeast Greenland via Reykjavik, Iceland. On the 12th she delivered freight at Army Base, Young's Sound. Here arrangements were made to discontinue sledge patrols at Daneborg and Dove Bay and the possibilities of emergency airfields in the On the 15th she anchored off vicinity discussed. Sledge Patrol Station, Morke Fjord and took aboard personnel and supplies. This day marked the end of World War 11. On the 16th the vessel lay off Cape Sussi, Shannon Island while a detail went ashore to investigate the German base previously on the island. A plane reconnaissance aided in laying out an emer gency airstrip. Five foot fjord ice was easily bro ken through. On the 17th she anchored in Freeden Bay and marked out an emergency landing field on the south side of Shannon Island. The strip is 200 feet wide and I*ooo feet long, 20 feet above sea level, of unsurfaced clay and gravel. On the 18th at Young Sound, Danish personnel came aboard for further tran sportation to Bluie West One.

TO NORTHEAST GREENLAND

The EASTWIND continued to

the surface entering the inside passage to Julianehaab from Skov Fjord. When about one mile from the loca tion indicated the EASTWIND obtained a good sound contact broad on the port bow. Reversing course she placed the contact dead ahead. The range was about UOO yards. Strong propeller beats were received. Then they stopped. The target was assumed to be a submarine which had stopped its engines, and the EAST WIND fired hedgehogs and dropped a deeply set eleven depth charge pattern on the last position obtained. The results of the attack are unknown. The search continued with negative results. The EASTWIND re maining listening all night and on the 22nd the search continued and was finally assigned to the MOHAWK, while the EASTWIND searched Narsak Passage and Brede Fjord with negative results. On the 23rd the cutter proceeded to rendezvous with an incoming convoy, aban doning search. She moored at Narsarssuak on the 25th. Anti-submarine patrol was re-assumed on the 26th at Narsak Passage and continued until the 30th. On the 31st she began escorting an inbound convoy and moored at Gronne Dal on April 8, 191*5 On the 28th she pro ceeded to Fredericksdal where an inspection party went a shore to inspect Navy 226, returning to Narsar ssuak on May Ist, 191*5.

reported by an Army plane on

and support aircraft in

On August 20, 191*5, the EASTWIND anchored off Jan

Mayen Island and sent a
detail ashore with comtaiS' sary supplies and communications for Navy 719. The
base was found entirely
out of fuel and coal which the cutter could not supply. Anchoring in Reykjavik, Iceland, on the 22nd the problem of servicing Jan Mayen Island was considered in conference. On the 27th made plans for Jan Mayen Island and loaded sup plies for first of two contemplated trips. On the 30th she stood out of Reykjavik en route Jan Mayen Island arriving September 1, 19U5. She returned to Reykjavik on the 6th and began loading remainder of supplies for Jan Mayen Island and awaiting relief personnel for that base. On the 26th the Norwegian trawler HONNINGSVAG transferred miscellaneous cargo to the EASTWIND for the Norwegian garrison oh Jan Mayen Island. On the 27th the relief personnel for Navy 719 on the island was on board and on the 28th the EASTWIND was underway en route Jan Mayen Island. En route on the 29th orders to proceed to assistance of a Danish vessel reported sinking at 70 30 N, 21 30 W were cancelled as position of vessel had been erroneously received. After unloading supplies at Jan Mayen Island the EASTWIND returned to Boston peacetime activities. for TO JAN MAYEN AND HEYKJAVIK

TO TOITSD STATES

On May

began escorting the ARUNDEL

to Argentia reaching there

k, 191*5, the EASTWIND

COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

1 CGC ESCANABA (WPO-61*) The CGC ESCANABA (WPG-61*) was built at Bay City,
Michigan in 1932, and on
July 1, 19U1, her permanent
station was Grand Haven, Michigan. She was 165 ft. long with 36 ft. beam and drew 13 ft. 7 in. of water, having a displacement of 1005 tons and a gross ton nage CH of 718 tons. With a steel hull she made 13 knots. She was an oil burner with a 1500 HP geared turbine. On June 15, 19U2, while escorting a convoy from Cape Cod to Halifax in position SURyiTORS* II I*2 I*7' N, 66 lfl W, the ESCANABA had a definite con tact on her QC machine and went into the attack immediately. Eight depth charges ATTACKS TOO SUBS USS CHEROKEE SUNK

on the 9th. Escort to Fortsmouth, N. H., was continued on the 10th, the ARUNDEL being taken in tow on the 13th because of a casualty to her starboard engine. They arrived on the ll*th, a 15-day availability for the EASTWIND beginning next

day.

Portsmouth on June 3, 19U5, the EASTWIND pro ceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, for eleven days of training exercises, arriving at Boston on the Uith. On the 18Hishe was underway for Argentia, arriving on the 20th. On the 22nd she was underway for Battle Harbor, Labrador, proceeding through Cabot Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and anchoring in St. Charles Channel en the 25th. Here a pontoon raft, being towed byme of the EASTWINDs launches and loaded with 30 tons of equipment for Unit 35 at False Harbor, was swept on the rocks at St. Charles Gull Island. On June 28th the EASTWIND moored at Narsarssuak*

TO LABRADOR

Departing

-.

1 See "SINKING OF THE ESCANABA"

- 19l3 - CGmonograph

66

*mm

were dropped on a contact held to within 200 yards and stern lookouts and other aft saw the submarine break water, roll over and disappear. At 800 yards the c-ut ter headed for a second attack* As she closed >lrge groups of air bubbles were noticed dead ahead aud a pattern of six depth charges was dropped across the position. Contact was lost. This sinking was not confirmed by German records uncovered after the war

for repairs until the 29th when she got

Argentia.

underway

for

19h3
DORCHESTER
proceeded next day to St. John's and on the 6th began escorting a convoy to Kungnat Bay ar riving on the 11th. On the Ihth she was underway again for Argentia where she arrived on the llith breaking ice in the harbor on the 25th and 26th. On the 27th she was again proceeding to Greenland stopp ing at St. John's on the 28th. On February 3, 191*3, 90 miles southwest of Skovf jord, Greenland the SS DORCHESTERjCarrying troops and civilian workers in convoy SG-19 was torpedoed and sank in 20 minutes. By 0922 Ilis victims had been brought aboard the ESCANABA, 12 of whom were dead and one dying, making 132 living rescued. Due to the cold weather many had been unable to assist themselves and ESCANABA1s per sonnel had been sent into the water to secure lines to rafts and survivors. Rubber lifesaving suits proved valuable in this work. The ESCANABA moored at Blaie West One on February U, 19U3, and disembarked,
survivors
Arriving at Argentia on January 2nd the ESCANABA

and is not included in the list of enemy submarines listed as sunk by the Navy in its release of June 27, 19U6. A second submarine was contacted at 1820 and eight depth charges were dropped, five more being dropped on the second run. Shortly after this a dark smoke arose to the surface and a large slick area was noted with messes of brown substance floating about, but the cutter was unable to regain contact. This sinking was likewise never confirmed by German records. Ordered to rejoin the convoy at 1922, flares and rockets indicated a submarine attack on the convoy. The ESCANABA came to the position where the USS CHERO KEE had gone down and survivors were milling around in the water. Rescue operations began and the monomoy Burfboat was put over in the dark with a volunteer men rescue crew. The order was to pick up singles swimming alone, but the men kept floating near to the liferings attached ship but could not hold on to the to the sides that were thrown to them. One man finally got alongside but could not hold on to the rope and husky crew members, held by the feet went down and as the ship rolled grabbed the man and brought him aboard, This method was soon discarded, however, as too dan gerous. The ship was taken to the windward of the rafts and the men allowed to drift down by the r af ts and in this manner they were brought right up under the counter and the rafts secured alongside* All other methods of rescue failed. The monomoy surfboat returned with 11 men and U had been brought aboard without use of the boat making a total of 22. As the ship's boat wa3 preparing to go out again an unidenti fied corvette and the NORLAGO, a small freighter de signated as rescue ship, began to use lights to rescue survivors. These were just enough to attract sub marines. A destroyer made a quick counter attack on one sub approaching for the attack. The corvette dis appeared, as did the NORLAGO, and the ESCANABA had to lifther ship's boat and depart despite the fact that more survivors were awaiting rescue. After a sound sweep the ESCANABA began a zigzag evasion course for Boston. She would have remained but her depth charges had been exhausted.

On February 9, 19^3, the ESCANABA left for Kungnat Bay where on the 22nd she began escorting a convoy to St. John's. On the 28th she detached with the USS SANDPIPER and USS NOGAK for St. John's. On March 1,1U3 the ESCANABA was en route Argentia and on the 2nd stood out of there with a convoy bound for Boston where she arrived on the 7th and went into drydock. On March 17th, 19k3, she was en route out of Casco Bay with the USS ARLUK and USS MANGO putting into Shelbourne Harbor, N. S., as the ARHJK became disabled with engine trouble. She arriv ed at Argentia on the 2ljth with the MANGO and remained there until the 30th when she departed with the MOHAWK and NANOK for St. John's, thence proceeding to Narsar ssuak, Greenland, escorting a convoy, which arrived on April 9, 1?1;3. She remained moored there until April 30, 19U3, effecting repairs to her main unit. (May War Diary missing)

ESCORT DUTY

WEATHER PATROL

The ESCANABA arrived at Sidney n July Uth escort

ing five vessels

with the

ARUNDEL and BLUEBIRD from Casco Bay, Maine. For the remainder of July and until August 23, 19U2, she was on weather patrol. On the latter date she moored at Bluie West One and later transported officers to Julianehaab on August 31, 19U2, returning to Kinglok Island same day. On September 1, 19h2, she stood up Skov Fjord and on September Uth was patrolling weather station "affirm" where she remained until the 13th. For the rest of September she was on local transporta tion and escort duty visiting Kungnat Bay; Ivigtut, Resolution Island, and Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, returning to Bluie West One on October 2, 19U2. On October 2, IU2 she proceeded to Fredericksdal, Greenland with Army offi cers aboard to survey a prospective base at the point. Until the 31st she re mained on local escort duty and on that date joined a convoy bound for Argentia arriving on November 7 19U2, and remaining until the lUth when she departed for St* John's and thence for Kungnat Bay arriving on the 22nd. On the 25th she departed with another convoy for St* John's, Argentia and Boston arriving December 5 19Wt SURVEY DUTY ESCORT DUTf

On June 30, ll+3, the ESCANABA began escorting convoy GS-2U from Narsar ssuak to St. John's, N. F* in coiqpany with the MOJAVE (Flag) , TAMPA, STORIS and
ALGONQUIN, the convoy consisting of USAT FAIRFAX and
USS RARITAN. Before joining the convoy on the 12th
the STORIS and ALGONQUIN had been ordered to conduct a search for a submarine, reported by the Army to be in Brede Fjord. Proceeding northwest to skirt the ice. the convoy, early on the morning of the 13th, had passed to west and south and around the ice field to position 60 50' N, 52 00' W when at o^lo dense black and yellow smoke was reported rising from the ESCANABA. She sank at 0513. The STORIS and RARITAN were ordered to investigate and rescue survivors while the rest of the convoy began zigzagging and steering evasive courses to avoid submarines. At 0715 the two cutters returned having rescued 2survivors and found the body of Lt. Robert H.Prause which was on the RARITAN. No explosion had been heard by the other escort vessels. The entire crew of 103 was lost with the exception of ESCANABA IS SUNK
these two men.

CGC HAIDA (WPG-W) COMMISSIONING

AND DESCRIPTION

-The CGC HAIDA (WPG-1) was built by the Union Con*

67

J^H|^P^^^^^^^^^T^^^

traction Co. at Oakland, California, and commissioned

October 26, 1921. par permanent station was first at
Port Townsend, Washington* She was 2hO feet long, 39 foot molded baa and drew 16 feet 6 inches. She displaced 1760 tons with a gross tonnage CH of 1330 tons, with a steel hall she had a speed of 16 knots, developed by 2600 HP turbine electric power and barn ed oil. Between 1921 and 1933 the HAIDA was annually sent to Alaska on the Bering Sea : Patrol. The one exception was in 1930-31 when she was on halibut patrol. In1927 her permanent station was changed to Seattle. Some time after 1933 her permanent station was changed to Juneau, Alaska, and she was stationed here at the outbreak of World War
iijTrYHISTORY

n.

The HAIDA was at Puget Sound Navy Yard undergoing, repairs on December 7, l?Ul The work was completed January, Ill2, and she depart ed Port Townsend January 13, 191t2. On January 16, ll(2, while leaving Qrenvillt Channel en route Ketchi kan the HAIDAassisted in trying to float the USAT BRANCH aground for some days at Haner Island, B. C. but after palling unsuccessfully with the CQC HEMLOCK on the 17th, she transported some soldiers to Prince Rupert, leaving the BRANCH to salvage by underwriters. Arriving at Ketchikan January 20, 191(2 she began es corting the SS COLUMBIA and the USAT GOEGAS in Icy Strait on tba 23rd, arriving at King Cove on the 29th. The HAIDA later escorted the QOROAS to Cape Decision. On February 21st she was escorting the SS YUKON across the OULF of Alaska mooring at Junetu. Departing onr the 27th she started escorting the USAT CHAS. L. WHEEIBR to Seward, but returned to ley Straits because of heavy weather. RESCUES SPaVivUwSMOUNT McKINIEY
King Cove and went to the

KSCOHT DDTI

Returning to Patch Harbor on the 12th she escorted the ITSAT DOUBT to Otter Point guarding her as she unloaded aviation gasoline. Reports on the HAIDA's
movements during latter part of 191(2 are partially
missing. From August 23 to 29, 19h2, she escorted vessels off the Kenai Peninsula, eastward to Seward.
During the week ending October 17, 19fc2, she escorted
16 nerohant vessels between Tukltat, Womfn<s Bay and
Pleasant Island. After escorting
six vessels with one naval escort to Pleasant Island on October 26, 191(2, she proceeded to Juneau and returning to Pleasant Island on the 28th escorted 6 vessels to St. Paul Har bor. Daring the week of November 28, 191(2, she es corted convoys west of Cape Spencer, Pleasant Island and St. Paul, heaving to off Kodiak island December 1, 191(2, to escort the SS NORTH PACIFIC to Kodiak, follow ing which she escorted her onward to Pleasant Island. Returning to Juneau she departed for Pleasant Island
on the 12th to escort two vessels to Seward where she
arrived on the liithdeparting same day to escort a
vessel to St. Paul arriving on the 15th.
On the 20th she esoorted two vessels to Juneau arriving on Decem ber 26, 191(2.
On January 1, \9ki, the HAIDA arrived at Seattle where she remained in overhaul status until February 23, 19U3. After tests next day she proceeded to Port Angeles where she began escorting a convoy to Alaska. Intensive trtlning was carried on en route and on March l(th she at Cold Bay, reporting to Commander, Alaskan anchored Sector for duty. On the sth while escorting a vessel to Dutch Harbor she expended two depth charges on an underwater contact with negative results. The remainder of March was spent in escort duty between Dutch Harbor and
Chernof sld., guarding a oable ship at Kelekta Bay and
escorting vessels to Atka Island, returning with a
convoy to Dutch Harbor on the 27th.
She left for Adak on the 29th. From then until the end of April she was engaged in anti-sub patrol and c scort duly between
Adak and Atka Islands, dropping depth cbtrges
on a doubtful contact on at least one occasion. Daring May 19U3, the HAIDA was engaged in escort duty between
Dutch Harbor and Chernof sld. Harbor, conducting occasion al anti-sub patrol. This duty continued during June,
the HAIDA dipping eight charges on a "fair" contact
on the 12th with no results.

KjCORTAHD wgATHER

PATROL

191i3

On March 10 she arrived at

assistance of the MOUNT McKUffiETashore l miles Uteflo west of Scotch Cap. The YUKON and HATTFIELD were standing by off shore but unable to communicate with the stranded vessel and heavy seas prevented a close approach. On the 12th it stopped snowing and 127 passengers, officers and crew were observed pulling seaward in five lifeboats, all being safely rescued and landed at Dutch Harbor. Departing for Akutan with officers and men from the MOUNT McKINLET on March Ik, 19U2, she intercepted a message from the YF-86 in distress off North Head, Akutan Island. She led the IP safely in Umnak Bight en the 15th, removing machine guns and platform from over the pilot house to stabilise her. On the 16th she convoyed the IP to Dutch Harbor. On the 22nd the HAIDA returned to the MOUNT McKINLBIto salvage such stores and equipment as she could but weather conditions prevented and she returned to Dutch Harbor. RESUMES ESCORT PUTT On March 23rd, 19l(2, the HAIDA escorted the USAT DELAROFF to Nikolski on Umnak Island and on April lUth accompanied her on trip to Chernof sld. and return. On the 30th she contacted the USAT GOLDBROOK off Chernof ski and escorted her and the DELAROFF past Unimak Pass towards Seattle. On May Ist the HAIDA escorted the SS ALEUTIAN to Cape Pankof On the 18th she called at Sitka and loaded 32 tons of torpedoes and ammunition for Women* s Bay, then still heavily loaded, escorted the USAT NORTH COAST to Cold Bay, re turning to Dutch Harbor. She helped search for a submarine on the 27th and then proceeded to Chernof ski to patrol and guard merchant shipping until June 3rd.

On Jona 27, lpitf, tim HAHU

stood out for weather patrol
station "A" at I(9 N 148 W
assuming the s tation on the 30th. On July 18th she
departed station for Seattle returning to the station
on-August sth and again returning to Seattle August
27th. Her weather station duties were not again assum ed until September 9th, whence they continued until her arrival at Seattle on September 28, 19U3. She was on weather patrol between October 10-26. On this pat rol she fired lh projectiles, three depth charges on a possible sub contact. She again patrolled weather station "A"between November IB and December 9, 191(3 and was underway to the station at the end of the year. WEATHER PATHDL

HEATHER PATROL Igli3

I^,191(5
AMD 19kt>

The HAUtt continued to patrol Weather Station "A" at f ortnightly intervals throughout
the year

. ,

I*? SJf* ir S Jof?"^^*6^

EBCOMMISSIONINQ
68

Seattle*' This duty continued 19U5 and until March 18, 19U6. Returning to Seattle March 25, 191(6, she arrived at k, 19U6, for a series of operations between Alaskan ports and Continental v. S. ports, which brought her t tt 6* 19k6t 1* citr a S?P,t ber 2'2 WMi f 16, 191(6, October 2, 191(6, and October Seattle September 20, 19U6.
\u0084,,.

.. through

19kh, basing on

Ketchika?April

"*

*
'

33*

The HAIDA was decommissioned

e^flHHH|^^__^^

COAST GUARD CUTTER ESCANABA

ABB LINED UP IN FROKT OF THE U. S. COAST GUARD PATROL CRAFT ICARUS WHICH SANK THEIR RAIDER OFF THE CAROLINA COAST

33 SUHnVOBS OF A GERMAN SDBUARINE

69

at Fort Angeles February 13, 19U7, and sold to Walter H. Wilss of Seattle, Jannary 20, 19U8.

USS HIRAM (IKJ) The USS HIRAM was commission ed by the Navy on 1June, 19U2, and immediately turned over to the U. S. Coast Guard, Ketchikan, Alaska, for operation. She was first manned with a Coast Guard crew on August 11, 19hk J. Ellsworth Jensen, BMlc, USCG, was the first man to assume the duties of Officer in Charge. He was succeeded by J. W. McMahoa BMlc on December 27, 19U3, and 7* M. Shakier, BMlc on December 15, 19Wu COMMISSIONING The HIRAM patrolled off Duke Island, Barren Island, Dundas Island, Coos Bay and Chacon from July 6, to July 11, 19u2, encounter ing nothing of a suspicious nature. Her code chair lenge and reply with Canadian patrols was sometimes confused. -During the week ending August Bth, IU2, she patrolled the regular steamer lane, identifying vessels. On August sth she challenged a blocked out vessel between Free Point and Cape Fox and re ceived identification after some delay, but not be fore general quarters had been called and guns manned. During the week ending August 15, 19U2, she again maintained patrol off Free Point, convoying a troop transport northbound, identifying vessels. The HIRAM continued on patrol duly in the 17th Naval District throughout the war. The areas patrolled included Cape Fox, Cape Chacon to Dall Head, North Tongass, Hogan Island to Vales Point, Clarence Strait and Icy Strait. PATROL DUTY On April h, 19U3, she answerEd the distress call of a Navy tank lighter at Vales Point and towed the vessel to Ketchikan Base. She also carried mail and supplies to and from LS-113 Pleasant Island and Port Althrop and Cape Spencer Light, and engaged in boarding, routing and patrol duty at LS-113, Pleasant Island. On August h, 19U3 she assisted in pulling the gas boat MARYELLEN off the beach at Icy Point, near Palma Bay, and on October U, 19U3, she towed a motor sailor from Pleasant Island to Ketchikan. On September 1, 191*5, the LS-113 was taken off her station at Pleasant Island and the HIRAM proceeded to bhe Captain of the port, Juneau, Alaska, and was assigned the hauling of freight, mail and passengers to the five light sta tions in the Juneas area. Her Coast Guard crew was removed June 30, 191*6. ASSISTANCE CGC ICARUS (WPC-118) COMMSSIONING The CGC ICARUS was built at AND DESCRIPTION Bath, Maine in 1932 and on July 1, 19U1 her permanent station was Stapleton, Staten Island, New York. She was 165 feet long, with a 25 foot 3 inch beam and drew 9 feet 6 inches of water. Her displacement was 33b tons. She had a steel hull and a speed of 16 knots. She was powered with a 13140 HP diesel oil buring twin screw motor. MAKES CONTACT The ICARUS was on coastal anti-submarine patrol duty, early in I?U2 when on Janu ary 18, 19U2 she departed Ambrose Sea Buoy at 07U5 on the report of nearby submarine ,activity. At 1725 she had established a sound contact on which she fired her "V" gun and one depth charge which, failed

to explode. Next day at 0827 while cruising in the same spot an explosion occurred about 300 yards off her starboard bow, believed to be the unexploded depth charges released the previous day. On the 22nd the cutter made sound contact in the vicinity of Am brose Channel entrance and observed a slick spot on the surface of the water. The contact was lost at 0730 but the search was continued and calls were ex changed with a Navy Blimp requesting it to search the area. Again on the 31t a submarine was reported In the vicinity and a passing tanker gave the position of the sub as bearing 10 pgc, distance four miles. The ICARUS proceeded to search, established several contacts with her sound equipment and dropped fire depth charges, after which satisfactory contact was lost.
Proceeding to a position miles SEXS of Atlantic City on March 7, 19H2, the ICARUS investigated a report of a sub marine at that position aid at 1525 made a contact, dropping one depth charge from the rack and firing two "I" guns lit minutes later. Three minutes later she stopped engines at the point of attack, 39 lU' 20" N, 7U 06* U5" W, and ten minutes afterward dropped tiro depth charges from the racks. Large quantities of cork and oil were observed. Next day she located an oil slick at o2o and made contact, attacking with two depth charges at 1030, picking up sampl* of oil and debris. Again on the 11th at 0815 she dropped three charges with negative results. On March 15, 19U2, a Navy Blimp dropped smoke flares ar.d the ICARUS made contact at 1200 yards at 1150. Forty five minutes : later she dropped two depth charges, followed by two more 15 minutes later. Two more were dropped at 1305,

BRINGS UP CORK AND OIL

13^

by

two at 1310 and two at 1325. At UtOO the ICARUS stood the scene as oil bubbles were coming to the surface.

On May 9, 19U3, while proceeding southward from New York on a

routine run at about 1620 the
ICARUS picked up a "mushy" sound
contact at a range of about 1900 yards off the port bow. *he contact sharpened and at 1629 a torpedo was seen and heard to explode 200 yards off the port quart er. At no time was the periscope sighted. Reversing
her course the ICARUS steamed toward the contact which
was approaching the spot where the torpedo had ex ploded and propeller noises were now picked up for the
first time on the listening gear. The contact was
lost at 180 yards and the KJRUS, after a calculated
interval, dropped five charges in the shape of a
diamond with one charge in the center. Reversing her
course the ICARUS now established on her sound gear
that the submarine was moving west and she moved to
intercept the U-boat. Two more charges were dropped
in a V pattern at a point determined by applying a
lead to the U-boats apparent track and as the turmoil
in the water subsided, large bubbles were observed
coming to the surface. The ICARUS once again reversed
her course and dropped a single charge on the spot
from which the air bubbles were seen to rise. Six
minutes later she dropped another charge to the right
SINKS
SUBMARINE of this location.

At 1709, shortly after the last

charge had been dropped, the
submarine broke the surface, bow first and down at the stern,
1000 yards from the ICARUS. The gun crew of the
ICARUS immediately opened fire with all machine guns
abljs to bear on the target and as the coarse was
changed to the right to ram, the three inch gun was
also laid on the target. The first round was
short
but ricocheted through the conning tower. The second
round was over. The next twelve rounds were hits or,
near missed, seven definite hits being salted. jAV-.TY SUB SURFACES ICARUS OPETfB" FIRE

70

fJjJMracates \u25a0m* 7635' W.

mm

the submarine sank in position

3U 12.5 'N,

Tiro minutes after the sub marine had surfaced, the crew abandoned ship. This was done rapidly with clodk-like precision as though its members expected an internal explosion, for as soon as they hit the water all tried to swim away from the submarine as rapidly as possible. As the sub sank the ICARUS ceased firing but continued to circle the spot and on establishing a contact and hearing pro peller noises dropped one more depth charge which brought a large air bubble to the surface. This ended

CAPTURES CHEW

USS ROEER on AprilIk, 19h2 at 35 55 N, 7s 13 W. The first enemy submarine to be sunk by our armed was forces in World War II the Japanese 1-170 sunk at 23 US 1 N, 155 35' W by aircraft from the USS ENTERPRISE on December 10, 19Ul, according to these sources. (No further war diaries on the ICARUS are available.)
CGC JACKSON

(WPG-35)

all further signs of the U-boat, except for 35 of its crew members swimming around in the water. At 17J>0 operations were begun to pick up survivors and 33 German prisoners were taken from the water. Four were wounded. One had lo3t his left leg and died shortly thereafter. The least wounded man was placed with the other 2? prisoners under guard in the forward crews compartment. The commanding officer, KaptLeutnant Helmuth Rathke was among the survivors. The submarine was a 500 Aon vessel, the U-352, and had a Complement of h officers and Ulmen. Seven of the. crew sank with the sub and died in tit* water after
abandoning ship.
HOW THE ATTACK BY THE U-BOAT

COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

Virginia. She was 125 feet long and 23 foot 6 inch beam, drawing 9 feet of water, with a displacement of 220 tons. Her hull was of steel and she made 11 knots She had two 350 HP diesel, twin screw engines.

The CGC JACKSON (WFO-35) was built at Camden, New Jersey in 1927 and on July 1, 19Ul, was on permanent station at Norfolk,

COASTAL ESCORT

The U-boat had been in the vicinity four days waiting for a convoy to pass and the ICARUS was believed to be the lead ship, hence the tovpedo was fired. In some manner this was believed to have misfired. The sub submerged and a hail of depth charges followed, one of which destroyed the periscope and killed the conning tower officer. Next the electric motor failed. There followed a second hail of depth charges, the engineering officer was killed and the diving mechanism disabled. At this point the CO decided to scuttle the boat and ordered all hands into life jackets and diving lungs. The tanks were blown and as the boat surfaced the command was given to abandon ship. The accurate fire from the ICARUS prevented manning the deck guns. WAS RECEIVED Several of the crew spoke English and talked very freely on personal matters but disclosed no information on military affairs. Three of the ICARUS crew spoke German and talked a great deal with the prisoners.
The Germans were anxious to know how much the Coast
Guard crew received for sinking a submarine and if they were promoted for doing so, adding that the Ger man sailors received bonuses and medals for sinking ships, the amount depending on the size and tonnage of the ship. Four of the Germans had relatives living in the United States. The prisoners exhibited high morale and remarkable discipline. They had all ex pected to be machine gunned in the water after aban doning the submarine and many cried "Dont shoot us" as they were being rescued* They could not understand the good treatment they:- received on the ICARUS. By
CAPTIVES TAKEN

The JACKSON was engaged in coastal escort duty during the first part of World War 11. On Uay 10, ISWu she rendezvoused at Buoy No. U, Delaware Bay, South Channel with the PYC-26 and escorted the SS JOHN E. SYEET with the
JOHN A. SUITER on Course B at 11 knots, switching
at 0500 to course Q at 11 knots and reaching Norfolk
on the 16th. On July 7, 191^, she escorted the
CHARLES FORT off Cape Lookout, 8 miles from Buoy IU,
having escorted the vessel from the Delaware Capes.
Her* she was relieved by the SC-1339 and 1020. On
July 20, 19hh t she was part of Task Group 02.5 with
home base as Little Creek, Virginia and Home Yard,
Norfolk, Virginia.
FOUNDERS IN HURRICANE JACKSON a Isted a vessel out of Norfolk. Then she went to the assistance of a Liberty Ship which had been torpedoed off the North Carolina coast ashore in a later hurricane, but had and almost driven weathered the blow and been towed to Norfolk with no casualties. While returning to port the JACKSON, with the BEDLOE, ran into the hurricane, which increased in foroe on the lUth. Borne to the top of a huge swell the JACKSON was struck by two swells and rolled over until the mast dipped water. As the swells sub sided, the ship righted but was hit by another hard sea and turned m b?r side a second time. Struggling out of that the vessel was carried high by a third
' sea. Itseemed then that she hung in the air for a
matter of seconds, then the wind seized her, turned
her on her side and completely over. She disappeared
under a huge wave. 37 officer* and men got aboard
rafts but 17 died during the second night from ex posure and exhaustion.
Nineteen survivors from the JACKSON were spotted on life
BY COAST GUARD rafts by a Coast Guard plane
PLANES frOT Elisabeth, Citj.Horth Caro lina, and picked up fcjrft36 foot cutter from the Oregon Inlet
Lifeboat Station 15 miles away, after being in the
water 58 hours. The Coast Guard planes landed in the
swells, a plane next to each liferaft and crew members
dived into the sea and hauled semi-conscious men onto
the wings of the tossing planes where first aid was
administered. A Navy Blimp dropped emergency rations.
A Coast Guard cutter took them aboard and landed them
at Norfolk for hospitalization. 1)8 officers and men
including Lt. (jg) N. D. Call, CO of the JACKSON were lost.1 1. See "CG at War account.
SURVIVORS
On September 13,

19bk,

the

1805
May

all survivors had been rescued and the ICARUS pro ceeded arriving at Charleston Navy Yard at 1130 on 10, 19U2, where the 32 prisoners and the body of the one who had died en route were delivered to the Commandant of the 6th Naval District. The capture was not announced by the Navy until almost a year later on May 1, 191*3, for security reasons, and in keeping with the policy of keeping the enemy in doubt as to what had become of submarines which failed to return to base. According to enemy records uncovered and released by the Navy June 27, 19U6, the sinking of the U-352 by the ICARUS was the second German sub soak by a United States war vessel after we entered the war. The first had been the U-85. sunk by the

Lost Cutters

VIII"for fuller

Qflftt
71

SURVIVORS OF THE COAST GUARD CUTTER JACKSON

TOUCH SANK DURING THE SEVERE EAST COAST
SEPTEMBER HURRICANE IN 19liU

SAFE FOR THE VITAL ALLIED SUPPLY CONVOYS

THE COAST GUARD CUTTER MODOC KEEPING THE NORTHERN SUPPLY ROUTES

72

CGC LEGARE (nsc-u*!*) The CGC LEGARE (WSC-lUi)

was built at Camden,
New Jersey in 1927. Her per manent station on July 1, 191*1, was Norfolk, 7a. She wa3 125 feet long, 23 foot 6 inch beam, and drew 9 feet with a displacement of 220 tons. She had a steel hull and made 11 knots, powered by a 350 HP diesel oil burning twin screw en gine. She was fitted to service Aids to Navigation. COMMISSIONING
AND DESCRIPTION

On March 19, 191*2, at 16U5, while patrolling 18 miles southeast of Wimble Shoals the LEGARE received a mes sage that a submarine was 8 miles south of Hatteras
Army and Navy bombers circling the
and observed four position and dropping smoke bombs. The LEGARE picked
up a sound contact and prop beats with her QC bearing
where the smoke bomb had been dropped and proceeded
at full speed to track down the sound contact. The
contact was lost at 500 yards due to a plane dropping
bombs ahead of the LEGARE but at 1700 was picked up
again and two depth charges released over the sub merged object. Revising course the cutter stood over
the position and observed oil debris and bubbles com ing to the surface. Two more depth charges were re leased bringing up a large quantity of oil. Again
standing over the position the cutter released two
more charges and stopped engines to observe results.
Oil and large air bubbles came to the surface. One
more charge was released over the position, with air
bubbles still coming to the surface. Still another
charge was released. All of the LEGARE depth charges
having been released, the cutter stood by to pick up
samples of oil, debris and obtain soundings while depth charges were being released by the LEGARE,
planes continued to drop bombs over the position. The
sinking of a submarine at this position on this date
was never confirmed by enemy records when they became
available after the war.
BRINGS

to find and destroy a hostile submarine. The other cutters were assigned to patrol a small sector east of Hatteras minefield. Directed to resume assigned duty the lEGARE set a course to rendezvous with the RUSH off Cape Lookout Shoal and in company with the JACKSON the three cutters entered Charleston Harbor on the 23rd. On the 25th the four cutters proceeded to report to Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier. On the 28th while approaching Miami, the lEGARE fired four charges on what turned out to be a shoal, and they failed to explode. The COLFAX detached to escort a tanker. The other three moored at Key West on the 29th. On June 30, 19U2, they were directed to escort the SS ALCOA PATRIOT to Curacao and then proceed to Trinidad. On July 3, 191*2 the LEGARB sighted a peri scope slightly on the port bow and signalling the con voy to keep clear, the RUSH finally made contact drop ping two depth charges at 200 feet. A large geyser of oil and air appeared. The convoy arrived at Cura cao on the 6th and ordered to depart next day escort ing four vessels to join convoy WAT #1 at rendezvous. On the 10th a depth charge was released on a contact in the rear of the convoy at 2105. On the 11th the convoy dispersed, the LEGARE standing to Trinidad escorting two vessels with the JACKSON and RUSH. (The above constitutes all available material on the acti vities of the CGC LEQARE in World War II.)

the 21st the LEGARE was ordered to proceed to 3U 55* N, 75 27' W to contact the DIONS and assist her

CGC MODOC (WPC-i*6)

was built at Oakland, Cali fornia in 1921 her perma nent station on July 1, being at Wilmington, N. C. She was 2tiO feet long, 191*1 a with 39 foot beam and drew 16 feet 6 inches with a gross tonnage (CH) of 1330 tons, she displaced 1780 tons. She was built of steel, made 16 knots and was powered by a 2600 HP turbine electric engine burning

COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIEtTON

The CGC MODOC (WPC-U6J

PROM" 33 DAVID H. AJWAi'iIK

RESCUES 3

observed gunfire at 37 58' N, 75 06' W and saw a

vessel sinking, with only
two feet of mast showing above
the water. She located an empty lifeboat with one body and on signal from CO 218 found she had picked up 3 survivors and 3 bodies. Directed her to proceed to Chincoteague. On April 3, 191*2, the LEGARE,assisted by Nary and civilian planes, picked up 9 bodies wearing life jackets of the SS DAVID H. ATWATER. Later k more bodies were picked up. The
ATWATER had been sunk by gunfire.
BOMBS SUB On May 30, 191*2. the LEGARE proceeded to 3l* 38 N,

On April 2, 19i|2, while on Naval Patrol, the LEGARE

oil.

75 I*s' W where CGCs I*o6 and I*B3 were standing by a submerged submarine which was leaking oil, having been stopped by CGC I*o6 and a plane the day before. After getting the range of the sub by QC from a buoy working position, the LEGARE dropped li*bombs in 12 hours, set to explode for 150 to 200 feet, delayed action. Oil and bubbles resulted after each attack and at 1755* the sub not having moved since 061$, the LEGARE departed assuming the sub de stroyed. No sinking of an enemy submarine at this position or on this date, however, was contained in enemy records uncovered after the war.
"gxastt
OF OIL COLFAX were ordered to pro ceed to Charleston from f jMstiLP atro:Llin the 10 fathom curve en route. On S a

The CGC MODOC reported for duty with the Navy on June 1, 19U1, and was designated flagship of
the South Greenland Patrol. She returned from Green land on January 19, 191*2, and proceeded to Norfolk Navy lard for 6 weeks repairs and alterations. On April1, 191*2, she began anti-submarine warfare train ing at Casco Bay, Maine. She proceeded to Little Pla centia Harbor, Newfoundland, on April18th, in convoy, and began escorting the USS LARAMIE to Greenland on the 26th. On May sth she departed Greenland for Casco Bay, escorting the USS LARAMIE, SS OMAHA and SS AZRA. Arriving on the 15th, she proceeded next day to a position 70 miles east of Boston to search for a Ger man submarine, sighted in that vicinity. After a 3 hour search without results she proceeded to Boston.
PATROL

GREENLAND

ESCORT PUTT

en June 20, Isl*2, the CGCs LEGARB. JACKSON, RUSH and LEGARB, JACKSON. RUSH and

vessels to Newfoundland and thence to Greenland. En route she made a contact on her sound apparatus and expended a depth charge. Escorting the SS DORCHESTER and the Norwegian SS BISCAIA to a rendezvous, she turned them over to two destroyers and returned with the MOJAVE to Newfound land on the 17th of Jane. Next day she was off again to Greenland with the MOJAVE and USS HOBSON, escorting two Army transports. On July 2nd, together with the TAMPA, she escorted three more vessels to Sydney and on the 6th was on her way to Greenland with three others. En route, a Portuguese fishing schooner was boarded and warned against disclosing movements of

191*2, she escorted three

Leaving Boston on 29 May,

73

Allied vessels by radio. She returned to Sydney with two vessels on July 21st and then, with the TAMPA and MOHAWK, escorted the Norwegian SS ASKEPOT to Green land. Oaring the rest of 19U2 the MODOC was engaged in escorting convoys of from one to ten vessels from Newfoundland to Greenland and return. These trips were uneventful.

191*5
ICE PATROL
convoy in search of a downed plane, but got no trace of it. On the 7th of June she relieved the MOJAVE on ice patrol duty, the purpose being to maintain a close scrutiny of the ice in the Grand Banks region, guarding the southeastern, southern and southwestern limits of iceberg drift in order that trans-Atlantic and other passing vessels might be informed of the extent of the danger, in November 191*5 she went to the assistance of the CHIPPEWA and also assisted HMS BEGUN on December 19,

191*5, the MODOC departed

On the 20th of February,

191*3
SViitttJ FOYNE RESCUE
Early in January 191+3, while searching for sur

a lifeboat awash, with a body lashed to it, but could not recover it. Large fields of floe ice were en countered on February 11th and on March 18th, while course to seek the SS SVEND FOYNE, who had collided with an iceberg. On the 21st she reached the distress ed vessel at 58 35' N, I*o US' W and began picking
escorting a convoy to St. John's she changed her

vivor* of the SS MAIDEN

CREEK, the M3DOC sighted

191*5*

191*6
The MODOC went to the assistance of the SS HENRI BALDWIN, in distress, on January 15, 191i6. She re ported to Boston on the 26tb for installation of weather equipment and repairs. On March 26, 19U6, she inaugurated the first post-war International Ice Patrol, using radar and lORAN (electronic navigational aid system) for the first time on this patrol. Also for the first time patrol aircraft were used to assist the cutter. CGC MOHAWK (WPG-78) DESCRIPTION The CGC MOHAWK was built by the Pusey and Jones Corporation, Wilmington, ICE PATROL

up survivors. Other survivors were taken over from the CGCs AIVIK,ALGONQUIN and FREDERICK LEE, on the scene, and the MODOC reached St. John's on the 25th with 128 survivors. Due to the deep roll of the MODOC, operating without lights in the middle of the night, the taking on of the half frosen survivors was a difficult feat. Several of her crew distinguished themselves by going down the net and working waist deep in the icy water to haul half numb survivors aboard. One man, Leonard W. Campbell (101-707) CBM, almost lost his life in this rescue work. He and two others, John T. Hendrix (200-373) OEM, and William F. Coultas (251-300) Sea lc, were commended and each of them later received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. The SVEND FOTNE finally sank with 2k persons reported trapped aft. When the vessel sank the MODOC and AL GONQUIN searched the position and heard cries for help but could not sight any survivors. Nearly four hours later she took aboard one man who died of heart fail ure an hour later due to the c xtreme cold of the water in which he had been immersed for hours. Many of the survivors were Lascars, without identification papers and unable to conmnnioate in English and a competent interpreter could not be found. The 12,795 ton SVEND FOTNE was a British oil ship, and was in convoy. When she struck the iceberg her port quarter was inbunkers. The impact broke the oil lines to the fireroom and tore a hole in the bilge. She started to abandon ship at 2300 on the 20th, and seven boats and seven rafts were away within 3 hours. The eighth was lowered at 3$U5 a.m. Five minutes later the vessel sank suddenly,
with one motorboat still in the falls.

Delaware in 1931* at a cost of $1*99,800. She is 165 feet in length, with a 36 ft. molded beam, and a draft of 13 feet 7 inches. She has a displacement of 1005 tons and a gross tonnage of 718. Her hull is of steel and she has a speed of 13 knots. She is equipped with a 1500 HP geared turbine oil engine. At the begin ning of World War II her permanent station was Cape May, New Jersey.

191*2
ICE BREAKING As part of the Greenland Patrol, the MOHAWK was standing down the westcoast of Greenland, in Davis Strait on May 1, 19U2, en route to Godthaab from Sondre Stromf jord with the CGC RARITAN, who had lost her propeller breaking ice in tow. The MOHAWK resumed ice breaking operations on the sth and on the 9th,when she was forced to dis continue because of a bent propeller. She proceeded to Bluie West One at reduced speed, furnishing local weather and ice information to six amphibious planes on patrol en route. She departed Bluie West One on June 1, 19^2 to rendezvous with the SS JULIUS THOMSEN and escort her to Boston arriving there on the 9th. The trip was uneventful with the exception of expending one depth charge on a sound contact on June 3rd. At Boston Navy Yard the MOHAWK underwent extensive altera tions. CONVOY TO BOSTON

the rest of 191j3 the MODOC was engaged in un eventful convoy escort duty between Boston, Halifax, Argentia and Greenland. Leav ing Greenland on 17 December 191*3, in company with the TAMPA, the MODOC proceeded to search for the survivors of the USAT NEVADA. Next day, while approaching the position she sighted the CGCs STORIS and COMAHCHE and t a search line was formed with the three cutters, three miles apart. No survivors were found and the search was abandoned on 21 December. ESCORT PUTT
During

1910* HM* STRATHELLA

LOCATES
During 191*1* the MODOC was on convoy escort duty be

tween Greenland and North

American ports. On lit
February she left Greenland oh rescue patrol and lo cated HUT STRATHELLA, In June she proceeded to the Grand Banks to board Portuguese fishing vessels, which she located by radar before sighting them. The rest of the year was spent in convoy escort duty.

5, 191*2, she left the Navy Yard and on the was underway to Casco 7th Bay, Maine. Due to per sonnel changes while in overhaul status, one fourth of her crew were apprentice seamen (Reserve) without preliminary training. She remained at Casco Bay from
CONVOY TO
On July

74

the 9th to 13th of July during which time evidence of sabotage were found, steel filings having been placed in two Q circuit meters. She got underway on 13 July in company with the NORTH STAR, HYDRDGRAPHER, DRILLER, and NANCK as a special task group under the command

CONVOY TO GREENLAND

of Lt. Condr. W. P. Hawlay, in the NORTH STAR, and proceeded along the coast of Nova Scotia. On the 19th the HTDROGRAPHER and DRILLER left the group for an undisclosed destination.
Sydney through July 21*, 19U2. On the 26th she began escorting the Canadian ice-breaker MACLEAN to Hudson Straits, in company with the CGC TAMPA (Escort Com mander), MODOC and SS ASKSPOT. Proceeding by way of

The MOHAWK remained at

The MOHAWK stood out of Sydney en route to Rreei Sydney en route to Green land via Belle Isle Strait and contacted the SS HARJU RAND in Henley Harbor, Labrador on September 1, 19l2, escorting her to Greenland. She arrived in Greenland on the 6th where the HARJURAND was detached to begin salvage work on the SS MONTROSE. While moored at Onoto, Greenland, the KOHAWK was ordered on the 17th to pro ceed to the assistance of

ASSISTS USAT ARMSTRONG

the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Straits of Belle Isle, the TAMPA detached at Belle Isle on the 27th and the MOHAWK proceeded to Skov Fjord escorting the ASKEPOT.

On August 9, I?U2, the MOHAWK escorted the USAT CHATHAM and the Panamanian freighter SS ARISTIDES to Ivigtut, in view of the numerous' submarine and float ing mine reports. On August 16th the MOHAWK departed Bluie West One and rendezvoused with a five ship con voy, escorted by the MOJAVE and ALGONQUIN for Sydney, N. S., where she arrived on August 21, 19U2. COMVOY TO SYDHEY, N. S. The MOHAWK departed from Sydney, N. S. as Junior escort for Convoy No. 6 to Greenland on August 25, 19U2. The convoy was in two groups. One consisting of the USAT CHATHAM and MOJAVE, departed the group at Sydney outer buoy and proceeded on the same route at a higher speed. The second group, with the MOHAWK and ALGONQUIN as escorts, consisted of the LARAMIE, SS BISCAYA, SS ARLYN, SS ALCOA GUARD and SS HARJURAND in convoy. At 0900 on August 27, 19U2, the MOHAWK received a radio message that the USAT CHATHAM had been mined or torpedoed near the north end of the Belle Isle Straits and at 1500, the MOJAVE and a corvette loaded with CHATHAM survivors were sighted south bound. Later at 2133 on the same day, while passing through oil slicks believed to have been from the CHATHAM at the north end of Belle Isle Straits, a torpedo explo sion was heard and a faint white glow was observed in the vicinity of the LARAMIE's port bow. This was fol lowed by a second explosion and another glow. There was a third explosion a minute later. The LARAMIE sent up two white rockets and the MOHAWK headed in their general direction. Five minutes later the AL3oN .QfflH'was making a depth charge attack on the starboard quarter of the LARAMIE, who was do*n at the head and listing to port. At 2232, the MOHAWK sighted the ' ALGONQUIN and tuo ships standing to the southeast be Cape Norman and Belle Isle. Itwas decided that tween the safety of the LARAMIE took precedence over the in vestigation of red flares. At this time the sinking of the SS ARLYN was unknown, but it was reasoned that if the red flares were from life boats, the survivors were within five miles of shore. The fact that the submarine had remained in the vicinity after sinking the CHATHAM in the morning gave rise to the belief that if the LARAMIE tos left unescorted, the submarine might attempt to finish her off, while the MOHAWK was engag ed in hunting survivors. Itwas not until 2259 that the MOHAWK received the first positive information that the SS ARLYN had been torpedoed. On making con tact with the LARAMIE at 2350, itwas learned that she had had ua. echo bearing 165 T, distant 2000 yards and the KOHAWK ran down this bearing, without obtaining a sound contact, and dropped four depth charges from her stern racks as an embarrasing attack in the best esti mated position. Three of them failed to explode as they were set too deep for the depth of the water. The MOHAWK continued to escort the T.ARAMTR until relieved on August 29th off Cap Ray in Cabot Straits by the USS BRISTOL and then proceeded to Sydney, N. S. USAT CHATHAM, SSARLYN AND LARAMIE TORPEDOED

the USAT ARMSTRONG which was reported leaking badly at an indefinite location some place in the area be tween Simiutak Island and Julianehaab. She proceeded down Skov Fjord and an hoar later sighted the ARMSTRONG close to the beach near the northeast comer of Simiu tak island in position 60 I*2" N, I*6 30' W. Her engines were flooded. Because of the darkness and uncharted and numerous exposed rocks, damage control pumps ware placed aboard her by motor launch. A tow line was put aboard her and next morning the MOHAWK

took her in tow astern and proceeded to Skov Fjord. After clearing the swells, the MOHAWK brought her alongside and rigged the wrecking eductor to keep her afloat, as all her pumps were failing. At 1800, the ARMSTRONG was turned over to the COMAHCHE in the vici nity of Narsak and the MOHAWK proceeded to join es cort of convoy GS-8. SEARCH FOR SS OZARK
Entering Skov Fjord with convoy GS-8 on October 3,

19U2, the MOHAWK remained anchored off Onoto, Greenland, until the U*th On the 15 th she escorted two merchant vessels to Bijsed and then anchored off Ivig tut on the 16th. On the 18th she proceeded to assist SS OZARK reported in distress NE of Cape Farewell. She arrived in the vicinity on the 20th and commenced a search which continued until the 23rd. The search was without results and she returned to Kungnat Bay on the 23rd. Next day she was on her way to St. John's, New foundland where she arrived on the 28th and escorted two vessels to Argentia.
CONVOY DUTYRESCUES SURVIVORS
Departing Argentia on November 3,

voy to Kungnat Bay, Greenland. On the 9th she took over the escort of two vessels unable to keep up with the convoy, but lost contact on the 11th due to a snow storm. She entered Kungnat Bay on the 12th. Next day she departed escorting a convoy to St. John's where she arrived on the 19th. On the 22nd she was dispatch ed to search for survivors of the SS BLAIR ATHOLL. On the 28th she took on 25 survivors of the SS BARBERRY and returned with them to St. John's.

proceeded to St. John's and began escorting a con

19l2, the MOHAWK

The MOHAWK departed St. John's with the ALGONQUIN for Greenland on December 2nd and anchored in Kungnat Bay on the 6th. Two days later she departed as a mem ber of Task Unit 2U.8.2 escorting convoy GS-15 to St. John's. Due to a heavy snow squall and a moderate gale she lost contact with the convoy on the 10th and, while endeavoring to regain contact under poor visibi lity conditions, dropped three depth charges as an em barrassing charge on a possible submarine contact on the 13th. After searching the area with negative re sults the contact was classified as non-sub. Abandon ing efforts to regain contact with GS-15 she proceeded to Argentia on the Ujth. On the 20th she departed for St. John's. At 2200 she sighted the TRAVIS assisting the SS MALTRAN. Strong northwest gales were blowing both ships toward the rocky, poorly charted lee shore
SS MALTRAN

ASSISTS

75

which had no navigational aids. Icing conditions were severe. At 21k5 the TRAVIS requested help. Visual signal devices were so iced as to sake com munication difficult. The MOHAWK assumed to take the trAiT^** in tow, the TRAVIS having parted her hawser and the MALTHAS drifting rapidly toward shore. The TRAVIS was assigned to anti-submarine sound screen daring the assistance operations. After three at tempts, a 10-inch manila hawser was finally gotten aboard the MALTRAH on the 21st. The vessels were now within a mile of the rocky lee shore,, with nxunerous uncharted reefs and rocks. By 0527, she had towed the MALTRAN well clear of all immediate danger and about 5 miles from shore. In attempting to place the chafing gear on the hawser ithad to be cut to save the arm of the Chief Boatswain Mate which became jammed and the MALTRAb* cut her end to keep it from fouling her propeller* The CSS JDNALASEA now took the MALTRAH in tow, while the MOHAWK maintained an anti-sub screen with the TRAVIS, until the MALTHAS was safely within tbe swept channel of Argentia*

MOHAWK arrived at Boston on tbe Bth, with the otter three arriving an hour later. The MOHAWK departed Boston on the 10th arriving at Curtis Bay, Coast Qoard lard en the Uith for two weeks of overhaul*

&BOOTS

SOB COKTACTB

ESSHtTI

Departing Coast Guard Yard on February lk Isk3 the

' Arriring at St. John's, the MOHAfIK departed on Decofcer 23rd as a member of Task Unit 2U.8*2 escorting con voy SG-16, consisting of the SS ARAGOH to Greenland. Arriving at Skov Fjord on the 28th, she departed on the 29th with the ALGONQUIN and SANDPIPER to escort the LARAMTE to Ivigtut. later encountering the LARAMIS in Arsuk Fjord, she learned that the vessel was bound for Kungnat Bay whence the MOHAWK escorted her* The MOHAWK stood out of Kungnat Bay on the 29th es corting the convoy GS-17, consisting of the SS HORLAOO to St. John's. On January 2nd to Uth, 19U3, having
lost contact with the convoy due to poor visibility
and high winds, she was assigned to search for the
NATSBK but abandoned search on the sth and moored at
St. John's. Proceeding to.Argentia on the 6th she remained there until the 13th, when, while en route to St. John's the MOHAWK intercepted a call from the TJIS-25 and proceeded to her assistance. She continued to search for the YMS-25 in the vicinity of entrance to Placentia Bay until she was informed that tbe FAUHCB was in contact with the YMS-25, whereupon she returned to Argentia*

CONVOY TO GHEEHLAHD AMD SETUBH SEARCHES TOR NATSBK

I?ll3

surface. At 1510. she obtained another sound contact and expended three depth- charges la what was later analysed as a doubtful submarine attack* At 1750 a third contact was attacked and 16 anti-sub UK 20 mouse trap charges were expended in two attacks. This contact was later analysed as also doubtful* . The MOHAWK discontinued further search s and moored at Ar ' gentia on the 2iith*

on February 16th and de parted on the 20th for Ar gentla* En route on the 21st she sighted, at 00U5, an object believed to be a submarine on the surface, about 1800 yards on the port bow. The sighting was confirmed by a Q.C. contact. The sighting and con tact were lost at 1500 yards and an attempt to regain* contact by searching the area was unsuccessful. It was believed that the sob moved eat of range on the

MOHAWK arrived at Boston

On March 30, I#i3, the

MOHAWK departed Argentia
en route Greenland, with
AND RBTOffll the SSCANABA and NANOK and
arrived at Onoto on the 6th*
Proceeding to Kungnat Bay she patrolled the entrance
to Arsuk Fjord until the 15th and
then left Kungnat
Bay on the 16th as escort to convoy GS-22 to St.
John's.
Bn route she dropped three charge patterns on sound contacts* She arrived at St. John's en the 21st and proceeded to Argentia next day* She \retumed to St. John's on April 30, 19h3*

QJffIBgLAHD

COHVOT TO

CONVOY TO

On

May 1,

Base One, Greenland and moored there on the 7th* She patrolled the entrance to Arsuk Fjord until the llith. On the 20th she was underway with the NORTHLAND, TAHOMA and h other ves sels to St. John's as convoy GS-23, arriving on the 26th. On the 29th she was en route Boston, arriving on the 31st. On June 10, 19U3, the MOHAWK began escorting the tfsTATIATBOSS . USS PONTIAC to Argentia in company with the MODOC, TAHOMA and SC-TOU* On' the a Q.C. contact and dropped a pattern of 16th she made depth charges. She arrived at Argentia on the 19th* 8 Departing the same day for St. John's she dropped nine charges on a Q.C. contact. She departed St. John's on the 22nd escorting the convoy SG-26 to Green land, arriving on the 29tb. She proceeded immediately to assist the USS ALBATROSS reported aground at the ' western entrance of Arsuk Fjord. On arrival, the vessel had already floated and the MOHAWK escorted her to Base One. On July 1, 19U3 she departed Gronne Dal for Argentia escorting convoy GS-25 to Argentia* She arrived at St. John's on the sth. ATTACKS SUBS The MOHAWK departed St. John's for Gronne Dal again on the 15th escorting con voy 30-28. On the 20th she stood into Kungnat Bay to assist the USAT FAIRFAX who was aground. The vessel was floated with the MOHAWK and TAHOMA pulling bow and stern. On the 22nd the MOHAWK departed for Hudson Straits and Argentia, es corting convoy GS-26. On the 2Uth five vessels de tached for Hudson Straits and on the 27th another ASSISTS USAT FAIRFAX

departed St. John's for

19U3 the MDHAWK

On January 15, 19143, the MOHAWK departed Argentia, in company with the MOJAVE, es corting the SS SAPELO to St. John's. On the 18th she de parted St. John's as a member of Task Unit 2U.8.2 escorting convoy SO-18 to Greenland. She delivered the convoy at Blnie West One on the 2Uth. She then escorted the SS ROCHA to Kungnat Bay. Here with the STORIS she joined the Task Unit which departed on the 28th escorting GS-18. The MOHAWK lost contact with the convoy on the 29th due to snow squalls and mountainous seas, and on the 30th a huge comber broke over the bridge, smashing the motor launch and par tially flooding compartments through the ventilator system. On February Ist, still trying to regain con tact, the MOHAWK entered a side area of ice field off the Newfoundland coast. After traversing this field, which was 70 miles wide, she was ordered to proceed to Argentia. On the 3rd she departed Argentia es corting the TRAVIS, ARVEK and ALBATHOSS to Boston. On the Uth she entered an ice field in the vicinity of Ataman Bank clearing it on the sth. Contact could not be regained by scouting and a rendezvous at Sam bro Lightship was arranged for lliGO on the 6th, when all vessels met and proceeded, the MOHAWK maintaining the anti-cub screen. Visual contact was again lost on the 7th but radio contact was maintained and the CONVOY TO GREENLAND

76

*mm

repairs.

detached for Botwood, H. P. The rBinder arrived at Argentia on the 31st. The MOHAWK arrived at Sydney, N* S. on August 1, 191t3* She proceeded to St. John's on the sth. On the 7th she departed for Argentia for CONVOYTO GREENLAND On August 9, 19h3, the MDHAWK departed Argentia for St. John's, Hudson Straits and Greenland es corting convoy SG-29 in company with seven other escorts. Six ships departed on the 18th for Hudson Straits. On the 20th she dropped one embarrassing charge on a doubtful contact thought to have resulted from water currents and tem perature conditions. On the 21st she screened the entrance to Skovfjord as the convoy entered and then departed for Kungnat Bay. On the 2l|th she departed Kungnat Bay for St. John's escorting convoy GS-27 and arrived there on the 30th. She departed for Boston on the same day, arriving there on September Ist for a 20 day availability. On the 23rd she stood out for Casco Bay and then departed for St. John's mooring there on September 28, 19h3* DEPTH CHARGES The MOHAWK departed St. John's on October 1, ll(3, escorting the 80-31, In company with the MOJAVB* She moored at Gronne Dal on the sth. On the 7th she departed with the MOJAVE as escort commander for con voy GS-33, consisting of six vessels. At 1525 she dropped two embarrassing charges and at 2020 two more on a radar contact that was then lost. On the Bth a pattern of seven charges was dropped on a sound contact with no apparent results. On the 11th two of the convoy detached for Botwood, N. F. and the MOJAVE detached for St. John's. The MOHAWK continued to Argentia, An embarrassing charge was dropped on a contact en route. She moored on the 13th. CONVOY TO

19tOi
GREENLAND CONVOY ESCORT
CQCL IADHSL was ejjrojite Argentia. . The LAUREL pro independently on the 9th and the MOHAWK arrived eeeded at Halifax on the 10th. Underway on the 12th she ren dezvoused with convoy BX-91 and the same day detached as an escort of the USS LARAMIK to Stepbenvilie, H.F. On the lth she returned to Argentia with the LARAMU, and sailed same de~ for Greenland, stopping over at St. John's on the 20th for repairs. She entered Stov Fjord en the 2Uth, proceeding to Narsarssuak next day. On the 28th she began escorting convoy GS-lil in com pany with the COC STOEIS to Argentia and moored there on February 2, 19hk

On January 8, 19UU, the MOHAWK in company with the

On February % 19hh, she set forth again for Greenland, escorting convoy 30-38* in company with the TAMPA aad MODOC. On the 9th she stood by. in ice at the entrance jord and remained there until the 11th, when to Skovf she proceeded to Qronne Dal and -Narsarssuak* On the 13th she got underway on rescue patrol and next day located, in company with the MODOC, HMT STRATHBLLA, who was in distress. The MOHAWK took the STRATHBLLA In tow next day aad moored with her at Marsarssuak en the 18th. Then she broke ice and patrolled Skov Fjord until the 2Uth. She returned to Gronne Dal en the 26th. On the 2i|th she began escorting convoy G3-J2, with the TAMPA and MODOC to Argentia, where she ar rived on March 3* 19blu Getting underway for Boston on the 6th she arrived there on the 9th and underwent repairs until the 2lth. . ASSISTS HUT STRATHBLLA The MOHAWK get underway out of Boston on March 25, lWt en route Argentia in com pany with the USS LARAMIE, CGC TAHOMA and USS SAUCY. On the 28th she fired a six charge pattern of depth charges at a contact, later assessed as doubtful and moored at Argentia on the 29th. Next day she was underway, with the TAHOMA, escorting convoy SO-hO to Greenland* On April 3, lshk, she dropped two standard patterns of nine charges on sound contacts that ware believed to be good. There was no positive evidence of sinking, however, and the! MOHAWK resumed her station with the convoy. She ar rived at Gronne Dal with the convoy en the 7th and on the 11th escorted the LARAMH. to Narsarssuak. On the 22nd she stood out escorting convey 08-4(3 to Argentia, with the COMANCBB, arriving there on April 30, 19Uu
gentia untfEMay 6, lsUh, when she stood out in cem pany with the TAMPA, SAUCT and TERACITT escorting the five vessel convoy SO^ltl to Oreenland. She detached : with the SS BOCHA for Brede Fjord on the 11th arriving at Narsarssuak next day* On the 16th she stood oat , to escort the ROCHA to Gronne Dal. Returning to Mar- 1 sarssuak on the 18th, she departed for weather Station \u25a0Charlie" on May 22nd and patrolled this station until relieved by the TBMAC2TT on the 30th. Mooring at Gronne Dal until June 2, 19U, she relieved Weather Station "Charlie" again on the fcth. She patrolled the weather station until the 7th and returned to Gronne Dal on the 12th. Again on the 17th she patrolled weather station "Charlie" for three days. Based at Gronne Dal, she patrolled weather station "Charlie" from July Bth to 12th, from July 15th to 20th, and from July 28th to 33*t. When relieved on August 1, lshk she proceeded to Isykjavik, Iceland, but depart ed for weather station "Charlie" again on August 8. 19UU, and after a three day patrol moored at Warsars suak. She was again on weather station from the. 21a*

DEPTH CHARGES SUB CONTACTS"

Argentia for Narsarssuak, Greenland, and moored there on the 21st. On the 22nd she escorted the SS NEVADA and ALCOA GUARD to Kungnat Bay and departed for St. John's on the 25th in com pany with 7 other vessels as escorts to convoy GS-3U* which consisted of 15 vessels* On the 28th she de tached from the convoy as escort of three vessels for Botwood* En route she obtained a sound contact at bOOO yards and dropped nine depth charges* A second bank of eight projectiles followed the first after which the contact was lost from concussion* She moored at Argentia on the 31st* On November Ist she departed Argentia for Boston with seven other vessels Arriving at Boston on as escorts for 12 vessels. the sth the MOHAWK had a three day availability.

flfeggUjfl)

AMD RETURN

19U3 the MOHAWK departed

On the 17th of October,

WEATHER PATBOL

The MOHAWK zvaaiaed at Ar-

On November 9th, 19U3, the MOHAWK in company with the MOJAVE and TAMPA, began escorting convoy BX-82 to Halifax* Arrived in Argentia on the 13th she depart ed the same day, with the MOJAVB and MODOC and moored at Gronne Dal on the 17th. On the 19th she proceeded out of Arsuk Fjord as escort of convoy GS-36 to St. John's, with five ether escorts and five convoyed ves sels* They arrived at St. John's on November 2Uth, and the MOHAWK with three other escorts continued to escort the convoy to Boston. Arriving at Boston on December 1, 191*3* she underwent availability for re pairs and on the 26th departed for Case Bay* Maine, for training exercises. TO GREENLAND

JbwnbW

77

COAST GUARD CUTTEB MOHAWK

SURROUNDED BY VAST FIELDS OF FLOATING ICE THE COAST GUARD COMBAT CUTTER IiOJAVE FEELS ITS WAY TOWARD AN OBJECTIVE IN THE FAR NORTH

M^te^^^^^^J

78

m^H/tij&jZj^^,
to the 26th of August, 19UU*
KETUBN TO BOSTON
Arriving at Narsarssuak on September h, 19hk, the MOHAT* departed on the Bth, taking
on August Utl.. From August 18th to 23rd she was on Air-Sea Rescue Station off Skov Fjord, returning to Narsarssuak to remain untilher departure for Aflgen tia late in September, 191*5.

HMT STRATHELLA in tow for St. John* s, N. F. She arrived there on the 12th and on the lUth stood out of St. John's escorting SS BISCAYA. She moored at Atlantic Works, East Boston on the 19th to undergo ~spairs. On October 20th she departed for Portlanu, Maine, nhere she underwent
drills and practice at Casco Bay, departing for Ar gentia on the 27th*

19h6
The MOHAWK arrived at Argentia on October I*, 191i5> at Boston on October 7th, and at Curtis Bay on Octo ber 9th for availability until November, 19W. She was stationed at Cape Cay, N. J. from November 25th until January sth, 191*6, when she proceeded to New York on special duty. She returned to Cape May on February 19, 191*6, for salvage work on an 83 footer beached at Atlantic City, and then proceeded to Berkeley, Virginia, on March 7th. On AprilUth she arrived at Cape May from Norfolk with a fishing ves sel in tow, and on April 6th, 19U6, was ordered to be placed in reserve in commission, with a skeleton force, at Cape May, New Jersey. She wa3 still in this status on May 15, 19U7* HETURH TO CGC MOJAVE

The MOHAWK moored at Argentia until November 2, 19l*l*, and then got underway for St. John's. En route she boarded the Spanish fishing vessel CIBRZO. Arriving at St. John's on the Uth, she departed for Narsarssuak on the sth, escorting the SS GARNES and SS LINDA. Reaching her destination on the 13th, she broke ice on the 15th and 16th and proceeded to Frederlcksdal on the 19th. Returning to Narsarssuak, she was underway on the' 25th, escorting the SS FAIRFAX through the ice. She moored at Reykjavik, Iceland, on the 29th. ICE BREAKING

GREENLAND"

On December 1, 19UU, the MOHAWK proceeded to Weather Station No. 7 and patrolled ituntil December Bth when she was relieved by USS SAUCY and proceeded to Reykjavik. En route she had a sound contact at a range of 2500 yards. She dropped an eight charge pattern and regaining contact, proceeded on attack course. Then she lost contact but continued the search. The contact was classified. non-sub. She 'proceeded oat of Reykjavik for Gronne Dal on the lUth, mooring there on the lbth. On the same day she pro ceeded to the assistance of the BVERGBEEN. Assistance proved unnecessary naxt day. On December 20, 19UU, the MOHAWK struck a large growler, which hit the ship 5 feet below the water line on the port side, centered at No. 1 and No. 2 magazines. The ship took about 100 gallons of water per hour in the magazines, which, however, oould be controlled. About 18 plates were damaged and port frames from Nos. 16 and 22 were buckl ed. The MOHAWK remained moored at Oronne Dal where temporary repairs were made. WEATHER PATROL SUB CONTACT

--

(WPO-U7)

The CGC MDJAVE was built at Oakland, California,

in 1921, and on July 1,
19U1, her permanent sta tion was Miami, Florida. She is 21*0 feet long with
39 foot beam and drew 16 feet, 6 inches of water.
With a gross tonnage C.H. of 1330 she displaces 1780
tons, has a steel hull and does 16 knots. Powered
with a 2600 HP turbine electric motor she burns oil.
She was a sister ship of the HAIDA, MODOC and TAMPA.
COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION BSCORT DUTY On
May 9,

departed Casco Bay, Maine,

191*2, the MOJAVE

19U5
RETURN TO The MOHAWK departed Gronne Dal in company with the ALGONQUIN and EVERGREEN on January 30, 19U5, and arriv

at Argentia on February 2nd, was on availability until the 7th when she proceeded to Boston, arriving on February 11th. After an availability there until the 29th she proceeded to the Casco Bay Training Area until March 8, 19U5, returning to Boston next day.
ing

She left Boston and arrived at Argentia on March lit,19U5, escorting a convoy from there to Gronne Dal, Greenland, where she arrived March 20th-. Shortly afterward she departed Gronne Dal to patrol an area in which a sub marine was suspected. She returned to Gronne Dal on the 31st and left the same day as escort to convoy GS 65, detaching to patrol Weather Station No* 6 until April 8, 191*5, when she returned to Gronne Dal, She was again patrolling Weather Station No. 6 from April 21st to 26th. Between June 3rd and ll*thshe patrolled Weather Station No. 1. On July 21st she was at Nar sarssuak, at Kungnat Bay on the 28th and Gronne Dal

TO GREENLAND AND WEATHETHPATROL

escorting the SS BRUSH and SS BISCAYA to Greenland. On the 10th she made a sound contact and released one depth charge from the rack and fired two charges from "X" guns. Several minutes later she released another charge and fired three more from "X" guns. Irhe results were negative* Picking
up another vessel at Argentia, the SS BENCAS on the
ll*th,she proceeded to her destination through heavy fog through which she held the convoy together with difficulty. She reached Ivigtut, Greenland on the 19th, however, without incident. Here she relieved the COMANCHE of defense of the cryolite mine until the 10th of June, 19U2. Departing Kungnat Bay on June 13, 191*2, in company with the MODOC, she escorted a three vessel convoy westward being relieved of the escort at I*7 10 N, 58 30' W, and then proceeding to Argentia. On June 18, 1?1*2, she departed Argentia with the MODOC and USS HOBSON escorting two Army transports to Green land, with air escort most of the way. Course was changed on the 18th because of a submarine reported sighted 70 miles eastward. On the 20th heavy ice and dense fog were encountered as she neared the Greenland coast. Finding Brede Fjord too hazardous in the fog she cruised off the entrance until daylight before

entering.

On June 21, 19U2, the MOJAVE proceeded to Bluie

West One in Skov Fjord to
act as radio and visual beacon, and relay station
when necessary, in connection with a bolero movement
of ferry planes passing over on their way to Europe.
She maintained this station until the 25th when she
was relieved by the COMANCHE. She then proceeded sea ward at OIOU to point her searchlights toward the ship PLANE BEACON

79

and assist a plane reported lost to locate itself, but nothing was heard or seen because of the thick fog. On entering Brede Fjord 6 hours later, hovers r, she learned that survivors of the lost plane had been picked up by the BEAR. On July 2, 19U2, she again assured the defense of the cyrolite aine at Xrigtut maintaining fullHatches until July 6th when she an chored in Kungnat Bay. ESCORT EOT!
Underway out of Eungnat Bay on July 9, 191*2, in company with the ALQONqDTN, she es two ship convoy to Sydney, H. S. via Belle

corted a Isle Straits and the St. Lawrence. On the Uth while proceeding through the Gulf of St. Lawrence a mine sweeper signalled that a submarine periscope had been sighted an hour before in that vicinity, but the con voy arrived safely in Sydney the same day. On July 22, 191*2, while escorting convoy SG-2 a five vessel convoy, in company with the ALGONQUIN to Greenland via Belle Isle Straits, she made a sound contact at 201*5 at I^oo yards. She made two attacks with X" guns, with six charges in the first barrage and four inthe second, one charge failing to explode. The results were negative and the contact doubtful* The ALGONQUIN dropped one charge and after the MOJAVB had searched the area for 30 minutes she rejoined the convoy. Later two of the convoy, the SS ANN SKAKEL and the SS IBIS went aground on the shoals at Binf* Vest One due to inadequate charts. Both got off, the SKAKELunder her own power and. the IRIS being towed by the ALGONQUIN. The convoy finally arrived at Bluie West One on the 22nd. On July 26, 191*2, the MOJAVB left Kungnat Bay with the ALGONQUIN for Sydney, N. S., escorting two vessels, one of which was lost to sight on the 27th. The MOJAVB lost contact with the convoy on the 29th for five hours because of the heavy fog but arrived at Sydney on the 31st without further in cident, escorting only the one vessel, the other ar riving next day. On August 5, 19U2, the MOJAVB de parted Sydney with six other escorts and four vessels for Greenland with the flag in the MOJAVE. On the Bth she delivered the USS MUNARGE along the Labrador coast to contact the BEAR which continued with the MOJAVE to escort the vessel to 60 01 N, 60 05' V while the rest of the convoy proceeded to Greenland* Proceeding northward, contact with the MONARGO was lost in a heavy fog. At 0903 on the Bth a sound con tact was established and a barrage of seven charges fired, followed by a second barrage of four. The con tact was not reestablished. The MUNAHGO continuing toward destination during the attack and the MOJAVB proceeding to Greenland moored at Base One on the . 10th* MORE ESCORT DUTY CHATHAM
JrumMkgD

corvette K-17b. Tme corvette made a contact t lsoB and the MOJAVB joined in the search but made mo con tact. She picked 19 the last survivors at and eoatimsd searching until 1700. Seven boataUtJO five, and raft* containing 293 survivors were picked up by the MOJAVB and one boat and six rafts by the K-171*. Twe boats and one motor launch ware landed on the Labrador coast but not located. The MOJAVB arrived at Sydney V on ingust 29; 191*2 and departed saw day for Bells Isle Straits to search for and pick up additional survivors of the CHATHAM as well as those of the SS ARLTH and tARAMTK reported ashore there. Ib survi vors were found there bat on arriving at Henley Har bor at 0922, liiO survivors of the 3 vessels were picked up from the SS HARJURAJlD,anchored in Temple
Bay, and while proceeding
to Battle Harbor for aore she was ordered back to Sydney*
On September 2, 1942, the MOJAVB was underway out of
Sydney escorting the USS
AMAROK to Greenland by way
of Hamilton Inlet, both vessel* pursuing a sigsag
course because of reported submarines. At daylight
on the sth the AMAROK was sighted several miles began calling for assistance, firastern and at 0520 lag her "X" guns at 0525. The MOJAVE proceeded to her assistance while she continued to fixe 5 depth charges, her 20 MMmachine guns and signal flares* Swinging inbehind her, the MOJAVE could make no under water contact. The AMABOK reported sighting a sub marine inposition 50 15' N, 57 31t w. She was de tached on the sth off the entrance of Hamilton Inlet to continue to destination unescorted while the MOJAVB proceeded to Greenland, arriving on September 7, 191*2. Here she remained moored at Onoto with the exception
of short and uneventful trips until September 2k,
19U2*
On September 25,. 191*2, in company with the ALGONQUIN, the MOJAVE departed Kungnat Bay en route Sydney, escort ing the SS HSGASOS. An underwater sound, at 0912 on October 1, 191*2, developed to be negative. At 1355 she sighted an oil slick and while investigating made an underwater sound contact. She made a depth
charge attack dropping a pattern of six charges in
position I*6 37* f, 50 30' V and having then search ed the area for a hour, without making further contact, rejoined the convoy. She arrived at Sydney, N. S. the same night at 2106*
oTsnagr
ATTACKS

ATTACK ON AMAROK

Sydney on August 15, 191*2, as senior escort along with the ALGONQUIN and MOHAWK running down the center of the East Greenland current in the ice and fog area oh the first leg of the course, where mines had been most often found, but arriving at Sydney on the 21st without incident. On August 27, 191*2, she was under way out of Sydney in company with the ALGONQUIN and MOHAWK and six convoyed vessels, the MOJAVB escorting the CHATHAM. On August 27, 191*2. the CHATHAM was torpedoed at 081*6 in position sl 50 15" N, 55 Us'

The MOJAVS began escorting a five vessel convoy to

30" W and sank 25 minutes later. The MOJAVE could make no underwater sound contact, though she circled the starboard side of the CHATHAM at full speed and conaenced searching on spiral courses. She searched the whole area between Cape Norman, Belle Isle, and the Labrador coast with no results and at 1115 began picking up survivors of the CHATHAM, assisted by the

19u2, she stood out for prac tice with the ALGONQUIN, COM ANCBE and TAHOMA returning at 1730. Then on the 7th she departed escorting SG-10, a nine vessel convoy, with six escorts, proceeding toward Greenland with air escort. A contact on the 10th proved negative. On the ll*thtwo escorts detached with four vessels for Onoto while the rest continued toward Kungnat Bay. Two convoyed vessels failed to continue with the convoy but turned NW to Base 8. The MOJAVE fe ft convoy near Umanak Island and proceeded on October 15, 191*2 to try to overtake them but arrived at the limit of the assigned escort area at 01*18 without sighting them and returned to Kungnat Bay. She departed "if day with three vessels and 2 CGC's as escort, for Hudson Strait, returning on 16th. On the 18th she departed Kungnat Bay escorting convoy GS-11, consist ing of h merchant vessels and 3 Coast Guard cutters
en route St. John's. On the 21st she depth charged a contact at 50 23 H, 53 19' W, as a ship in the convoy signalled sighting a submarine at 20u8. Ttie MOJAVE discovered that the ONEEDA had suffered engine room casualties because of depth charge explosions and, believing herself attacked, had given the alarm.

ESCORT DOT!

Departing Sydney on October 6,

80

She entered St. John's an October 22, 19U2, and pro ceeded to Argentia and thence to Boston, escorting
USS MATTOIE, arriving on the 28th and remaining for
overhaul until November 22, IU2.

Departing Boston November 22, 1942, she proceeded to St. John 'B via Argentia, and on
November 30, 192 began escorting two merchant ves sels to Greenland. Air escort was had on December
Ist and 2nd amid snow squalls and low visibility.
Sn route she lost sight of the BISCAIA intermittently
and arrived at Base One on the sth, the BISCAIA ar riving k hours later. On the Bth she escorted the
SS ALCOA SCOUT to join a convoy from Kungnat Bay.
En route she had a doubtful contact and on the 9th
joined the 7 vessel convoy with two other escorts.
Lost sight of the convoy at various intervals. On
the 12th two convoy vessels departed for Botwood and
the rest arrived off St. John's on the 13th. The
MOJAVE arrived off St. John's on the 13th. The
cutter arrived at Argentia same day. On the 22nd she proceeded to St. John's to join the one vessel convoy SG-16 with two other escorts, losing sight of convoy at intervals in the fog but arriving at Base One on the 27th without incident. On the 29th she proceeded to Base Seven arriving at Kungnat Bay at 2330. On the 30th she stood out with the ALGONQUIN and MOHAWK escorting convoy QS-17, consisting of the NORLAQO for St. Johns, losing sight of the vessels intermittently
because of poor visibility and on arriving at St.
John's on January 5, 19U3 finding the MOHAWK already
there, the MORLAGO arriving in the evening.

ESCORT DUTY

mittent snow squalls on 13th and lbth.lhila proceed ing toward Julianehaab on the 15th at slow speed, be cause of strong winds and heavy seas, she heaved to at 17lfO. Lost contact with convoy on 16th, because of radar failure and later joined the others entering Julianehaab Fjord. She departed on the 17th for Base One with the MDDOC. On the l?th she was en route Kungnat Bay with MODOC and USS SANDPIPER, escorting NEVADA and PILLOHT. The SANDPIPER and PILLOHT return ed to Base One because of PILLOKT's engine trouble. The M3JAVE arrived on the 20th and on the 21st SAND PIPER and PILLORY arrived and continued to Base Seven, the MOJAVE patrolling entrance to irsuk Fjord en the 22nd. On February 20, 19l3, the MDJAVE stood out of Arsuk Fjord and joined the eleven vessel convoy QS-20 with four other escorts proceeding to St. John's. Encountering snow and low visibility each day until the 27th, the convoy was forced to heave to and change to a south west course. Itwas impossible to keep track of all vessels inthe convoy and on the 28th two convoy ves sels and five escort* were missing. One joined at 07U5 and the MODOC detached to locate the others. The MOJAVE departed off St. John's and proceeded toward Argentia, thence, escorting the USS POHTIAC to Boston where she arrived on March It, 19U3, for overhaul until March 13, 19U3. After seven days of practice at Casco Bay, she was underway for St. John's with the MODOC and STORIS. On April 3, 19it3, she began escorting the SS FAIRFAX with the STORIS, BSCANABA and MODOC to Greenland entering Base One Fjord on the 9th. On the liithescorted FAIRFAX to Kungnat Bay with 3 ether Coast Guard cutters in company. On April16, 19k3, the four vessel convoy GS-22 departed Kungnat Bay with the MOJAVE and k other escorts, arriving St. John's on the 21st. Stopping at Argentia she proceeded on the 2l*th with the TAMPA for Portland, Maine, arriving on the 27th. On the 29th began escorting, with TAMPA and COMANCHB,two togs towing two sections of floating
drydoek YF-25 to Argentia arriving on May 3, 191|3. On
the $th she began escorting the SS YARMOUTH,with MODOC
and TAMPA in company, to Greenland* The TAMPA dropped
too charges on an underwater contact en route and they
entered Brede Fjord on the 11th, proceeding to Kungnat
Bay with the same convoy on the 17th. On the 19th the
same group was en route Argentia anchoring there en the 23rd. Dropping the MODOC and YARMOUTH at Halifax on the 26th she returned to St. John's with the TAMPA and on May 29, 19it3 was underway escorting the FAIRFAX to Greenland along with the ALGONQUIN. They anchored in Kungnat Bay on June 2, 19U3, because of heavy "storisn Ice, arriving at Base One on the Uth. On June 11th the Any reported that a dock sentry had sighted a periscope south of the mala dock* COHTIHOBS

ftStoftf BUM

19h3
On January 6, 19U3, the MOJAVE departed for Argentia where she remained moored for repairs to her radar until the 13th, when she was ordered to go to the assistance of the TMS-25 indis tress at I*o W I, 5U 20' W. The MOJAVE arrived at the position at OliOO on the lUth and fired one star shell without sighting the vessel which was already proceeding toward Argentia. On the 15th she began esoorting with the MOHAWK the USS SAPELO to St. John's, losing visual contact with the convoy but keeping con tact by radar and arriving at St. John's on the 16th. On the 18th she departed St. John's escorting the k ship convoy GS-18, with the MOHAWK to Greenland. On the 19th the SS PILLORY dropped behind because of loss of steam and/after rejoining momentarily was again lost to sight. She was not sighted on the 20th amid gale winds and snow squalls, the convoy detouriag a suspected sub concentration area on the 21st. "Storls" ice In narrow fields was encountered 20 to 3$ miles off the Greenland coast on the 2Uth, the MDJAVE ar riving at Base One at 1530 and departing for Base Seven with the SS ROCHA on the 25th. As she departed she sighted the PILLORY standing up Base One Fjord. The MOHAWK joined and many scattered growlers were encountered between Base One Fjord and Cape Thorvald son. They arrived at Kungnat Bay on the 26th* ESCORT DUTY On January 28, 19k3, the MDJAVE departed to join a 5 vessel convoy 03-19, with the MDHAWK, the STORIS joining at 235b; Several vessels were lost sight of on the 29th and 30th and did not rejoin until the 31st. On February 1, 19U3, she en cotmtered an intensive ice area and arrived at St. John's on the 2nd, continuing to Argentia with the STORIS, where various practice exercises were held until the 9th. On that day she proceeded to St. John's with the STORIS and next day began escorting SG-20, SS JULIUS THOMSEV, with MODOC and STORIS, for Greenland. Encountered ice en the lltb and later MOBB ESCORT DUTY

ESCANABA

The MOJAVS la company with the TAMPA and ESCAHABA, and escorting, the mtufnt, FAIR FAX and RARITA* got underway for St. John's on June 11, 19U3 at 21*5. At 0510 on June 13, 1943, the ESCAHABA was torpedoed and sank at 0513* Tr RARITAN picked up two survivors and body while the STORIS searched the area fer the one sub marine with negative results. The eomvoy proceeded direct to Argentia arriving on the 17th and on the 20th arrived at Halifax* Arrived at Boston on the 21st undergoing repairs and alterations until July 3, 19itf.

foURBbKb

ESCORT DUTY

Standing out of Boston on JtOy 3, 191*3, the MOJAVE with two Canadian escorts accom paniftd the 32 vessel convoy BL-61 to Halifax and then joined convoy HJ-60 to St. John's arriving on the 10th. On the 15th began escorting convoy SG-28 to Base Seven, Greenland, with six other escorts, proceeding to Xungnat

81

Bay on

GS-26 to St. John's

the 20th. Next day joined 5 vessel convoy with six other escorts, three vessels and four escorts detaching on the 2l*th for Port Chino, Canadian Arctic. On the 27th another vessel detached for Botwood arriving on the 28th and Argentia on the 29th. The MOJAVB proceeded to St. John's on August 5, 191*3, and on the 12th joined other escorts of convoy SGE-29 part of which was bound for Hudson Bay and part for Green land, dividing into the two group* on the 18th at point "N". The MOJAVE continued to Mcort th Gren land group to Kungnat Bay, arriving on the 21st On the 2l*th she proceeded to St. John's as part of con voy GS-27 arriving on the 29th fend going on to Boston via Argentia, mooring there on September 2, 191*2. TO GREENLAND ATTACKS SUBMARINE
Standing out of Boston on
September 3, convoy Green

191*3, to escort

had a sound contact at 151*3 on the Uth at 600 yards, on which she made an attack run and dropped a regular pattern of depth charges. Seven minutes later she made a second attack after regaining contact and dropped a second pattern, the explosion of which caused failure of her steering en gine and Q.C. equipment. At 161*0 wooden boxes, a life jacket and miscellaneous debris were floating in the depth charged area. The MOJAVE moored at Argentia on the 7th. ESCORT DUTY On the 13th she began escort ing a vessel to rendezvous with convoy ON-2 and then

#27, the MOJAVB

on April 8, 19l*ti, and departed for Greenland on the IDth. Heaving to in the icefields on the 17th she proceeded slowly to Gronne Sal on the 18th. On the 23rd she joined a convoy for Argentia arriving there Hay 1, 191*1*, and on the 3*d departed with two other escorts, and a iiship convoy for Boston, mooring on the 7th. Here she underwent repstiw until June 10th when she departed as escort to Argentia for two ves sel convoy BD-10 with, two other escorts. She left Argentia on the 15th for Base One, OreetiXaaA, escort ing same convoy arriving on the 7th and proceeding to Base Seven an the 21*th to remain there until July 8, 191*1*. On that day she proceeded to Ba*c One with three vessel* but had to be towed in beoteoe of gen erator trouble. She remained at-Oronne Dal until August 2k' X^kk when she departed for Argeritia, es r corting convey GS-51, proceeding to Boston where she arrived September 1, 191*1*. Here she remained in re pair status until September 29, 19hL, and after a week at training exercises in Casco Bay returned to Boston October 6, 19U*.

WEATHER PATROL

picked up another escorting her to Argentia, arriving on the llith. She departed for St. John's on the 28th and on October 1, 191t3, departed there escorting three vessels in company with the MOHAWK for Base Seven, Greenland. The MOJAVE detached en route for Kungnat Bay, proceeding to Gronne Dal on the 6th. On the 7th she departed to join convoy GS-33 for Botwood and St. John's. A sound contact was attacked with 7 charges on the 9th, but lost after second contact. On the 12th arrived St. John's On 13th began escorting convoy SG-31, mooring at Base One, Greenland on the 16th, continued with Greenland Convoy 17 to Base Eight on 17th, mooring on the 20th, returning with same con voy to Base One same day. Dropped one charge on a doubtful contact on the 22nd. On the 25th began es corting a 16 ship convoy GS-3U for Argentia with seven other escorts, mooring there on the 31st. On November 2, 191*3, began escorting convoy "Argentia 3" to Boston, dropping one depth charge on a doubtful contact on the 3rd and mooring at Boston on the sth. Departed Boston on the 9th escorting convoy BX-82 which arrived at Halifax on the 11th, joining another one vessel convoy with two other escorts, to Argentia arriving on the 13th. On same day departed with two other escorts for Greenland entering Arsuk Fjord and mooring at Gronne Dal on the 17th. On the 19th began escorting convoy GS-36 to St. John's arriving on the 2l*th and on the 27th proceeded to Boston escorting a special convoy mooring on December Ist for 30 days availability.

She departed Boston October 9, 19i*U, in company with two other escorts for Greenland arriving at Base One on October 16, 19hh. On the 19th she departed for weather patrol, station "Able" for six days. On the 27th she was underway westward with convoy GS-55, arriving at Boston November I*, 19U*. On the 9th she left Boston for Gronne Dal, arriving there on the ljjth. on the 2l*th she began escorting convoy GS-60 for Boston, arriving December 2, 191*1*. On the l*th she began escorting a vessel to St. John's arriving on the 9th and getting under way same day for Greenland. Arriving on December 13, 19UU, she began escorting convoy GS-61 for St. John's same day, arriving on the 18th. She arrived on December 23, 191*1*, and remained there until the 3lst, when she de parted for Greenland escorting convoy Biue-77.

191*5
ESCORT DUTY
pendently
MOJAVE detached from the convoy and proceeded inde Dal, Greenland, where she re for Gronne

On

January

2, 191*5, the

191*1*
The MOJAVE proceeded to Cur tis Bay, Maryland, on January 1, 19l*U, and remained there undergoing repairs until March 3, 19l*l*. She proceeded to Boston and to Casco Bay, Maine, returning to Boston on the 13th. She was underway same day for Argentia escorting two vessels arriving on the 17th. On the 20th she returned to Boston escorting three vessels, departing for Casco Bay, Maine on the 25th for exercises until April 2, 19lii. Proceeding to Argentia she returned to Boston
BACK TO ESCORTING

mained until the 10th. On the 11th she departed with convoy GS-62 for Charlestown where she moored on the 18th and remained on availability until February 23, 191*5* She then proceeded to Casco Bay for training exercises until March 9, 19U5, when she returned to Boston. On Itarch 10, 191*5,8 he was underway to Green land, via Argentia and St. John's and in company with four other escorts from St. John's. She moored at Base One, Greenland, on March 25, 191*5, and on the 31st got underway for Argentia, with three other es corts with convoy GS-65, arriving April 7, 19U5. Next day she proceeded to Boston with four other escorts, dropping two depth charges on a contact while answer ing a distress call en route. Reaching Boston on April11th, she remained there on availability until the 17th and on the 23rd departed for Casco Bay but returned at slow speed to make repairs. On April 26, 191*1*, she again departed for Casco Bay and after an choring briefly in Cape Cod Bay on the 27th proceeded to Argentia on the 28th. She returned to Boston on May 6th. Departing for Argentia same day she fired all "X" guns on a contact that was then lost and reached Argentia on the 10th. She returned to Boston on the 13th and departed for Argentia on the 19th, arriving on the 23rd. ICE PATROL On May 25, 19U5, the MOJAVE was released from Task Group 21*.6 and assigned to Task this assign Group 2U.7 (Ice Patrol). She was still on ment when the war ended on August 11*, 19U5

82

CGC NEMESIS (wpc-ni) The U. S. CGC NEMESIS was launched at Point Pleasant, Virginia^on July 7, 1931. She was placed in commission October 10, 1934, and arrived at her permanent station St. Petersburg, Florida, November 4, 193k \u2666 She was 165 feet long, steel hull, 337 tons displacement with a speed of 16 knots, having a 1340 HP diesel motor with twin screw propulsion.
COMMISSIONINQ
AND DESCRIPTION

which she had been attracted by Coast Quard Plane waa screening the convoy the cutter was escorting. A tremendous amount of mud, oil, and a number of air bubbles rose to the surface, but there were no signs of wreckage or debris, German records uncovered after the war indicated that the U-166 had been sunk by Coast Guard plane 202 near this position at 28 37 r N, 90 lis* W, on August 1, 1942,

V-214 which

ft

Ordered to depart her per manent station at St. Peters burg, Florida, for duty with the North Atlantic coastal frontier on January 24, 191*2, the NEMESIS attacked a submarine off Atlantic City op 2ii February withunknown results. She was then serving with the Eastern Sea Frontier. On March 23, 1942, while searching for a reported enemy sub in the vicinity of St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, a message was received from planes that they had sighted and were attacking a sub at 28 18 N, 80 08 W. When the cutter arrived, oil was sighted and echo search ing was started. A positive sound contact was made and three charges were dropped. The contact was re established, with the sub leaving a definite trail of oil. An hour later another sound contact indicated that the sub apparently was not moving. Three more depth charges were released and white smoke or gas came to the surface. A delayed action charge, released directly over the contact, produced a decided increase in the flow of oil to the surface. Two more charges SOB ATTACK

While escorting a convoy in the Gulf on August 17, 1942, at 28 39 N, 90 47' W, on' August 17, 191*2, the NEMESIS obtained an echo contact. The submarine appeared to moving to intercept the convoy* The bearing of be the sub changed 30 and the range from 1500 to 1000 yards, the speed being estimated at about four knots toward the convoy. The convoy was given an emergency 45 turn to port and a run begun on the submarine, which now changed course rapidly and attempted to evade the attack by turning in a tight circle. A pattern of 4 charges was fired. The result was not determined, although one very large air bubble was observed some distance from the attack. The sub may have escaped in the wake of the convoy which passed close aboard. ANOTHER ATTACK
The cutter was sent on many missions in search of survi vors. On May 21, 1942, she left Key West with a Navy doctor and two pharmacist's mates aboard to assist persons rescued from the torpedoed Mexican vessel FAJA DE ORO. She picked up 28 survivors in two life boats, and the doctor and his assistant rendered first aid. No signs among the wreckage were found of nine men believed killed instantly by the explosion. One man died of burns, concussion and broken limbs on the way to Key West, where the rest ware put ashore on the 23rd.

BRINGS IN

SU.iVIVORS*

produced no tangible wreckage. Grapling operations on the 26th produced no results and operations were abandoned. An analysis of the oil samples taken show

ed it to be fuel oil and not diesel oil and it is pos sible that the charges had been dropped on the wreck of the PAN MASSACHUSETTS.

On July 5> 1942, the cutter proceeded to 21 $0" N, 85 20* W where an enemy sub had been contacted by planes and believed crippled. Ar riving on the afternoon of the 6th she began patrolling and sighted 3 flares near midnight. A few minutes later a dim light was sighted which proved to be a lantern on the schooner VTRIATO from Havana, Cuba. A sound contact was made about 300 yards astern of the schooner, with range and bearing changing rapidly. Eight depth charges were dropped in three runs until no further echo contact could be made. -The schooner was boarded at daybreak but no evidence was found. The cutter remained until July 7th and then left for
BOARDS VESSEL

While on convoy duty en route to Key West on June 7, V?k2, a Navy plane gave the cutter the position of survivors in a lifeboat ahead and de parting the convoy, the NEMESIS picked up 27 survivors from two rafts. They were members of the crew of the American freighter SS SUWIED, which hadbsen torpedoed the previous day en route to Mobile, Alabama, from British Guiana. Six of the crew had been killed in stantly by the explosion. The submarine had surfaced and picked up wreckage but had not machine-gunned the MORE SURVIVORS survivors. On 25 February, 1943, the NEMESIS waa transferred to the Eastern Sea Frontier and put on escort duty between Key West and New York, making occasional stops at Guantanamo, Cuba. On one trip she stopped at Yucatan, Mexico. On 22 December, 1943, she attacked a Bound contact, but the results ESCORT POTT
were negative.

rendezvous Cuba.

with the DAHLGRBN off

Cape

San Antonio,

Next day while patrolling off Cape San Antonio, she received a message to proceed to 22 5l N, 84 42 W to search for a reported sub and she arrived at an oil slick at that position 54 hours later. She ran itdown but there was no wreck age or evidence of a torpedoed ship. A contact was picked up at the apex of the slick and, after dropping three charges, the cutter began to circle the spot and socn large quantities of oil appeared on the surface but no further contacts could be made. Next day the search was discontinued with the oilstill coming to the surface in good quantities. BRINGS UP OIL

AIR-SEA RESCUE

On 21 June, 1945, the cutter reported to COM I Air-Sea for Rescue duty, Eastern Sea Frontier and remained on this duty until the end of the war. COC NIKE (WPC-112) COMMISSIONING AND DBSCRffrTOM The CGC NIKE (WPC-112) was built at Point Plsasant, Vir ginia in 1934 and on July 1, 1941, her permanent station was at St. Petersburg, Florida. She was 165 feet long,

the rest of 1942 and half of 1943 the NEMESIS operated as an escort between Oalveston, Texas and Key West, Florida under the Gulf Sea Frontier. On August 3, 1942, the NEMBSIS dropped seven depth^Mages, in three runs i>u ta oil slick, to
During

ATTACKS SUB

83

2$ foot 3 Inch beam, and drew 9 feet 6 inches of water, with a displacement of 337 tons. She had a steel hull and did 16 knots, being driven by 131*0 HP diesel twin,
screw engines.

not sade thereafter.

On July 27, 19^2, the HUB was detached from duty with Inshore Patrol and placed Tinder direct operation of COM EIGHT on convoy escort duty between Mississippi Passes and Oalveston. Coast Guard planes provided air coverage. On August 2k, 19h2, the BOUTWELL and NIKE departed Qalveston as es cort for a convoy. On August 27, 19k2, the two cutters were escorting a convoy from Southwest Pass to Galves ton. On October 3rd the NIKE arrived at Burrwood. On the Uth she departed Southwest Pass as escort to a convoy arriving at Key West on' the 6th. On the 13>th she departed South Pass for Key West as escort ar riving with convoy on the 18th. On the 27th she ar rived South Pass with convoy proceeding to Hew Orleans where she remained until the 30th. On 30 October, IU2, the HIKE arrived at Burrwood, Louisiana, depart ing on the 31st as escort in convoy en route Key West, Florida, During November she operated out of Key West under Commander, Gulf Sea Frontier. On December 17, 19U2, the NIKE arrived at Key West, Florida with a convoy. (The above constitutes the entire available record of the escort duty performed by the HIKE in World War H). CONVOY POTT CGC NOBTH STAR (WPG-53) The CGC NORTH STAR (WPG-53) was built for the Department of the Interior at Seattle, Washington in 1932. On May 15, 19Ul, she was commissioned as a Coast Guard cutter and placed on duty with the Navy. On July 1, 19l&, she became part of the Northeast Greenland Patrol, organized at Boston with Commander Ed. H. Smith in command and consisting in addition, of the CGC NORTH LAND and the USS BEAR. On October 25, 19lil, this patrol became part of the South Greenland Patrol along with the CGC MODOC, CGC COMANCHE, CGC RARITAN and USS BOWDOIN. Built of wood the NORTH STAR was 225 feet long, Ul foot molded beam, and had a displacement of 2200 tons and speed of 11 knots. She was an oil burner powered with a 1500 HP diesel engine. COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

HBSCOE3 CREW

Of S3 CHINA ARROW

Inshore Patrol Force, that survivors of a torpedoed ship had been sighted off Virginia at 39 12 N, 73 U5 and proceeded to the area beginning search. A red flare was sighted on reaching the locality and three lifeboats of the tor pedoed tanker CHINA ABRDW were located containing 38 persons, all of whom were in fair condition*

On February 6, I?li2, the jPXE was notified by Commander,

At 0121* on May 5, 19fc2, the NIKE'S sound operator reportEd propeller noises tiro points dtfstarboard bow in position 27 23* N, 80 18' W and checking the bearing revealed the outline of a submarine close to St. Lucie Shoal buoy. Altered course toward submarine which had mean time speeded up and headed on course 0650 T. Gave chase attacking with gunfire, expending three rounds of 3" 23 calibre ammunition, but was quickly out distanced by submarine and lost contact. Patrolled area but was unable to regain contact. On May 9, 19U2, the NIKE received report of a submarine damaged and beaded north just north of Miami. Shortly after observing the VIGILANT dropping charges at 26 35.5'N, 79 58*5* W, a sound contact was obtained at 5000 yards. The VIGILANTradioed she had lost contact. The NIKE dropped a pattern of five charges and the contact was regained, propeller noises were heard and two charges were dropped well ahead of the contact. Two further charges were dropped set to go off on the bottom, where it was believed the damaged sub had been forced to settle. ATTACKS SUB ON SURFACE"" On May Hi, 19U2, while patrolling the Florida Straits at 0118, the NIKE sighted a large flame and changing course identified it as a burning tanker at 25 38 N, 79 56 W. Searched area for submarine, then closed burning tanker PORTRERO DEL LLANO and picked up eight men clinging to a spar. Continuing search took aboard an injured man from a small boat and after searching until daylight, took nine survivors to Miami. Learned that 13 of the re maining 28 crew members had been picked up by a PC boat. An injured man died in the Miami hospital the RESCUES NINE FROM TANKER POTBERO DEL LLANO
following day

0? BtfSKOE

On May 16, 191*2, the NIKE heard an unidentified signal on Q.C. equipment and picked up propellers moving at re latively high speed. Picked up a vessel on the sur face and challenged. Fired Veryjpistol dud flare, | Identified submarine and called all hands to general quarters. The submarine dived close aboard along the port side in opposite direction of the ship's heading* The NIKE attacked with a five pattern depth charge and picked up a heavy narrow oil slick* Commenced chasing at full emergency speed, the Q.C. picking up occasional sounds, possibly ahead at various distances but could not maintain contact. The submarine started Big-sagging as evidenced by the varied direction of the oil wake. Commenced firing 3" 23 calibre gun in attempt to drive enemy under. Expended 11 shrapnel shells and 750 rounds of 50 calibre tracer and ball ammunition. The enemy straightened out to a southerly course and opened interval with oil wake beginning to widen and difficulty was experienced in holding the contact. The starboard engine suffered a casualty which reduced maxiTnuin speed to 8 knots and contact was CHASES SPRFACED SUB

On September 12, 191*1, the day following the President's warning to the Axis nations to stay out of American waters or take the consequences, Commander Smith, still commanding the Northeast Greenland Patrol offEastern Greenland noticed an apparently innocent fishing vessel. The NORTH STAR had been informed earlier by some members of the Greenland Sledge Patrol that they had seen a strange steamer entering Young Sound. The NORTH STAR radioed this information to Commander Smith and proceeded to Toung Sound and Tyror ler Fjord in search of the reported vessel. On Sep tember 12th they discovered supplies of German origin freshly landed at Rudis.Bugt. Commander Smith inthe NORTHLAND, on the same day, stopped the fishing vessel and sent out a boarding party, who took her into a small bay, called McKenzie Bay, to look her over. On the 13th crew members of the NORTH STAR discovered in Young Sound a Norwegian named Antonsen previously landed from the vessel and took Mm into1 custody. At first the 27 persons aboard, mostly "Danish hunters and Norwegian trappers," claimed to be a fishing and hunting party. The leader of the expedition was a scientist. After questioning, they admitted landing two sets of "hunters" one with radio equipment about 5 miles north. The ship was identified as the Norwe gian trawler BUSKQE, controlled by German interests and servicing a radio station in Grejbland. A prize crew from the NORTH STAR was ordaredraboard^her and_. SEIZPRE

84

she was found equipped with a 50 watt main trans mitter and akO watt portable transmitter. She was believed to be engaged in sending weather reports to Axis controlled territory, so as to supply German U-boats with weather information and also informa tion on allied ships due to pass. The NORTH STAR towed her from Cape Humboldt to Scoresby Sound and turned her over to the BEAR for towing to Boston. The following night men from the NORTHLAND captured the men who had been landed five miles away and with them confidential instructions which were plans for German radio stations in the Far North. The seizure of the BUSKOE was the first naval capture of World
War 11.

RETURN TO U. S.

The NORTH STAR returned to Boston and on March 15, 19U2, arrived at Casco Bay, Maine, for exercises, departing there on the 21st with the NORTHLAND and escorting the SS AZRA to Greenland. She anchored off the Army Base at Bluie West One on April3, 19h2, but was placed in quarantine because of a case of measles on board. On the Itth she began an aerial survey of Tunugdliarfik Fjord and adjacent regions. On the 7th she stood down the Fjord and anchored off Hol laender Island boating water all day and transferring supplies for Gamatron. With the ice pack moving in on the 9th, and the survey party ashore, she stood out of Holleender Havn and continued the survey on the 10th and 11th but was then forced by the ice to get underway, postponing the completion of the survey in that locality, but moving up to Mathoeus Havn where it was continued. On the 33th she delivered parts to the NORTHLAND'S plane at Julienehaab and hoisted it aboard for overhaul, while Lt. Pritchard and crew took custody of the NORTH STAR'S plane until the NORTHLAND'S plane was repaired. Meanwhile the survey work was continued at Hathoeus Havn. On the 19th she anchored off Simiutak Island and from the 21st to 25th continued local surveys at Eleanora Havn, pro ceeding to Bluie West One on the 29th.

AERIAL SuHVbl

TUNUNGDLIARFIK

The cutter joined a three ship convoy off Ivigtut on the 15th escorted by two destroyers and bound for Boston. She lost the convoy in dense fog on the 20th and entered Boston channel. She remained drydocked at the Boston Navy Yard until July 11th, l?i|2, receiving major installations and underwater sound equipment. On her way to Casco Bay for training exercises on the 12th of June, 19U2, she made a sound contact which however was later lost without making an attack. On tbel6th she was underway in convoy, with two Navy and two Coast Guard escorts standing into Sydney, N. S., harbor on July I, 19U2, She departed in a convoy consisting in addition of the MOHAWK and NANOK for Blxde West One, Greenland ar riving on the 27th. On the 29th she met and escorted
an incoming convoy*
TO EAST COAST

DAMAGED BY ICE

Stromfjord on May 6, 1912. On the 7th an inspection re was making water and after vealed that the vessel transferring depth charges to the NORTHLAND and MOHAWK, an inspection of the bow showed about 75 square feet of sheathing torn off just below the water line. Temporary repairs were completed on May 10th and she proceeded to Godthaab. Added pressure due to being underway, however, increased the size of the small remaining leak and she stood back up the fjord and resumed repairs by placing a concrete patch in the lower chain locker. On the 11th survey flights were resumed and next day the measles quaran tine was lifted. The balance of May was spent making local surveys and conducting survey flights, also making communication tests with the Army Base at Bluie West One, in preparation for an actual flight of some 200 planes which were to pass over Greenland en route Europe beginning June 8, 19k2.

The NORTH STAR was damaged as she broke ice in Sondre

SEARCHES FOR LOST ARM! BOMBER

After escorting the SS DOR CHESTER into the fjord on June sth, 191(2, the NORTH STAR proceeded to search for a .lost Army bomber, sending a searching party in a launch on the 7th as far as Sukkertoppen. On the Bth her crew learned from natives that the missing plane was farther south but weather conditions post poned search. On the 9th reports indicated that the plane was down at Marrak where the plane was found undamaged but needing gas and oil, which the NORTH STAR provided. On the 11th the Army bomber, a B-17, took off.

The NORTH STAR remained on plane guard radio watch at Bluie West One and vicinity until August 12, l?l, when she proceeded to Julianehaab and returned with a con voy from Matheous Havn. On the 13th she joined a convoy composed of CGC COMANCHE, SS DORCHESTER and firefighter ALCOA PILOT en route Angmagssalik, East Greenland. She anchored at Bluie West Two, Army Base, in Ikatez Fjord on the 17th unloading supplies and disembarking passengers. On the 20th she continued to Scoresby Sound, entering the ice field on the 21st, entrance to Scoresby Sound and started maneu off the vering through it. At 1800 she reversed course and stood out of the ice fieti, when inspection of steer ing gear revealed the rudder stock bent, twisting the rudder 12 to port, with the -cast iron support
collar also cracked. Six feet of stern plating had
also been torn off by the ice. On the 22nd she an chored off the village of Scoresby Sound, sending cargo ashore as her airplane surveyed ice conditions. She changed anchorage later to Amdrups Harbor. On the 23rd she sent supplies ashore for Ourreholm Radio Station, Scoresby Sound, departing on the 25th for Eskimonaes. On August 31, 19U2, she was still trying to get through the ice fields off Eskimonaes, unable to advance very far. She anchored off the village on September Ist, transferring supplies and personnel to the NORTHLAND, and departed for Mackenzie Bay on the 2nd. She took on various gear from Myggbogta radio station and took on board also Johann Johansen, evacuated on SOPA, Greenland, orders getting underway for Musk ox Fjord. She touched at Winthers Hunting Station and reached Videnskabelig Radio Station on Ella Island with supplies, taking on passengers. She headed out to sea and on the Bth was clear of ice, heading youth for Scoresby Sound. En route she had an underwater contact which faded on approach. On the Uth she was ordered to Angmagssalik, which she was unable to enter until the llithbecause of storms and poor visibility. Here she took on supplies and passengers and headed for Bluie West One. On the 17th she reversed course on SOPA orders and returned to Angmagssalik awaiting the NATSEK which joined on the 19th en route the West Coast. She arrived Nar sarsBuak and moored at Army Dock on September 23,

19l.

HETUKN TO Itogfrott

IRIS, USS LAPWING, towing the HALMand ARMSTRONG, beading for Sydney, N. S, by way of Straits of Bella isle. On the Bth the ARMSTRONG broke adrift. Enter ing Belle Isle after making an underwater contact, supposed to be a whale, the convoy received air cover age and anchored in Sydney on the lUth. On the 15th the NORTH STAR was underway with the LAPWING for

Anchoring in Kungnat Bay oa October 2, 1?1*2, she awaited arrival of a conroy consisting of the B3CANABA,

85

#fS

mm

COAST GUARD CUTTER ONONDAGA

THIS NAZI TRAWLER WAS POUND DESERTED ON GREENLAND'S EAST COAST. COAST GUARDSMEN SEIZED LARGE PILES OF AMMUNITIONAND FOOD SUPPLIES NEAR THE TOSSEL WHICH WAS FOUR MILES FROM AN ABANDONED RADIC SHANTY

flj

ij-^^^^^B^

86

Boston arriving on the 17th, undergoing repairs until November 9, 19U2. The NORTH STAR proceeded to Casco Bay^for training exer cises until the 17th when she contacted a tug and tor to be escorted to Sydney, N. S. Arriving there on the 21st she took on supplies for Greenland and departed on the 2iith, entering Skov Fjord on November 30, 191+2, with supplies including Quonset huts. December 19i*2 war diaries for the NORTH STAR are missing, but on January 1, 19h3 she was underway to Marrak Point, Greenland, with a detachment of Army equipment. She delivered mail at Godthaab on the 6th returning to complete unloading at Marrak until the Bth. Return ing to Godthaab on the 10th she brought a passenger to Narsarssuak, stopping at Kungnat Bay for other personnel. Reaching Narsarssuak on the 15th she was quarantined with German measles on board until the 27th.

GHEENLftND"

OPERATIONS IN

She searched the area with the USS BLUEBIRD and SC-705 bat found no trace of survivors or wreckage. She returned to Narsarssuak where she r emained until June 30, 191)3. The NORTH STAR departed Narsarssuak on July 1, 19U3, in company with the NORTH LAND, loaded with supplies and equipment for delivery to the northeast coast of Greenland. She was drydocked at Reykjavik, Iceland, until July 20, 19U3, for repairs. Ihile proceeding north on July 23, Iw3>. a German reconnaissance, plane was encountered. It. stood in from the east ward, north of Jan Mayen Island and was picked up on the radar screen at a distance of 12 miles. As the plane stood in, crossing from starboard to pore, it opened fire on the NORTH STAR with machine guns, bullets hitting the water 600 to 800 yards from the bow. The plane then reversed and stood down the starboard side, apparently searching for a soft spot in the ship's armament, meeting the fire of the NORTH STAR'S No. 2 gun as it stood up the starboard side. Ihen the plane was abreast of the pilot house, both the cutter's guns
found the range, the bursting projectiles rocking the plane, which started to throw-
off black smoke and stood off to the northeastward, trailing heavy black exhaust smoke. It speedily dropped to a low altitude and appeared to bounce over the horizon on three occasions as though hitting the water. The plane was thought to have been hit by shrapnel at a range no nearer than UOOO to 6000 yards* ATTACKED BY GERMAN PLANE LANDS SUPPLIES

Proceeding to the assistance of the SS OMAHA on February 1, 19U3, she was diverted to Godthaab to take on the Governor of Greenland and the American Consul, as well as a Dane and Norwegian, the latter to assist in res cue operations of personnel of a Navy PBT forced down on the ice cap. Proceeding to Holstenborge she took on 5 dog teams with sled and two dog drivers and pro ceeded to Ivigtut. On the sth a man fell overboard and was unconscious when recovered, dying at 1535. She patrolled Kungnat Bay entrance until the 16th while arrangements were being perfected for the ice cap rescue. On the 18th she was underway for Gobthaab and Holstenborge with dog teams for rescue operations. On the 23rd delayed by winds of gale force, she pro ceeded through the ice fields and was stopped by 12 to 15 foot.ice covering the area. Itwas not until the 28th that she was able to anchor off Holstenborge, when mail, dogs, drivers and equipment were put ashore Proceeding south on March Ist the NORTH STAR was re quested to maintain lookout for two RAF planes re ported lost and she drifted until the 12th southwest of the entrance to Sondre Stromf jord on the lookout for the planes, though low visibility and heavy sea ice along the coast interfered with operations. She proceeded to Narsarssuak on the 15th and on the 17th was underway escorting the CGC AMABOK to Boston, where she arrived on March 31, I?U3.

RESCDE MISSION

The NORTH STAR was stopped by heavy pack ice on July

of assistance. She located the CGC GENERAL GREENE standing by the fishing craft COLUMBIA but unable to tow her, because of engine trouble, and the NORTH STAR took the vessel in tow, transferring her to a small harbor tug two miles south* of Breton Reef Lightship on the sth. Arriving at Curtis Bay on the Bth she underwest repairs and alterations until May 11, 191*3. She proceeded to Boston arriving there May 16, 191*3, and after 6 days at Casco Bay on training exercises, from May 21.19ii3, proceeded escorting the U. S. Navy Tanker YO-65 and CGC FAUNCE to Argentia. Here after two days she proceeded to Gronne Dal, Greenland in company with the CGC FAUNCE, NOGAK and AKLAKand the USS ALBATROSS, the FAUNCE returning to Argentia be cause of engine trouble. The others reached Gronne Dal June 9th. The NORTH STAR left Gronne Dal on the 12th and on June 13, 191*3, was ordered to assist the SEARCH FOR
ESCANABA

Standing out of Boston on April 2, 191t3, the NORTH STAR proceeded to Curtis Bay. On the 3rd, while off Block Island Light, she changed course to search for a small craft reported in need

ASSISTANCE

at 7U 22 N, 22' W and drifted nearly a month south to a point 20 miles east of Cape Simp son where on the 2lith of August she finally broke out of the ice to the eastward into open water. She proceeded northward, stood into Gael Hamkes Bay and arrived at Esklnones on August 31, 19U3. While approaching the Bay the rudder stock broke and the FOLARBJORN came out of Young's Sound to assist the NORTH STAR into the Bay for emergency repairs. At Eskiones all supplies for the Greenland Sledge Patrol at Dead Man's Bay and Claverlng Island were transferred, supplies considered sufficient for one and possibly two years. Materials for a house were laid out on shore so that itcould be erected by the Sledge Patrol. A landing party also investigated a German camp on Sabine Island. The cutter departed Eskimones on September 3, 19ii3, and assisted by the POLAR BJORN broke out of the ice in clear water off Cape Broer Roys on the 6th and proceeding south,con tacted the NORTHLAND at 72 16 N, 15 l8 W, both vessels arriving at Reykjavik on September 11, 19U3.

16

26.

191*3,

CGCESCANAM^gMurted

sunk at

60 50

N, 52 00 W.

The German camp on Sabine Island had borne every evidence of having been hastily abandoned. It had been well and completely laid out and equipped. Tobacco and candy, as well as machine gun parts, clothing, etc. had been dropped by parachute contain ers. The food was choice. Salvageable material was used on the spot or stocked inDanish huts, includ ing several hundred gallons of gasoline and kerosene, which were particularly welcome. The camp had evid dently been evacuated by air, probably in two trips O shortly after an air attack on May 25, l by U3, Colonel Balchen of the U. S. Aray Air Corps. It Is possible that a small group may have gone north to the Dove Bay region by dog sl*d, this being a region which the expedition did. not and could not search because of the ice and late season. A German plane which had come over the NORTHLAND on August 22, 19U3, off Shannon Island was apparently conducting a general GERMAN CAMP WELL EQUIPPED

87

reconnaissance of ice conditions with a riew to send ing in another expedition either by boat or air. While only one prisoner was taken the joint landing forces from the NORTH STAR and NORTHLAND had covered considerable territory in any part of which active opposition might reasonably be eapected. The naral personnel involved were specially trained and acted in conjunction with a similar army force. The physi cal hasards of weather, ice and terrain were abnormal and the naval personnel were recommended for the Navy Marine Expeditionary Medal. HBTUJSN TO NARSARSSUAK After being in drydock at Hvalfjord, Iceland, from September 17 to 20, 19U3, the NORTH STAR returned to Reykjavik and on the 22nd stood out with the CGC ALATOK and SS NICO (Norwegian) for Narsarssuak, ar riving on the 28th, less the ALATOK which had dropped behind. She remained moored for the rest of Septem ber at Narsarssuak. RETURN TO UNITED STATES On October sth the NORTH STAR departed Narsarssuak as es cort of MS IZARRA (Canadian) bound for St. John's, N. F., and arriving there on the 12th continuing alone. She docked at Argentia on the 13th and on the Hith de parted Argentia for Boston, where she moored on the 18th. Here she remained on availability undergoing extensive repairs until November 21, IU3* DECOMMISSIONED The NORTH STAR was decom missioned January 13, l?Uh, CGC ONONDAOA (WFG-79) DESCRIPTION The CGC ONONDAGA was built at Bay City, Michigan, in 193U, and her permanent station thereafter until lUl was Astoria, Oregon. She is a geared turbine oil burner of 1500 horsepower with steel hull, 165 feet long overall, with a 36 ft.

Alaskan peninsula, -where by Jane, IU2, two important secret air fields had already been established. Navy FBT's had been patrolling the Aleutian waters for about too months prior to Pearl Harbor and early in December, lUl, began patrols under full combat opera tion. DOTCH HAHBOB
Early on the morning of 3 June, 19it2, a handful of Japanese fighter and bonber planes appeared out of the Aleutian fog. Late on the day before; one \>t our, patrol planes had sighted an unidentified surface* force I*oo miles south of Kiska, proceeding eastward. At the same time that the Japanese task force was approaching Midway another force had ben sent out to the Aleutians. Japanese submarines had been re ported in the vicinity of Umnak and Unalaska. Just before dawn on the morning of the 3rd a squadron of possible Japanese planes was reported cruising low over Dutch Harbor. They were, soon definitely identi fied as Japanese by their wing marking and shore and ship batteries opened fire a few minutes before the
Navy patrol plane

molded beam and ma-jrimnm draft of 13 ft. 7 in. Her displacement is 1005 tons and her gross tonnage 718 CH. EARLY SERVICE

From her commissioning In the ONONDAGA was stationed at Astoria, Oregon, where she performed important law enforce ment duties and rendered much assistance to vessels in distress. Every year she was assigned to patrol the pelagic seals on their anmial migration to the Pribilof Islands and to prevent halibut fishing out of season.

1931*. to 19la,

first bomb fell. The attack was of short duration; and warehouses were set on fire and a strafed. Only two PBT's were lost, enemy aircraft were shot down. Fewer while several than 1(0 enemy planes were estimated to have engaged In the attack, which seemed designed primarily for reconnaissance purposes, to survey the strength of the base before the main attack was launched. This strength was not great. The base, still under con struction, was garrisoned by a couple of regiments of troops and a few marines. The ONONDAQA was in the harbor, together with three destroyers, a minesweeper, an Army transport, and an old station ship, the NORTH WESTERN. The ONONDAGA was moored at the south buoy in the harbor and sighted the enemy at 05U0 before the air station was attacked. General quarters was sounded, battle stations manned, and all batteries put in action within a few seconds. During the brief period the Japanese planes were within range, the ONONDAGA fired 115 rounds of 3"-23 caliber, HiOO rounds of 50 caliber, and 500 rounds of .30 caliber ammunition, without suffering any casualties. The personnel responded to the call of duty in a most commendable manner. At 101*5 she made a sound contact at 1800 yards on her port bow. She verified the con tact which was however not in motion but dropped two charges at 100 and 150 feet. At 1052 she regained contact and dropped two charges at 200 feet. The contact was at 5U 13 10" N 165 I*3' iu3" W, bear ing 005 from TJkatan Harbor Light.
a few barracks

Assigned to general escort duty in the area of Women* s Bay and Kodiak, she was later assigned to escort duty between Cape Spencer and Dutch Harbor and anti-aircraft and escort patrol off Dutch Harbor. On January 16, 191*2, she assisted in rescuing U8 men from the SS MAPELE in distress off Cape Divine. She resumed escort duty between Dutch Harbor and Juneau. On March l!*,191*2, she con ducted a sound sweep with the CGC ATALANTA.

ESCORT DUTY

Soon after Pearl Harbor, the ONONDAGA was assigned to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Then the first reports of the Hawaii attack reached Alaska, Major General Simon R. Buckner, head of the Alaska Defense Command, ordered a constant alert and a total blackout was effected. Vigilant naval patrols were continually maintained in southern Alaska and the PEARL HARBOR

A second attack came next

l*thof June,
191*2, when the main assault
on Dutch Harbor and nearby Fort Hears occurred. 18
bombers and 16 fighter planes approached the harbor
from two directions in fleets of three planes each.
The bombers dropped heavy explosives and incendiaries while the fighters straffed the streets from an ele vation of about 500 feet. A warehouse, a few oil tanks, and an empty aircraft hangar were hit and the old NORTHWESTERN bombed and destroyed by fire. Sud denly in the midst of the attack our Army fighters and mediujft bombers appeared out of the fog in the rear of the Japanese planes. The enemy were taken completely by surprise since they had no knowledge of our two secret army field at Cold Bay and Umnak. In stunned confusion they wheeled to attempt escape only to find themselves flying directly over the secret fields. The pursuing Warhawks downed at least two Zeros and perhaps two or three dive bombers before the r est disappeared in the enveloping fog. Mean while, the invading surface fleet had been located and attacked, several direct hits being scored by our planes before it scattered. The enemy *A,forced^to^yj^H SECOND ATTACK
evening on the

88

RXUIQIVH with the .th tnt

*f,

*U

six transports and a full support of cruisers and destroyers. Apparently Dutch Harbor had been their immediate objective, after which they might have seized the Pribilofs to the north or made a mass land ing on the Senard Peninsula, eventually occupying the coastal harbors and penetrating into the very heart of Alaska. The attack undoubtedly represented a major attempt at a surprise blow against the North
American continent. When they found opposition at
Dutch Harbor, and after a tremendous loss of air
strength, the expedition chose the landing spot of far-off Kiska followed by Agattu and Attu Islands in the westernmost Aleutians as an alternative. Here they remained until we drove them out in the attack on Att on 11 May, 19U3. Meanwhile the ONONDAGA per formed important convoy duty and assistance work in the Aleutians until the end of 191*3. In July, 191*2, while patrolling past Dutch Harbor in search of a re ported submarine, she made contacts and dropped charges with negative results. From July 17, 19l2, she was assigned to Massacre Bay Patrol. On November 8, 191*2, she arrived at Kodiak with a convoy.
Departing Women's Bay, Kodiak, on the 16th of December, the CGC ONONDAGA proceeded to Island, icy Strait, changing course to return Pleasant to Women* s Bay on the 17th. On the 19th she departed for Z. Paul Harbor and moored alongside SS DAVIDW. BRANCH. Informed by the Master of that vessel that itwould be necessary for her to proceed to Women's Bay for fuel, prior to sailing eastward, the ONONDAGA returned to Women's Bay on the same date.

crippled vessels. The force was estimated to consist of two small carriers, two seaplane tenders, four to

loss of one cruiser and a few

OH PATROL

\u25a0A

that the USS DISCOVERER and USS BERLB were also hove to nearby. By contacting the DISCOVERER, the ONON DAGA learned that the master and chief engineer were still on the MAPEIE, that a motor boat was proceeding to take them off, and that the rest of the crew was believed to be somewhere on the beach. As existing sea conditions did not permit a close search of the rocks and small beaches, the ONONDAGA proceeded a round Cape Devine and anchored in the cove south of Korovin Island, but at 1321* she was able to dispatch a rescue party to the beach and the DISCOVERER also dispatched a boatload of searchers. At 16$O the DISCOVERER departed for Sand Point after rescuing I*B out of 51 persons from the MAPEIE. The three missing crew members were believed to be dead and somewhere on the beach. The boat from the ONONDAGA with an additional rescue party was dispatched, but at 1913 all boats and members of the rescue parties had re turned without having found any signs of living or dead persons. On the 16 th the ONONDAGAs personnel took note of the MAPEIE's condition (she was listing about 20 degrees to port, her after deck was com pletely awash, with seas breaking over it heavily, all deck cargo was missing, and her forward deck cargo was washing overboard), and as it appeared that nothing further could be accomplished until the weather and sea conditions moderated, the Coast Guard vessel proceeded toward Kodiak, But at 1633, follow ing instructions, the ONONDAGA reversed course to take charge of the salvage of the wreck. She anchored at 2121t south of Korovin Island, Shumagin Islands, to await daylight* The ONONDAGA's Inspection of the wrecked MAFEIE on January 17 revealed that both vessel and cargo were a total loss. During the afternoon at low tide two 20mm guns were salvaged minus their stands, but no other equipment could be saved. The Coast Guard vessel departed the next day, stopped for water at Sand Point, and left there on the morning of the 19th for Kodiak, but bad weather caused her to reverse course and to stand into lee of Korovin Island, and later into lee of Sand Point* Departed Sand Point on the 20th and arrived at NOB, Women's Bay, Kodiak at 1613 on 21 January, remaining there for the balance of the week* ASSIGNED TO
SALVAGING SS MAPEIE

\u25a0j

ESCORTING VESSELS

on December 20j 191*2,

she

December. The ONONDAGA remained at H. .8., Women's

0 Bay for the rest of the week t
19U3 DEPARTS The ONONDAGA continued to DPTCH HARBOR remain at Women's Bay. On 6 January, she tried to con duct anti-submarine patrol off Kodiak entrance but severe weather precluded carrying out this order. On the 9th the ONONDAGA departed for Dutch Harbor as escort for the USS ST. MIHIEL* TRANSFERS ANCHOR

departed Women's Bay escort ing the USS TIPPECANOE dropp ing convoy at 2010 and pro ceeding to Juneau, arriving December 23, 191*2. De parting Juneau, Alaska, on 27 December, 191*2, the
CGC ONONDAGA picked up west-bound convoy of two mer chant vessels in vicinity of Pleasant Island and es corted them toward Yakutat. one vessel was convoyed
to Women's Bay, Kodiak, where they arrived on 29

The only time the ONONDAGA left her mooring at Women's Bay Kodiak, during the week was on the 27th when she conducted anti-submarine patrol off Kodiak entrance from 081(2 to 18140. AT KQDIAK STILL AT KODIAK The ONONDAGA stood out into Chiniak Bay on 31 January, 191*3, to check magnetic steering compass; conducted anti-submarine patrol off Kodiak entrance from 1203 to Ifl2l* on 3 February} and on the sth again stood out to check magnetic steering compass. Patrol, also scheduled for that day, was not conducted because of adverse weather. At all other times during the week the vessel was at MOB, Kodiak.

The ONONDAGA and ST. MIHEBL reached Dutch Harbor on 11 January. On the 12th the former vessel proceeded to Bay, anchoring near the SS RICHARD MARCH HOE, Broad preparatory to escorting that vessel to Kodiak. This escort duty began on the 13th. At 11*55 the ONONDAGA stopped alongside MTB-21*/ drifting in Unimak Pass, and upon request, transferred a small boat anchor to the MTB. At 1505 the convoy was directed to proceed independently, while the ONONDAGA proceeded on toward . Kodiak. SEARCHES FOR On the 15th at 051*3, the ONONDAGA Intercepted an SOS from SS MAPELE, who was aground at Cape Devine and needed Immediate assistance. The ONONDAQA changed course, arrived in the MAPELE's vicinity at 1237, and hove to, finding

On 7 February, the ONON DAGA departed Women' s feay, Kodiak, as escort for the SS COLOMBIA en rout* to on the 9th a strong gale, Cross Sound. At 0220 heavy snow, poor visibility and rough seas caused the Coast. Guard vessel to lose contact with the con voy, which was not thereafter contacted. That after noon she stood into Cross Sound and learned from the Routing Officer on the SWIFTSORE that the COLUMBIA had passed North Inlan Head Light one hour later than the ONONDAGA. The OKOHDAGA then proceeded and Moored to Army Dock, Excursion Inlet, departing there en

LOSES CONTACT wlj'h uunvOY

89

the 10th for conference at Pleasant Island. There she fotmd that sailing of conroy was postponed due to ad verse neather, so the rest of the 10th was spent break ing ice at the head of Excursion Inlet to free piles needed for operations on U. S. Army project. After completing this duty, the ONONDAGA returned to Army Dock, Excursion Inlet, mooring at 161+7. The sailing of the conroy -was again postponed on the 11th pending arrival of the SS TODOA. On the 12th, the ONONDAQA stood oat to Pleasant Island anchorage to assemble convoy consisting of the SS BARANOF, SS YUKON, SS TOr LOA, SS EBNALI, SS OTSBGO and SS TAKU. The convoy assembled at IUOO and departed to the -westward. On the 13th, the OTSBGO and TAKU departed convoy for Takutat and the DMALI,when in vicinity of Cape Hin chinbrook departed for Cordova. The ONONDAGA continued es corting the TOEOA, TOKOS and BARANOF. These last two vessels departed from the convoy at 01*30 on the lUth and proceeded toward Seward while the ONONDAGA and TOLOA continued on to Kodiak, arriving there at 188. The Coast Guard vessel de parted on the 16th to locate PSB&D Barge No. 10, and sighted her the next day. With the help of YP-92 she got the barge into deeper water, finally secured two nanila hawsers to the barge, and departed towing it. The ONONDAGA was hove to with the tow off Cape Igvak in an easterly gale on 18 February, but was able to proceed the next day into the lee of Portage Bay. Moved on the 20th to smoother water at the western end of Wide Bay, where the ONONDAGA began pumping out ' barge with two portable gasoline pumps* LOCATES ASP BARGf" TOW3 DISCONTINUES The ONONDAGA discontinued pumping out barge No. 10

with Kodiak as her destination. At 18$O she anchored inFort Angeles Harbor, Washington, to await departure of SS TOLOA, whom she -was to escort.

POTT"

CONVOY

On 1May, 19U3, the COC ONOHDAGA departed Port Angeles as escort of SS TOLOA en route to Kodiak, Alaska. Arrived Kodiak on the sth and on the 7th departed Women >s Bay escorting SS TOLOA to Dutch Har bor. On the Uth departed Dutch Harbor and met SS HENDERSON LWJLLIHO at $U 18 N, 16 20 W and escort ed her *to Dutch Harbor. On 13th departed Dutch Har bor escorting USAT NORTH COAST to a point $0 miles through Unimak Pass returning to Dutch Harbor on tfce llth. On the l*>th departed Dutch Harbor escorting SS lUKON to Adak, a rriving Kulak Bay on 17th and en same day proceeded to Sweeper Cove, relieving CGC ATALANTAon Dog' Patrol outside between Head Rock and Oglala Point, Kulnk Bay* On 18th discontinued patrol and anchored in Kulak Bay, departing same day to ren dezvous USS PLATTE. On 19th contacted USS PLATTB at 50 l' N 17 20' W and escorted her to Adak via Amukta Pass, arriving Kulak Bay on 20th. On 21st assumed Dog Patrol 2 between Head Rock and Black Point, Kulak Bay maintaining it through the 2Uth. On that day departed for Dutch Harbor in convoy with SS TOLOA, SS CHIEF WASHAKIE and USAT COTKQCOF arriving on 26th. On 27th formed convoy in company with USS HERALD of four vessels en route Kuluk Bay, arriving on 29th. On 30th formed convoy of two vessels in company with USS PC-600 en route Amchitka, arriving on 31st. On same day began escorting SS SAM JACKSON from Amchitka to Adak*

on the 21st when it became evident that pumping was not effective for so large a leak. Bad weather kept the ONONDAGA anchored until the 2th. On that day she returned to the eastern end of Wide Bay to salvage towing wire previously buoyed while assisting the barge* After salvaging about 100 fathoms of the wire cable, the remainder, badly fouled, was cut away and the vessel departed for Kodiak, where she arrived on the 27th and released the barge to a tug for further disposition.

The ONONDAGA remained at Kodiak until 3 March, 19U3, when she proceeded toward the grounded SS AMERICAN STAR off Woody Island, Kodiak. At 2250 on the 3rd strong flood current swept the ONONDAGA and USS YT-323 together, causing minor damage to the Coast Guard ship. Early on the Uth the USS AMERICAN STAR was refloated and anchored during a dense fog. The ONONDAGA returned to NOB, Women's Bay, and after undergoing repairs, she departed that same day towing the Ex-ALGONQUIN to Seattle via Cross Sound and Ketchikan, and was still underway as the week ended. REFLOATS GROUNDED
OVERHAUL From

SS SAM JACKSON at Kulnk Bay on the Ist of June, the ONONDAGA departed on the Uth en route Dutch Harbor escorting the SS CHIRKOF, arriving on the 6th, On the Bth she was underway en route to rendezvous with withUSAT OTSEGO at Chernof ski Harbor, arriving same day. On the 9th she stood lnte Dutch Harbor with the OTSBGO and on the 10th stood out to rendezvous with USS RAM&PO on the 11th in $h 12' N, 16U S OOW and began escorting her to Dutch Harbor, arriving on 12th. On the 13th stood out of Dutch Harbor to ren dezvous on the lltth with USS BRAZOS at & 06' N, 162 21' W, and began escorting her to Dutch Harbor via Unimak Pass arriving sane day. On 18th stood out of Dutch Harbor with convoy of two vessels en rodbe Adak, arriving on 20th* On 23rd departed Adak escorting SS TOLOA en rovte Atka arriving same day. On the 23rd took aboard 5U men and two officers for transportation to Kanaja Island but returned to Adak on orders. On 25th departed Kuluk for Dutch Harbor for Nazan Bay, Atka, arriving on 30th. CONVOY DUTY
Arriving with the

ESCORT DUTY

Drydocks, Inc.
OVERHAUL

1U to 31 March, IU3, the ONONDAGA was undergoing overhaul and conversion at the Seattle plant of Todd

AND CONVERSION

April began with the ONON DAGA still undergoing over haul and conversion. On the 25th she left Todd Drydocks, Inc., for a brief trial run and then moored at Pier Ul, Seattle. Between then and the 30th, overhaul was com pleted, fuel and supplies were taken on and trial runs were made. The ONONDAGA departed Pier Ul on 30 April

Uth rendezvoused withUSS TIPPECANOE escorting her to Dutch Harbor. On Bth ren dezvoused with USS RAMAPO and escorted her to Dutch Harbor. On 10th escorted USS RAMAPO and SS WM. T. SHERMAN to Adak via Chernof ski arriving on 13th. On lUth escorted RAMAPO and MARY D to Dutch Harbor. On 17th transported salvage gear to Attu. On 21st pro ceeded to Shemya Island and assumed patrol. On 2Uth
escorted C & G. S. EXPLORER to Buldir Island to sur vey uncharted waters until 31st.

BSeORTS TRANSPORTS While engaged in guarding the C & O.S. EXPLORER who was running survey lines in the uncharted waters in vicinity of Buldir Island, Alaska, the CGC ONON the DAGA was ordered to Massacre Bay, Attu. On August Uth she escorted a tug and an LOT craft to Otkriti Bay,

On July Ist escorted SS MORLEM to Dutch Harbor. On

90

ONONDAGA met the USS S-28 and escorted her to Massacre 18th she escorted the S-bO into the Bay, relieving the USS CHARLESTON of patrol. On the 22nd she towed the USA Tug COMMODORE to Adak and fron there escorted a convoy to Dutch Harbor, where she moored until the 31st.
Bay. On the

Agattu, where the vessels discharged cargo and then returned to Massacre Bay. After mooting an incoming convoy on the 6th, she returned to Buldir Island with the RESTORER, who continued her survey work until the Uth, returning to Massacre Bay. On the 16th the

operations, mooring at Attu when not screening. At 2115 on tt 12th, the ONONDAGA departed Shemya, ar rived at Adak on the lUth, departed from there with the RESTORER on the 15 th, and arrived at Dutch Harbor two days later. The ONONDAGA remained moored at

until September Bth, the CGC OHONDAGA underwent ndscel laneous repair and maintainence work. On the Bth freight was loaded aboard for transportation to Sub marine Facility, Attu. Stood out of Dutch Harbor at 1806 and formed convoy consisting of the SS AMERICAN STAR and the SS SAM JACKSON who were en route Adak Island. Arrived with convoy and anchored in Kuluk Bay, Adak Island on 10th'. Moored on llithfor electri cal installation work and remained until 17th when she departed escorting SS THOMAS CONDON to Massacre Bay, Attu Island. Arriving on 19th she moored at Navy Dock at 1500 and unloaded freight. Departed Attu on 21st with convoy consisting of SS SAMUEL D. INGHAM and SS JOS. L. MEEK withUSS PC 1080 as additional escort en rout* Kuluk Bay. Arrived Kuluk Bay on 23rd and de parted same date en route Tanaga Island escorting SS WILLIAML.GARRISON. Was relieved of convoy on 2lith near Tanaga Island by USS ORACLE and returned to Kuluk Bay where she remained until 30th. ESCORT DUTY On the Ist of October, 19U3,
the CGC ONONDAGA stood out

ESCORT TO ATTU

Remaining at Dutch Harbor

Dutch Harbor until 23 December, when she left for Adak with SS HENRY FAILING, arriving at destination on the 2^th. On the 28th the Coast Guard vessel departed with convoy consisting of SS THOMPSON for Kiska, where they arrived on the 30th. The ONONDAG* was still moored there as the month ended. (The above is the entire available record on the ONONDAGA during World Tar II.) CGG PERSEUS (WPC-1110 The CQC PERSEUS (WPC-IHO was built at Bath, Maine, in 1932, her permanent sta tion on July 1, 19U1, being San Diego, California. She was 165 feet long, 25 feet 3 inches beam and drew 9 feet 6 inches of water. Her displacement was 33U tons. She had a steel hull and made 16 knots. She was pewered with 13kO HP diesel oil burning twin screw engine.
C(MgSSIONING

AND DESCRIPTION

ESCORT DUTY """

ALASKA

of Kuluk Bay escorting the SS CHIEF WASHAKIE to Amchltka, arriving on the 2nd. On the 3rd she departed for Kiska Harbor remaining there until the 7th. On that day she departed Kiska for Adak escorting the SS CARL SHURZ, SS J. B. FLOYD and the USAT JiffS S. CLARKE with the USS AUSTIN as additional escort. On the iZth escorted the SS Wllr LIAM GARRISON out of Kuluk Bay -and returned. On the 17th proceeded to Sitkin Island and escorted SS LYMANNBEECHER to Amchltka, mooring on the 18th. On the 19th escorted BRBCHER to Kiska, ramming to Am chitka on the 21st, and escorting SS CUMMINGS to Kiska, SC-997 as additional escort. On 22nd escorted SS BEECHER to Kuluk Bay, Adak Island. On 26th proceeded to search for a drifting LOT returning to Kuluk Bay same day. On 30th escorted SS TEXADA to Kiska. On Ist November, 19U3, the CGC ONONDAGA was escorting the SS lEXADAfrom Kuluk Bay, Adak Island, to Kiska Island. Arrived in Kiska Harbor at 1155 and moored. On the sth began escorting SS JACK LONDON to Adak, an choring on 7th. On the 17th stood out of Kuluk Bay, Adak, with convoy SS COLUMBIA en route Kiska Island, anchoring on 18th. On 21st stood out of Kiska Har bor escorting SS AMERICAN STAB, and SS COLUMBIA en route Adak, mooring on 23rd. On 2Uth began escort ing SS RESTORER Into Asuksak Pass, standing into Shelter Cove, Igitkin Island at 1105. On 25th engaged In cable laying operations to Korovin Bay, Atka Island; On 29th stood out of Korovin Bay escorting RESTORER and anchored in Nazan Bay, Atka Island at 183U. On 30th began escorting RESTORER to Dutch Harbor. CGC ONONDAGA ON CONVOY ESCORT
SuhibshjlhG

On December 16, 19Ul, the PERSEUS relieved the BONHAM off Point Adolpbus, Alaska, and spent the balance of that week guarding the entrance to Icy Strait, escort ing vessels toward North Inian Pass, patrolling* North Passage and Cross Sound identifying vessels and planes. She remained on this duty until she was detached for duty with the Eastern Sea Frontier.

STRIKES OIL

At 1150 on March 23, 19^2, the PERSEUS contacted a

suspicious

withher echo ranging at 33 21' H, 77 57 W off the coast of South Carolina and stood out developing the \u25a0contact. At 520 yards a distinct screw noise was heard and she dropped one charge set at 100 feet which failed to explode. Circling to the left and still maintaining contact she dropped two more charges two minutes later, one set at 100 feet and one at 150 feet both charges exploding simultaneously. Black bubbles were observed and what appeared to be oil came to the surface. Fifteen minutes later she circled back and picked up the contact but passed over it five minutes later before it was possible to drop charges accurate ly. She ran the bearing down to 180 yards and started to change to the left, then put rudder hard left and dropped two more charges set to explode at 75 to 1500 . feet. Blackened water came to the surface and no more contact or screw noises were heard as had been heard on all three attacks. At 0705 she sighted oil slick about one-eighth mile wide. (The above con stitutes all available material on the PERSEUS during World War II.) CGC RUSH (WSC-151) The CGC RUSH (WSC-151) was built at Camden,- New Jersey, in 1927. On July 1, 19ljl, her permanent station was Norfolk, Virginia. She was 125 feet, long -with a23 foot 6 inch beam and a 9 foot draft, displacing 220 tons* She had a steel hull, did U knots and had a 350 HP diesel oil driven twin screw engine* COMMISSIONIBG ESCORT DUTY
On June

submerged object

The ONONDAGA, escorting USAT RESTORER to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, reached that point on 1 December and left again on the 3rd to escort the same vessel to Attu, where they arrived on the 6th. For the next several days the RESTORER was engaged in cable repairs off Shemya, Ala^-a^^^^-^^^IAGA screened her during these AND

20, 19U2, the BUSH in company with the ISQARB, JACKSON and COLFAI were

91

ordered to proceed to Charleston from Norfolk. En route the LBGARE proceeded to assist the DIONE in an anti-sub action while the RUSH and the other tiro cutters patrolled a small sector east of Hatteras Minefield. They reached Charleston on the 23rd and on the 2?th were ordered to report to Commander Caribbean Sea Frontier. The BUSH with the" others, less COLFAX, detached to escort a tanker, moored at Key .Test on j. June 29, 19U2. On the 30th the three began escorting the SS ALCOA PATRIOT to Curacao and then proceed to Trinidad. On July 3rd the EBGARE sighted a periscope but could not get the echo range. The BUSH made con tact and dropped two depth charges set to explode at 200 feet. A large geyser of oil and air appeared. Arriving at Curacao on the 6th the unit departed next day escorting h vessels to join convoy W.A.T. at ren dezvous which was reached on the Bth. On the 10th while proceeding toward Trinidad, depth charges were dropped by an escort at 21U5. On the 11th the convoy dispersed the unit escorting two vessels of the convoy to Trinidad, (The above is all that is available on the activities of the RUSH in World War II.) USS SEA CLOUD (H-99) The USS SEA CLOUD (U.-99), Coast Guard manned, on April h, 19k2, was on Weather Patrol under Task Force 2k, Atlantic Fleet and was pro ceeding to Weather Station No. 2 at the beginning of February 19bU. Here she relieved the CGC CONIFER on the sth of February and patrolled the hundred square milesj at SUN, hk 30" W until February 26th sending daily weather reports as per schedule to the District Coast Guard Officer, First Naval District. She was relieved of this duty on 27 February and proceeded to Boston arriving on h March, 19Uh After overhauling at Atlantic Yard, East Boston, she proceeded to Weather Station No. 1 on the 11th of March, patrolling the 100 square miles at 3b N and $? W from the llith of March until the Uth of April, 19U*. On the 23rd of March all Atlantic Weather Patrol vessels were placed under Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, with Commander, Task Force 2U> having control of operations and Commander, Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet having change of Administration. On 31 March, C.T.F. 2U issued orders to the SEA CLOUD to continue to base at Boston, Mass., and adhere to existing patrol schedule of DCGO, 3MD. Relieved on the Ith of April, 19UU, by the SORREL, the SEA CLOUD set course for Boston. On the sth at 2lUl she had a radar contact on a small surface target at Lat. 39 27' N, Long. 62 30' W, bearing 350 T, range 3000 yards. General Quarters was sounded; all battle stations were manned and ready. The vessel lost the contact ten minutes later* The target was plotted on. course 015 at 10 knots and evaluated and reported as a submarine. After carrying out standard anti-submarine warfare plan to regain contact, without success, the SEA CLOUD continued towards Boston ar riving on the 7th of April. WEATHER PATROL EN ROUTE From the 7th to 20th of April, 1924;, she underwent minor repairs and prepared for s ea, receiving a new schedule of weather observations as well as orders to base at Argentia, Newfoundland, except for the 30 day overhaul period when she was to Base at Boston. On the 20th of April she departed for Weather Station No. 2 relieving the USS ZIRCON on the 25th and patrol ed the station until the 16th of May when the SOHHEL relieved her. She set course for Argentia and moored there on the 20th of May, where she received a new
schedule

HEATHER PATROL

On 30 lay, l?10i, she de parted for leather Station

Ho* 3 and relieved the USS ZIRCON on the 2nd of June patrolling the 100 miles aquare at I*3 H, 37 T until11 June, 19hh, when a U. S. Navy TBF Avenger was- sighted and recognition signals exchanged. The SKA CLOUD received orders from the plane to steer course 035 T. She changed course and proceeded at full speed. At 1655 the air craft carrier USS CBOATAN and five escort vessels under command of C.T.G. 22*5 were sighted. At 171*8 the SEA CLOUD was ordered to report to the CBOATAN and at 1752 to take position astern of that vessel. At 2001 the SKA CLOUD was ordered to proceed to l|o 12 Wto investigate a reported life raft. She ar rived at that point at 0318 on the 12th of June and began search for the raft but abandoned search at 09X9 on the 13th and resumed patrol of Weather Station No. 3. She was relieved by the USS SORREL on the 21st of June and arrived at Argentia on the 21+th. On the Btb of July, 19kh, after undergoing voyage repairs, the SEA CLOUD, departed and relieved the ZIRCON on Weather Station No. k patrolling the 100 miles square at 55 N, lib* 30* W until 2 August, 19hh, when she was relieved. Following a search on that date for survivors of an aircraft reported lost in the area 52 00' N, U3 1(0* W, the SEA CLOUD set course at 19kO for Boston and remained at the Atlantic Ship Yard undergoing repairs and conversion for the rest of the month. The Coast Guard crew was removed on

k November, 19hh*

CGC SOUTHWIND (WAG-280) The commissioning of the CGC SOUTHWIND (WAG-280) took place on July 15, 19Ui, at San Pedro, California, when Commander Richard M. Hoyle, USCG, assumed command. An availability of 26 days was then granted to com plete the vessel and outfit her at the builder's yard, Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro. On August 10, 19kh, two days of shakedown was followed by 72 hours of post shakedown availability and five days of anti-submarine warfare training at San Diego. On August 22, 19Uh, she left San Diego for New York, via the Canal Zone. COMMISSIONING The SOUTHWIND is a heavily armed icebreaker,! 269 feet long, 63 feet 6 inches ma-^Hi^m beam, with a normal draft of 25 feet 9 inches and a maximum draft of 29 feet 1inch. She has a normal displacement of 5300 tons and a maximum dis placement of 6515 tons, and carried a complement of 11+5, attaining a speed of 16 knots. She is propelled by diesel electric machinery, her forward engines hav ing 333 normal horsepower and her after engines 6666 or 10,000 horsepower, depending on whether her bow propeller is in use or not. She has a cruising radius of 10,800 miles. The capacity of her trimming tanks, used for shifting the water ballast used in the icebreaking operations, is 717 tons. The ice belt plat ing of her hull is 15/8". She is a sister ship of the EASTWDID, WESTWIND and the trro NORTHWINDS. The first NORTHWIND, the WESTWIND and in March 19U5 the SOUTHWIND were all turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend Lease. DESCRIPTION

GREENLAND"
Casco

TO NORTHEAST

Bay,

The SOUTHWIND reached New York on September 9, 19Wi, and on the 12th departed for training exercises at Maine. Departing the training area same
M EASTWINDn

1. For more detailed description see

92

day to P&tr6l special area DOG the winds reached hurricane force of 65 knots. At the height of the storm a fire broke oat in the upper handling roan of the 5"/38 turret but was extinguished before any damage was done. After training exercises, extend ing over five days, the SOUTHWIND proceeded to New York for alterations and loading of cargo, report ing for duty to Commander Task Force 2k on September 26, 1914u She sailed next day for Northeast Green land.

No enemy contacts were made during the trip north and on October 6, 19kh, the EASTWIND vessel reported for duty to Commander, Northeast Greenland Patrol. Next day she was instructed to meet the EASTWIND ten miles east of Cape Philip Broke. On the Bth she encountered an extensive ice field and hove to until daylight when she proceeded through broken ice and sighted the EASTWIND at 10U0. After transferring fuel and stores on the 9th she proceeded to Hockstetter's Bay and the cruised northward in the ice. On the 10th, latitude 77 N was reached at longi tade 15 30 W. Here the ice was about 10 feet thick. "Storis" ice extended to 75 UO' N after which the sea was frozen solid with winter ice. No sign of the enemy was found. On the 11th she scouted to the south and westward investigating a lead through the ice at 76 0g N. Next day she made a plane search north to 77 30* N and westward to the Coast, then a coastal search to the Sledge Patrol Station on Morkefjord, to the southern tip of Great Koldewey Island and back to point of origin, but no unusual condition was ob served.
HENIjEZVOPS

WITH

sunk as reported, but had surrendered with 20 prison was ordered to proceed south eastward where she soon reached much open water and stopped to await the EASTWIND. On the 17th, ordered to rendezvous at Cape Philip Broke, she proceeded through heavy ice to a lead and then through fairly light ice and open water to Hochstetter's Bay, moor- ' ing portside to the EASTWIND 's starboard side with the German prize tied to that cutter's port. Later that day the SOUTHWIND 's plane searched south to Cape Wynn, then seaward for 50 miles and then north to 76 kT N, then to the coast and along the coast to the starting point.

ers. The .SOUTHWIND

At 193$ on October 15, 19hh, the SOUTHWIND was notified that the EASTWIND "s plane had sighted a large ship in the ice 15 miles east of Cape Borgen. The SOUTHWIMJ at that time, was less than three miles frcra that position and had sighted nothing before dark. She was ordered to search from 5 to 10 miles east of Cape Borgen. Because of the thick ice the SOUTHWIND pro gressed slowly and could not hold straight courses, but the general course to the west was maintained in the latitude of Cape Borgen. At 2312 star shells were sighted so the SOUTHWIND challenged the vessel firing them and received a friendly reply, turning to course 180 to avoid fouling the firing line. No target was visible. As firing ceased the SOUTHWIND changed course once more to 270. ENEMI SHIP At 23U0 on October 15, 1914, the SOUTHWIND received the visual message from the EASTWIND "We have target" and firing from the latter vessel commenced once more. A flashing light was sighted ahead of the EASTWriiD bearing and orders were given to fire, but a visual message was then received "We have sunk target." Before a salvo could be fired by the SOUTH WIND a "cease firing" order was given supposedly be cause the survivors on the ice were not to be fired upon. The target and the EASTWIND were about 6 Biles away. The EASTWIND stuck in the ice with a damaged propeller, asked the SOUTHWIND for assistance, so the latter continued her course toward the EASTWIND, progressing slowly through the ice. It required more than seven hours to reach the damaged vessel and she had to ram some places six or seven times before "WE HATE SUNK TARGET"
breaking through, making only UOO or 500 yards some hours, the greatest distance being two miles in on* hour. In the last half mile the ice was somewhat lighter. On the 16th, with only one half a blade on her port screw, she stopped near the EASTWIND and the Gaptur*^EErERNSTBINE, who xAnrtouajr had not been

18, 19kh, the SOUTH WIND followed the EASTWIND through the ice toward open water, with the BXTBHNSTBINE in her wake, taking the German vessel in tow when she "was unable to follow through the ice. The tow line broke several times and the BXTERNSTEINE bumped the SOUTHWIND 's stern damaging both depth charge racks. At 17U5 the prize proceeded under her own power after 6 hours towing. The vessels stopped overnight pro ceeding again next morning and reaching open water in position 73 3U' N, Ik 16' W. The EASTWIND de parted at lii2l and the SOUTHWIND lay to making emer gency repairs to the depth charge racks, the German vessel remaining within visual signalling distance. On the 20th she proceeded south escorting the German
vessel to Reykjavik, Iceland. She was to have been
relieved by HNMS HDNNINGSVAAG, but was notified on
the 21st that that vessel could not relieve her and
that the EXTERNSTEINE was to proceed alone from lati tude 70 N. The SOUTHWIND accordingly departed at
1230 to the north to assume station patrol from 75
00 N to 75 30' N outside the ice. She maintained this patrol until October 31, 19Uh, meeting the RAST WDJD on the 29th to determine ice conditions as far
south as Scoresby Sound. Ice conditions at 75 N had
been such as to allow only a heavy ice breaker to
reach shore. On the 31st both ships departed for

TOWARD ICELAND
On October

Reykjavik.

ESCORTS
PRIZE

19Wi, the SOUTHWIND \u25a0

commander assumed acting C.T.U.
21t.8.5 on the 12th and departed
with the BASTWIND to escort the German prize ship, along with the FAUNCB and TRAVIS to Narsarssuak, Greenland. They entered Skovfjord
on November 16, 19I1U, after an uneventful trip, during
which excellent air coverage had been furnished.
Her* T.U. 2U.8.5 was disbanded on November 18, 19hh
ber 2,

Arriving at Reykjavik on Novem-

TO GREENLAND

1924, the SOUTH WIND and EASTWIND were ordered the FAUNCB, TRAVIS, to escort FREDERICK LEE and EXTERNSTBINE to Argentia, Newfound land and the JULIUS THOMSEN and BLOOMFIBLD PARK to a point of detachment for St. John's, Newfoundland. The ships departed Greenland on November 22, 19Uh, detach ed the two for St. John's on the 26th and arrived at Argentia on the 27th, leaving on the 29th for Boston. On the 30th the TRAVIS reported having been in colli sion and the EASTWIND and EXTERNSTBINE were ordered
to stand by to assist. Later it was learned that the
TRAVIS and EXTERNSTBINE had collided but the latter
had not been damaged. The TRAVIS had a hole extending
below the water line. The lazarette was completely
flooded and she was unable to steer. The German, ves sel towed the TRAVIS to Halifax, N. S. with the EAST WIND Escorting and the other three vessels continued
to Boston which was reached December 3, IlUn The
SOUTHWIND was granted 30 days availability for repair*.
TO SOVIET RUSSIA The SOUTHIIND r*main*d at the
OK LEND LEASE v. S. Haval Drydocka, South Boston,.

On November 19,

TO BOSTON

93

Massachusetts,

until February 9, 192*5, undergoing conversion for transfer under Lend Lease to Russia. On March 1, 19U5, she arrived at San Pedro, Cali fornia via the Panama Canal, where whe was granted a 7 day availability undergoing repairs. On February 9, 19i*5, she departed Wilmington, California for Tacoma, Washington for decommissioning. On March 20, 192+5, she was decommissioned. COC STORIS (WAOL-38)
COMMISSIONING The CGC STORIS (WAGL-38) was built at Toledo, Ohio,

entirely -with local escort duty, the STORIS assisting convoys into Arsuk Fjord and escorting them from Bluie West One to Bluie West Seven. On July 22, 192*3, she began escorting a convoy of five vessels with seven other escorts to the Canadian Arctic. She left the convoy on the 2 l*th and returned to Gronne Dal on the 26th. Again on August 8, 1943, the STORIS was underway as senior escort of a convoy to the Cana

up almost

on 30 September, 192*2. was at Cleveland between October 20 and 28, 192*2. She reached Boston and from April 2k, 192*3, until May 6, 192*3, was moored at Atlantic Ship Yard, there undergoing repairs.

and after

commissioning

dian Arctic with destination at Frobisher Bay. She entered the bay on the 11th and rendezvoused with the FAIRFAX, BEAR and AIVIKand began escorting them to Greenland arriving off Ar3uk Fjord on the U+th. On the 15th she stood out of the Fjord to investigate a submarine which had been sighted and to assist a con voy to Narsarssuak. On the 17th she stood out of Kungnat Bay escorting the FAIRFAX to Frobisher Bay which she reached on the 19th, turning over the con voyed FAIRFAX to the ARLUK and returning to Gronne
Dal on the 22nd.

19U3
undergoing anti submarine exercises at Casco Bay, Maine, until May 19, 192*3, she began escorting the USS SAGAMORE one section of drydock and the USS WANDANK to Argen tia, with three other escorts. En route the SAGAMORE reported steering engine failure and the convoy pro ceeded for Casco Bay. Four hours later the trouble was repaired and the course changed for Argentia where itarrived on the 22*th. On May 25, 191*3, the STORIS and two other escorts were en route St. John's escorting the USS BELLE ISIE, arriving on the 26th, and departing next day with the two vessel convoy SG-21+, with two other escorts for Greenland. On the 29th the ACTIVE, an escort, reported engine trouble and returned to Argentia. On the 30th, 6 to 10 sub marines were reported from a plane, 120 miles west of the noon position. On the 31st a depth charge attack was made on a sound contact, three charges being dropped with no visible results. The convoy anchored in Kungnat Bay on June 2, 192*3, and on the 6th the STORIS escorted the convoy to Narsarssuak. On the 11th she searched for suspected submarines without results and then proceeded to sea to observe ice and ureather conditions.

ESCORT DOTY

ESCORT DUTY

After

Cn September 1, 19U3, she stood out of Narsarssuak as escort to convoy GS-28 (USAT YARMOUTH) to St. John's, Newfoundland, in com pany with the ALGONQUIN and MODOC. On the 2nd they rendezvoused with the FAIRFAX which was escorted by the TAMPA. The convoy reached St. John's on Septem ber 5, 192*3, when the STORIS detached and proceeded to Boston, where she arrived on the Bth, for a 30
day availability.

ESCORT DUTY

On October 28, 192*3, the STORIS departed for exer cises at Casco Bay, Maine, and on November 7, 192*3, was underway for Argentia with the ALGONQUIN, proceeding to St. John's with her on the 9th. On November 13, 192*3, she departed St. John's with convoy SG-32* (PRIMO .(Nor.)) and ALGONQUIN for Narsarssuak. On the 17th the ALBATROSS took over

LOSS OF ESCANABA

On June 12,

192*3,

the

STORIS joined convoy GS-21* en route St. John's. On June 13, 191*3, at 05K> a terrific explosion occurred on the ESCANABA and she sank almost immediately. Proceeding to the point where the ESCANABA went down, the STORIS screened the RARITAN who was undertaking rescue operations. Three survivors and only a few life jackets and scattered pieces of cork were all that was sighted after very thorough search. The STORIS rejoined the convoy at 0825. The RARITAN reported three survivors one of whom died during the day. On the 17th the RARITAN released 7 depth charges but failed to regain contact. Convoy arrived at Argentia on June 18, 192*3. On the 20th the STORIS escorted the BELLE ISLE to St. John's with 8 other escorts. ESCORT DUTY On June 22, 192*3, the STORIS was en route Green land, escorting with seven other cutters-, the eight

escort of the PRBtO off Kerkertai Island and the STORIS and ALGONQUIN were joined by the TAHOMA and Bay on the 18th. On the 19th a four vessel convoy GS-36 departed Kungnat Bay for St. John's with the STORIS and five other escorts, ar riving on the 22*th. On the 26th the convoy reformed as YD#l and proceeded to Boston, via Halifax, N. S., arriving December 1, 192+3. On the 2*th the STORIS and TAHOMA stood out of Boston for St. John's, New foundland, being instructed en route to proceed direct to Argentia. On the 6th the TAHOMA dropped three charges on a doubtful contact. Arriving at Argentia on the Bth the STORIS proceeded to St. John's where on the 10th with two other escorts she began escort ing convoy CG-36 (USS KAWEAH) to Greenland.
reached Kungnat

ship ccnvoy SC-26. Seven charges were dropped on a contact on the 2i*th and on the 26th the AMAROK dropped two charges on a sighted periscope, the MOHAWK going to her assistance. The convoy moored at Narsarssuak on the 28th proceeding to Gronne Dal on the 30th.
TO CANADIAN ARCTIC

On base course she awaited the MUI HOCK (Nor.) and USAT NEVADA, as additional vessels, and on the 11th proceeded toward St. John's to pick them up. Later the two ships were reported to have left St. John's the previous day and to be proceeding to destination unescorted. The STORIS was ordered to search for the missing vessels in order to effect a rendezvous but she reached Narsak Reach, Greenland on the 15th without locating them. Detaching 10 miles from Nar sarssuak the STORIS set course for the NEVADA'S last reported position. At 211*2 on the 16th the COMANCHE and the NEVADA were picked up on the radar in a posi tion 60 miles distant, and on the 18th the STORIS was underway in the Ticinity of the USAT NEVADA, now aban

SINKING OF USAT NEVADA

The month of

July was

taken

doned and sinking after being torpedoed. The STORIS awaited daybreak to continue search for survivors. On the 18th at 0018 the NEVADA sank in position 55 27 N, k7 12 W with no one on board. Search for the survivors continued. At 1300 the STORIS ren dezvoused with the MODOC and TAIIPA, breaking ice for convoy returning to Narsarssuak. the

94

19hh
ESCORT DUTY
During most of January,

191*5
ESCORT DUTY
the STORIS broke ice
ing exercises at Casco Bay, Maine, the STORIS returned to Boston and on February 2, 191*5, TO s underway for Qronne Dal, Greenland, where she arrived February 10, 19U5. She remained in Green land until March k, 191*5, delivering mail and cargo, breaking ice, and in stand-by status during foehn wind of hurricane force on March 2, 19l*l*. Then she departed for Argentia with the COMANCHE. On the 6th en route, she dropped six charges on a sound contact. She arrived at Argentia on March 9, I9IUI, and on the 11th was underway, with the COMANCHE, for Boston, arriving March Hi, 19U5. She was undergoing availa bility at Portsmouth Navy Yard from March 16, 191*5, through April20, 19U5. On May 2, 191*5, after exer cises at Casco Bay, Maine, she was underway for Argen tia and on the 11th began escorting convoy SG-55 to Narsarssuak, arriving May 23, 191*5.

19l*U,

February 8, 19Ui, for an availability that extended until March 6, 19l*l*, proceeding independently to Ar gentia on the 7th. Arriving there on the 10th she was underway in company with 1* other escorts for Greenland on the lljth, arriving at Narsarssuak on

in the Greenland fjords and transported supplies to various Greenland stations, On the 28th she stood down Arsik Fjord escorting con voy CG-Ul (MUI HOCK (Nor.)) in company with the MOHAWK to St. John's. Arriving February 1, 191*1*, she proceed ed to Argentia and on the 3rd proceeded to Boston es corting convoy Argentia No. 6 where she arrived on

After a period of availa bility, followed by train-

March 19, 19kk.

OPERATIONS NORTH EAST

GREENLAND""

Throughout the rest of March and up until July 7, 2.9kh, the STORIS was en

gaged in icebreaking in the fjords of West Greenland, and in transporting material for aids to navigation construction and main tenance there. On July 7, 19l*l*, she was underway for Eskimones, Clavering Island, Northeast Greenland via Reykjavik, in company with the NORTHLAND. Here she was engaged in landing supplies at Shannon Island and the Young Sound area," observing ice conditions by ship's plane, reprovisioning

the hunting huts being

used by the Northeast Greenland Patrol and other re lated activities. On August 29, l9l*U at 73 53' W f 18 Ui1 W a suspected enemy plane was sighted about 10 miles distant. The plane circled the STORIS at Ur,ooo yards and then disappeared in the direction of Shannon Island. On September 1, 191*1*, the STORIS re ceived word from the NORTHLAND that the latter vessel had sighted a suspected eneny vessel identified as a o large trawler at 75 U5'N, lit l*s' W, had pursued her and opened fire on her, the enemy vessel being scuttl ed by her crew of 28, including 8 officers, who took to lifeboats and were made prisoner. Next day the NORTHLAND'S plane sighted an enemy submarine at 75 I*s' N, 16 00' W. The STORIS proceeded to the posi tion but made no visual contact, the sub being lost to view in the extremely heavy ice pack. On Septem ber 12, 191*1*, she contacted the EASTWIND andlieved the EVERGREEN on the station at the entrance to Pen dulum and Clavering Straits. On September 29, 19l*l*, she joined as screen- the EASTWIND who was assisting the NORTHLAND, steering with a jury rig after damaging her rudder in the ice. On September 30, 191*1*, 3he was en route Iceland with the EVERGREEN, who was tow ing the NORTHLAND, in company with the EASTWIND. On October 8, 191*1*, she left Iceland returning to the Hochstetter's Bay area of Northeast Greenland where she took aboard captured German weather station equip ment and prisoners captured on Little Koldewey Island-*" Returning to Iceland on October 17, 19l*l*, she began screening the EVERGREEN who with the NORTHLAND in tow was proceeding to Bluie West One, West Greenland. After some difficulty due to the tow line parting on several occssions, the vessels reached Bluie West One on October 31, 19W*. On November 6, 19141*, the STORIS left Narsarssuak for Boston escorting con voy GS-56, consisting of the NORTHLAND in tow of the CURB, in company with the TAHOMA. En route the con voy was diverted to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where itanchored November 16, 19U*. After a trip to Boston to discharge captured German equipment the STORIS re turned to Portsmouth for availability during the rest of 191*1*. 1. See "C*. G. at War Greenland Patrol II" for fur ther detail* of the various engagements.
TO BOSTON

was en route Reykjavik, es corting the USAT BELLE ISLE arriving on the 9th. On the 26th she stood out of Reykjavik for Scoresby Sound, Northeast Greenland, escorting the BELLE ISLE. Arriving on July 29, 19U5, the BELLE ISLE began un loading cargo for the U. S. kSay Weather Station. On August 13, 191*5, the two vessels departed for Kangerd lugssuak, on Mike's Fjord where cargo was put ashore for a new U. S.Army Weather Outpost.

TO NORTHEAST GREENLAND

On July 1, 191*5, the STORIS

PEACETIME duties of icebreaking

Returning to the United

STORIS began her peacetime and servicing aids to navigation, CGC TAHOMA (WPG-80)

States after this

duty the

The CGC TAHOMA was built at Bay City, Michigan in 1931u On July 1, 191*1, her permanent station was Cleveland, Ohio. She was 165 feet 10ng, 36 foot beam, drew 13 feet 7 inches with a displacement of 1005 tons and a gross tonnage CH of 718. With a steel hull, she did 13 knots and was powered by a 1500 HP geared turbine, oil burning engine.

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

19U2
On July 31, 191*2, the
TAHOMA left Casco Bay es
corting 1* trawlers for
Sydney, arriving August I*, 191*2. On August 5, 191+2,
she got underway escorting the 7 vessel convoy SO-J*
from Sydney to Greenland with 1* other escort. The
convoy arrived at Bluie West One on August 10th and
at iTigtttt on the 13th. On September 5, 191*2 the
TAHOMA stood out of Skov Fjord entrance awaiting a
convoy from Bluie West One to Sydney. The convoy
arrived at Sydney on September 12, 191*2. September
11*, 191*2, the TAHOMA, as part of Task UnitOn 21*.b.2 was at Sydney, N. S., as conaander D. C. McNeil, USCG,
took over command
of the Task Unit. On the l'7th she departed escorting a five vessel convoy SG-8 with the USS RAPIDAN. On the 19th she lost contact with the convoy and was out of contact on the 20th. She re joined on the 21st with MOJAVE and COMANCHE joining
off Arsuk Fjord, later departing
with two vessels for a position off the coast at 66 00' N, 2*9 I*6 W. On September 29, 19U2, she began escorting a convoy to Sydney arriving October 3rd. On October 8, 19U2, she began escorting a 9 vessel convoy SG-1D to Greenland. ESCORT DUTY

'

Bi^**S|
95

On October lf>> 1?1*2, what remained of convoy SG-1O from Sydney, after being badly split due to faulty instructions, was taken by the TAHCMA into Eungnat Bay from Arsuk Fjord entrance. On the 16th she stood out of Kungnat Bay escorting two vessels to join others forming a 3 vessel convoy to Hudson Straits arriving on the 19th. She returned to Kung nat Bay October 23rd. On October 31st, 19U2, the TAHCMA and 1* other escorts began escorting convoy GS-12 for St. John's and Argentia, arriving November 7, 191i2. On November 3i, 191*2, she departed for St. John's and on 17th was en route Kungnat Bay escortig ing SG-13 arriving on the 23rd. She departed for Argentia on November 25th escorting convoy GS-ll* arriving on the 30th. On December Bth she left Ar gentia escorting a vessel to St. John's and on the 12th departed escorting the five vessel convoy , SG-15 with 3 other escorts for Greenland arriving Kungnat Bay on December 19, 191*2. On December ,21, 191*2 she began escorting the 5 vessel convoy GS-16 for St. John's arriving December 26th and at Argen tia on the 27th for repairs.

six escorts began scorting convoy GS-26 for Hudson Straits and Argentia, three escorts and two vessels departing for Hudson Straits on the 2l*th and one vessel proceeding to Botwood independently on the 27th. The rest of the convoy arrived at Argentia on July 31, 19U3. On August 1, 19h3, the TAHOMA with the MOHAWK was en route Sydney, N. S., and St. John's arriving on the sth. On the 12th she departed St. John's escorting convoy SG-29 with seven other escorts. On the 18th six ships departed for Hudson Straits and the TAHOHA with 3 other escorts and the rest of the convoy moored in Kungnat Bay on the 21st. On the 2l*th she departed escorting convoy GS-27 with 3 other es corts for St. John's where she moored on the 30th. On September 9, 19h3, she began escorting the 15 vessel convoy SO-30 with U other escorts to Greenland. On the 11th the ALGONQUIN dropped a full pattern of 11 charges on a contact. The convoy split into two groups on the 13th, the TAHOMA and two escorts taking the Greenland section to Gronne Dal on the li*th. On September 16, 19U3, the TAHOMA departed with the MODOC escorting a two vessel convoy to St. John's, proceed ing with the MODOC to Argentia on the 27th. On Novem ber 19, 191*3, the TAHOMA left Gronne Dal escorting the 3 vessel convoy GS-36 with two other escorts to St. John's arriving on November 21*, 19U3. On the 26th the 7 vessel convoy TD-#1 departed St. John's for Boston. Two vessels 'detached and proceeded independ ently for Halifax on the 30th and the balance reached Boston December 1, 19U3* On December 10, 191*3, the one vessel convoy CG-36 with the TAHOMA and two other escorts, left Boston, the NEVADA and MUIHOCK (Nor.) to join on base course. On arrival St. John's, learn ed that the too vessels had apparently left and were proceeding to destination unescorted. The convoy entered Narsak Reach, Greenland, on December 15, 191*3 The STORIS departed to search for the missing NEVADA. On December 25, 191*3 the TAHOMA departed Gronne Dal for St. John's with 3 other escorts escorting convoy GS-39. BSCOBT DUTY

19U3
On March 1, 191*3, the TAHOMA reported for duty with Task Unit 21*.8.2 and on the sth while at gun practice with STOKES, MODOC and ALGONQUIN in the bay, received report of a submarine in the area from a patrol plane, which commenced directing the unit to the position. The unit searched the area for the remainder of the day with negative results, continu ing until daylight of the 6th, when itstood for St. John's. On the Bth the unit, plus three escorts de parted St. John's as escorts for the 1* vessel convoy SG-21. On the ll*ththe MODOC and TAHOHA escorted two of the ships to Kungnat Bay, while the remainder continued to Narsarssuak. SEARCHES
FOR SUB

On March 18, 191*3, the TAHOMA and four other escorts departed Greenland with the two ship convoy SG-21, the STORIS and MODOC splitting off on the 19th to go to the a ssistance of the SS SVEND FOYNE which had collided with an ice berg at 58 05 N, U3 50' W. Later the STORIS re turned to the convoy as the ALGONQUIN, AIVIKand FREDERICK LEE departed for the disabled vessel. The TAHOMA continued to Argentia. On April 20, 191*3, she began escorting convoy XSG-23 to Greenland, enter ing the ice field on the 21st to break ice for the convoy. Ordered to escort the SS EAGLE for Green land, the TAHOMA received air coverage but lost con tact with the EAGLE due to low. visibility regaining it on the 2l*th. On the 28th proceeding through in creasing heavy ice, she hove to until daylight and moored at Narsarssuak on April 29, 191*3 On May 20, 19h3, the TAHOMA was underway with the NORTHLAND and four other escorts en route St. John's as escort to convoy GS-23, arriving there on the 26th and con tinuing on to Boston, via Argentia where she arrived June 2, 191*3. She departed Boston on the 10th es corting the USS PONTIAC with the MODOC and SC-70U arriving Argentia on the ll*th. Arriving St. John's on the 22nd, she departed same day escorting convoy SG-26 to Gronne Dal where she arrived on June 29, 19U3. On July 1, 19U3, she departed Gronne Dal with four other escorts of convoy GS-25 arriving St. John's on the sth and Argentia on the 6th. Leaving Argentia on the 9th, with four other escorts, she arrived St. John's on the 10th and departed on the 15 th for Gronne Dal with six other escorts and convoy SG-28, standing into Kungnat Bay on the 20th to assist the USAT FAIR FAX which was aground. The FAIRFAX was floated by the MOHAWK and TAHOMA. On the 22nd the TAHOMA with BSCORT DUTY
,

19ltU
~

'

The TAHOMA arrived at St. John's on January 1, 19l*l*, and on the 3rd departed for with convoy Xfi#2, arriving on the Bth. There Boston she remained until February 7, 19kk, when she depart ed for Casco Bay, Maine. She departed on the 16th with ALGONQUIN en route Argentia where she moored on the 19th remaining through March 2, 19hk* On that date she rendezvoused with convoy GS-A*2 en route Boston, relieving the MOHAWK, encountering a force 10 to 11 NW gale en route and reducing speed, she arrived at Boston without the convoy on March 7, 19hh, for availability until the 25th. On that day she de parted with three other escorts for Argentia, arriving on the 29th. On the 30th she began escorting convoy SG-UO to Greenland with six other escorts, mooring at Bluie West Seven on April 7, 191*1*. On the 12th she anchored at Bluie West One, returning to Bluie West Saven on the 13th. She proceeded to Navy 26 on the 28th and to Gronne Dal on April 30, 19U*. ESCORT DUTI ICE AND WEATHER PATROL For the rest of World War II the TAHOMA was on ice and weather patrol. She alterna ted with the ALGONQUIN, MOHAWK and FREDERICK LEE in patrolling Station "Charlie" reporting on ice and weather condi tions and acting as plane guard on this station mid- . way between Greenland and Iceland, Due to a major casualty to her main engine on October 3, 191*1*, she returned to Gronne Dal. On Novembeij^^ vipl*lfj she. '
g^^l^^^Ai^fe^^

96

COAST GUARD CUTTER TAHOMA

COAST OCARD CUTTER TAMPA

97

escorted convoy GS-56 which consisted of the CGC NORTHLAND, towed by the USS CURB and additionally escorted by the STORIS as far as Argentia and pro ceeded to Boston independently, on November lit, 191*1*, for 30 days availability. After several weeks at Casco Bay she returned to Boston on January 9, 191*5.

CONVOY DOTY

19k5
'

WEATHER PATROL

January 15, I?US, the TAHOMAreached St. John's on the 20th when 3he de tached and began escorting convoy SG-58 to Juliane haab, Greenland, detaching and proceeding to Gronne
Dal on the 25th. She continued to patrol weather station #6, being relieved by the COMANCHB and NORTH LAND periodically until April 28, 191*5. On May 12, 19U5, she began escorting convoy GS-67, consisting of SS JULIUS THOMSEN, arriving Boston on the 25th, for 30 days availability. After 10 days training
at Casco Bay she proceeded to Reykjavik, Iceland,
via Argentia and St. John's. On August 8, 191*5, she proceeded to air-sea rescue patrol station at 62 I*s' N, 29 00' W, returning to Reykjavik on August 15, 191*5, for 5 days availability. At the end of August, 19U5, she. was at Reykjavik awaiting orders to carry out her post war peacetime duties.

Departing Boston escorting the USS LARAMIB, with three other escorts on

tact at 33 I*9 N, 77 11 30" W and dropped 11 MX VI depth charges and a marker buoy. The charges raised a quantity of oil, but itwas decided that the target was a wreck and the cutter continued on convoy duty. On the 12th while still on convoy duty a CAP plane dropped two smoke bombs in close proxi mity to the convoy. The cutter was unable to esta blish communications with the plane, which departed immediately and so proceeded with the convoy. On December 19, 191*2, what appeared to be a submarine was heard on the cutter's sound equipment, estimated 3 or U miles from the ship. The cutter notified NAOh but the submarine was not heard or seen again. The TALLAPOOSA began a grid search westward from a position 30 miles due east of the reported sub's position at 0900 on December 19, 19U2, with negative results. At 01U0 on the 20th, a dispatch was receiv ed reporting a sub sighted 3 or U miles distant on bearing 015 from Savannah Lightship No. 91*, and the TALLAPOOSA again carried out a grid search with nega tive results.
PATROL DUTY The principal occupation of the TALLAPOOSA from January

made an apparent

On December 10, 19k2, while on convoy duty, the TALLAPCOSA

sound con

CGC TALLAPOOSA
(WPG-52)
COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

191*3 when she was a ttached to the Southern Ship Lane Patrol of the 6th Naval observing vessel for tests in con District was an nection with shore blackouts. From January Uth to 15th, 19U3, she operated from the section base at Mayport, Florida, under direction of the Base Com mander and Lt. Comdr, Fintel, USNRF, attached to the
Eastern Sea Frontier. The cutter made nightly trips to a position south of St. John's Light vessel, some times accompanied by the USS UMPQUA who acted as tar get vessel. Various arrangements of shore lighting in the vicinity of Jacksonville Beach were made by the U. S.Army Engineer Corps. These lights varied in intensity and were measured on board the cutter from seaward by civilian experts using photometers to determine the amount of light constituting a hazard to a merchant vessel passing between a submarine and
a shore light. On one occasion the visibility of various navigational aids was tested. Proceeding to Jacksonville after these tests the cutter underwent repairs until February 28, 191*3, when she returned to her duties on the Southern Ship Lane Patrol. The TALLAPOOSA remained in the 6th Naval District until the fall of 19U5, when she was sent to Curtis Bay, Maryland for decommissioning.

in 1915 at Newport News, Va., and after acceptance and being placed in commission on August 12, 1915, proceeded to her station at Port Eads, La., with headquarters at Mobile, Alabama. The TALLAPOOSA was 165 feet 10 inches in length overall with a 32 ft. molded beam, and a maximum draft of 11 feet. She had a displacement of 961* tons and a gross tonnage of 692. Her hull was of steel and she had a speed of 12 knots. Her oil burning steam engine developed 1000 HP.

The Coast Guard cutter TALLAPOOSA was built by the Newport News Ship building and Drydock Company at Newport News, Virginia. She was launched

ESCORT DUTY

In 1937 the TALLAPOOSA replaced the YAMACRAW at Savannah, Ga., and remainEd in the 6th Naval Dis trict throughout World War 11. Here she engaged in convoy and anti-submarine work. On May 30, June 10, June 21, and 22, 191*2 she searched various areas where submarines had been sighted, but with negative results. On November 1* and 5, 19U2, she was reported searching for a reported submarine, and during the next two days escorting a British steamer en route to Lookout Bight. On the 9th she resumed search for the submarine in the vicinity of Sapelo Island Buoy. On the 13th and llithof November, she escorted another British vessel to Lookout Bight. Standing out from Charleston on November 23, 19U2, the TALLAPOOSA . searched in the area southeast of Charleston Whistle Buoy 2-C for about 15 miles, continuing her search next day before returning to Charleston. At 1800 on the same day she stood out again to search 10 miles N.E. of the wreck of the lighted bell buoy en route to Southport, N. C. On the 25th of November she rendezvoused off Southport, N. C. entrance buoy with the SS CORNELIUS BARNETT and escorted her to Lookout Bight, thence returning to Southport; N. C. On the 26th she patrolled off Frying Pan Shoals and next day escorted the SS HENRY BACON from Bouthport to Lookout
Bight.

CGC TAMPA
(WPG-1*8)

The CGC TAMPA (WPG-W) was built at Oakland, California, in 1921. On July 1, 191*1,, her permanent station was Mobile, Alabama. She was 21*0 feet long, 39 foot beam, and drew 16 feet 6 inches of water, with a dis placement of 1780 tons. She had a gross tonnage C.H. of 1330, a steel hull, and made 16 knots. She was an oilburner with a 2600 H.P. turbine electric en COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION
gine.

ESCORT DUTY

On May 3,

191*2,

she departed

Bluie West One for Ivigtut, and on the Bth began escort ing the SS CHATHAM to Cape Cod Canal, via St. John's where she stopped on the 12th. Losing contact with the CHATHAM in the dense fog on the 16th she regained it near the eastern entrance to the Canal, where she left the vessel and proceeded to Bostoiw JBn.xoute she searched for a submarine reported ^I&tfoiHisfjsS/6 of Stellwagon Banks reaching Boston on the 17th,* "wKore

98

sner eraained for repairs and alterations until the 29th. On May 30, 19U2, she attacked a sound contact as she began escorting the SS MONTROSE to Argentia. The MONTROSE ran aground on Moratties Reef on June 3, 191i2, and the TAMPA floated her with the assistance of two Navy vessels. Escort continued to Greenland where both vessels anchored at Bluie West Eight on June 10, 191i2. After guarding Sohdre Strom Fjord entrance until the lljth the TAMPA proceeded to Ivig tut, boarding four Portuguese fishing vessels en Arriving at Ivigtut on the 16th she r emained route through the 26th guarding the cryolite mine. Return ing to Kungnat Bay she began escorting a three vessel convoy, in company with the MODOC, to Sydney, N. S. On July 1, 19U2, convoy was lost to sight in a dense fog reassembling next day as they entered Sydney Harbor. On July 6,19U2, the TAMPA, with the MODOC, began escorting three vessels to Greenland where she, detached for Bluie West One on the 11th. Proceeding to Kungnat Bay on the 15th, on the 16th she was en route to Sydney escorting two vessels with the MODOC, arriving on the 21st. She departed Sydney on the 26th with convoy SG-3. En route she rendezvoused with HMCS N. V. MeLEAN to proceed to Niger Sound, Labrador, and thence to Resolution Island on July 30, 19U2. Proceeding to Kungnat Bay she remained there until August 5, 191*2, when, with 3 other escorts, she pro ceeded with a convoy to Sydney, arriving on the 10th, when Commander Charles W. Dean, USCG, was relieved by Lt. Comdr. H. W. Stinchcomb, USCG, as commanding officer. On August 15, 19U2, a five vessel convoy was escorted, with the MODOC, to 60 02' N, 60 its' W, known as "Point X" where the escorts left the convoy and stood for Kungnat Bay. On August 25, 19U2, she proceeded to Sydney with three vessels, in company with the MODOC, one vessel proceeding independently to St. John's on the 30th. Arriving Sydney on Sep tember 1, 19^2, the TAMPA began escorting a three vessel convoy to Point X on September U, 19U2, ar riving on September 12 and proceeding to Tunugdliar-; fik Fjord where she remained anchored until the 18th. On September 18, 19U2, with the MODOC she began es corting k vessels for Sydney, the MOHAWK joining next day, and a Navy escort on the 21st. Arriving on the 2Uth she stood out on the 27th with two other escorts of a vessel convoy arriving in Greenland on October 1, 19U2. Departing on the 7th she joined the MODOC in escorting the SS LAKE TRAVERSE to form convoy GS 10 for Sydney, arriving there on the lUth. Leaving Sydney on the 19th she escorted a seven vessel con voy, with two other escorts to Greenland. On the 28tbsba proceeded to Julianehaab with 3 vessels by inland water route returning to Kungnat Bay with one vessel on the 30th. On the 31st the TAMPA was escort ing the k vessel convoy GS-12 to St. John's with three other escorts. On delivering the convoy the TAMPA re joined the other escorts remaining with them until November 7, 19h2, when they detached from GS-12 and intercepted convoy HX-2U4. to escort the LARAMIE and PONTIAC to Argentia arriving there on the Bth. Here TAMPA detached and proceeded to Boston for overhaul. On December 12, 19^2, the TAMPA, having arrived St. John's began escorting a five ship convoy to Green land, detaching for Onoto with one vessel on the 18th. On the 21st she departed Kungnat Bay for St John's with convoy GS-16 reaching Argentia on the 23tij,

DORCHESTER at 0056 veering hard to port and showing numerous small lights. Three minutes later the BIS CAYA fired two green rockets and executed an emer gency turn to starboard. The DORCHESTER had apparent ly been torpedoed at 0100. The position was 59 23 'N, 14.8 U2' W. The ESCANABA reported that the vessel was sinking fast and rescue operations were carried out as the TAMPA departed to escort the rest of the convoy into Skov Fjord arriving there at lhlh and then re turning to the scene of the torpedoing. An armybomber reported attacking a submarine 30 miles south. The TAMPA searched for survivors on the lith, sighting numerous bodies, two swamped lifeboats containing bodies and seven empty life rafts but no signs of life She returned to Narsarssuak on February 6, 19U3

12th. On January lit, 19k3, she departed with the TAHOMA and ESCANABA to escort the six vessel convoy GS-18 to Newfoundland, h vessels detaching for Argen tia, and the escorts picked up a new convoy group at St. John's and arrived at Argentia with them on the 20th. The TAMPA escorted the USS PONTIAC to join con voy ON-161 on the 27th returning to St. John's next day. On the 29th she was underway escorting convoy SG-19, consisting of the SS DORCHESTER, BISCAYA and LUTZ, and in company with the COMANCHE and ESCANABA to Greenland. On February 3, 19U3> she observed the

ESCORT DUTY

other escorts ing on the 27th and proceeding alone to St. John's for emergency repairs. Proceeding to Argentia on the 28th she remained there until March 5, 19U3, when she searched for a sub sighted by a plane and then pro ceeded to St. John's on March 7, 191i3, departing next day with four other escorts and convoy SG-21 for Kungnat Bay and Narsarssuak, arriving at the latter place on March 15, 19U5. On the 18th she departed on escort duty for Argentia arriving there on the 2l*th and left as c scort for Boston arriving on the 29th. She remained at Boston until April 8, 19^3, and after 10 days at Casco Bay arrived at Argentia on April19, 19^3 On the 2l;th she accompanied the MOJAVE to Casco Bay to pick up a convoy of two tugs c ach with a tow and with the COMANCHE escorted them to Argentia, ar On the sth with two other escorts riving May k, 19U3 she took one vessel to Bluie West One, dropping depth charges on a contact en route and mooring on the 12th. On the 17th she began escorting another convoy to Argentia and proceeded to St. John's on the 21tth. On May 29, 19U3, the TAMPA with two other escorts, ac companied the FAIRFAX to Bluie West One, arriving June U, 19U3. On June 12, 191*3, she departed with four other escorts and a 3 vessel convoy.

Engaged in local escort duty until February 22, 19U3, the TAMPA got underway with 5 and the 11 vessel convoy GS-20, detach

191*3
DORCHESTER for St. John's, where she moored until the 6th, the TAMPA with two other escorts continued accompanying 3 vessels to Greenland. The TAHOMA and her convoy detached on the 11th as the ESCANABA went in search of another convoyed vessel lost in the fog. The TAMPA moored at Base One with the third vessel on the JLLth, escorting 6 j-lth, escorting 6 other vessels to Kungnat Bay on the

TORPEDOED~

Leaving Argentia with the TAHQMA on January 1, 19U3,

At 0508 on June 13, t9t&, yellowish white smoke Iws observed and the E&CANABA wa reported on fire. Two minutes later she was seen to sink. The STORIS and SARITAN departed for rescue operations and later re ported three survivors (one of whom died). No sound of an explosion had been heard on the TAMPA'S QC equip ment. A radar search had negative results. The posi tion of the sinking was 60 UB' N, 37 56' W. The TAMPA moored at Argentia on June 17, 19k3. She left there on June 18, 19U3 escorting three vessels with the ALGONQUIN and MOJAVE. At Halifax the TAMPA de tached to return to Argentia with the ALGONQUIN, moor ing there until the 26th when, with the MODOC they be gan escorting the YARMOUTH to Kungnat Bay arriving on June 30, 19U3. After fueling at Gronne Dal, the TAMPA, with the MODOC left for Argentia on the 30th aia-iving there July h, 19h3- Departing on the 9th sne arrived St. John's on the 15 th and was underway same day c scorting a 16 vessel convoy with 6 other escorts to Gronne Dal, arriving on the 20th. On the same day she began escorting the YARMOUTH with two
OF B3CAEAM

SllflgMQ

99

other escorts to Argentia, arriving on the proceeding to Boston, arriving on July 27,

2l*th and 19U3* v

ESCORT DUTY

Undergoing repairs at Boston until August 18, 19k3, the

TAMPA with two other escorts

began accompanying the USS PONTIAC to Gronne Dal, ar riving August 28, 191*3. She proceeded to Frobisher Bay,, Canada, next day and anchored there on August
1

Escorting the FAIRFAX she Bay on September 1, 19^3, and joined

She arrived October 5, 191*3, and proceeding After under going repairs the TAMPA left Argentia on October 12, 19U3, escorting convoy SG-31 with two other c scorts, joined by another on the 13th. The convoy moored at Bluie West One on October 16, 19U3. Next day the TAMPA departed with another escort but was detached and returned to Gronne Dal. Moving to Kungnat Bay on the 20th she departed on the 25th escorting the 16 vessel convoy GS-31* with U other escorts and three escort trawlers. On the 28th three vessels and two escorts detached for Botwood. On the 31st the rest of the convoy arrived at Argentia. On November 1, 19h3> she departed ArgeniAa with eight other escorts and 10 convoyed vessels for Boston, arriving November

convoy GS-28 on the 2nd arriving at St. John's on the sth. On Sep tember 9, 1943, she departed St. John's as one of five escorts for a 15 ship convoy. The TAMPA con tinued escorting the convoy as the Greenland section detached on the 13th and did not reach Greenland until the 16th, with the rest of the convoy continu ing northward. On September 30th the TAMPA with two other escorts accompanied a U vessel convoy to St. John's, dropping 7 depth charges on a contact en

31, 191*3.

left Frobisher

members of the RGAF reported adrift in a rubber life boat 160 miles off the coast of Labrador. The TAMPA searched the reported position until February 17, was ordered to Gronne Dal, arriving 19W*, when on the LUth. From the 22nd she stood by the USAT FAIRFAX, drifting in the ice into Tunugdliarfik Fjord for three days before being able to escort her to Gronne Dal where she arrived on the 26th. The TAMPA departed Gronne Dal February 28, 19l*U, escorting con voy QS-h2 to Boston, En route the MOHAWK was relieved as one of the escorts by the TAHOMA and the convoy moored at Boston on March 6, 19l*U, where the TAMEA underwent repairs until the 31st. On that date the TAMPA and MODOC began escorting the USS KAWEAH to USS YO-65 and USS TINGLE for St. John's. Leaving St. John's on the 7th the TINGLE, on the Bth, was un able to continue because of heavy weather and the convoy put into Trepassey Bay reaching Argentia on the 9th. On the 18th the TAMPA proceeded to St. John's and on the 19th began e scorting SS SCULL BAR to Boston, Mass., where she moored on the 22nd and remained until the 30th. On that date convoy BG-8 was formed consisting of five merchant vessels and two naval oilers, with three corvettes as additional TAMPA joined convoy SG-^1 as escort to Greenland reaching Narsarssuak on the 13th. On May 18, 19hh, she was escorting the two vessel convoy GS-I*6 with an other escort to Argentia, getting underway from there on the 2Uth for Boston. ESCORT DUTY
began escorting the USAT FAIRFAX as convoy BG-9 with two other escorts to St. John's, returning to Boston via Halifax, with the FAIRFAX on the 12th. On the 20th the" TAMPA, again escorted the FAIRFAX as BG-11,
On June 2, escort and reached
Argentia on May U,

Argentia, where on April 5, 19UU, she picked up the

route.

to Argentia moored there the same day.

19l*l*.

Here the

19^U,

the TAMPA

5, 19U3.

NEVADA

SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS

corted the USS PONTIAC to Argentia and then departed with two other escorts for Gronne Dal, arriving on the 17th. On the 19th she departed escorting the 5 ship convoy GS-36 with five other escorts arriving at St. John's on the 2lith. Next day the TAMPA was escorting the SS lARAMIE, with the ALGONQUIN, to Gronne Dal, arriving on the 30th. Departing Gronne Dal on December 7, 191*3, she entered the ice and lay to. Next morning she stood through the ice and began escorting the one vessel convoy GS-38, with the NORTHLAND to St. John's which was reached December 12, 191*3 On the 13th, with the MODOC and COMANCHE she began escorting the SS FAIRFAX to Greenland in convoy SG-39, arriving on the 16th. On December 17, 191*3, she left with the MODOC to search for survivors of the USAT NEVADA reported abandoned and sinking. On the 18th the STORIS joined in the search and on the same date the COMANCHE pick ed up 29 NEVADA survivors and reported that the NEVADA had sunk at 0118. The search continued with out success and except for the 29 survivors, all who hadteen on the NEVADA were believed lost. The vessel returned to Skov Fjord on the 21st. On the 2^th the TAMPA began escorting convoy GS-I*O (FAIRFAX) for St. John's and continuing from there entered Boston on December 31st, 19h3

Departing Boston on November 9, 191*3, the TAMPA es-

with three other escorts to St. John's. On the 27th she was escorting the FAIRFAX as convoy SG-4jB to Ivigtut, Greenland, with two other escorts, being diverted en route to Bluie West Eight. Oh July 2, 19kl*, she proceeded with the FAIRFAX to Gronne Dal, damaging her propeller in the heavy ice in Arsuk Fjord before mooring there on the sth. On the 9th she began escorting convoy GS-i*B to Argentia arriving on July ll*, 19hk* On the same day she departed escorting two ves sels with another escort in convoy SG-I*B for Boston, arriving on July 18, 19l*U, for 5 days availability. On the 25th she departed, two other escorts accompany ing the 5 vessel convoy B-12-A to Argentia .with her. TO HUDSON BAY On August 6th she began es

son and Frqbisher Bays, the convoy receiving intermittent air coverage until the 11th. A rendezvous was effected at 61 18' N, 62 55 'W, 60 miles east of Acadia Bay, Resolution Island, with C.T.U. 21i.18.19 in CGC LAUREL to whom B-13 was

corting convoy B-13 for Hud

transferred,

on the

19UU
SEARCH FOR FLIERS The TAMPA remained at Boston during January, 19UU, under going refitting and repairs. On 'February 1, 191*1*, repairs having been completed, she stood out of Boston Harbor escorting the USAT FAIRFAX to Argentia, in company with the MODOC and COMANCHE, on convoy GS-38. Con tinuing on to Greenland the TAMPA, on the 7th, detach ed and set course for the estimated position of two

another escort. The other escort detached at Argentia and the TAiiPA reached Boston on the 25th. Departing Boston on September 6, 191*1*, the TAMPA began escorting convoy B-15 (FAIRFAX) to St. John's. Two other es corts joined en route^ and a PBY gave air coverage on the Bth and 9th. Reaching St. John's on the 10th the TJSMPA next day set out for Greenland escorting convoy SO-53 (FAIRFAX) with two' other escorts and moored at Bluie West One on the ll^th. She r emained there until the 26th when she proceeded to Bluie West Seven ar riving on the 30th.

lUth. On August 16, 191+1*, the two vessel con voy GS-50 got underway for Boston with the TAMPA and

the TAMPA returning to Bluie West Seven

Sg CONTACT

GS-5U

On October 1, 19hh, the TAMPA stood up Gronne Dal harbor with the 8 vessel convoy accompanied by three other escorts. On October

100

2nd the TENACITY joined as escort, On the 3rd, 9 depth charges were dropped on a sound contact. St. John's was reached on the 6th. On the Bth the TAMPA with two other escorts began escorting a two vessel convoy to Boston arriving on the 11th, where she re mained on availability untilNovember 11, 191*1+, de parting for Casco Bay for training until the 20th. On that date, receiving report of an enemy submarine sighted eight miles from Stratmouth Harbor entrance light, she commenced a search of the area, with Navy blimp and planes joining. Two Navy DD's also joined. Search continued until November 21st without result
and the TAMPA returned to Boston. On November 29,
19hk, she took the USS LARAMIE under escort with an other escort to point "How" (60 00 N U6 j&i w). This was reached on December 7, 19Wi, the TAMPA moor ing at Bluie West One. On the 10th she escorted the LA.RAMIE to Bluie West Seven. On December 13, 19hh, she began escorting a three vessel convoy GS-61 for St. John's. En route the POLARBJORN lagged and the TAMPA detached, contacted her and brought her into St. John's on the 18th. On December 22, 19hh, the TAMPA and another escort took on convoy SG-57 (USAT BELLE ISLE), and moored at Bluie West One on December 31, 191*1*.

-was on duty with the Navy, her permanent station being Rockland, Maine. She is 125 ft. long, 23 ft. 6 in, beam and draws 9 ft. with a displacement of 220 tons. She has a steel hull and does 11 knots, being powered by a UOO HP, die eel, twin screw engine.

ATTACK SOB

191*5
The TAMPA departed Gronne
Dal on January
11, 19U5 and arrived at Boston on the 18th where she underwent availability until January 2"^ Departing Boston on January 30th she a rrived 191*5 at Argentia on February I*, 191*5 She returned to Bos ton February 10, 191*5 and left on the 17th for Argen tia. She arrived in Greenland on March 3, 19U5> and returned to Argentia on March 16, 191*5. Departing for Casco Bay on March 26, 19U5 she remained there until April10, 19U5,^and then proceeded to Argentia arriv ing on the 18th. Returning to Boston on the 22nd, she proceeded on May 3, 19U5, to Coast Guard Yard for 30 days availability. She departed Coast Guard Yard on June 11, 19U5* and departed Boston for Argentia on the 16th arriving on the 19th. AVAILABILITY
departed Argentia for ice patrol on the Grand Banks and continued on this duty, being relieved by the MODOC and MOJAVE periodically, until September 6, 191*5 when she departed Argentia. She departed Gronne Dal for Boston September Ik, 19U5 via Argentia, arriving on the 21st. On September 30, 191*5, she departed Boston for Argentia and on October 11*, 19hS, again arrived at Boston for 1* days availa bility. She arrived again at Argentia October 22, 19U5> and at Boston on November 16, 19U5> when she was given 30 days availability at Coast Guard Yard.
ICE PATROL On June 21,

patrol off the outer harbor entrance to Placentia Bay (Argentia) Newfoundland, a sound contact was made by the TRAVIS. The QC operator pronounced the sound contact distinctly metallic and in all probability a submarine. Changes in ship's heading checked his bearing reports and localized the bearing of the sub marine. The TRAVIS maneuvered for an attack position and dropped one depth charge, The listening device was rendered inoperative and the contact lost. The mechanism was adjusted and the sound contact again picked up and second and third charges dropped. In the meantime an alarm was sent to SOPA at Argentia who dispatched destroyers and planes. A sound con tact was again made and at the same time, a rip, such as might be made by an underwater moving object was apparent on the surface, approximately at reported bearing and distance. A fourth charge was dropped. No further contact was had other than a muffled echo from a disturbed wall of water. An oil film appeared on the Surface in the locality of the last attack. Samples were taken and pronounced fuel oil by appear ance. No bubbles or wreckage was sighted. Destroyers and planes appeared and D-158 apparently made contact about two miles to the southward, dropping ten to four teen depth charges from the rack and V" gun. At 1500 the oil film was still present with a fresh breeze blowing when the TRAVIS departed to board an incoming vessel*

191*2, while on listening

At about 1110 on February 8,

191*5, the TAMPA

19U6
ICE PATROL

-
I*7

Departing Coast Ouard Yard January 12, 19l6, for Boston, the TAMPA proceeded to Argen was placed on ice patrol duty until tia. Hex* she August 8, 19U6, when she proceeded to New Orleans, Key West, Miami and Mayport, Florida, finally ending up at the Coast Guard Yard on January 18, 191*7. She was

sold to Charles M. Barnett, Jr., by the U. S. Maritime Commission .on September 22, 19U7* CGC TRAVIS (WSC-153) COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION The CGC TRAVIS (WSC-153) was built at Camden, New Jersey in 1927 and on July 1, 19ll,

On December 20, 19h2, at 2200 the MOHAWK while en route St. John's from Argentia sighted the TRAVIS assisting the SS MALTRAN. A strong northwest gale was blowing both ships toward a rocky, poorly charted lee shore with no navigational aids. Icing conditions were severe. The TRAVIS requested help, visual signal devices being so iced as to make communications difficult. The MOHAWK assumed charge of assistance operations and prepared to take the MALTRAN in tow, the TRAVIS having parted her hawser and the MALTRAN drifting rapidly toward shore. The TRAVIS was assigned to anti-submarine sound screen ' during the assistance operations. After three un successful attempts the MOHAWK placed a 10 inch manila hawser aboard the MALTRAN and commenced towing at 0315 on December 21, 191*2. The vessels were in dangerous waters due to numerous uncharted reefs and rocks with in one mile of a rocky lee shore. The steering was difficult due to the hawser being led, through stern chucks because of numerous depth charges on the quarter deck. By 0527 the MOHAWK, having towed the MALTRAN well clear of all immediate dangers and about 5 miles from the lee shore, slowed to place a chafing gear on the hawser. The hawser had to be cut during the operation to save the arm of a chief boatswain's mate which had become jammed in it. The MALTRAN was order ed to take the hawser aboard but cut it instead, fearing it would foul her wheel. The USS JUNALASKA attempted to take the MALTRAN in tow and, with the weather moderating, succeeded in doing so, with the MALTRAN using her engines whils the JUNALASKA steered. The MOHAWK and TRAVIS maintained an anti-submarine screen until the MALTRAN was safely within the swept channel of Argentia. (The above constitutes all the material on. the TRAVIS contained in War Diaries). RELIEVED OF TOW

101

CGC TRITON (WPC-116)

nas built at Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 193U. On July 1, 19U1, she was on duty with the Navy her permanent station being Gulfport, Mississippi. She was 165 ft.long, 25 ft. 3 in. beam and drew 9 ft. 6 in. of water with a dis placement of 337 tons. Her hull was steel and she made 16 knots, being powered by a 131*0 HP diesel oil burning twin screw engine.

COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

The CGC TRITON (WPC-116)

of the nerve centers of the District's military or ganizations. To San Juan, therefore, were allocated the Coast Guard cutters UNALGA, MARLON, CRAWFORD, LOTOS and SPRUCE, all being sizeable cutters with fairly adequate armament and anti-submarine fighting facilities. Twenty six other craft, ranging in size from 12 to 83 feet in length were assigned to San Juan and operated from there during the entire time they were attached to the District* CGC VIGILANT (WSC-1&) The CGC VIGILANT (WSC-15U) was built at Camden, New Jersey in 1927. She was fitfitted to service aids to navigation and her permanent station on July 1, 19Ul, was Fort Pierce, Florida. She was 125 ft. long, with 23 ft. 6 in. beam and drew 9 feet of water, displac ing 220 tons. Her hull wa.3 steel and she made 13 knots, powered by a 350 HP diesel, twin screw engine. COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION At 1350 on February 19, 19U2, a radio message was inter cepted from the SS ELIZABETH MASSET that a ship had been torpedoed at 28 06' N, 80 00' W. The VIGILANT was dispatched at ihOO to assist survivors. At 171|2 the MASSET radioed that she had 19 survivors of the SS PAN MASSACHUSETTS and no further assistance was necessary. The VIGILANT continued and at 0555 on February 22, 19U2, sighted a flare off shore east of Melbourne, Florida. At 0800 discovered an overturned lifeboat alongside the burn ing tanker with one man on the bottom. Maneuvered the VIGILANT to within 50 feet of the man when the ship exploded, enveloping the man in flames and spray ing the VIGILANT with oil. Continued search and picked up two survivors very close to the flames, who were transferred to the BIDDLE (DD). Continuing the search she picked up six bodies and transferred them to the BIDDLE. She was relieved of the search at 1700 by the BIDDLE. On May 9, 19U2, the VIGILANT was observed by the NIKE dropping depth charges on a submerged object at 26 35.5'N, 79 58.5'W, thought to be a submarine reported to have been damaged and was headed in a northerly direction off the Florida coast just north of Miami. The NIKE obtained a sound contact at 5000 yards south of this position, and shortly thereafter the VIGILANT radioed she had lost contact. A pattern of five charges was dropped in the wake of the VIGILANT's depth charge attack. Contact was again regain ed south of the first contact, propeller noises were heard and a pattern of two charges dropped well ahead of the contact. No further noises were heard and two more charges were dropped set to go off on the bottom where it was believed the damaged submarine had settled. (The above is all that is available in War Diaries and other reports on the activities of the VIGILANT in World War II). ATTACKS SUB CGC WDODBURY
(TBSC-155)
COMMISSIONING AND DESCRIPTION

MAKES CONTACT

On February 21, 191*2, at 0802, contact was made by the TRITON at 500 yards ahead, while on anti -sub marine patrol in the 7th Naval District. The con tact was lost but was regained at 1830 at I*6o yards.

An attack was made with two depth charges, both set for 50 feet but they failed to explode in 72 feet of water. At 0910 the contact was made at 250 yards and another attack was made with two charges set for fiftyfeet which failed to explode in 78 feet of water. On the 23rd another depth charge set at 50 feet was dropped with negative results. On the 26th two distinct echoes were heard over the sound equip ment and at. 1008, five charges were dropped, pro peller charges being heard momentarily at 1035. Again on February 28, 191*2, contact was made but lost again. PC-liUS and USS HAMILTON joined in the search. At 11*20 the HAMILTON made contact and dropped four charges. At 1502, a positive contact was establish ed by the TRITON who dropped five charges with nega tive results. At 1512, the contact was renewed and six charges dropped. (This is all the material avail able on the TRITON'S activities in World War II). CGC UNAIGA (WAK-185)
was built by the Newport
News Shipbuilding and Dry-
dock Company under a con tract signed June, 1911, for $250,000.00. She was
launched at Newport News, Virginia, on February 10,
1912, Miss Elizabeth Hilles being the sponsor. She was 190 feet long, 32 foot 6 inch, beam molded, with a draft of 3J4. feet 1inch and a displacement of 1181 .tons. Her gross tonnage was 808 tons. She had a steel hull and was steam powered. She was commission ed at Arundel Cove on May 23, 1912. On September 26, 1912, she left Norfolk, Virginia to report to the Commanding Officer, Northern Division, Pacific Coast, travelling via Gibraltar. She arrived at Port Town send on March 2.2, 1913, and was assigned to the Bering
AND DESCRIPTION

COMMISSIONING

The Revenue Cutter UNALGA

Sea Fleet March 27th.

AT SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

During

San Juan being the head quarters of the l)th Naval District, was assigned
more ships and craft than any other single port in
the District, with a view that these vessels would
be best located at the main port of the District,
for its adequate defense in times of emergency in
this way these same units, being extremely mobile, could be assigned temporarily from time to time to threatened areas, or to areas in which submarines were extremely .active, returning to San Juan, when the condition had ceased to exist. Further, they could be made available at any time for special patrols in the vicinity of Puerto Rico proper, or in outlying areas within the boundaries of the District, without undue detriment to the overall defense

World War II the UNAIGA was stationed at

San Juan, Puerto Rico,

The CGC WDODBURT (WSC-155) was built at Camden, New Jersey, and fitted for aids to navi gation. On July 1, 19U1, her permanent station was Galveston, Texas. She was 125 feet long, 23 feet 6 inch beam, and drew 9 feet of water with a displacement of 220 tons. She had a steel hull and made 13 knots, powered with a 600 HP diesel twin screw engine. RESCUES kO SURVIVORS OF TANKER B. H. BLUM
at the

While performing patrol duty entran^Btoithe Chesa- peake'Bay

inVnNNNHHHHP

102

21ii$; on February 16, 19h2, a vessel passed the WOOD BURY headed east and blowing whistles indicating that Shortly afterward at 21h$, an ex it was underway. plosion was heard and then a second explosion. The radioman picked up the distress signals from the sinking vessel, which had either struck a mine or had been torpedoed. The WOODBURYgot underway at 2215, and at 36 57' N, 75 52' W, three miles away, picked up eleven survivors of the U. S. Tanker E. H. BLOT. The BLUM had been out two days and was bound for Houston, Texas. Informed that 3 other lifeboats ware adrift, the ISOODBURY picked them up and by 22U5 had rescued the entire crew of forty men.
after this the CONVOY ESCOET WOODBURY was transferred to Inshore Patrol Duty in the Bth ND and went into drydock there for overhaul and rearmament. On July 27, 19it2, the WOODBURY was detached from the Inshore Patrol and placed "under direct operation of COMEIGHT on convoy escort duty between Mississippi Passes and Galveston. On August 8, 191|2, after searching for two days, the WOODBURY, at 1815 obtained a sound con< tact about 30 miles south of the Mississippi Delta at 28 27' N, 8? 2H W and attacked it. A large oil slick was noted but the contact was lost and al though the results of the attack were unknown, it was believed that a submarine in the vicinity had been seriously damaged. Next day as the WOODBURY resumed patrol in the area, it was covered with diesel and lube oil and granulated cork for two miles. Patches of cork were about 3 feet square. No 3ubmarine was reported as lost at this true or in this position when enemy records were made available after the con clusion of World War 11. On August 2k, 19k2, the Coast Guard cutters WOODBURY and NEMESIS departed Southwest Pass on convoy escort duty to Galveston, leaving Galveston for Southwest Pass on return escort duty on the 27th. On October 25, 19U2, the WOODBURY arrived at Corpus Christi, Texas, with a convoy of six merchant vessels. She arrived at Galveston on the 28th to remain 8 days. SEARCHES FOR SUB On September 1, 191j2, the -WOODBURY was ordered to UNDER COHBIOHT
Shortly

planes were observed. The WOODBURY was in frontal position sweeping with echo ranging apparatus the- area to outboard and in front of the convoy. The sub cross ed over at about 6 knots. The cutter regained contact at 600 yards and dropped a charge at 80 feet after the range failed to operate. When ithad been repaired, no further contact could be established. As the WOOD BORY was the only escort she had to rejoin the convoy to protect it from possible attack, so tha search had to be abandoned. The WOODBURY left New Orleans on November 16, 191*2, for 72 hours availability, return ing on the 20th. On December 18, 19U2, she escorted the western cable repair ship to the Gulf. The HOOD

BURY arrived in Galverton December 2k, 19U2, after being on special duty with the cable repair ship in the Gulf, with another week of the duty in prospect. She completed the duty December 31 19U2, and return ed to Galveston. (The above constitutes the entire record of the WOODBURY in World War II which is avail
able).

NAVY VESSELS USS ACTION (WPG-86)

(Available Records begin March 26, 19hh). The USS ACTION (WPG-86) was of ' one was the Coast Guard manned commissioned November Canadian corvettes.* She 22, 19U2. Her commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. "Her Feldman, USCGR. On March 26, 19l*Ii, she arrived bert InNew York after some months of escort duty, Coast Guard manned, between New York and Guantamano Bay, Cuba. Between March 26, 19hh, and January 6, 19U5 she made nine round trips, escorting convoys between New York and Guantanamo Bay, including two to Key West, Florida.

9 ROUND TRIPS
TO CUBA

\u0084

DECOMMISSIONING

attack a reported submarine. No contact was made, however, at the reported position. On September 2k, 19U2, the WOODBURY departed Port Arthur for Southwest Pass on convoy escort duty. On September 2k, 19k2, she arrived at Mobile and on October 3, 19U3, the CGC 14.66 and WOODBURY escorted a convoy of 12 vessels which joined the east bound convoy off Southwest Pass. On October 16, 19k2, the WOODBURY was ordered to pro vide escort duty for a special convoy of six merchant vessels departing Southwest Pass for Port Arthur. Sin arrived off Sabine on the 17th and proceeded toward Galveston but was relieved as escort in transit and returned to Sabine Section Base. On the 18th she de parted Port Arthur as an escort for a convoy to South west Pass. On the 20th the .WOODBURY arrived Burrwood and on the 22nd escorted vessels joining a convoy off Southwest Pass and proceeded with it to Galveston and Corpus Christi. She arrived at Corpus Christi on the 25th and left on the 27th for Galveston where she on the 28th and remained 8 days. On November T2, 19U2, the cutter escorted tugs and barges to Port St. Joe, Florida, and returned to Burrwood, Louisiana on the 13th. On November 13, 19U2, while escorting a convoy, the WOOD BURY made a sound contact with an enemy submarine at about 81*0 yards. On dropping a depth charge the sub seemed to attempt to evade the attack by crossing courses, passing through the shipts wake. After searching 25 minutes, two CAP ATTACKS SUB

28 50 N, 90 50 W to search for and

position

and June 2k, 19U5 9 she was mgaged on patrol duty in the New. York District, usually 10 days patrol and 10 days layover. She left New York June 20, 19l5, for Charleston, S. C, where on September 8, 19U5 she was decommissioned.

PATROL DUTY

Between January

lit,19U5>

(L^. Each of these eight Coast Guard manned Canadian Corvettes was 20 8 feet long, with a33 foot beam, and a maximum .speed of 17 knots. They had a total cruis ing range of about 7300 miles at an economical cruising speed of about 12 knots. They each carried two 3"/5O caliber HA fire guns, four 20 MM Orlikon rapidfire guns, and three Browning 30 caliber machine guns. For anti-submarine warfare they carried four D/C projectors with roller sacks, each projector with four charges. Astern were two dual racks carrying a total of kO charges and two storage racks carrying 18 charges. The A/S projector (Hedgehog) had a capacity of 2k charges and the d/C a capacity of 72* Mark VJ

depth charges.

USS ALACRITY (IPG-S7) The USS ALACRITY (WPC-87), one of the eight Canadian corvettes which the Coast Guard manned during -World War 11, was commissioned December 10, 19U2. On June 17, 19U3, Lt. Comdr. R. F. Rea, USCG, and a Coast Guard crew relieved the ship's company on the ALACRITY at Succeeding commanding South Boston, Massachusetts. officers were Lt. Thomas A. Cosgrove, USCG, and Lt. R. A. McCurdie, USCG. Until July 22, 19k3, was spent in deperming and making other preparations during COAST GUARD MANS CANADIAN COhMKil'^

103

dtfMip

which the ALACRITY remained at various anchorages in Boston and vicinity. On July 22, 19U3, the ALACRITY proceeded to Bermuda where she engaged in exercises until August IU, 191*3, when she departed for Staten Island, New York, to undergo repairs. On August 30, 191*3, the ALACRITY proceeded on con voy station en route from New York to Cuba. On September Ist she was ordered to depart from convoy and for three days searched for an enemy submarine arriving at Norfolk September Uth for engine repairs. On the 12th she was under way for Staten Island and from there escorted a Bri tish tanker to Boston, returned to Staten Island on the 18th. After repairs at Brooklyn Navy Yard the ALACRITY was underway on September 29, 191*3 in con voy en route Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she arrived October 6, 191*3. On October 10, 19U3, she was one of a four ship escort of six vessels which departed for New York, being joined on the 11th by a convoy of 27 more ships whose escorts they relieved. Arriving at Staten Island on October 18, 19U3, she again departed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with a convoy of merchant ships as one of five escorts, (Record between Octo ber 30, 191*3 and March 30, 19l*U not available)
ON ESCORT DOTY

hedgehog followed by another 3 minutes later. A six hour search was then conducted without regaining con tact. No record of an enemy submarine destroyed in that position on that date, however, was noted in enemy records uncovered after the war. Although the U-boat escaped, the attack by the BRISK probably fru strated an attack on the convoy.

ESCORT DUTY ATTACKS SUB

lit MONTHS OF

ESCORT DUTY DECOMMISSIONING

From March 30,

trips between Guantanamo Bay (including one to Key Y/est) and return, escorting coastwise convoys under the Eastern Sea Frontier. De

she arrived at New York until May 18, 19U5, the ALACRITY made twelve round

19kk>

when

The BRISK was underway again on August 7, 19U3, escorting 28 ships in convoy GN-76 to New York. On August 20, 19<!*3, she departed New York with the INTENSITY, PC-I*BU and PC-553 escorting convoy NG-381 consisting of lit ships to Guantanamo. On the morning of August 27, 191*3> she dropped depth charges and made a hedgehog attack on a contact and then searched the area but without Again on August 31, 191*3, she was enroute results. to New York escorting the 2i* ship convoy GN-81, ar riving on September 8, 191*3. She departed on the 19th with the 30 ship convoy NG-387 for Guantanamo, four LCl's joining on the 20th. On October 1, 191*3> she began escorting the 22 ship convoy GN-87 to New York, arriving on the 9th. On the lsth she was again under way with 1* other vessels escorting convoy NG-392 to Cuba, merging with another convoy on October 21st and arriving same date She returned to New York October 26, 1943, escorting convoy GN-72 to New York, (Re between November 1, 191*3, and March 17, 191*1*, cords
are not available)

15 ROUND TRIPS
TO CUBA DECO MISSIONING

parting New York for Boston on June 11, 19U5, she left there on July 10, 19i*5j for Charleston, South Carolina, arriving August 13, 19U5>, one day before VJ-day. Here she was decommissioned October I*, 19i*5
USS BRISK

between New York and Guantanamo, Cuba, escorting con voys under the "Eastern Sea Frontier. She was decom missioned at CharDe ston October 9, 191*5

for decommissioning,

for Charleston, via Norfolk, the BRISK made 15 round trips

Between March 17, 19l*l*, when she arrived in New York from convoy escort duty to June 11, 191*5, when she left New York

(WFG-89)

COAST GUARD
MANNED

The USS BRISK (WPG-89) was COMMISSIONING

USS HASTE (WPG-92) The USS HASTE (WPG-92) one of the Canadian Corvettes turned over to the Navy and manned by the Coast Guard, was commissioned on April 6, 191+3 at Quebec, Canada. Her commanding officer on March 30, 19U*, was Lt. James S. Ramsey, Jr., USCGR. The corvette remained at Quebec until May 5, 191*3, and then got underway for Boston, patrolling a station in a convoy en route. She arrived at Boston on May 11, 19U3, and remained there during. May 191*3. (Re ports from June 1, 191*3, to March 30, 19hh, are not
available)

one of the Coast Guard manned Canadian Corvettes. She was commissioned Decem ber 6, 191*2. On June 23, 191*3, a Coast Guard officer assumed command as she was moored at Staten Island, New York. Other commanding officers were Lt. Comdr.

Glenn L. Rollins, USCGj Lt. Comdr. Joseph H. Hant mann, USCG and Lt. B. G. Weeks, USCGR. ESCORT DUTY
CHARGES SUB

The BRISK got underway

escorting a convoy to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On July 7, 191*3, from the main convoy to take three mer to the same destination, affording pro

Jul y !>

she separated chant vessels tection to the disabled SS WILCOX. She departed

8 ROUND TRIPS

ON ESCORT DUTY

Guantanamo July 13, 191*3j escorting Convoy GN-71 which arrived at New York on the 20th. Departing again on July 26, she escorted, as one of five escorts, another 27 vessel convoy for Guantanamo, NG-376. On August 1, 191*6, she made a radar contact at I*ooo yards at 2350 and while developing it made a sound contact at 2800 yards. The radar contact was temporarily lost at 1100 yards and the BRISK reduced speed assuming the target had submerged. At 800 yards radar indications
were again received and the corvette increased speed to 15 knots intending to ram. Immediately, there after a great swirl of white water was sighted dead ahead. There was no time for a deliberate attack with ahead throwing weapons, but an 8 charge depth charge pattern was dropped at 0010, August 2, 191*3 > Then the BRISK was followed by a hedgehog attack. forced to turn away' to avoid the convoy. A light explosion was heard 33 seconds after firing the

tanamo Bay and return, one to Key West and return and one to St. John's, Newfoundland and return. On November 16, 19hh, she was assigned to patrol duty, Eastern Sea Frontier, and in this capacity was absent on patrol duty for 10 day periods in the New York area, returning for several days in port at New York, until May 22, 191*5, when she made two round trips to St. John's on convoy escort duty. PATROL DUTY EASTERN SF.A FRONTIER DECOMMISSIONING she was decommissioned she arrived at Charles ton on July 5, 19U5, where on October 3, 191*5.

The HASTE made eight round trip voyages escorting con voys from April 6, 191*1*, to Hoveniber ll*, 19l*U, 6 to Guan

191*5,

Departing New York on July 2,

104

THE CCAST GUAHD MANNED CORVETTE INTENSITY

SLIDES THROUGH THE SEA WITH ITS CREW READY FOR A FIGHT

THE BUSY COAST GUARD PATROL GUNBOAT MIGHT SPEEDY AND PACKING PLENTY OF PUNCH RESTS IN AN ATLANTIC COASTAL HARBOR

105

USS INTENSITY
(7JPG-93)

ESCORT DUTY

COMMISSIONING

The USS INTENSITY (WPG-93) one of the Canadian Cor

vettes turned over to the

Navy and Coast Guard manned was commissioned at Quebec, Canada, on March 31, 1943. Her commanding officer

who assumed command June Morrison, TJSCG. ESCORT DUTY

17, 1943, was Lt. Harold F.

On March 19, 1943, the MIGHT departed Staten Is land on the first of a long series of round trips from New York to Guantanamo Bay. These trips extended until December 30, 1944, each round trip occupying about a month. During this period of approximately 22-jr months the MIGHT, with
other escorts brought hundreds of merchant vessels
safely to Guantanamo, on the southbound and New York
on the northbound trips.

On January 5, 1945, the

MIGHT departed New York
on the first of a series
of patrols under the Eastern Sea Frontier, each extend ing for about 10 days at sea followed by 10 days in

She remained at Quebec until May 5, 1943, when she departed for Boston, with the USS HASTE and USS ALACRITY escorting the SS ESSEX LANCE. The INTENSITY lost contact with the convoy and put into George Bay, Nova Scotia, next night. The other vessels stood in on the following day. Departing May 9, 1943, she stopped at Halifax and proceeded to South Boston arriving May 11, 1943. After various tests she proceeded to Bermuda with the HASTE for shakedown exercises, arriving July 12, 191*3. Returning to Staten Island, New York, on August 5, 1943, she began screening a convoy for Guantanamo Bay on August 20, 1943, arriving there on the 2dth. On the 31st she began a return trip on escort duty with another convoy, arriving at New York, September 8, 1943 On September 19, 1943, she began screening the 29 ship convoy NG-387 with 4 other escorts for Guan tanamo Bay, Cuba, returning with Convoy GN-8? on October 1, 1943, dropping some vessels at Baltimore and Philadelphia, and arriving at New York with the rest October 9, 1943. She departed New York October 15, 1943, with convoy NG-392 for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, transferring some of the convoyed vessels to convoy GAT -94 on October 21, 1943, and proceeding to Guantanamo with the rest. On October 26, 1943, she began screening the 6 ship convoy GN-92, relieving escort of convoy TAG-92 same day, while en route for New York. (Records of movements of the USS INTENSITY between October 31, 1943, and March 17, 1944, are not

PATROL DUTY

port.

DECOMMISSIONING decommissioned

on October 9,

On June 21*, 1945, the MIGHT left New York for Charles ton, S. C, where she was

1945

USS PERT (wpg-95) The USS PERT (WPG-95) one

of the eight Coast Guard
manned Canadian Corvettes
was commissioned July 23, 1943, at Quebec, Canada.
Remaining at Quebec the PERT took aboard ammunition
on August 9, 1943, in readiness for the Quebec Con ference.

On September 7, 1943, the PERT, with the USS PRUDENT

departed Quebec for Hali fax, N. S. On the 9th a
sound contact was made
off Gaspe Peninsula. The PERT tried to run down the contact but couldn't hold it
due to poor contact and water conditions. She aban doned search as the radar was inoperative and her in experienced sound men were afraid of running down the
PRUDENT in the fog. The PERT and PRUDENT reached
Halifax on September 11, 1943, and on the 16th de parted
for Boston. Two sound contacts en route turn .cd out to be whales. A third contact was lost but believed to be a wreck or a shoal. She reached Bos ton September 18, 1943, and remained there undergoing
refitting and repairs until October 24, 1943, when
she departed on her shakedown cruise at Bermuda. Her
commanding officers were Lt. Comdr. Geo. E. Stephanson,
USCGR/who was s cceeded by Lt. William p. Clark.
TO BOSTON A CONTACT COMMISSIONING

available)

14 ROUND TRIPS TO CUBA

escorting

May

made 14 round trips to Guan tanamo, Cuba from New York, convoys. This duty was interspersed with five weeks of patrol duty in the New York area for Eastern Sea Frontier between November 5, 1944, and December 14, 1944.

Between March 17, 1944, and 22, 1945, the INTENSITY

DECOMMISSIONING
there on the 29th. October 3, 1945.

On June 26, 1945, the INTENSITY left New York for Charleston, S. C, arriving She was decommissioned there on

ESCORT DUTY
as escort
to convoy

USS MIGHT

(WPG-94)

COMMISSIONING

The USS MIGHT (WPG-96), one

of the Canadian Corvettes

turned over to the Navy and manned by the Coast Guard, was commissioned December 22, 1942. Her first Coast Guard commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. Joseph P. Martin, USCG, who was follow ed by Lt. Comdr. Paul A. Artman, USCG. He in turn was followed by Lt. George V. Stepanoff on July 7, 1944, Lt. Marion M. Mitchell on May 15, 1945, and Lt. Gordon P. Hammond on June 22, 1945. The MIGHT was at South Boston on February 1, 1943, being fitted out, loading ammunition and making trial runs, deperming and con ducting other activities. On March 7, 1943, she de parted for Staten Island.

1208^

On November 30, 1943, one of the ships of the convoy SS GYPSUM KING (Br.) was torpedoed at 0957. The PERT received a sound contact and expended 24 hedge hogs with no result. On December 1, 1943, she investi gated another sound contact which was lost and not regained. At 1106 another contact was heard and at 1126 the PERT dropped 8 charges with negative results. She boxed in the area but did not regain contact. At a third contact was heard and she dropped 8 charges with no results. On the 4th she reached Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,

SHIP TOitPEDOED CONTACTS ATTACKED

NG-401, for Guantanamo

November 20, 1943, the PERT was underway on the 28th

Bay,

Returning to New York on

Cuba.

ESCORT DUTY EASTERN SEA FRONTIER

duty

From November 28, 1943, to November 6, 1944, the PERT was on catjuupus escort

with^l^gias^gjgjfcp

106

Frontier, escorting coastwise convoys between New York, Guantanamo Bay and Key West. Many contacts
were attacked.

SEARCHES FOR SUBMARINE

New York on November 12, 19UU, the PERT entered upon patrol duty in the New York area and remained in that area on 10 patrols, with the exception of three trips to Boston, until June 11, 19Uf>. On that day she departed for Boston and then for Charleston, S. C. PATROL DUTY
Departing

DECOMMISSIONING

h, 19h$.
USS PRUDENT

She was decommissioned at Charleston. S. C. October

(WPG-96)

COMMISSIONING

was commissioned at Quebec August lit, 19U3. On September 7, 19U3, she departed for Halifax and Bos ton, arrived at the latter place on September 18, 19H3. Her commanding officers were Lt. Olaf L. Laveson, USCG, succeeded by Lt. Robert L. Overman,

The USS PRUDEIff (WPG-?6) one of the Coast Guard manned Canadian Corvettes,

The FOOLE departed for New York on November 27, 19h3, arriving on the 3Oth Two days later she was escorting a convoy to Hampton Roads, Va. Moor ing at Naval Operating Base, Norfolk on December 3rd, she was attached to COTCLANT for training of destroy er escort crews. On December lUth she was ordered to sea to search for a submarine reported sighted off the Virginia coast, in company with USS HARVESON (DE-316) That night, in a blinding snow and rain with rough seas and high winds, the HARVESON reported being rammed, by the Liberty Ship SS WILLIAMT. BaRRY with her #1 and #2 engine rooms flooded. The POOLE stood by to give assistance, but the HARVESON was able to proceed under her own power, using only one screw, and arrived safely in Norfolk the next afternoon. After a fruitless all night search the POOLE was ordered back to Norfolk, encountering the WILLIAMT. BARRY on her way back and escorting her into the swept channel.

19kh
ESCORTS CONVOY TO GIBRALTAR

USCGR.
ESCORT DUTY The PRUDENT was on escort convoy under the Eastern Sea
duty with coastwise

Frontier from November, 19i3, until December 21, 19kht escorting convoys to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and return to New York. PATROL DUTY She departed New York Janu ary 3, 19hf>, for a period
of patrol duty in the New

York area that took her to sea for 10 day intervals until May 7, 19U5* Only one escort trip was made during this time when she left New York, February 20,

The POOLE left Norfolk on December 19th, 19h3t escorting the USS TARAZED (AF-13) to New York. On the 22nd she was again underway for Norfolk with the New York section of African bound convoy UGS-28. An choring off Norfolk on December 23rd, the convoy pick ed up more merchant ships, and by Christmas Eve was well out to sea, with the USS POOLE (DE-1$1), USS KIRKPATRICK (DE-318) and USS LEOPOLD (DE-319) forming Escort Division 22, of Task Force 61. The convoy consisted of 6U ships in 13 columns. The trip was without incident and on January 10, 19U1), the American escort group was relieved in the Strait of Gibraltar by a British escort group and the POOLE with her sis ter escorts proceeded to Casablanca arriving there on
January 11th,

19Ulu

19U5,

for San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo Cuba, returning to New York on March 15, 19U5.

Bay,

DECOMMISSIONING

On June 23, 19h$, she left New York for Charleston, S. C, where she was de

commissioned October 11, 19U5.

USS POOLE
(DE-1S1)

ESCORT DIVISION 88

The Coast Guard manned destroyer escort USS POOLE (DE-151) was commissioned at Orange, Texas, on 29 September, 19U3. Built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, Texas^ she was named for Minor Butler Poole, gunner's mate first class, v. S. Navy, killed in action aboard the USS BOISE at the Battle of Cape Esperance, October 11 12, 19U2, and later awarded the Navy Cross, posthumously, for extra ordinary heroism. After being outfitted at Galveston and New Orleans, the POOLE was designated flagship of Escort Division 22, and the Division Commander, Comdr. W. W. Kenner, USCG, reported aboard. Under command of Lt. Comdr. R. D. Dean she arrived at Bermuda on Octo ber 2k, 19h3> for shakedown, including gunnery, A.S.W. exercises, ship handling, fueling at sea, towing, damage control drills, and numerous other tasks. At the end of four weeks the POOLE departed for Charles ton for post shakedown availability in the Navy Yard effecting minor repairs and routine check up.
AND SHAKEDOWN

COMMISSIONING

13, 19hh, Task Force 61 formed a scout ing line and swept through the Straits of Gibraltar until past Europa Point, and then the area west of Tarifa Light. They continued scouting throughout the night as enemy submarine activity had been reported in this area, and it was believed that one or more submarines were attempting passage of the Strait into the Mediterranean. On the morning of the LUth, Escort Division 22, plus USS BA3BER, continued the patrol which was later shifted to a small area along the north coast of the strait and continued throughout the night. Escort Division 22, with Escort Division 5, relieved British vessels of the escort of convoy GUS-27 on January 16th and the 50 ship convoy passed out of the Straits and headed for the United States. On the 19th an enemy sub was reported to be in the immediate area and another 200 miles southward. The MISSION BAY (CVE) and four escorts joined the Task Force on the 20th and departed next day in search of a reported submarine. Intercepted MF/DF signals were identified as coming from the Brest radio. On February Ist, a northwesterly gale caused the convoy to straggle and the POOLE left the screen to round up stragglers, the majority rejoining by the afternoon of the 2nd. Next day the POOLE detached with Escort Division 22 and 16 merchant ships of the Delaware Section and on. the Uth the POOLE proceeded to Gravesend, New York, moving to the Navy Yard next day for ten days a vailability.
RETURNING TO U.S.

HITS GALE

Getting January

underway again on

USS LEOPOLD IS~TO"RPEDOED

On completion of availability, the POOLE proceed ed

to

Casco

Bay, Maine,

107

for training exercises, and on the 27th was again in New York. Here all the ships of Escort Division 22 were assembled together for the first time. They included the POOLE (DE-l5l), PETERSON (DE-152) HARVESON <|3E-316), JOYCE (DE-317), KIRKPATRICK (DE The six vessels, forming 318) and LEOPOLD (DE-319) Task Group 21.5, on March Ist took screening station on the 27 ship convoy CU-16. On the 2nd the PETERSON was detached to search astern for a member of the armed guard of the SS SANTA CECILIA, who had been lost overboard, but returned without success. On the Bth the LEOPOLD reported an HF/DF intercept which in dicated an enemy submarine with 100 miles of the con voy and close to its route, which was consequently altered. On the th, at 19$0, the LEOPOLD reported a radar contact at 8000 yards, which placed it about 7 miles south of the convoy, and assisted by the JOYCE proceeded to intercept. Ten minutes later the LEO POLD was torpedoed, breaking in half and sinking dur ing the night. After the torpedoing, the JOYCE re mained in the vicinitjr to search for the submarine and rescue survivors. The JOYCE picked up twenty eight survivors. Three torpedoes were fired at her during the rescue operations. The submarine was thought to be a unit in the patrol line reported runn ing north and south of the vicinity in which the LEOPOLD was torpedoed at 58 hh' N, 25 50' W. On the 10th the convoy was in good formation, and four tankers were dispatched to proceed to Barry Roads at full speed. The convoy arrived off the north coast of Ireland on March 11, 19UU, and the escort vessels, relieved by British vessels anchored in Lough Foyle off Moville. The JOYCE, who had rejoined during the afternoon was ordered to Londonderry so that two of the LEOPOLD survivors could be hospitalized. The POOLE proceeded to Lisahally, North Ireland, on March 12th, together with the four remaining destroyer es corts of Escort Division 22. The USS HJRRO'YS (DE-I) reported. on the lUth for temporary duty with the

The JOYCE picked up 31 survivors from ths PAN PENN SYLVANIA and 12 German submarine crew members, -who were made prisoners of war. The PETERSON picked up 25 survivors from the torpedoed vessel, which was abandoned, burning and adrift. The three escorts rejoined the convoy. At first it was thought that the GANDY would have to return to port because of the

damage sustained in ramming the submarine but she repaired the damage and continued with the Task Group. On the 2l*th the HARVESON and KIRKPATRIGK were detached to hunt for a submarine which had been attacked by aircraft. On the 26th vessels were detached for Clyde, Lough Ewe and Avonmouth, and the convoy arrived off Oversay and proceeded down North Channel, while proceeded to Lisahally, to remain there until the end
of April. ICEBERG SIGHTED ON RETURN TO UNITED STATES the POOLE and other vessels

of Escort Division 22

division. The FOOLS, along with the other five vessels of Es cort Division 22, departed Lisahally on March 16, 1914i,. and reported at Moville, leaving next day to rendez vous with convoy UC-16, west of Oversay. A British escort group was sweeping 8 miles ahead. A message was received on the 22nd that an enemy submarine might cross the convoy track on that date. The heav ing pounding of the escorts made sonar gear useless but at 1600 a message from a British escort reported sighting a submarine and a torpedo. The message was believed to come from convoy ONS-31j 70 miles to the north, and no further developments occurred. Two vessels were detached on the 26th, one for Aruba and one for Halifax. Two vessels were detached for Phila delphia on the 28th and the rest of the convoy entered Ambrose Channel, New York the same day. The POOLE and the other escorts remained in New York Navy Yard the ra3t of March on availability.
RETURN TO UNITED STATES THREE ESCORTS SINK A SUBMARINE

The POOLE left Lisahally on May 2, 19UU, with Task Group Commander of Task Group 21.5 (Escort Divi sion 22) on board, together with destroyer escorts GANDY, KIRKPATRICK, JOYCE, and PETERSON, and rendezvoused with convoy HARVESON UC-21, which consisted of 27 vessels. Because of the unfavorable submarine situation, the British Escort Group One consisting of five escort vessels took station 8 miles ahead of. the convoy. An iceberg ' was sighted 15 miles south of the convoy on the Bth. On fog and plane coverage was the 9th there was a dense furnished for 16 hours, one of the planes picking up a radar contact 50 miles astern of the convoy. The HARVESON, PETERSON and JOYCE were sent to sweep astern and three British escorts were later ordered to aid in the search. The group returned to the search on the 10th. . After detaching vessels for Aruba, Hampton Roads., Philadelphia and Wilmington, the convoy arrived in New York on the 12th, the six vessels of the Task Group remaining on availability through the 22nd. Lt. Comdr. Louis H. Thayer re lieved Lt. Comdr. R. D. Dean on May ldth, 19hk, as commanding officer of the POOLE. After five days of training and exercises in the New London area, the POOLE, with Escort Divi sion 22, returned to New York on May 27, 19hh, to prepare for convoy duty, On the 30th they met the 3^ ship convoy CU-26 off Sandy Hook. The aircrafti rcraf t carrier HMS RULER guarded -the stern of the convoy. On June Bth the KIRKPATRICK and JOYCE were assigned to sweep on the right Hank of the convoy. On the 10th the Task Group was relieved of escort duty and CONVOY TO IRELANB
proceeded to Lisahally. until the 16th of June.
RETURN TO UNITED STATES
They moored at Londonderry

The POOLE, with the rest of the Task Group, left

Leaving New York Navy Yard on AprilBth, 19hh, the

POOLE engaged in exercises in the New London area and then repaired to the Section Base, Staten Island, where the USS GANDY (DE-76U) reported for duty with Escort Division 22, which left on the 15th to ren dezvous with *he 28 ship convoy CU-21. Two vessels in the convoy collided in a heavy hog and had to return. On the 16th the SS PAN PENNSYLVANIA was hit by a torpedo on the port side, and the GANDY, JOYCE and PETERSON were ordered to sound sweep the vicinity. The PAN PENNSYLVANIA^ crew abandoned the vessel as fire broke out in the engine room. At O9UB the JOYCE reported a sound contact and dropped depth charges nine minutes later. Six minutes later the submarine surfaced and the GANDY rsmaed and sunk it.

to rendezvous with convoy UC-26. On the 17th the POOLE had a possible sound contact which she closed, while the HARVESON and KIRKPATRICK passed through the convoy to assist her a s she regained contact astern of the convoy. The POOLE dropped one depth charge pattern a^ the KIRKPATRICK two patterns but the results of all operations were negative. On the 21st the convoy was diverted because of a submarine in the vicinity of the track, and the JOYCE and HARVESON were sta tioned ahead to conduct a sweep. On the 25th vessels were detached for Trinidad, Aruba, and Baton Rouge. On the 26th two vessels detached for Hampton Roads escorted by the PETERSON. On the 27th five vessels proceeded independently to Philadelphia. The rest of the convoy arrived at Ambrose Lightship the same day and the escorts were granted availabiJj^y through the 30th. On July sth, Commander Roberta

19hh,

Londonderry on June 16,

the

li 6ship

Russefi!?i?fi

108

relieved Captain W. W. Kenner as division and escort commander. CONVOY TO IRELAND

Availability for Escort Division 22 continued until

July 6, 19hh, when they engaged in firing exercises 20 miles south of Montaul: Point for two days, return ing to Brooklyn until the 10th. On that day they proceeded to the swept channel to meet the 35 ship convoy CU-31 and then proceeded across the Atlantic without special event, arriving at Lisahally on the

21st.

RETURN TO UNrTED STATES

The Escort Division rendezvoused with two sections totalling 31 ships of con voy TJC-31 on July 26, 19hh, the two sections joining into seven columns on the 27th. On August 3rd two vessels were detached to proceed independently to Halifax and next day five mere were detached to proceed independently to Boaton and other destinations. As another was detached on the sth the convoy was proceeding to New York through the swept channel, the entire Escort Division being granted availability through the 13th of August. SS JACKSONVILLE
IS TORPEDOED TW) SURVIVORS

broke out of line. Four hours later the storm was so intense that all semblance of formation was lost* Heavy veather and poor traffic control made it diffi cult to get a message through on the plight of the By 2000 the barometer had dropped to 28.62. vessels. Two hours later it started rising and the wind de creased to 30 knots. By 0l;00 on the 15th seven ship's were still in the POOLE "s vicinity, and these, to gether with three each in the vicinity of the HARVE SON and KIRKPATRICK were ordered to proceed to a ren dezvous point, before entering the New York swept channel. Others were ordered to proceed independently to destinations. From the 16th to the 28th all ships of the escort division had availability at the Navy Yard, New York. Exercises in the New London area be 2an on the 2bth and continued through October 3, 19hh.

CONVOY TO FRANCE

On October
Group

6, 1914t,

Task

of USS DORAN (DD-63U), the

destroyer escorts POOLE,

21.5

consisting

The PooLE,with the rest of the Escort Division,departed for Ne:? London training
area on August

tanker SS JACKSONVILLE of the Loch Ewe section, had an explo sion from an undertermined source, as she was break ing off from the port side and about 3000 yards from the main body of the convoy, A spray of water from the port side of the vessel was immediately followed by two tremendous detonations and in about five se conds the entire ship was enveloped in flames and very quickly broke in two. The POOLE proceeded to the area and dropped life rafts for possible survi vors. Later she picked up the only two survivors. They had swum underwater through the flames to safety. Both were badly burned, one having a leg broken. The attempt to sink the stern section of the JACKSONVILLE by laying depth charges from X guns under itwas without success. i POOLE, PETERSON, KIRK 'he PATRICK and OSWALD formed a scouting line and search ed the area, proceeding to Londonderry on the 31st.
The POOLE, with Escort Division 22, departed Londonderry for Belfast on September 3, 19hh, and on the Uth stood out of Bel fast to rendezvous with the 30 ship convoy UC-36. Early on the 11th the JOYCE and PETERSON intercepted a transmission which placed a sub about 19 miles frcm the convoy and the HARVESON took a position 6 miles from the convoy, which took an evasive course. On the 14th a storm of hurricane force had been fore cast and the convoy was reduced to four columns. By afternoon the wind, now E by S had increased to I+o knots with the barometer down. Visibility was less than 200 yards with heavy rains and mist whipped up from the seas. By 1900 the wind had increased to 70 knots and some vessels had steering difficulties and HOMEWAHD BOUND

doppler and attack speed range rate made doubtful. a On the 30th five vessels were Loch Ewe, with the JOYCE and HARVESON as At 151+9 on August 30, 19lUi, the gasoline

and after two days of exer cises returned to Brooklyn. The USS OSY/ALD (DE-767) reported for duty with the Division on the lBth as relief for the QANDY which was detached. On the 19th the Division rendezvoused with the 31 ship convoy CU-36. On the 28th the POOLE dropped an urgent pattern on sound contact. Four additional runs were made on good echoes, but lsck of
these runs

lii, 19UU,

KIRKPATRICK, JOYCE,HARVESON, PETEFiSON, OSWALD, EBERT, BURROWS and SLATER stood out of New York harbor to rendezvous with the 31 ship convoy CU-ii2, three more ships joining later from Boston. On the 9th hedge hog attacks were made on a sonar contact with nega tive results. On the 15th, eight ships with five escorts were detached for South England and French ports, one being detached for Plymouth with 3 escorts on the 16th. On the 17th the POOLE proceeded with two ships for Cherbourg, and PETERSON with one for Solent. The other four proceeded to Southend es corted by H.M.S. VTMY. The POOLE returned to Ply mouth the same evening.
LORAN

detached for
escorts.

taking ovei~ the escort of a merchant vessel, and proceeded with her to ren dezvous with the remainder of convoy UC-U2 (B) The joined from Plymouth and on the 26th they PETERSON proceeded on course and on the same day joined the Irish Sea section of eight ships escorted by the JOYCE and HARVESON. On October 27th the convoy al tered course after receiving bearings on a possible submarine, Ik miles on the starboard beam. Return ing to the track on November Ist, a radar contact was picked up on the 2nd, which apparently origina ted from pickets of eastbound convoy CH-U5 Loran checks at 01^5 indicated that the Escort Division was about 5 miles south of its line and after the radar contacts the course was changed. This still made the passing close as the CU-U5 was about 12 miles north of its line Sights had been unavailable for two days and had it not been for the use of Loran, the escort division's position would have been doubtful. A thick fog began setting in on the Uth and convoy speed was decreased as it formed s double column to enter the New York swept channel.

AVERTS
COLLISION

On October 2U, 19U1+,

the POOLE moved to Portsmouth

CONVOY SCATTERED BY HURRICANE

and five days in the train ing area, the POOLE pro ceeded to New York and on November 23, 19UU, departed to rendezvous with the 27 ship convoy CU~l*6, as a unit of Task Group 21.5. From the 26th to the 29th there was some straggling because of heavy seas. On December 2nd the convoy reduced speed to rearrange for breakoff On the Uth one vessel, with escort, detached for Plymouth, an other, with escort for Cherbourgh, and three were in the Thames section, with an escort. The other es corts proceeded with Southampton and Solent shi ps later returning to Plymouth. The POOLE and PiiTEftSOI'I remained at Plymouth, with the HARVESON and JOYCE at

CONVOY TO FRANCE

After 10 day availability

Greenock, Scotland,

through

December 10th.

109

RETURN TO

South Wales, to rendezvous with the Milford section of convoy UC-4jB B. While the RAMSDEN escorted a ship from Swansea to the ren dezvous point, the POOLE and PETERSON proceeded -with two ships and rendezvoused with four Irish Sea sec tion ships escorted by the JOYCE and HARVESON. On the 13th the JOYCE fired two hedgehog patterns on a contact and the POOLE an urgent pattern but was un able to regain contact. From the 16th the vessels were affected by rough seas, the wind reaching gale force on the 20th, with one of the convoy vessels pounding badly. Loran fixes placed the convoy 30 miles north of its line. The wind and sea moderated on the 21st. Vessels detached for Halifax and Nor folk and on the 23rd the convoy altered course to clear another convoy standing into the swept channel of New York. The Task Unit proceeded to the Navy Yard and were on availability for the balance of Dec
ember*

On December 11th, 19kU, the POOLE, PETERSON and RAMSDEN proceeded to Milford Haven,

3rboard 2nd another vessel reported a man overboard and the BBEBT located and picked the man up in a very short time. On the 10th, vhe Irish Sea section of 11 ves vels -with the POOLE, HARVESON and three Navy escorts, detached, and proceeded to Liverpool where they re mained until March ll+th. RETURN TO UNITED STATES

rendezvous with the Irish Sea section of convoy UC-60A. On the 16th the Bristol Channel section of seven ships, escorted by the HARVESON and SLATER joined, and later contacted the English Channel section. Re turning to Liverpool on the 17th they met the Mersey section of convoy UC-608 on the 18th and joined the rest of the convoy on the 19th. On the 27th the POOLE had a sound contact and dropped a depth charge pat tern on it but was unable to regain it, so the results were negative. On the 29th the convoy stood up the New York swept channel and the escorts went on availa bilityat the Navy Yard until April10th. CONVOY TO ENGLAND
On April 10, 19k$, Commander J. L. Steinmetz, USCG, reported aboard the POOLE, re lieving Commander R. J.

pool on March 15, 19U5, to

The POOLE stood out of Liver-

19U5
All vessels of Escort Division 22, except the KIRKPATRICK, which left for Casco Bay, Maine, on January 1, 19ii5, remained on availability until the lith, when the POOLE, PETERSON, JOYCE and HARVESON departed for drills and exercises in the New London ftreas , on the Bth the POOLE departed for Boston and all the others returned to New York. On the 10th the POOLE, with three other destroyer escorts, ' left the Boston section of convoy CU-SU, contacting the main convoy on the 11th. On the 12th a trans port dropped out of formation due to shifting cargo and the JOYCE was assigned to screen her. Next day the HARVESON screened two stragglers with engine trouble. On the 17th the SOMERS had a contact which turned out to be a floating wreck. On the 18th the English Channel section of 2$ ships detached, es corted by the POOLE, JOYCE, HARVESON, KIRKPATRICK and EBERT. On the 19th, noises of torpedoes being launched were heard by the sound gear of the POOLE, which ordered an emergency turn of the convoy. Simi lar sounds were heard on the HARVESON which dropped astern to lay an urgent pattern of depth charges but was unable to develop a sound contact and returned to the convoy. On the 21st the KIRKPATRICK and HARVESON detached to escort three ships to Cherbourg and the Le Havre section detached with 7 British es corts. The JOYCE and EBERT assisted HMS VBfY with 5 ships for the Thames and the POOLE escorted one to St. Helen's Roads. MISSES TORPEDO After six days at Plymouth UNITED STATES and Portsmouth, the POOLE, HARVESON and KIRKPATRICK sailed on January 28, 19hS, ships of convoy UC-^Ua and on the 30th joined with 12 the other escorts with 16 ships of the Irish Sea sec tion. The crossing was uneventful and on February 9th the convoy entered the New York swept channel, and the escorts went on availability at the Navy Yard until February 20th. RETURN TO COLLISION IN CONVOY TO ENGLAND
Concluding exercises in the
New London area through CONVOY

Roberts, USCG, as commanding officer of Escort Divi sion 22. The POOLE, PETERSON and HARVESON proceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, for training exercises. Depart ing for Boston on the lUth, Commander Steinmetz trans ferred his flag to the PETERSON, and on the 16th the PETERSON, POOLE, HARVESON and JOYCE got underway es corting the Boston section of convoy CU-66 which, on meeting the New York section on the 17th, became a convoy of U2 ships and 10 escorts. The Halifax sec tion of two ships joined on the ldth. Five other vessels joined the convoy en route. On the 26th the

Irish Sea section consisting of 20 ships detached. On the 27th, 9 ships of the Bristol section left the convoy and later the Mersey section of 9 vessels de parted. The POOLE, PETERSON and HARVESON moored at Greenock, Scotland, on the 28th.
RETURN TO UNITED STATES

On her return to the United States, Commander Thayer re turned to Escort Division 22 on May 31, 9hs, as division conmander, relieving Captain Steinmetz and shifted his pennant back to the POOLE. After her twenty second Atlantic crossing the POOLE put into the Brooklyn Navy Yard for overhaul and repair and the installation of new and additional armament. Hosti lities had ceased on the Atlantic and Escort Division 22 vras one of the divisions .picked for action in the
Pacific. TO PEARL HARBOR

February 25th, Escort Division 22 departed New York on the 27th, as escort to convoy CU-60 On March Ist one of the ye ssels in the convoy lost control due to a steering gear casual

Division 22 left New York

for Cubebra Island, West
Indies. Here, having corn pleted shore bombardment on the fath the Division set sail for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a 9 day training period. On the 20th the Division set sail for the Panama Canal and traversing it on the 23rd headed for San Diego, arriving on July Ist. On the 6th the POOLE departed for Pearl Harbor and arrived there on July 18th. The POOLS remained at Pearl Harbor until September Uth, carrying out training exercises, acting as school ship for gunnery students and as target ship for the training of our submarines. The sudden end of the war on August IU, 19U5> necessita a change of plans for ships en route to the com ted bat zone. During the last week in August the ships of Escort Division 22 began to separate as individual

On June Uth, 19U5, Escort

ty

and collided with another.

to assist

The SLATER and BURROWS

On the

were assigned

the damaged ships.

ships received separate assignments. Prior to the POOLE s departure for occupational duty in Japan Lieutenant Commander V. E. Bakanas relieved Commander

'

110

L. M.

pennant to the

as division commander and shifted his

KIRKPATRICK.
The POOLE, in company with PC-1185, departed Pearl Harbor on September U,

US3 KIRKPATEICK (DE-31B) and USS LEOPOLD (DE-319). Captain W. W.Kenner, USCG, was the first division commander and his flagship was the POOLS. SINKING OF USS LEOPOLD On March 1, 19UU, Escort Division 22 began its first combat operation as a unit, screening convoy CU-16, a fast oil convoy, to Londonderry, North Ireland. The convoy was diverted several times by British authori ties f roid its original course.

TO JAPAN

escorting a flotilla of LSH's to Saipan, ar riving there September ]?th after an uneventful trip. At Saipan the LST.I's ve. a to team up with a flotilla

19U5>

ing through the Japanese mine fields on the 26th. The convoy arrived at Wakayama on the morning of the 27th and the occupation came off without incident*
RETURN
dity off Wakayama,

proceed to Wakayama, Honshu, Japan, for occupational duty. The POOLE and the LSM's sailed for Japan on the 20th joining the LST flotilla on the 23rd. The trip was without incident, even though all hands experienced a feeling of tenseness on pass

of LST's and

Finally on the evening jast south of Ice land, only tyro days from its destination, when the LEOPOLD reported a surface contact behind the convoy, four miles distant. It was ominously dark and bitter cold as a freezing vdnd kicked up choppy seas. The PETERSON was on the port side of the convoy, just

of March 9th, 19kh, the convoy was

the DEGOMaSSIONING POOLE got underway on Octo ber 29, 19U5, for San Diego, via Pearl Harbor. She arrived at San Diego on November 15th and then proceeded to San Pedro, where she engaged in special tests with the PETERSON. On November 27th, 19^5, both vessels proceeded to Charleston, S. C, where they arrived on December 10th. She proceeded to Jacksonville on January 15,19^6, and then to Green Cove Springs, Florida, for decommissioning. The Coast Guard crew was removed on May 1, 191*6. USS PETERSON

After a month of patrol

opposite the LEOPOLD on the starboard quarter, when the LEOPOLD surprised a submarine on the surface. Flashes of the LEOPOLD'S gunfire were easily visible from the PETERSON. The escort commander was faced with a dilemma; he had sent the JOYCE back to assist the LEOPOLD, leaving only four escorts with the now sharply maneuvering convoy. Ifitwas a lone sub marine, another escort could be spared; however, if a wolfpack were preparing to attack the convoy, all remaining escorts would be vitally needed on their
The Commander decided in favor of the wolfpack. As it turned out the submarine was alone. As the JOYCE approached the LEOPOLD no contact with her could be made and it became obvious that she had been hit, as she was very low in the water. The JOYCE came up to the sinking LEOPOLD for a sound sweep but made no contact. Then the LEOPOLD broke in two and the icy waters were filled with survivors and the JOYCE began maneuvering to pick them up. Line 3 had been slung over the sides and some men were cling ing to cargo nets on what remained of the LEOPOLD. Then the JOYCE got the sound of an approaching torpedo on her sonar gear. A sudden surge to flank speed and a hard over rudder and many nearly rescued men were lost, some caught in tne churning screws of the JOYCE. Again the JOYCE came back for survivors, and again had to get underway as another torpedo was fired at her. Further sweeps failed to locate the submarine. The water, unendurably cold, was fatal to many Coast guardsmen. The LEOPOLD finally sank. The JOYCE, struggling against seas and torpedoes, could rescue only 28 men of the crew of 199. No officers were

stations.

(DE-152)

ESCORT DIVISION 22 COMMISSIONING

AND SHAKEDOWN

Navy, who died of multiple burns during an aerial attack on May 13, 191*2, while closing the bulkhead stop valves on board the USS NEOSHO. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor, posthu mously. The PETERSON was built by the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation at Orange, Texas, and com missioned on September 29, 19^3 Lieutenant Commander R. F. Rea, USCG, was the first commanding officer. Proceeding to Galveston on October 6th, the PETERSON went into drydock for latest additions to equipment to make her ready for wartime duties. On the 13th, in company with the POOLE she departed for Bermuda, via New Orleans, for her shakedown exercises. Leav ing Bermuda on November 22nd she proceeded to Charles ton and on the 2bth left for New York.

Tender, U. S.

The Coast Guard manned USS PETERSON (nE-152) was named for Oscar Verner Peterson of Wisconsin, Chief Water

saved.

GERMAN SUB U-550

AS PAH PENNSYLVANIA

FIRST CONVOY DUTY

The PETERSON departed for Norfolk on December 2, 19ii3,

with three other escort

ships, and there 10 more escorts and 55 merchant ships joined to form convoy U9S-26 for Casablanca. The trip over was uneventful but on the return voy age the slow convoy was tossed and smashed by howling gales and high seas. Some days the convoy failed to make any headway. Many merchant ships ran out of food during that three week's crossing.

vessels and 23 merchant

FORMATION OF ESCORT DIVISION B

:^^*MMIM|fcHARVBSON(DE-316),

the PETERSON started out on January 28, 19UU, for a month's training session at Casco Bay, Maine. Itwas here that the PETERSON joined with the other destroyer escorts that made up Escort Division 22, the ships that were to serve with her until the end of the war. These were USS POOLS USS JOYCE (DE-317),

After a ten day availability in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,

New York was uneventful and

on April 15, 19kh, the
PETERSON,
and the rest of Escort Division 22, with the Navy manned USS GANDY (DE-76U) replacing the LEOPOLD, stood down Ambrose Channel with convoy CU-21, again bound for Londonderry. Lt. Comdr. Sidney 11. Hay, USCGR, formerly executive officer had relieved Lt. Comdr. Rea, as commanding officer. Early next evening two merchant ships of the convoy collided in the fog and the PETERSON was detailed to escort them back to New York. She left them with aPC off the swept channel and started to rejoin the convoy at 0100 on April 16th. At 0800, when but 15 miles astern of the convoy, word was received that the tanker PAN PENNSYLVANIA had been torpedoed. The PETERSON, to gether with the GANDY and JOYCE, was directed to seek out the submarine and destroy it. The three escorts joined, all hands tense and alert, as the area was
closely screened, every echo and every pip being
methodically worked over and charges dropped. The
huge tanker, the world's largest at that tima, was slowly settling as its crew abandoned ship. While the GANDY screened, PETERSON and JOYCE went in to pick up sur vivors from life rafts and from the water, many sick from the fumes of octane gas with which the tanker was

The remainder of the trip

to Londonderry and back to

111

loaded, unable to help tnerriselves. Tv;o of the PETER - Stuart B. SON'S crew distinguished tnemselves, Goodwin, CSM, going over the side to help survivors aboard, ignoring the fact that the other escorts might drop depth charges at any moment, and David J. Stephenson l.ioii 3/c, assisting him. Just as they were putting lines around the last of the tanker's survivors, the JOYCE wno had stood in to determine the extent of the tanker's damage and the possibili ty of salvage, had a "hot" underwater contact and signalled the PETERSON to join in the attack. The two men scrambled aboard and the PETERSON veered off engines ahead at flank speed. Soon sharply, all

after this the JOYCE dropped charges, the tremendous explosion shaking the FETEKSON Then the submarine Captain Kay Lnmedlstely gave came to the surface. the order "Stand by to ram" but the GAIDY was better situated for this tactic and the FKTE'iSOr-' sheered off. The GANDY struck the sub a glancing blow and the PETERSON closed in, her guns going into action. As the sub passed close abeam, her conning tower was laid open by the withering fire from the escorts, and as a parting gesture two shallow set charges were fired from the PETERSON'S K-guns. The German crew began to abandon ship shortly afterward and the U-so began to settle by the stern and finally slid to the bottom. A great cheer surged through the men of the PETSHSON. With 12 survivors of the sub aboard the JOYCE, the escorts, one Navy and two Coast Guard rejoined the convoy. The hulk of the PAN PENNSYLVA NIA being a menace to navigation in the ship lanes off Nantucket, was later sunk by the Navy. Lt. Comdr. Hay, received a letter of commendation and the USSR Order of Fatherland War, Second Class, and Goodwin and Stephenson received letters of commendation. The PETERSON returned to New York on May 12, 19kh, and after a ten day availa bility, was again underway escorting convoy CU-26 to Ireland as part of Escort Division 22. This convoy was taken across and returned to Mew York without undue incident, though no radar or sound contacts were overlooked. Early in July, Commander R. J. Roberts, USCG, relieved Captain Kenner as division commander and Escort Dibision 22 was off to Ireland again, this time escorting Convoy CU-31 which was brought back to New York on August 5, 19iUi, without incident. The quietness of these crossings was de ceptive, however. The Battle of the Atlantic was far from won. TWO ROUND TRIPS TO IHELAiiD

were the area for the audacious invader who had dared to penetrate to the very back door of the Bri tish Isles. Escort Division 22 was sent into port next morning but for s everal days the hunt went on, with another cargo ship and a British escort being sunk. The submarine was thought to be one of the first German "schnorkel" subs in operation, fitted yd.th a device that enabled it to remain submerged while recharging its batteries. One great Allied advantage over the enemies subs had thus oeen elimina ted, the fact that they could only remain submerged for a comparatively short time.
searching

arrived.

By evening nearly thirty escorts

On the return voyage with convoy UC-36, the Escort Division struck the full fury of the 100 knot hurri cane that was raging up the East Coast of the United States. Headway between the mountainous battering seas was impossible as the screeching wind enveloped the PETERSON in a blinding sheet of water. Conversa -ips over TBS grew fainter and finally tion with Tbher died away altogether. The worst of the storm struck about 2000. The PETERSON'S radar ceased tocperate. All that night men of all the ships fought to stay afloat, to i-emain together for mutual protection, but gradually the great convoy began to scatter. When morning and calm arrived not a ship was to be seen. The next day the PETERSON limped into New York. One by one other ships began to arrive until all were accounted for. There had been no serious casualties. BATTERED BY HURRICANE
_\u25a0

FIVE ROUND TRIFS TO CHANNEL PORTS

escorts,

Five more round trips were made during the next seven and a half months, most of them to English Channel ports. Solent, Plymouth, Chergourgh, Milford Haven,
Le Havre and Southampton, together with Liverpool and Greenoch (Scotland), were the ports visited. On April15th while the FETERSON was in Boston, a new division commander, Captain Jolin L. Steinmetz, USCG, relieved Commander Roberts. VE-day found the PETER SON sailing back' to the United States with her last Atlantic convoy. Eleven convoys had been escorted over and back in nineteen months with hundreds of ships carrying thousands of troops and vital material of war. ON TO

On October 6, 19lh, Escort Division was made a unit of a larger group consisting of the US3 DORAN (DD-631*) and four Navy manned destroyer the BURROWS, SLATER, OSWALD and EBERT.

SINKING OF THE"
JACKSONVILLE

The next crossing of the PETERSON, with Escort Division 22, turned out to
be an eventful one. De parting New York on August

After a long availability at

the Bayonne, New Jersey Navy Yard, where much new armament was added and other improve

THE PACIFIC

19, 1914 i, with convoy CU-36, nothing unusual happened until the escorts, having arrived off Loch Foyle, the entrance to Londonderry, were taking their custom ary departure of the convoy on August 30th. From here the convoyed ships went on alone for these con fined waters were considered by the British to be free of submarines. Vessels bound for various ports on the Irish Sea were joined here by British escorts. As the trans-oceanic escorts were leaving, and four
merchant ships were also being detached to be escort ed northward to Loch Ewe in Scotland, suddenly the last of the four, the tanker JACKSONVILLE, carrying a fullload of aviation gasoline, went up in a roar ing, fiery hell of flames and exploding fuel. Only two of her crew were ultimately saved from the holo caust. On the horizon was a huge convoy of slow mer chant ships and also the QUEEN MARY, the prize the The British Commander-in-Chief, Germans were seeking. Western Approaches, got into action. The IJUEEN MART and the distant convoy were diverted. Convoy CU-36 dashed on, maneuvering at top speed; and escorts be gan to pour out of British ports. Plane coverage

ments made, a new division commander,

M. Thayer, USCG, reported and selected the POOLE as his flagship, and on June Uth, 19U5, Escort Division 22 left New York, bound for the "shooting war" that was still raging in the Pacific. From June 10 to June 20, \9ht the PETERSON underwent the most intensive of drills, inspections, underway maneuvers and gunnery, at Culebra Island, just off Puerto Rico. Then through the Panama Canal on June 23rd and up the Mexican Coast to San Diego, Escort Division was now a unit of the Pacific Fleet. On July 10th the PETERSON set out for Pearl Harbor, arriving on the 16th. She remained in Pearl Harbor six weeks. VJ-day came and went and finally on August 31, 19US, the PETERSON departed, escorting a large group of LST's bound for Saipan. It was a long haul, and a far cry from the fast convoys of earlier days, for the LST s were slow and lumbering ships. Saipan was reached on the loth and three days later the PETERSON departed on the final leg of her journey, bound for Japan. She was joined by the POOLE and together they arrived at Vakayama, Japan on Sep tember 2U, 1914*. The .first waves of occupation troops

Commander Louis

'

\u25a0

112

fl^^^^h^^^^^^^^^^i^t
had just gone ashore. The vast harbor was overflow ing with vessels of all types from huge battleships to LCT's. Other ships of Escort Division 22 were on similar missions in other Far Eastern ports. The PETERSON was in Japanese waters for a little over a month, patrolling the entrances to the Inland Sea, stopping suspicious craft and, in general, protecting our ships anchored at Wakayania. On October 29, 19U5, in company witn the USS KEARNY (DD-U32), the PETERSON and the POOLE began the trip bank hone. Arriving at Pearl Harbor on November 7, 19U5, the PETERSON was delayed for repairs and went on to San Pedro alone, where she again joined the POOLE. On the way up the East Coast a Navy mariner plane landed near ncr out of gas, off New Smyrna Beach and tne PETERSON towed her in. DECOMMISSIONING
through. The MARCHAND took aboard the survi vors from the MURFHEESBORO and they proceeded un eventfully the remainder of the 27th, the EL COSTON apparently having some trouble steering, sometimes veering as much as 60 from base course. The wind was picking up and the seas were increasing from the northwest. The MARCHAND was in communication with the COSTCN at all times and at 2300 a message from the COSTON said "Yfe are shipping water rapidly "and do not think we can keep afloat at this speed. V/ill To this have to cut speed until weather moderates." massage the MARCHAND replied "Make your safest speed." At 0019 en the 2b'th the COSTON signalled "We are hav ing difficulty in steering and do nob know how long vre can stay afloat. Will you please let us know how far away from us you are?" The MARCHAND replied "'ffe are as near as possible and will always be ready in case of trouble." At Coiis the COSTON sent her last message "We are preparing to abandon ship. Please stand by to rescue us." The MARCHAND immediately proceeded to the COSTON and found her hove to with starboard beam to the wind. The MARCHAND illuminated her and saw that she was badly down by the head. The COSTON 's first boat cleared the port side at about 0120 and as it approached the MARCHA!-ID, her second boat was seen being lowered with great difficulty from the starboard side, with seas breaking over the bow. Shortly after her liferaft left the port side, the COSTON began to settle by the head. A number of red lights were now seen on the stern of the COSTON and lights were seen going over the side, indicating that the last group had had to jump overboard. The COSTON sank at Olli2. The survivors of the last boat and life raft were hoisted without mishap aboard the MARCHAND at 0150 and she began maneuvering to pick the survivors out of the water. They were widely separat ed, ihe seas were too nigh to risk using the heavy lifeboats of the COSTCN and they were cast loose. The KAXHAND's boat was smashed in ths davits and it was necessary to maneuver alongside each man. As she drifted down on the survivors, the KARCHAND's men went over tne side on a line and passed a second line under the arras of the man in the water so that he could be hoisted aboard. There were various volun teers for this duty, although the rolling of the ILARCHAND meant working under water half the time. At 0153 a terrific underwater explosion was felt. At first it was thought that the MARCHAND had been hit by a torpedo, but it was finally determined that the explosion was on the submerged COSTON. Rescue opera tions continued until all men had been taken from the water by 030b. 50 survivors were picked up inclu cluding tne first mate who had been acting master of the COSTON since the master had disappeared in the collision. As a result of the rescue Commander Gilbert I, Lynch was awarded a letter of commendation and Seaman l/c Milton 0. West was awarded the Navy

broken

the Sixteenth (Inactive) Fleet, completing tender availability on January 29, 19^6, and then went down the St. John's River to Green Cove Springs, Florida, for decommissioning and preservation for any future emergency. The last of her Coast Guard crew left on March 1, 19^6. The PETERSON had spent 10,162 hours
underway since coimrdssjoning and travelled

After Christmas leaves at Charleston, South Carolina, the PETERSON reported to

11+6,875

miles. USS MARCHAND

(DE-2U9)
ESCORT DIVISION 20 The Coast Guard manned USS MAROHAND (DE-2U9) was com missioned on September 6, 19U3, at the Brown Ship building Yards, Houston, Texas, where she was built. Her first commanding officer was Lieutenant Commander G. I Lynch, USCG, and she became part of Escort Divi sion 20, under Division Commander, Commander John Rountree, USCG, wno made her his flagship. Until November 25, 19U3, the MARCHAND was outfitted, under went a month of shakedown and training at Bermuda. After a post shakedown availability at Charleston, South Carolina, she served as a target vessel for U. S. torpedo bomber squadrons in Cape Cod Bay and Block Island Scund.

COMMISSIONING
AMD SHAKEDOWN

On December Hi, 19U3, the MARCHAND put to sea on her first escort mission as flagship of Task Force 66 escorting UGS-27 from Nor Upon her return to the United folk to Casablanca. States she was assigned to what was to be the first long series of escort mission with fast convoys to the United Kingdom. CONVOY ESCORT TO CASABLANCA AND RETURN RESCUES SURVIVORS FROM COLLISION Three days out of New York on this escort mission, on
February

Marine

Corps

Medal.

ELEVEN

ROUND TRIPS

25, 19iUi, fire

broke out in the convoy as a result of a collision between two vessels of the convoy, the SS EL COSTON and the tanker MURFREESBORO. Both vessels caught fire. The MURFREESBOHO was abandoned.lffnile maneuver ing to assist the stricken vessels, the MARCHAND was struck and severely damaged on her starboard side by EL COSTON. The MARCHAND1s lifeboat was shattered and her speed limited to 12 knots. The EL COSTON succeed ed in extinguishing her fire and proceeded away from the convoy at slow speed with the MARCHAND as escort. On the 27th the MARCHAND was designated to escort the EL COSTON to Bermuda, the latter 's damage being a large opening in her stern about 20 feet in diameter, with the forward bulkhead of No. 1 hold partially

From then until the end of the war in Europe, the continuously in escort duty across the Atlantic making eleven round trips before the European war's end.

After thirty days under re Yard, the MARCHAND rejoined Escort Division 20 in time to make the nsxt trip to the United Kingdom in April, I9kk
pair at Brooklyn Navy

MARCHAND operated

TO KWAJALKIN

when orders were received to disband the convoy and proceed to New York where further orders were await ing her to proceed to the Pacific. She joined the Pacific Fleet on July 6, 19U5> ad was ordered to

The Uth of June, 19h5, found the MARCHAND departing Eng land with her last convoy,

Pearl Harbor where she remained until August 27, 19U5 Then she departed for the Marshall Islands and was

113

to an air sea rescue station at Kwa/jalein. She was decosmissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved May 1, 191*6.
assigned

USS HURST

(i:-2So)
ESCORT DIVISION 20

for New Orleans and Permuda where she remained during October and November, 19U3, engaged in her shakedown cruise. December 19U3, found the CAitP operating under COTCLANT and engaged in afloat training of Destroyer Escort crews from the Naval Training Station, Norfolk,
Virginia

WKtot/0*

19hk
CONVOY TO CASABLANCA AND RETURN On December 9> 19U3, the CAMP, in company with the

The Coast Guard manned AND SIIAKSDOvVN U3S HORST (DE-250) was commissioned August 30, 19h3, with Lt. Comdr. Frank B. Marker, U3CGR, as her first commanding officer. He was succeeded on October 26, 19hh, by Lt. Edward B. j.inslow, USCG. She became part of Escort Division 20. After bein^ outfitted and undergoing shakdeovm and training at Bermuda, she was on post shakedown availability at Charleston, South Carolina.
COI.riSSIONINQ

CASABLANCA AND RETURN

Putting to sea on her first escort mission on December Hi, 19U3, the HURST, as

19hh.

part of Escort Division 20, and Task Force 66, escorted convoy UGS-27 from Norfolk Returning to !!ew York she proceeded to to Casablanca. Casco Bay, Maine, on February U, 19hh, and after train ing exercises there returned to New York February 18,

days later she was escorting the New York section of convoy UGS-27 to Norfolk and on December 16th was helping to assemble the main con voy which was dispersed because of heavy weather. After an uneventful crossing Escort Division 20 con sisting, with the CAI*F, of DE's 1, ARC-AND, HURST, CAIJP, PBITIT, CROV,' and RICKETTS was relieved by British es corts, after passing through the Straits of Gibraltar On on January 2, 19UU, and headed for Casablanca. January Bth the Division joined convoy GUS-26 for es cort to the west. The convoy entered New York Harbor on January 2l*th and the CAIiIP proceeded to trie Navy Yard for availability until February U, 19UU.

USS HUHST and PETTIT left Norfolk for New York. Two

of trans-Atlantic duty to the United Kingdom as part of Escort Division 20. This involved 11 round trips across the Atlantic, on the very first of which she picked up survivors of the SS EL COSTON which on February 25, 19UU, had been rammed by the SS MURFRESSBORO. Periods of availability ranging from 6 days to 16 days were spent mostly at the New York Navy Yard, after which she spent some ten days at exercises usually in the New London area, but once in I'arch, "L9hs, at Casco Bay, Maine. Altogether there were eight such periods of availability and exercises. She returned to New York on her last of suchmissions on June 11, 19U5
period

17 MONTHS OF ESCORT DUTY TO ENGLAND" AND RETURN

Departing New York on February 22, 19U1*, the HU;ST began a 17 month

e3cort

the Pacific via Guantanamo, Canal Zone, San Diego and Pearl Harbor, she reacaed Eniwetok Sep tember 3, 19U5, and Majuro September 10, 19ii5. VJ-day had come during the layover in Pearl Harbor and the need for escort duty for Pacific transport no longer existed. Arriving at Guadalcanal September 19, 19U5, she reached Pearl Harbor November Bth, and then de parting for New York, via San Diego and the Canal Zone, arriving there December 10, 19h$. Here she had been placed on inactive status by January 21, 19U6, and arrived at Green Cove Springs, Florida, in the St. John's River on January 2U, 191*6.

TO THE PACIFIC

19U5, for

Departing New York June 19,

After four days training

exercises in the Montauk
Block Island area, the CAI P
stood for Casco
Bay, Maine,
where she underwent further training exercises until
February 17, 19UU. Returning to New York, she took
station as escort fbr convoy CU-15 on February 23rd. On the 25th the EL COSTON and MURFRESSBORO, two merchant ships of the convoy were in collision, both ships being badly damaged from the collision and re sulting fire. The DE's RICKETTS and MARCHAMD remained on the scene of the collision and the CAMP and the three remaining escorts of the division continued with the convoy. On the 29th the RICKETTS rejoined, carry ing Escort Commander, who assumed command of escorts and convoy. On March sth the division was relieved and anchored at Lisahally, Northern Ireland. The CAMF with the rest of the escort division stood out of Lough Foyle and joined UC-15 proceeding westward. The con voy arrived at New York Harbor on March 22nd and the CALIP proceeded on ten days availability at Navy Yard Annex, Bayonne, New Jersey, .until April 2nd.
IN CONVOY

COLLISION

TO ICELAND
AND RETURN

On April 6, 19hh, the CAMP was escorting convoy CU-20 eastward and, after being relieved by British escorts on the 17th, anchored off Moville, Northern Ireland. Proceeding next day to Lisahally with other escorts of the division, she stood out of Lough Foyle on the 2lith and joined west bound convoy UC-20. The convoy entered New York Harbor on May 3rd and the CAMP pro ceeded to Brooklyn Navy Yard for ten days availability.

DECOMMISSIONING

The HURST was decommission ed and her Coast crew removed May 1, 19W>. USS CAMP

ESCORTS USS MARBLEHEAD TO BOSTON

After training exercises, the CA'viP joined convoy CU-25 on May 21, 19kh, as escort to the United Kingdom with the
rest of the division. The

(DE-251)

ESCORT DIVISION 20 iiiJD SHAKEDOTSN The Coast Guard manned USS CAMP (DE-251) was com missioned on 16 September, 19U3, at the Brown Ship building Company, Houston, Texas. Lieutenant Commander P. B. Mayor, USCG, was the first commanding officer.
After trial runs out of Galveston, the CAMP departed

trip was without incident and the CAMP moored at Londonderry on the 31st. On June 6th she rendezvoused with convoy UCT-25 and after an uneventful trip de

COMMISSIONING

tached from the convoy, with other ships of the Escort Division on June 16th to escort the USS MARBLEHEAD to Boston. Next day she detached from duty with the MARBLEHEAD for ten day's availability at the Navy Yard, South Boston Annex. Commander Mayor was relieved as commanding officer by Lt. Comdr. R. R. Waesche, Jr., USCG. Commander Mayor assumed the duties of Commander, Escort Division 20, and, on tne 28th,
the CAIiP, in company with the MARCHAND and HURST departed for Casco

Bay for a three day training period,

f_

- .nn

<

nMMa^

..

114

MJUNDTRIP^^'*
TO IRELAND

Returning to Boston on

July Ist, 19hh, the CAMP

departed two days liter with the BOSTON section of convoy TCU-30 and rendezvoused with the New York sec tion at sea on July Uth. The convoy continued east ward without incident and the CAMP moored at Lisa hally on the 12th. After making rendezvous o.n the 17th with convoy UCT-30, the CAMP entered New York Harbor on the 27th and proceeded to Navy Yard, Brook lyn for 8 days availability.

in the search for a possible enemy submarine reported in the Gulf of Maine. 3he made a retiring search for the submarine for the next two days but the results were unsuccessful. Before returning to Boston, five more days Y/ere spent holding drills in Casco Bay. The CAiiP departed Eoston in company with the MARCHAND on May 20, 19^5, escorting three ships of the Boston convoy CU-17. On the 29th the ma:in convoy section of split into two sections and the CMP proceeded to Cardiff, Wales. On June Uth she made contact with convoy UC-71 and,escorting the convoy we stward, docked in Brooklyn on the 19th. She departed same day for the Chesapeake Bay for shore bombardment exercises.

ROUND TRIP TO WALES

TOO MORE

ROUND TRIPS

During August, September and October, 19hk, the

CAMP made two more round one trips to England, escorting, with Escort Division 20, convoy TCU-35 to Lisahally, returning with convoy UCT-35, and one es corting with the rest of the Division convoy CU-liO to Solent, England, returning with convoy UC-IiOB. On November 7, 19hh, the
CAMP made rendezvous with
convoy CU-14.6 bound for England. Making a landfall on the South Ireland coast on November 17th the convoy was split into two sections, with Escort Division 20 escorting one group northward. Later that day the CAMP broke off from the rest of the division to escort 17 ships to Scarweather Lightship. Early on the lbth of November, 19hh, as the CAMP was detaching from this convoy she collided with SS SANTA CECILLA. The bow of the CAMP was sheered off at frame 23 and one man, Albert Hoerth, SOM 2/c lost his life. A British mine sweeper took the CAMP in tow and nine hours later she moored at Swansea, Wales. On the 25th she was towed to Car diff where she was drydocked for the fitting of a stub bow. She 'was again drydocked on the 29th for the fitting of a false bow for return to the United States. While in drydock during December 19kh and January 191*5> the officers and men underwent various courses of training. The repair work was completed on January 25th, 19UU> and the sea trials successfully completed on January 31, 19U5. IN COLLISION

PACIFIC

On February 2, 19U5, the CAMP was underway proceeding out of Cardiff locks to rendezvous with convoy UV-55A. During the cross ing the convey encountered several bad storms, causing

DROPS OUT

OF CONVOY IN DRYDOCK

19u5

On June 21, IyUS, having completed the exercises, the CAMP departed for Guantanamo, Cuba, for ten days extensive training. Returning to Charleston for gun repairs, she proceeded to San Diego in July, 19U5, via the Panama Canal, and, having spent a week at San Diego, sailed for Pearl Harbor to join the Pacific Fleet. Arriving at Pearl Harbor early in August, Lt. Comdr. R. R. Waesche, Jr., USCG, was relieved on August 17, J. 19U5> as commanding officer by Lt.aComdr. J. ship for Shlngler, USCG. After serving as training a short period, she set sail for Eniwetok. She arrised at Eniwetok on September 2, 19i*5, and was next based at Majuro Atoll and then at Mili. At Mill, where there was a Japanese garrison of about 200 men, the CAIiP was assigned the task of disposing of Japanese ammunition, procuring a muster roil, in English, of the entire garrison and assembling all equipment at the dock area. Many Japanese were questioned in connection with atrocities to American flyers. Sever al prisoners were taken, among them the Japanese Com manding Officer, Navy Captain Shiga, who later took his own life. The entire Japanese garrison was eva. uated on the Japanese Hospital Ship HIKAWA MARU on September 26th for transportation to Japan. Order ed to Kwajalein on October IU, 191t5> the CAMP relieved the MAECHAND as flagship of the division and was on standby air sea rescue duty until November U> 19Ui>, when she was ordered to return to the United States. She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved May 1, 191|6. TO THE USS HOWARD D. CROW

(DE-252)

severe pounding and subjecting the ship to excessive stress and strains. The CAMP stayed with the convoy at first, to minimize the danger from the large number of submarines reported on the southwest approaches to England, but finally had to drop out, wher the main and first platform decks started to buckle at frame 125. The mast whipped so badly that chips from strain ed insulations in the standing rigging started flick ing about the deck. The stub dow parted and buckled badly and progressive shoring was built up throughout the trip to> strengthen it. After dropping out of the convoy the USS WINGFIELD (DE-191) escorted the CAIiP the rest of the way to Boston, where she entered dry dock on February 3, I?U5> for the fitting of a new bow.

ESCORT DIVISION 20 COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The Coast Guard manned USS HOWARD D. CROW (DE-252) was

commissioned at the Brown
Shipyards, Houston, Texas,

on September 27, 19U3. Lt. Comdr. D. T. Adams, USCG, was her first commanding officer. After various drills and exercises in Galveston Bay she took on supplies at New Orleans, and left there oh October 17, 19i+3j for Bermuda and shakedown exercises.

An extensive training profor all officers and men was begun in March, with the GAMP in drydock, and continued through April. Successful sea trials and structural tests were completed by April 25th and on the 27th the CAMP departed for training exercises at Casco Bay where she remained for the next fifteen days. On May 12th she escorted the U.S. submarine S-20toJ^^^Bay and next day departed to assist SEARCHES FOR SUB
gram

Leaving Bermuda on November 16, 19ii3, the CROW, in com pany with the USS POOLE, (DE-151) proceeded to Charles ton, South Carolina, where she was drydocked for ten days, departing for Norfolk on the 30th. Here the CROW reported to Commander, Escort Division 20, who was Captain John Rountree, USCG. The other Coast Guard manned destroyer escorts in the Division were the MARCHAND (flagship), HURST, CAMP, PETTIT and RICKETTS.

JOINS ESCORT DIVISION 2"0~

115

19hh
CROW put to sea as part of Task Force 66, escorting convoy UGS-27. After an uneventful trip the convoy was turned over to Bri tish escorts on January 2, \9hh, and the escort Upon entering the division proceeded to Casablanca. Casablanca swept channel the CROW, along with the FETTIT and RICKETTS, was ordered to proceed to 33 57 N, 08 1? W where MS MALCOLMhad contacted a submarine. Arriving at that point about 0200 on the 3rd, no other escorts were found, but there was a radar contact about 15 minutes later, which was order ed illuminated by- a starshell. The shell exploded right in the rigging of a Portuguese fishing vessel. After four days in Casablanca, the division was under way again escorting convoy GUS-26 to New lork, ar riving on the 2l*th. On February Uth, 19hh, Commander Adams was relieved as commanding officer by Lt, Comdr. R. E. Bacchus, Jr., USCGR. A YEAR OF ESCORT DUTY TO CASABLAifCA AND RETURN

On December 15, 19U3, the

Tha next ten months saw Escort Division 20 make six complete round trips to Londonderry, Ireland, from New York, escorting convoys both ways. Out side the heavy weather encountered in the North Atlantic, and the collision on February 25> IShh> be tween two merchant vessels, EL COSTON and MURFREES BORO, both of which were lost, the journeys were un eventful. On one occasion two members of the CROW'S crew lost their lives when the motor whale boat swamped in a heavy sea, while returning from the MARCHAND, to which a member of the crew had been taken for t reatment by the division doctor. Horace L. Thomas, CEM, sacrificied his life trying to save the life of Seaman, First Class, Felici, and wa3 posthu mously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. On the 18th of November the port of destination was changed to Greenock, Scotland, and on the following four trips the CROW put into Liverpool once and Southhampton three times, the convoys now being routed to Cherbourg and Le Havre. Frequent periods for exercises and inspection were allocated on each return of the division to the United States.

Canal on Jujy 6th, and, -with the rest of the division, proceeded to San Diego and thence to Pearl Harbor. Itwas while the CROW was at Poarl Harbor that the news of Japan" s surrender was flashed around the world. However^ instead of returning to the United S ates, Escort Division 20 departed for the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. After anchoring at Iniwetok for a month, the CROW received orders to report to the Commander of the South Solomon's Area at Guadalcanal, where she served as ready duty ship for another month. On October 2, 19U5, Lt. Frederick T.Carney, USCGR, relieved Li.Nixon of command. On November 9, 19b5, the CROW was back at Tsarl Harbor. From 22 November to 1? December, 19U5, the CROW was on weather patrol in the North Pacific. She reached Long Beach, Cali fornia on December 27th and remained there until January 7, 19U6. From I.ong Beach she returned to New York, via Panama Canal for an availability pariod at the Navy Yard prior to reporting to the Commander, Sixteenth Fleet, Florida Group. She arrived at Jack sonville on 22 February, 19^6. Lt. Carney was re lieved of command on March 27, 19^6, by Lt. B. H. lielmer, USCG. By May 22, 19J46, all the Coa3t Guard crew had been removed.
J

daily. The CROW reached the Panama

(DE-253)
ESCORT DIVISION 20

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

USS PETTIT

The Coast Guard manned USS PETTIT (DE-253) was commissioned September 23, 19k3, at
Brown Shipbuilding Company,

Houston, Texas. Between that date and October 15th, 191i3, she was conducting test firing at Galveston or undergoing necessary repairs at New Orleans. Depart ing for Bermuda she underwent a shakedown period at the Naval Operating Base there until November 15th. En route to Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, she put into the Charleston Navy Yard en route for mainten ance and necessary repairs, arriving at Norfolk on 1December. At Norfolk she was attached to Escort Division 20 and for 9 days conducted training exer cises in, the Chesapeake Bay for the purpose of train ing Destroyer Escort nucleus crews. She then pro ceeded to New York. 1910;

19hS
LAST TRANS-ATLANTIC
In February,

191*5, Lt.

Comdr. Bacchus was relieved of command by Lt, John. M. Nixon. In the spring of 19U5, as the war in Europe was being brought to a close, the Nazis stepped up their U-*oat campaign and as many as twelve submarines at one time were reported patroling the entrance to the English Channel. On VE-day the CROW was in New York. During this availability the heavy anti-aircraft machine gun armament was increas ed and two directors added, a good indication that the CROW was to see Pacific duty very shortly. The last convoy which the CROW or Escort Division 20 es corted to England, left New York on May 20, 19l;5. On the Uth of June, the convoy they were escorting to the United States dispersed, just as they cleared the English Channel, and the escorts were ordered to return to the United States.
CONVOY ESCORTED

On December 12, 19U3, the PETTIT was underway with Escort Division 20, in Task Force 66, escorting convoy UGS-27 to various African and Mediterranean ports. Turning the convoy over to British escorts on January 3, 19kh, she moored at Casablanca until the 7th and on that date began escorting, with the division, convoy GUS-26 bound for Hampton Roads, Va., and New York. She remained moored at New York Navy Yard, after arrival on the 2Uth, until February Uth. After four days in the exercise area off Montauk Point, Long Island, she proceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, for exercises and training, returning to New York with the escort division on the lth, where she remained moored at the Navy Yard Annex, Brooklyn, until the 22nd.
During the next 16 months, from February 22, 19kh, until June 19, 191*5, the PETTIT was engaged in convoy escort duty. During this period she escortEd eleven convoys on round trips from the United States to various ports in the British Isles and Northern France and back again to the United States. These convey numbers which were

FIRST ESCORT DUTY

On June 19, 19U5, Escort Division 20, with the CROW, was on its way to the Paci fie. After a day's shore bombardment practice in the Chesapeake Bay area, the division headed for Guantanamo, Cuba, where two weeks of gunnery, damage control and tactical exercises were run off. Anti-aircraft firing was practiced TO THE PACIFIC

ELEVEN ROUND TRIPS OF CONVOY ESCORT DUTY

116

on the eastbound trip and "UC on the westbound tr^Mf were 15, 20,' 25, 30, 35, UO, h-6, 52, 58, 6k and 71. On the last of these trips the Task Group Commander shifted his flag to the PETTIT. When in the United States she moored either at New York, N. V., or Bayonne, N. J., and whsn in the European theatre either at Londonderry, North Ireland; Plymouth, Liverpool or Southampton, England. In addition to the customary "in port" period of availability for main tenance and repair at the United States portSj there were a number of training and exercise periods, both at Casco, Maine, and off Montauk Point, Long Island, New York. By h June, 19h$, the PETTIT had escorted twenty four Atlantic convoy operations. On that date, with the war in i^urope over, all escort of con voys in the Atlantic ceased and the Task Group to which the PETTIT was attached, was detached from the convoy to proceed back to the United States independ ently. During this whole period of convoy escort operations, the PETTIT had no positive contact with the enemy, no casualties, and only two convoy losses, those of the MURFREESBORO and EL COSTON, which
were in collision on February 25, 19hh On June 19, 19U5,
the PETTIT, together with the rest of Escort Division
20, left Navy Yard Annex, Brooklyn for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, There she underwent training until July 3, 19U5. The division then got underway for San Diego, via the Panama Canal. They arrived at San Diego on July 18, 191i5, and at Pearl Harbor on July 25th, where the PETTIT underwent training and engaged in buoy upkeep until August 27, 19U5. With the war in the Pacific
over on August llith, the PETTIT departed for Eniwetok
on August 27th arriving on September 3rd She arrived
at Majuro Atoll on the 11th and patrolled the air strip on Dalap Island until the lUth. Returning to Majuro she proceeded to Guadalcanal and then to Tutuila, Samoan Islands. Up to this time she had been underway hs9 days and covered 127, 5U9 nautical miles. On return to the United States, her Coast Guard crew was removed on May 6, 19U6.

The return vo>age with Escort Division 20, escorting convoy CUS-26 to New York, was uneventful and she ar rived on the 2l|th. RESCUES 33 SURVIVORS OF COLLISION After availability at Brooklyn Navy Yard, and practice exercises in the Montauk-Block Island area

and at Casco Bay, Maine, the RICKETTS returned to Brooklyn on February 18th, 19hk. On February 22nd she departed as a unit of Escort Division 20, escorting convoy CU-l5 The mis sion continued without special event until February 25, 19hh, when at 2035, a ship in the convoy burst into flames. The RICKETTS stood by for submarine attack and to pick up survivors. After detaching temporarily, she continued to pick up survivors the next day, when it was learned that the SS EL COSTON had rammed the SS MURFREESBORO and that both were badly damaged and burning. Thirty-three survivors of these two vessels were rescued by the RICKETTS. The MARCHAMD, also damaged in a collision with the EL COSTON, had departed with her for Bermuda, while the Commander, Escort Division 20 and his staff had transferred from the MARCHAND to the RICKETTS on the 29th. On March sth the escorts were relieved and stood into Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland, and the RICKETTS moored at Lisahally on the 6th, remaining there until the 11th when she moved to Moville, Ire land. On that date the Wavy manned USS FECHTELER (DE 157) joined Escort Division 20 and the division began escorting convoy UC-15 to the United States, the RICKETTS standing into New York Harbor on the 22nd and mooring at the Navy Yard Annex, Bayonne, New Jersey, for a ten day availability period.

1U MONTHS OF
ESCORT DUTt

The following is a brief record of the escort mis sions performed by the RICKETTS from April 6, 19Ui, to June 11, 19Uli, with Escort Division 20j LEFT NEW YORK
April 6,
May

USS RICKETTS
(DE-25U)
ESCORT DIVISION 20
The Coast Guard manned USS RICKETTS (DE-25U) was com missioned at Houston, Texas, on October 5, 19U3. She proceeded to New Orleans on the 20th and then to Ber muda in company with the HARVESON (DE-316) Shakedown maneuvers occupied. the period from 1 to 25 November when the RICKETTS proceeded to escort the SS BRAGA to Chesapeake Bay. Then she returned to Charleston Navy Yard for post shakedown availability until December Bth.
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

CONVOY

ARRIVED BRITISH ISLES

CU-20

CU-25

CU-UO CU-U6 CU-52 CU-58 CU-6U

CU-30

CU-71
CONVOY

21, V)hk August 11, 19UU September 20, 19Ui November 7, 19UU December 26, 19hk February 11, 19U5 March 31, 1915
May 20,

April16, \9hh 1914 l May 31, 19Ui August 22, \9hk October 1, 19Uk November 17, 19hh January 9, 19Uh February 22, 19U5 April 12, 19U5 May 30, 191*5 19U5

LEFT BRITISH ISLES

ARRIVED NEW YORK

May 3, IShk *June 17, 19hh July 27, 19kh

19kh
ESCORTS CONVOY TO CASABLANCA
New York on December 11,
AND RETURN 19U3, and on the 12th with
three other DE's began es corting the New York section of convoy UGS-27 to Hampton Roads. On the lUth she was preparing for a voyage to North African waters as escort to UGS-27, when her departure, and that of the CROW, was delayed so as to provide escort for two ves sels still loading at Newport News, Virginia. The two escorts began escorting the two vessels on the 15th and joined the main convoy on the 20th. After passing through the Straits of Gibraltar on January 2nd the Two RICKETTS was relieved and stood for Casablanca. hours after her arrival there she proceeded along with the CROW and PETTIT to assist HMS MALCOLM who had con tacted an enemy submarine. The results of the mission Trere negative and on the 3rd she returned to Casablanca.

The RICKETTS departed for

UC-25
UC-30

UC-20

UC-35 UC-UOA UC-U6B UC-528 UC-588 UC-61iB

UC-71 *RICKETTS to Boston

OCCUPATIONAL DUTY

June 6, 19hh July 17, 19W August 27, 19hk October 6, 191+U November 27, 19U* January 12, 19U5 March 2, 19U5 April 19, 19U5 June h, 19U5

April 2lt,

19Ui

October 16, 19kk December 7, 19hh January 23, 19U5 12, March 12, 19U5 April 30, 19U5 June 11, 19U5

September

5, 19kh

The RICKETTS, together with Escort Division 20, was on its way to the Pacific by MARSHALL ISLANDS June 19, 19l*U, stopping at Guantanamo Bay for two weeks of exercises and drill. Passing through the Panama Canal on July 7th, she proceeded to San Diego and then to Pearl Harbor. While she was at Pearl Harbor the

.. -

.: .iil*^ijjf
117

Japanese surrendered on August Ik, 191i5. The RICKETTS was assigned to assist in taking over the Island of Kusaie, one of the Marshall Group. About four thousand Japanese, one of the largest uncaptured Japanese forces on any island in that area, laid down their arms and watched the stars and stripes unfurled where the flag of the rising sun had flown since the islands were mandated to Japan from Germany after the first world war. The occupational duties included the delicate problem of unarming and controlling vastly superior numbers of a belligerent and treach erous enemy who had been by-passed on the march to Japan. Itincluded maintenance of order and disci pline, of arranging for and assisting the return of Koreans and other slave laborers to their homeland, and of initiating the native Kusaiens into the ways of democracy until the island could be turned over to the military government officials, who had been specially trained for their tasks.
RETURN TO

but threo quarters of her cargo was salvaged. Three German bombers were reported to have been downed by escorts and British night fighters. German aircraft, life rafts and German fliers in the water were evi
dence.

EIGHTEEN MEM

SAVES

The most serious disaster encountered in the Atlantic was

the collision between two

high speed tankers in a con voy the SELLSTROM was escorting. These were the SAN imnEL and the NASHBULK. The SAN MIHIEL was hopless ly aflame and was abandoned with a loss of 35 men. The SELLSTROM pulled 18 men and two bodies from the icy waters under unfavorable sea conditions.

NORTHERN PACIFIC DUTY

followed by a 25 day avail ability in the New York Navy

Atlantic operations were

ber 3, 19U5, the RICKETTS, under command of Lt. Urial H. Leach, Jr., USCG, arrived at Pearl Harbor on the 9th. She left Pearl Harbor on November 2l*th and arrived at San Diego on the 30th. By December 16, 191*5, she had arrived in New York, via Panama Canal, and on 23 January, 19U6, was at Jacksonville, where she was decommissioned and the Coast Guard crew removed, on 1? April, 19U6. USS SSLLSTROM (DE-255) ESCORT DIVISION 23
The Coast Guard manned USS SELLSTROM (DE-255) built by the Brown Shipbuilding Cor poration of Houston, Texas was named for Ensign Sellstrom, USNR, a Navy flier killed during the early part of the war in the Paci fic, and was commissioned at Houston, T^xas, on Octo ber 12, 191(3. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. William L. Maloney, USCG. Somewhat later at Galveston the flag of Escort Division 23 was raised as Commander Fred P. Tetter ick, USCG, reported on board and she departed for shakedown exercises at Bermuda. AND SHAKEDOWN

Leaving Eniwetok on Novem

COMMISSIONING

Yard and assignment to the Pacific Fleet when the Armistice was signed in Europe. After a pre-Pacific training period and a trip through the Canal, the SELLSTROM reported to Command er, Western Sea Frontier at San Francisco for further assignment in the Pacific. A boiler casualty had delayed her departure from the Atlantic and she was now operating alone and without the flag of Escort Division 23* While in San Francisco, Lt. Carlton J. Schmidt, USCGR, relieved Lt. Comdr. Morrison as commanding officer. Departing San Francisco, the SELLSTROM arrived at Adak on 19 July, 19U5, for duty under Commander, Northern Pacific Forces. Operations consisted of routine patrols and acting as guardship for flights over the Northern Japanese Kurile Chain. Pilot escort of a Russian convoy was one of her few interesting assignments. After VJ-day she acted as station vessel for the record non-stop flight of three B-29's from Tokyo to Washington, D. C. Return ing to the Atlantic coast she was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew removed 13 June, 1916,
USS HARVESON

(DE-316) ESCORT DIVISION 22

The Coast Guard manned USS HARVBSON (DE-316) was com missioned at Orange, Texas, on October 12, 191i3- She was named for Lt. (jg) Harold Aloysius Harveson, USN, who was killed at Pearl Harbor December 7, 19Ul while serving aboard the USS UTAH. After a checking and fitting out process at Galveston, she departed for Bermuda on October 2Uth, stopping en route at New Orleans. For one month, from October 29th to Novem ber 2th, 19U3, ship, officers and men underwent the gruelling tasks called for in a shakedown. Her first skipper was Lt. Comdr. P. L. Stinson, USCG. Her first assignment came during her training period when she was ordered to contact a tanker that had become separated from a convoy some UOO miles from Bermuda* She escorted the tanker to Bermuda. AND SHAKEDOWN
IN COLLISION On November 25th while on patrol duty as part of her training program, a target COMMISSIONING

On January 13, 19kh, the SKLLSTROM departed Norfolk for Gibraltar with a large convoy on her first escort duty. From that date to the summer of 19U5 she saw duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, calling at Casablanca, Bizerte, Lon donderry, Belfast Liverpool, Southampton, Plymouth, Birkenhead, Le Havre and East Coast ports of the United States. A few U-boat scares in the Atlantic and one aircraft attack in the Mediterranean were experienced. In May 19hh, Lt. Comdr. William L. Morrison, USCG, became her commanding officer. In January, l9Us, Commander John H. Forney, USCG, became commander of Escort Division 23.
CONVOY DUTY

Previous operations in the Mediterranean convinced the SELLSTROM "s personnel that the Luftwaffe was inevitable as they action with passed Gibraltar with convoy UGS-36 on 29 March, 19hk German observation plane 3confirmed this shortly after they cleared the Rock. The attack came at OUOO, 1 April, 19i^. There were two flights of Ger man two-motored bombers and torpedo planes. Flares and anti-aircraft fire from over one hundred mer chantmen and escorts illuminated the Mediterranean for miles around. After the smoke and flames had cleared, it was found that one merchantman had been torpedoed and was burning. She had to be beached

AIR ATTACK

on her radar scope. A small unidentified schooner was contacted visually, who failed to answer challenges and was ordered to come alongside. In attempting to do so, the schooner suddenly veered to port and collided with the HARVESON, who sustained the minor damages, but the stem of the schooner, OK SERVICE VII out of Halifax, was broken and her bow opened up. The master of the schooner ordered his men to abandon ship and they were taken aboard the HARVESON. Blame was placed by a Court of Inquiry on the master of the schooner. Minor the HARVESON were made at Charleston ,*

appeared

M^^s^^*

118

USS JOYCE DE-317

PANICKY NAZI SEAKEN POUR OUT OF THE CONNING TOTTER

TO THE DECK OF A SUBMARINE BLASTED TO THE SURFACE
BY DEPTH CHARGES ACCURATELY PUNTED BY COAST GUARD
AND NAVY DESTROYER ESCORTS PETERSEN, JOYCE AND GANDY

119

arrived on December Ist for post-shakedown availabi lity. Arriving at Norfolk on the Bth she was engaged in training DE crews until the lUth. ANOTHER COLLISION
On December Ik, 191*3, she was ordered to sea, in com

191*5
The HARVESONs sixth trip, during October 19UU, was un eventful and as she sailed New York on November 23, 19hh, on her seventh, out of J. F. Thompson was her fourth commanding officer. Lt. On her ninth trip begun February 27, 19U5, the HARVESON inflicted damage on an enemy submarine, sufficient to force it to surface some time during the night. This was believed to be the same submarine which was sunk the following day by a patrolling British aircraft, about 0 miles from the scene of the attack. DAMAGES SUB The last and tenth round trip
of the HARVESON to Europe,
began on April17, 1.916, ter minated on May 13, 19h$, at Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ending of hostilities in Europe dispensed with the need of convoying ships to li *urope and the escort ves sels and combat ships previously employed in the At lantic were prepared for duty in the Pacific. By June Uth all ships of Escort Division 22 had been overhauled and, on that day, they departed New York en route the Pacific. The Escort Division Commander was L. M. Thayer, USCG. On June Bth shore bombard ment exercises were conducted off the coast of Culebra Island in the West Indies. Arriving at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on June 10th, the HARVESON, and the other ships of the division, were put through a most com prehensive and gruelling ten day training program. Night and day she took part in anti-submarine war fare, gunnery, towing, fueling, radar and ship handling exercises, in preparation for a different type of wa in the Pacific. She arrived at San Diego, via the Panama Canal on July Ist and three days later departed for Pearl Harbor. She remained in Pearl Harbor unt^l September 3>19U5, carrying out advanced training exer cises. The sudden ending of the war against Japan on August lit., 19U5, necessitated a change in plans for many ships en route to combat zones. On September 3rd she left Pearl Harbor, escorting 18 LST's in LST Group lit,bound for Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan. The long trip ended 21 days later, when the HARVESON and the LST Group dropped anchor off Sasebo on September 2Uth. She then received orders to escort the USS MT. McKINLEY (AGC-7) to Wakayama, Japan, and arrived there on the 29th. En route Wakayama the HARVESON sighted and ex ploded a drifting Japanese mine. Departing on October Uth she next escorted the MT. McKINLEBT to Hiro Wan, Honshu, and took part in the first landings in the immediate area. She left for Yokohama on October 31, 19U5, as the escort of the USS MT. McKINLEY and USS CALVERT (APA-32) She departed November 3rd, 19U5, for Pearl Harbor and leaving Pearl Harbor on November Is, 19U5, and San Diego ten days later, passed through the Panama Canal on December 3rd and arrived at Charles ton on December 8, 19h$, ready for de-coranissioning. The Coast Guard crew was removed on May 1, 19U6. PACIFIC DUTY

About 2100 the radar reported a contact and, while its course and speed were being determined, a ship appeared within visual range. In the subsequent collision with the SS WILLIAMT. BARRY, a fully load ed 7000 ton merchant vessel, a huge hole was ripped in the HARVESON 's starboard side, flooding #1 and #2 engine rooms. There were no casualties and, after emergency repairs, the HARVESON was able to proceed toward Norfolk where a tug met her at the entrance to the swept channel and towed her to port.

pany with the POOLE, to search for a submarine reported sighted just off the coast of Virginia. Weather and visibility were poor.

1914
The HARVESON spent the following nine weeks under going repairs at Norfolk Navy Yard. Her whole starboard side required re aligning and strengthening and two of her engines had to be replaced. On February 2nd Comdr. G. W. Nelson, USCG, became her second commanding officer. Sea trials were made on February 22nd and on the 27th she departed for New York to report to Escort Divi sion 22. UNDER REPAIR LEOPOLD TORPEDOED
On March 1, 19hh, in company with Escort Division 22, the HARVESON departed New York as part of the screen of convoy CU-16. On the 19th

at 1950, the LEOPOLD, assisted by the JOYCE, depart ed the convoy to investigate a radar contact 7 miles south and U5 minutes later the JOYCE reported that the LEOPOLD^ had been torpedoed. The HARVESON con tinued on with the convoy, which arrived safely at Londonderry on the 11th. The return trip begun on the 17th, was terminated without incident on the 28th at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

SPBMARINB IS SUNK!

On her second trip, begun on April Is, 19hh, the SS PAN

PENNSYLVANIA was
torpedoed
a day out of New York. The
HARVESON was ordered to continue with the convoy
while the GANDY, JOYCE and PETERSON brought the enemy submarine to the surface and took 12 German crew mem bers as prisoners of war. On the 2Uth the HARVESON
and KIRKPATRICK were ordered
to search for an enemy

submarine but the search produced negative results.

On the return
trip to the United States, the HARVESON, PETERSON and JOYCE were
sent, on the 9th of May, to search for a submarine which one of the planes,
covering the convoy, had picked up by radar 3>o miles
a*stern. The search continued on the 10th, with the
help of three
British escorts, without results. On her arrival in New^York, Lt. Comdr. J. A. Norton, USCG, became the HARVESON s third commanding officer on May 20th.
SS JACKSONVILLE

USS JOYCE (DE-317) ESCORT DIVISION 22 The Coast Guard manned USS JOYCE (DE-317) was built by the Con solidated Shipbuilding Corpora tion, Orange, Texas, and com missioned September 30, 19U3. She was named for En sign Philip Michael. Joyce, USNR, who died in the loss of the USS PEAfer by enemy action at Port Darwin, Australia, on February 19, 19U2. After brief calls at Galveston and New Orleans, for fitting out, the JOYCE, in October, 191*3, underwent four weeks of shakedown and training exercises at Bermuda.
AND SHAKEDOWN

COMMISSIONING

The third and fourth round

trip of the HARVESON, made
during June and July were
without incident. -On the fifth trip, begun August 19th another sinking of a convoyed vessel occurred when the SS JACKSONVILLE was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland. The HARVESON searched in vain for the enemy submarine.

120

'^^^^^^uS^|^^^|^
FIRST CONVOY DUTY On December 2, 191*3, the JOYCE sailed from Norfolk as part of the escort of a convoy bound for the Mcdi terranean. The crossing was made without incident. The escorts screened the troop and cargo ships through the Straits of Gibraltar, transferred them to a British escort group and put in at Casablanca. On the westward trip to New York the JOYCE encounter ed the worst and m at prolonged storm of her career. IH THE PACIFIC The JOYCE, withEscort Division 22, departed New York on June I*, 19U5, for the Pacific Area, undergoing training en route at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. VJ-day found the JOYCE still at Pearl Harbor. Her first Pacific mission was the escorting of troop carriers for the initial occupation landing at Sasebo, Japan, on September 22, 191*5. While engaged in her second Pacific mission, the escort of troops from Manila to Wakayama, Japan, the JOYCE was ordered home and sailed from Leyte Gulf on November U, 19U5, for New York, where she arrived on December 10. Her last voyage was to Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she arrived January 21j., 19U6, to join the Inactive Reserve Fleet. Here her Coast Guard crew' was removed May 1,

191*1*
SINKING

W^

Following intensive training at Casco Bay, Maine,

LEOPOLD

in late February 19UU, Escort Division 22 assembled

consisting of the Flagship

i9l*6.

USS POOLS, with the PETERSON, HARVESON, JOYCE, KIRK PATRICK and LEOPOLD. These were to help guard fast convoys between the United States and United Kingdom. On the night of March 9, 19l*l*, I*oo miles south of Iceland, the LEOPOLD, while investigating a radar target, was torpedoed amidships, and later broke in two and sank. The JOYCE, four miles distant at the time, was designated rescue ship. Twice, while dead in the water picking up the twenty-eight survivors, the JOYCE got underway precipitately to evade tor pedoes, the screws of which were detected by sonar. Eleven of the crew received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and the commanding officer, Lt. Comdr. Robert Wilcox, USCG, and two men received commendation from the commander in chief, Atlantic Fleet, for their
outstanding performance

Her ports of call after leav-

ing New York on her Pacific
mission were Guantanamo,
Cuba (6/10 A5), Coco Solo, Canal \u25a0'Zone (6/22A5), San
Diego, California (7/VUS), Pearl Harbor, T. H.
(7/11/16), Saipan, Marshall Islands (9/llA5), Sasebo,
Japan (9/22/U5), Leyte, P. I.(10/2/I*s), Manila, P. I.
(10/2l*/l*s), Leyte, P. I. (11/2A5), Pearl Harbor,
T. H. (11/15 AS), San Diego, California (11/23/I*s),
Coco Solo, Canal Zone (12/3/I*s), New York (12/10/15)
and Green Cove Springs, Florida (l/2U/l*6).
PACIFIC PORTS VISITED COMMANDING OFFICERS Lt. Condr. Lt. Comdr. Lt. Comdr. Lt. Comdr. The following officers have
commanded the JOYCE t Robert Wilcox, USCG, 9/30/I*3 10/5/W* Benjamin P. Clark, USCG, 10/5/I*l* 6VliiAs
Hubert G. Ball, USCGR, 8/IU/U5 12/18 A5
John F. Thompson, Jr., USCG, 12/18/U5

of duty on this occasion.

An opportunity to retaliate for the loss of the LEOPOLD was afforded the Division on the next outward voyage. On the morning of April 16, 19U1*, while taking her station in the convoy, the SS PAN PENNSYLVANIA, one of the world's largest gaso line tankers, was torpedoed and set aflame. After picking up thirty-one survivors, including the master, the JOYCE located the submarine by^onar and brought it to the surface with one pattern of eleven depth charges. With the aid of the PETERSON and the USS GANDY (DE-761*), the submarine's guns were quickly sub dued. Her crew thereupon abandoned and scuttled her. Twelve of the submarine's company were picked up by the JOYCE, including the commanding officer. Lt. Comdr. Wilcox received the Legion of Merit and the USSR Order of the Fatherland War, Ist Class, and Lt. John L. Bender, USCGR, Nelson W. -Allen, SOU 2/c, USCGR, and Winston T. Coburn, SOM 2/c, USCGR, re ceived the Bronze Star Medal. SINKS SUB

Lt. Charles W. Scharff, USCG, Lt. Comdr. Emmett P. O'Hara, USCG,

- - 1/3/I*6 1/3A6 3/26 - &

A 3/26/I*6 5/IA6

USS KIRKPATRICK (DE-318)

ESCORT DIVISION 22

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDCYJN

191*5
ELEVEN TRIPS ACROSS ATLANTIC The JOYCE made eleven round trips across the Atlantic, celebrating YE Day in midocean on her last return Her ports of call were Casablanca (12/22/^3),

The Coast Guard manned USS KIRKPATRICK (DE-318) was commissioned at Orange, Texas, on October 23, 191*3. Her only commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. Victor E.
Bakanas, USCG. Moving to Sabine,T3xas, she proceeded
to Galveston for drydocking during the balance of October. On November 3rd she departed for New Orleans and on the 6th proceeded to Bermuda where shakedown exercises were held untilDecember 9, 191*3. She ar rived at Charleston for a 5 day post shakedown availa bility on December 11, 19U5, and on the 17th departed for New York where she reported to Escort Division 22 on December 19, 19i*3. The KIRKPATRICK departed New York for Norfolk December 22, 19U3, escorting the New York section of convoy UGS-28 con sisting of 12 merchant ships escorted in addition by the USS POOIE, USS SELLSTROM, two Navy Destroyer Es corts and 3 PC's. Arriving at Norfolk the KIRKPATRICK reported for duty to Commander Task Force 61 and then departed for point XS to conduct a "sound sweep 25 miles wide and 50 miles ahead of the convoy's pro jected course. She was in company with USS POOLE, USS LEOPOLD and USS STRAUS. She took position in van of the 61* ship convoy UGS-28 on December 25. The trip was uneventful and on January 10, 19U1*, the American escort group was relieved by a. British es cort group in the Straits of Gibraltar, the KIRKPATRICK putting in at Casablanca. The return trip in Task FIRST ESCORT DUTY

voyage. Londonderry (3/11/iU*, l*/26/l*U, 6/10/I*l*, 7/21/U*), Loch Ewe, Scotland and Londonderry (8/31/1*1*), Liverpool (10/17 AU)> Glasgow, Scotland (12AA1*), Falmouth, England (1/23/I*s), Portsmouth (1/25/I*s) Le Havre, France (3/llA5), Southampton (3/12A5), and Birken head, England (U/28A5).

While the ship was fitting out at Bayonne, New Jersey, on May 19, 19U5, Walter G. Ruding, F l/c, USCGR, of the JOYCE, with considerable risk, rescued a yard worker from drowning. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
OF HEROISM

AN ACT

121

Force 6lfescorting the 50 ship convoy GUS-27 with Escort Divisions 22 and 5, was highlighted by a sub contact in the immediate area and another 200 miles southward. On February Ist aNW gale caused the con voy to straggle but most returned on the 2nd. Next day the KIRKPATRICK detached with Escort Division 22 and 16 merchant vessels of the Delaware Section and reached New York on the Uth for ten days availability. the KIRKPATRICK proceeded to Casco Bay, Maine, for training exercises and was back in New York by February 27, 19hh, where all the ships of Escort Division 22 On March 1, 1914J4., they took screening assembled. positions on the 27 ship convoy CU-16. On the 9th the LSOFCLD reported a radar contact at 8000 yards, 7 miles south of the convoy and assisted by the JOYCE proceeded to intercept. Ten minutes later the LEOPOLD had b een torpedoed, breaking in half and sinking dur ing the night. The JOYCE rescued 28 survivors but all of the LEOPOLD'S officers and 158 out of 186 enlisted men were lost. The convoy arrived off the north coast of Ireland on March 11, I9hk, the escort vessels pro ceeding to Lisahally, North Ireland. They reported at Moville, March 16, 19kh, and next day rendezvoused with the convoy UC-16 west of Oversay. The convoy ar rived at New York March 28, 19liU, where the KIRKPATRICK went on availability until April 15, 19hk* Besfcween April15, 19hh, and May 15, 19U5, the KIRKPATRICK as part of Escort Division 22 made nine round trips to England escorting convoys of merchant vessels. On April16, 19UU, the SS PAN PENNSYLVANIA was torpedoed and the GANDY rammed and sank the submarine involved. On April 2k, on the first of these, the HARVSSON and KIRKPATRICK were detached to hunt for a sttomarine attacked by aircraft.On August 30, 19kk, the SS JACK SONVILLE was torpedoed off Loch Ewe, Scotland, caught fire and broke in two. Only two survivors were picked up by the POOLS sent to the rescue.
NINE VOYAGES

FIRST CONVOY

of Task Force 61, escorting convoy USG-68 to the Mediterranean. On the 30th the LEOPOLD was directed to go to the rear of the convoy and search for a

exercises for officers and nucleus crow of new destroyer escorts in the Chesapeake Bay area, she stood out of Thimble Shoal Channel on December 2h ISk3> as part

After four days of training

LEOPOLD TORPEDOED

seaman reported lost overboard from one of the con voy ships. Itwas very dark and fairly rough, so, unless the seaman had on a life jacket with a light, the chances of finding him were slight. After U5 minutes she discontinued the search. The convoy reached the Straits of Gibraltar on January 10th and was turned over to British escorts. The LEOPOLD moored at Casablanca on the 11th. On the 13th she commenced patrolling as anti-submarine screen across the Atlantic side of the Straits of Gibraltar, the Task Force forming a line to prevent U-boats from entering the Mediterranean. On the 15 th she moored at Gibraltar and on the 16th proceeded out of the inner harbor to close up the stragglers on west bound convoy GUS-27* On February Ist a northwesterly gale caused the convoy to scatter and much time was consumed rounding up stragglers. The LEOPOLD ar rived at New York on the llth for ten days availabi lity at the Navy Yard. From the lUth to the 27th of February the LEOPOLD, with other escorts of Escort Division 22, underwent training exercises at Casco Bay, Maine.

TO ENGLAND

h, 19h5, the KIRK PATRICK left New York for Pearl Harbor, via Canal Zone and San Diego, arriving on July 11, 19U5. While there the Japanese surrendered on August lii,19U5. The ship was sent to the forward area arriving at Lengayen Bay, Luzon, October 6, 19U5> and Sasebo, Japan, October 18, 19U5* She returned to Charleston December 8, 19U5> via Pearl Harbor, San Diego and the Canal Zone and on December 13, 19U5, reached Jacksonville, Florida.
TO THE PACIFIC On June

On March Ist, 19hh, the LEOPOLD took her screening station, as part of Escort Division 22, with the 27 ship convoy CU-16. On the Bth she reported an HF/DF inter cept which indicated an enemy submarine on the route of the convoy. The route was consequently altered. On the 9th while south of Iceland she reported a radar contact at 1950 at 8000 yards, which placed it7 miles south of the convoy. Assisted by the JOYCE, the LEOPOLD was ordered to intercept. General Quarters was sounded and orders were issued to "fire on sight." A flare was released and gun crews strain ed to sight the submarine in the lighted area. The U-boat was almost submerged when spotted and the gun crews had to work blind. SUB IS SPOTTED "We hadnt fired' more than a few rounds" said Cleveland Parker,. Chief Commissary Steward, the highest ranking man rescued, "when another sub, lying in wait off port quarter, threw a torpedo into us." Troy S. our Gowers, Seaman 1/c, was at his gun station when the torpedo struck. "When the fish exploded" he said "Iwas blown right out of my shoes and into a life net a dozen feet away. I crawled back to my station and since the electric power was off, I tried to work the gun manually,but she was jammed. Then came helped release a life the order to abandon ship. I raft on the starboard side and jumped into the water. The water was almost freezing and the wind felt even pulled myself aboard the raft there colder. When I were 18 or 19 of us IWhen we -were finally picked up there were only three or four." A storm was blowing and the waves started to break over the small life raft. Gowers and Joseph M. Ranyss, Seaman 1/c crawl ed around to the men sitting still, trying to keep them awake. "But those that were freezing knew it" Gowers said "One Boy said 'I'm dying, I cant hold out any longer' and in a minute he was gone". Finally the Coast Guardsmen left on the raft saw a ship, the USS JOYCE, which had dropped behind for rescue work. The JOYCE saw them but couldn't stop to pick ' them up at that moment because a U-boat was firing torpedoes at her. The men on the raft irajfctod in despair as the ship slowly pulled out FIRST HAND
ACCOUNTS

DECOMMISSIONED

On May 1, 19146, the'KIRK PATRICK was decommissioned at Jacksonville, Florida, and her Coast Guard crew removed. USS LEOPOLD
(DE-319)

ESCORT DIVISION 22
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN
Orange,

Commissioning ceremonies were held on board the Coast

(DB-319) on October Ifl,191*3, Texas, and the ship was delivered to the at commanding officer Lt. Comdr. Kenneth C. Phillips, USCG. After structural firing tests at Galveston she departed for New Orleans* On the 7th of November she proceeded to Great Sound, Bermuda, where shakedown exercises were begun. On December 9th she left for Charleston and eleven days of post-skakedown availa
bility.

Guard manned USS LEOPOLD

fll^HM^^^.^

122

Meanwhile another survivor, w. G. O'Brien, Seaman l/c, was still aboard the LEOPOLD. He watched the fore part of the ship break away about 3/h of an hour after the explosion and then had walked to the stern of the vessel where lj.o of the ship's crew and officers had congregated. There he heard about one man who had been pinned under a heavy galley range by the explosion. The man had pleaded with an officer to shoot him and, when the officer refused, he begged
him to leave a gun by his side so that he could shoot
himself. But they freed him from the wreckage and
lowered him to a boat. He died before they picked
him up.
BREAKS IN HALF

LEOPOLD

FALGOUT, had completed shakedown and training of shakedown crews in Norfolk, Virginia, and started first operations as a division. On that date, with the Commander of Escort Division I*6 on the MENGES, she departed Norfolk with the MOSLEY, PRIT17 and NEWELL for New York, to escort the New York section of UGS-32 to Hampton Roads, Virginia. They returned on February 2nd with the 23 ship convoy sec tion they were escorting and on that date began opera ting under Commander, Task Force 65, which consisted of Escort Divisions 6 and U6 and the destroyer EBERLE. From 3 to 19 February this task force escorted convoy UGS-32 to the Straits of Gibraltar and then moored at Casablanca from 20 to 25 February, They began escort
except the LOYJE and ing

ROLLS OVER
AND

men out of the water. One

was the commanding officer,
Commander Kenneth Phillips,
who had been blown off the
ship by the explosion. The stern of the LEOPOLD was
now setting
deeper and deeper into the water. The
storm was getting stronger. An officer went below
deck and came back with medical whisky and blankets. Then they saw the JOYCE and signalled it with a flashlight. "She came within 50 yards of us," O'Brien said "and her skipper hollered through a megaphone
'We're dodging torpedoes, God bless you. We'll be
back. And then they went away. In a
little while the LEOPOLD rolled straight over to the
the stern of port side and a lot of the men were thrown off. The
Captain was one of them and I didn't see him again.
The ship stayed like that for about one hour and a
half, all the time getting lower in the water. The
waves were about 50 feet high and one by one, the
men were washed off. I'd see a big wave coming and
close my eyes and hold my breath until the stern
raised out of it. In one of these the water didnt
go down, and I realized that the stem had finally
gone under for good. So I let go and my life jacket
carried me to the surface. After a while I a life
saw raft and struck out for it."

O'Brien helped

pull three

FINALLY SINKS

the United States on 26 February, arriving at New York on 18 March without incident. From 19th to 28th of March the division had an availability period at the New York Navy Yard, and then conducted exercises in
the practice area off Montauk Point until the 31st.
GERMAN AIR ATTACK
The MENGES, along with the NEWELL, PRIDE and LOVE ar rived at Norfolk from the

convoy GDS-31 from the Straits of Gibraltar to

ONLY 28 SURVIVORS

All of the LEOPOLD'S 13 officers and 158 of her

complement of 186 enlisted
men were lost. There were
only 28 survivors, all enlisted men.
USS MENGES
(DE-320)
ESCORT DIVISION I|6
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN The Coast Guard manned USS
MENGES (DE-320) was built
at the Consolidated Steel

Company

Texas, and launched on June 15, 19i*3. She was com missioned on October 26, 191*3. Her only commanding officer has been Lt. Comdr. Frank M. McCabe, USCG. She proceeded to Galveston where she remained until November 7, 19ii3, for sea trials and then to New Orleans. On November lUth she proceeded to Bermuda where she underwent shakedown until December 16, 19U3, and then to Charleston for post-shakedown availability until January 3, 19kh. From January 6 28, IS>l^, was spent training nucleus Destroyer Escort crews in Chesa peake Bay and in training the ship's crew at sea, be ing based at Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia.

Shipyard at Orange,

practice area on April1, 19kU, and on the 3rd, together with the LSDSLEY and FALGOUT, began escorting convoy UGS-38 from Hampton Roads to Bizerte, North Africa. The Task Force (66) consisted of Escort Division I^6, two vessels of Escort Division 9, four vessels of Escort Division 21 and the Coast Guard Cutter TANEY. The escort mission was carried out without special event until the early morn ing of April 20, 19kh, when a HF/DF bearing on an enemy transmission was obtained, indicating a submarine within 30 miles of the convoy's rear. About 2100 on April 20th the convoy was heavily attacked with tor pedoes from some 20 or 30 German aricraft, at 36 59 N, 03 5U' E, just north of Algiers in the Mediterran ean. During the engagement, five ships were torpedoed, three of them being sunk. One of these, the USS LANSDALE (BD-k26) was sunk in about four minutes. The MENGES picked up 113 survivors of the LANSDALE using bowlines from the shipte sides and the ship's motor whaleboat for men that couldn't reach the ship. The NEWELL picked up the remainder of the LANSDALE's sur vivors, which numbered 119. The PAUL HAMILTON, an ammunition freighter, was struck first and exploded, killing the- entire personnel of 600 men, including h9& who were part of an especially trained demolition squad on its way to the Anzio beachhead. The MENGES shot down one of the attacking Nazi planes and rescued two of the crew. The SS SAMITE, torpedoed in the bow, was towed to Algiers. The SS STEPHEN F. AUSTIN, also torpedoed in the bow, managed to reach Algiers. The SS ROYAL STAR, torpedoed aft, was abandoned by her crew, who took to life rafts and were taken aboard the CHASE. A tug began to tow her to Algiers but had to beach her as she was sinking slowly. The MENGES and NEWELL discontinued search for survivors at 0330 on the 21st and proceeded to Algiers to disembark sur vivors. They rejoined the convoy at 1930, and arrived with it at Bizerte on the 23rd, remaining there for the rest of April.

MENGES 35 TORPEDOED

FIRST CONVOY TO GIBRALT. AND RETURN USS

X&n^^^^Hp

USS MENGES (DE-320), USS MOSLEY (DE-321), USS NEWELL (DE-322), USS PRIDE (DE-323), USS FALGOUT (DE-321*) and January 28, 19hh, these vessels On

Escort Division U6 included

The MENGES with the resft of Escort Division I^6, six other DE's, USS STEADY,, a British AA cruiser, and the CGC TANEY, departed Bizerte on May 1, 19kh, escorting convoy GUS relieving British escorts. The convoy consisted 38, of about 70 merchant vessels and proceeded in a broad front formation, with the MENGES maintaining a posi tion about two miles behind the convoy. There was a smooth sea, light westerly airs and good visibility from the bright moonlight for most of the night. While enemy, air attacks were more or less routine in this area, the heavy air attack on the east-bound con voy in Aprilwas still fresh in the memory of escort

123

personnel. There was, however, only a general possibi lity of a submarine attack in the Mediterranean. At 233U on 2 May the PRIDE investigated a flashing white light off the port quarter of the convoy and reported it by TBS to the Task Force Commander as "some kind of a carbide light which is submerged and emits a bright light intermittently." The MENGES had inter cepted this message and had also sighted a flashing white light. At 0037 on May 3rd, a small radar sur face target appeared on the scope about six miles from the 3ENGES, who reversed course to investigate. A few minutes later a plane appeared on the radar scale at a range of about 7000 yards and passed directly over the MENGES at about 200 feet in the direction of the convoy. Visual identification by the MENGES 1 gun crews indicated that it was a Junkers 88.. When neither the surface target nor the MENGES was molested by the plane, a large air operation against the convoy was expected, with the strange lights evaluated as decoys to lure escorts from the convoy and the surface target 3ome type of radio beacon to guide enemy planes. At 0112 the surface target disappeared from the radar screen. Up to this time ithad not been positively identified as a sub marine. To prevent its escape the MENGES started an erratic approach towards the point of submergence. Five minutes later the MENGES had a sound contact on the port beam at 1500 yards and at 0118 a torpedo hit her stem when in position 37 08 N, 05 19" E. The explosion was followed two minutes later by several heavy explosions shaking the ship. The torpedo was not heard by the sound man and was probably a new, circling, turbine-propelled type of acoustic torpedo. The force of the explosion demolished the stern of the ship aft of number 3 gun. Many casualties were caused by the depth charge racks, depth charges and other objects being blown from the stern high in the air forward, one man being killed by a washing machine which had been secured below decks aft. One depth charge rack, with 12 charges, landed on the I*o Ban gun, bending the barrels almost double and ripping the gun from its foundations. Depth charges crushed the offi cer and men on the torpedo tubes but did not explode. Torpedoes were jarred partially out of their tubes and at least one had a hot run. Total casualties were two officers and 29 men killed or missing, and 13 men requiring hospitalization.

AWARDS
achievements

The following personnel of the MEMOES were presented with awards for outstanding on 20 April and 3 May, 9hki
Legion of Merit Bronze Star Bronze Star Legion of Merit
Navy and Marine Corps Medal

Lt. Comdr. F. M. Me Cabe, USCG Lt. Leoy Van Nostrand, USCG Lt. (jg) James A MacKay, USCG Harold Levy, C.Ph.11., USCGR W. A. Riskedahl, MoMM l/C, USCG V. B. Mathis MoMM J. D. Lawless, WT

l/C, USCGR 2/c, USCGR

S. D. Putzke, RM 2/C, USCO James Lee, Sea l/C, USCGR

G. E. Doak, F

l/C, USCGR

C. G. Sandas BM 2/c, USCGR

Bronze Star Navy and Marine Corps Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Po sthumous ly)

MENGES REPAIRED

By dawn on May 3, 19hh, a tug arrived on the scene and

towed the disabled MENGES to Bougie, Algeria, where the were landed. From there she was dead and wounded towed to Algiers for minor repairs and then to Oran, where the damaged part of the ship was cut off, leav ing two-thirds of the original ship. She was then towed in a convoy toward the United States, but because of continual breaking of the towing chain, the tow put in to Horta, Azores, where a more suitable towing rig was procured. She was then towed to Bermuda and from there to New York. At the New York Navy Yard, 95 feet of the stern of the USS HOLDER (DB-UOl), who had been torpedoed amidships by an aerial torpedo, was welded onto the remainder of the MENGES. This was the first known case of a large section of a battle damaged ship being welded to another battle damaged ship to make a complete ship. A new crew was put aboard, except for the commanding officer, and a few of the original officers and men, and the new MENGES departed from the Navy Yard on September 16,

1914*.

The first vessel to arrive on the scene was the PRIDE. At 021*7 the PRIDE located the underwater enemy by sound gear at 1800 yards down moon from the MENGES and evidently at periscope length. She made a good hedgehog approach which was, however, ruined by the failure of the hedgehog elec trical curcuit. The PRIDE had approached the MENGES in the up moon position correctly assuming that this would be the most probable location of the submarine, which, at periscope depth and in down moon position, could sight up moon an escort proceeding directly from the convoy. This probably saved the PRIDE from being torpedoed, as the sub could not turn fast enough, at periscope depth, to aim at the PRIDB approaching her beam. The J. E. CAMPBELL (DE-70), with Commander, Escort Division 21 on board, arrived shortly after this and these two were joined by a French and Bri tish destroyer, a French Destroyer Escort and a U. S. mine sweeper in attacking the submarine. After 26 hours of coordinated depth charge attacks and hold down tactics by these vessels, the submarine was finally scuttled by its crew, but not until ithad torpedoed the French DE. To scuttle the sub, the crew put it in motion, heading for water deep enough to prevent salvage and all hands apparently abandoned it successfully. I*6 were taken prisoner and probably four escaped by swimming ashore. USS PRICE SINKS THE

NEW MENGES HELPS SINK SUBS

MENGES resumed escort duty, taking a North Atlantic convoy to French and English ports and then returning to the United States to Mediterranean runs. On Febru ary 11, 19U5, the MENGES, along with the PRIDE, MOSLEY and LOWE, was assigned as an independent Killer Group in the North Atlantic, commanded by Commander R. H. French, USCG. This was the only Killer Group completely manned by Coast Guard personnel. On the 18th of March, 19U5, the MENGES and LOWE succeeded in destroying a German submarine, the first target assign ed to this Killer Group. The following awards were made as a result of this action; Lt. Comdr. F. M. McCabe, U&.CG Lt. (jg) H. W. Tyas, Jr., USCG Thomas H. Watkins, SOM 2/C, USCGR
Bronze Star Medal

After a four week shakedown at Casco Bay, Maine, the

Commendation Ribbon Commendation Ribbon

The Killer Group . operations were continued in the North Atlantic and later this Killer Group was joined with two carriers and other Killer Groups. This com bination succeeded in sinking three other German sub marines. One DE was sunk.

'^**%SI

124

TRAINING VESSEL

On May

The next assignment for the L2CNGES was to escort the last trans-Atlantic convoy to England, along with the PRIDE and the DAVIS (DD 325). The escorts put into Liverpool and returned without a convoy. The MENGES was then assigned as one of the training vessels for the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. The MENGES and the CGC COBB made two one mjnth cruises to the Tfest Indies, carrying separate groups of cadets. Upon being detached from this duty the MENGES was assigned as a training vessel at New London Submarine Base. After being inspected at Fall River, Mass., on Navy Day, October 27, 19k$, the "MEMOES proceeded to Green Cove Springs, Florida, in the St. John's River for preservation and decommission ing in the Inactive Fleet. She was decommissioned and the Coast Guard crew removed April 12, I?ii6,

having surrendered, the Killer Group was dissolved.

lit, 19U5,

Germany

U. S. destroyers

stationed in the Mediterranean.

After this trip the MOSLEY escorted two more convoys to Bizerte, Tunisia, and two to Oran, Algeria, After each round trip, Escort had a ten day availability at the New Division i;, 6 York Navy Yard and a short period of training and
inspections

OTHER TRIPS

at'Casco

Bay,

Maine.

USS MOSLEY
(DE-321)

ESCORT DIVISION I*6

COMMISSIONING

AMD SHAKEDOWN

for Bermuda for her shakedown training. On Christmas Eve, 191i3j she departed Bermuda for Charleston, where she underwent a seven day post shakedown availability.

fitted in Galveston on November 19th she departed

missioned at Orange, Texas, on October 30, 19U3. Out.-'

The Coast Guard manned USS MOSISY (DE-321) was com

19h5, the MENGES, MOSLEY, PRIDE and IDWE were formed into Task Group 22. Hi, a "Killer" Group. After a week's training under Commander, Squadron One, New London, Conn., the group Submarine was sent out after its first submarine. In less than two weeks the group had found and sunk the submarine. For her next mission the MOSLEY, with Task Group 22.1U joined another successful "Killer" Group, with an aircraft carrier, and went in search of submarines in the area between Newfoundland and Greenland. To curb Germany's final desperate U-boat drive, this new Task Force, combined with another task group of the same ten destroyer escorts and an aircraft carrier, size, set up a barrier at 30 degrees west longitude. This group fought it out with the German underseas fleet and so routed the few subs to escape alive, that the Na zi drive was a complete disaster. For two weeks after the European War was over, the MOSLEY and her group remained at sea, while the U-boats were sur
IN "KILLER GROUP" On February 22,

rendering.

DECOMMISSIONING

FI3ST CONVOY

Her first escort duty was from Norfolk to various Gulf forts, returning with a con voy for Port Arthur, Texas, to Norfolk. Here she joined the MENGES, NEVVELL, PRIDE, FALGOUT and LOWE, and these destroyer escorts, operating together for the first time as Escort Division U6, sailed from New York as escort with convoy UGS-32, on January 28, 191411. The trip to Casablanca was uneventful except for a couple of attacks on possible submarines, but during the return trip to the United States with convoy GUS 31, the MOSLEY encountered some very rough weather. She arrived at New York,on March 18th, 19hh. CONVOY IS
ATTACKED

Anti-Submarine Development, Atlantic Fleet. After three months of this duty and a month at the Charles ton Navy Yard, the MOSLEY arrived at St. John's River Group Anchorage, Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, Florida, on November 3 19U5, for decommissioning. The Coast Guard crew was removed March 15, 19U6. USS NEWELL (DE-322)
ESCORT DIVISION 2*6

After a short stay in New York, the MOSLSY went to Port Everglades, Florida, for for experimental and training work with Commander,

The MOSLEY' s next assignment was as escort to convoy UGS-38 from Norfolk to Bi zerte. Itwas while on this duty, on the night of April 20, 19Ui, that the convoy was attacked off the coast of Algiers, by twenty one JU-88's and HE-ll^s. In the ensuing action, the USS LANSDALE and the USS PAUL HAMILTON, a troopship, were sunk and three other merchant ships torpedoed before the attackers were repulsed. The MOSLEY knocked down one German plane and hit two others.
MENGES HIT AND USS FECHTELER SUNK One day out of Bizerte, Tunisia, on the return trip, the USS MENGES (DE-320), stationed astern of the cov voy was torpedoed on May 3, 19hh, by a German submarine, while investigating a Three escorts from the convoy later sound contact. sunk this U-boat. Two days later, a ship in the outer screen sighted a submarine in the path of the convoy at 0310. Half an hour later, after two emergency turns to starboard had been made, the USS FECHTELER, stationed ahead of the MOSIEY, was torpedoed and later sank. After dropping an embarrassing pattern of depth charges between the supposed location of the U-boat and the convoy, the MOSLEY proceeded to the FECHTELER and dropped three life rafts and two floater nets to the ,survisprs. The MDSLEY and two others searched for thi* submai&rie turbil noon, when she was relieved by two

The Coast Guard manned USS NEWELL (DE-322) was built by the Consolidated Steel Com pany, Shipbuilding Division, at Orange, Texas, and was commissioned on October 30, 19U3. Lt. Comdr. Russell J. Roberts, USCG, was her first commanding officer. The NEWELL was named after Lt. Comdr. Byron Bruce Newell, USN, who lost his life as a flyer attached to the USS HORNET in 19U2. After being fitter out at Galveston, Texas, she finally sailed on November 17, 19^3, for Bermuda where she ar rived on Thanksgiving Day, 19h3, for shakedown. On Christmas Day, 19U3, she sailed for Charleston, S. C. and a short availability. She then proceeded to Nor folk for the training of pre-commissioning crews. In about two weeks Escort Division U6 was formed consist ing of the MENGES, MOSLEY,NEWELL, PRIDE, FALGOUT and
LOWE.

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The first convoy escort trip was to Casablanca and was un eventful. The NEWELL, as part of Escort Division I+6, helped screen convoy UGS 32 to the Straits of Gibraltar from February 3rd to 19th, 1914*. She remained at Casablanca from February 20 to 25, during which time many of the men had their first glimpse of a foreign port. On February 26th, the NEWELL began escorting convoy GUS-31 from Gibral tar to the United States arriving at New York on

FIRST CONVOY

125

AS SHE FLOATS TODAY THE USS KXNGES (DE) IS A HYBRID SHIP

CGI.TAIMING THE BOW OF THE ORIGINAL COAST GUARD iiANHED USS KENfiES
AND Tiff STERN 0? THE USS HOLDER , BOTH TORPEDOED IN ACTION ATID APPARENTLY D00:"ED

THE

COAST GUARD-MANNED DESTROYER ESCORT USS

RAUSDEN-

126

March 18th, 9hh. After ten days availability at NewYork she engaged in exercises off Monteuk Point until the 31st.
RESCUES SURVIVORS FROM USS LANDSDALE On April 3, 19hU, the :.!OSLEY, with Escort Division U6 begaii escorting convoy UGS-38 from Hampton Roads to Bizerte, Tunisia. At this time harassing attacks upon allied convoys were still being made in the MedJ terranean by Nazi aircraft. About two days past Gibraltar, and barely past Algiers, the convoy had settled into its watchful attitude during the evenings. At u s time all ships went to General n at least an hour prior to sunset, and until Quarters half an hour afterward. On the night of April 20, 19hh) about 201i5, Nazi aircraft began to come in on the convoy in what was considered the heaviest attack the attack, the NETfIELL's yet encountered. gunners brought down a Nazi plane, survirors of which were later rescued. A torpedo' from cne of the enemy planes caught the USS LANDSDALB, a destroyer, not 200 yards from the NEWELL. After the attack the NEiVELL and the MENGES were directed to rescue survivors. Betreen the hours of 2115 and 0330, April 21st, more than 120 survivors were brought aboard the NftVJELL, many of them through the individual efforts of mem bers of the crew. Every section of the ship had its job. Many of the survivors were injured and the pharmacist's mate? brought considerable credit to . themselves by their courageous work. Every man was ex amined for shock, and those that were wounded were carefully treated. These men, who carried on their work without supervision of a doctor, were later given the Legion of Merit. They were Rudolph T Schlesinger, CPhM and Joseph Yaccarino, Jr., Ph M 2/c, The damage control parties worked tirelessly to bring men aboard. Many individual members went over the side, in ccld water, to bring aboard survivors too weak to swim to the ship. Letters of commendation were latef BTvarded for their "Skill, initiative and cool resourcefulness" to Jeston V. Woodson, COM, Raymond L. WilDdams, Jr., CE}.! and Fred F. Wisniowski, S l/c. The NEWELL pro ceeded with their survivors, in company with the MENGES, and other DE's towing disabled merchant ships to Algiers, where the survivors were landed and the escorts rapidly caught up to the convoy which had pro ceeded on ahead to Bizerte.

April 8, 19U5 she was ordered to Florida to act as escort an -j plane guard for a carrier which was train ing pilots. She remained on this duty, in the course of which shs rescued six pilots who had crashed in the water, until June 3rd when she proceeded to New
York. DECOMMISSIONING

Meanwhile, \u25a0with the surren der of Germany, large sec

tions of the Atlantic fleet were being sent to the Pacific. However, the NEV.ELL was assigned to remain in the Atlantic. She sailed for Panama on June 18, 19U5* for special duty at Balboa, where she trained submarines, remaining there about kt months, throughout the summer and after tne surrender of Japan on August IU, 19liS>. During this time she made a good will visit to Costa Rica. On 15 September, 19ii5, Lt. Gabriel E. Pehaim, USCG, re lieved Lt, Comdr. Burhorst as commanding officer. On October 20th she was ordered into Inactive Fleet status, sailing for Florida on December 15th. On Liay Ist, 19U6, her Coast Guard crew was removed. USS PRIDE

(DE-323)
ESCORT DiVISIOr: U6 COMMISSIONING AIJD SHAKEDOWN

sioned at Orange, Texas, on November 13, 19^3. Under command of Commander R. H. Curry, USCG, she proceeded to Bermuda for her shakedown cruise. After six weeks of intensive training, there, she was ready for convoy
duty.

The Coast Guard manned f.SS iillDK (DE-323) was commis

For the next twelve months the PRIDE escorted convoys of badly needed men and materials to the fi^htinj fronts in the Mediterranean area. During this period six convoys, of from bO to 115 snips, were escorted safely into the area. The first trip was entirely uneventful except for a peri od of rough weather which lasted 23 days on the re turn trip.

FliiST TRIP

GERMAN

days at Bizerte the NEYfELL, with the rest of Escort Division U6,left on May 1, 19lUi. On the second night underway, the USS MENGES was torpedoed while tracking down a target and the next night, the USS FKCHTELER received a torpedo amidship and sank. The IiENGES was towed to port and thence across the Atlantic where the stern of the USS HGLDKN (DE-iiOl) was joined to her bow.

MEHGES

After ten

HIT

SPECIAL*

The convoy returned to New

York and the escorts were
armed -with four additional UO mm guns, in preparation for her next convoy. At this time her skipper was relieved and given command of a division of destroyer escorts. Lt. Comdr. P. E. The NEWELL made two Burhorst, USCG, assumed command. more uneventful trips to Bizerte, and two more trips to Oran. In February, 19hB, after the last of her six round trips with the convoys, and a short availa bilityin New York, the NEWELL reported to Norfolk for special duty under COTCLANT. A number of mis cellaneous duties were performed there, including testing sono-buoys, determining the minimum speed possible for DE's while dropping various types of depth charges, a short convoy of a carrier, and training newly commissioned officers of the Navy. On DUTY

Itwas on the second trip that the PRIDE won her Sluts as a fighting sh.i.j. Off Algiers, Oermon planes attacked the convoy at dusk and gave the crew their first taste of actual warfare. Five ships were hit and three sank, including the transport PAUL HAMILTON and the U3S LANDSDALE. On April 20, 19hh, the PRIDE, in position 37 OU' N, 03 h9 l E, was stationed in the outer screen of the convoy and expecting an air attack. At 1900 an aircraft was reported approaching dead ahead about 5 miles. This was followed imme diately by a report from another source tliat planes were passing lovf overhead and were heading for the convoy. Gunfire was observed but no planes were sighted. By this time much gunfire was sighted in the direction of the convoy and one large explosion was observed. At 1907 it was reported that two tor pedo tracks were headed toward the PRIDE. The vessel went to flank speed and dropped two depth charges set at 100 feet, at intervals of 10 seconds. A man sta tioned at the depth charge rack reported that one torpedo was passing close astern but this was not observed by bridge lookouts. At 1916 more planes were reported coining in and heading for the convoy. Shortly after this, one plane was seen astern heading 090 true. It passed up the PRIDE'S portside and started to circle ahead of her, turning to the right. The PPJ.DE opened fire and continued firing for about 20 seconds, during which time the plane turned away, disappeared and was not seen again. On April22,

AIFTfT-ACK

127

the convoy reached Bizerte and the PRIDE remained there for the balance of April.

USS FALGOUT

(EE-3210

SUB
DESTROYED

GUS-33 en route from North Shortly after the LSENGES reported early on May 3rd, the PRIDE received orders to join the MENGES, in company with USS J. E. CAiSPHELL (DE-70). These two were joined by the SENEGELESE (French DE), ALYCON (French Destroyer), BLANKLEY (British Destroyer) and SUSTAIN (U. S. mine sweeper) After 26 hours of coordinated depth charge attacks and hold down tactics by these vessels, the submarine was finally scuttled by its crew, but dur ing the attack the enemy put a torpedo into the stern Africa to the United States.

began the As PRICE was acting as one of the escorts for convoy May,

19hh,

of the SENEGELESE.
salvage.

The crew put the sub in motion to

scuttle it heading for water deep enough to prevent All hands apparently abandoned the sub suc cessfully. Forty six were taken prisoner and proba bly four escaped by swimming ashore. The young cap tured commander boasted of being the leading German ace and of having 26 ships to his credit during over a year in the Mediterranean. The MENG3S was towed to Algiers for repairs and salvage. Here on May Uth, Commander, Escort Division I6, transferred to the PRIDE and, along with the J. B. CAaaPBELL, she left Algiers that same day to rejoin the convoy. On May S>th it was concluded from intercepts that FECHTELER (DE) of Task Force 66 had been torpedoed and sunk near the Spanish Isla Del Alboran and that the sub was being hunted. The PRIDE and J. E. CAMPBELL secured permission and altered course, joining the hunt in the shoal water around the island, but the
search was negative and they rejoined the convoy before dark. The PRIDE anchored in New York Harbor on May 22nd. For this action Commander R. R. Curry, USCG, received a gold star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit. Lt. (jg) Donald E. Shively, USCGR, Samuel Abbott, SOM 3/c, Morton M. Fink and Daniel J. Hollern received commendations from the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet.

The Coast Guard manned USS FALOOUT (DE-32U) was built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, Texas, and commissioned on November Is, 19U3. She was named George Irvin Falgout, Seaman 2/c, USNR, who was after killed in action aboard the USS SAN FRANCISCO on November 12, 19^2 Her first commanding officer was Lt. Coindr. H. A. Meyer, USCG. Proceeding to Galves ton on November 20, 19k3, for fitting and drydocking, she departed December 2, 19k3j for Bermuda. While en route in the Gulf of Mexico the FALGOUT was ordered to conduct a search for the survivors of the torpedoed tanker USS TOUCHET, reported adrift in a lifeboat. The lifeboat was picked up on December ij, 19it3i with 11 survivors aboard. The FALGOUT then proceeded to Key West, Florida, where the survivors were put' ashore in charge of the naval authorities at that base on December 6, 1913. The FALGOUT reported at Sermuda on December 11th and after k weeks of inten sive training arrived at Charleston on January 9, 19hh t for an availability period extending to January 22, 19141U From that date until February 2nd she was on temporary duty, training crews for Destroyer Escorts at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

COMMISSIONING ,7N AND SHAKEDOT PICKS UP

ESCORT DIVISION I*6

FIRST ESCORT DUTY

17, 19hk.

sion I*6, for escort duty with convoy UGS-32 which sailed for the Mediterranean next day. The escorts were detached at Gibraltar and proceeded to Casablanca to await the returning convoy. On the 25th the FALGOUT, in company with other escorts of the task force departed Casablanca and joined con voy GUS-31 for the trip back to the United States. After a rough voyage she arrived in New York on March

On February 2, 19hh, the FALGOUT was attached to Task Force 65, Escort Divi

InMarch, 19U5, the PRIDE was assigned killer group work with the MENGES, MOS LEY and LOWE of Escort assignment for this group re Division U6. The first sulted in the destruction of the U-866 at U3 18 N, 61 08 Won March 16, 19U5. This took place off Halifax before she had opportunity to sink any allied shipping. For his part in this action, the commanding officer, Lt. Comdr. Winslow H. Buxton, USCG, received a commendation from the Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. ANOTHER SUB SUNK

BARRIER
GROUP

The killer group was then assigned to the barrier group in the North Atlantic which consisted of four
eighty Destroyer

Escort Carriers and

job assigned was to intercept and destroy enemy boats before they could reach the vital shipping lanes. Five out of six submarines known to be in that area were destroyed and the sixth one surrendered shortly

Escorts.

The

after

VB-day.

TRAINING DUTY

The coming of VJ-<lay found the PRIDE helping to train

in the war against Japan, under com submarines

The FALGOUT reported again to Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia, on April 1, 19U3> for escort duty with Escort Division U6, under Commander Task Force 66 and on the 3rd escorted convoy UGS-38 out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, to the Mediterranean. The trip across the Atlantic was uneventful, but after passing through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean, the screen was reenforced and preparations were being made for probable enemy action. On the evening of April20, 19hh, just after dusk, the air alert was sounded and shortly afterwards the FALGOUT received her first taste of action when several waves of German bombers and torpedo planes attacked from the north after first dropping flares around the convoy. Several heavy ex plosions were felt, and after a hectic few minutes the attack ended. Itwas discovered that several con voy ships were hit and one ammunition ship blown up. The destroyer LANDSDALE was also sunk. Some enemy planes were claimed by escorts but no official count is known. Survivors were picked up and damaged ships escorted to the nearest port, which was Algiers, while the convoy continued on its way. Relieved by British escorts off Bizerte, the FALGOUT put into port for a layover and upkeep period until joining the next homebound convoy.

GERMAN Ala ATTACK

mand of Lt. L. A. Cheney, USCG, who relieved Lt. Comdr. Buxton on September 1, 19h5 Later she was
transferr ed to the Inactive Fleet. Her Coast Guard crew was
removed on May 6, 19h6

corts of Escort Division U6, Task Force 66, departed Bizerte on May 1, 19hh, to escort convoy GUS-38 back to the States. A continued alert was maintained for further air attack. This

MENGES HIT FECHTELER SUNK

The FALGOUT, with other es-

128

time, however, it was enemy submarines that struck. Two days out of Bizerte, the USS MENGES (DE-320) while investigating a radar contact astern of the con voy, received a torpedo hit on the stern. Although badly crippled, she remained afloat and was towed into Algiers for repairs. Two escorts, the PRIDE and J. E. CAMPBELL, were detached to hunt down the submarine, which they later destroyed. Two nights later, while not far from Oran, the USS FECHTELER (DE-157) was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine which submerged ahead of the convoy. The convoy continued on its way with no further incident and arrived at New York May 21, 19kk. PICKS UP GERMAN
The FALGOUT continued escorting convoy runs to the

convoy UGS-38 in the Mediterranean wrien it was attack ed by German torpedo bombers which sank the SS PAUL HAMILTON and the USS LAMDSDALE. On the return home ward bound trip, the USS MENGES, a sister escort ves sel of Escort Division U6, was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine, and another escort the USS FECH TELER (DE-I^7), was sunk. The LOViE made two more uneventful trips to Bizerte and two more to Oran, in company with Escort Division U6
On February 22, 191+5, the LO'i\E, along with the MENGES, MOSLEY and PRIDE, became a member of Task Group 22.11+, the first Coast Guard Killer Group organized by the Navy for duty in the North Atlantic. The first assignment given this group resulted in the destruction of the German submarine U-866 on March 18, 15U5, off \ Halifax. The following officers and men of the LOWE were awarded decorations for this accomplishment!

KILLERGROUP SINKS SUB

Mediterranean, escorting UGS and GUS convoy. Two more trips were made to Bizerte without experiencing enemy action. However, while escorting GUS-U5 in the Mediterranean en route the United States in July, lUk, the FALGOIT picked up four German aviators who had been shot down on a raid against another convoy the previous night. The FALGOUT put into Oran and turned the prisoners over to naval authorities in that port.

AVIATORS

Lt. Comdr. Herbert Feldman, USCGR Lt. Comdr. David B. Enbody, USCGR Lt. James B. Luse, USCG * Robert A. Stephenson, Soundman 3/c, USCGR Leonard Harsfeld, Soundman 2/c. USCGR

Legion

TRAINING

DUTY

resistance in the Mediter ranean being negligible at this time, and the U-*>oat being also well under control, menace in the Atlantic with no more enemy action being experienced. On the FALGOUT 's last trip to Oran 'in May, 19h$, just before reaching port, the news of Germany's surrender to the Allies was received, and the FALGOUT joined in the celebration of VE-day in the port of Oran. On June 2, 191+5, the FALGOUT again arrived at New York, and after a 17 day upkeep period was ordered to duty under Com mander, Submarines, Atlantic Fleet. Departing New York on June 20, 191+5, she proceeded to Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for duty under Commander, Submarine Opera tional Training Group, training submarines en route to the Pacific. The FALGOUT remained on this duty until VJ-day. She continued with submarine training operations, making good will and recreational trips to Coe'.a Rica and Nicaragua. On July 22, 191+5, Lt. Comdr Henry C. Keene, Jr., USCG, became her command relieving Comdr. Meyer. Later she ing officer, joined the Inactive Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Florida, and her Coast Guard crew was removed

After October, 19kh, three trips were made to Oran with UGS convoys, enemy

Bronze Star Medal Bronze Star Medal Letter of Commendation and Commendation Ribbon Letter of Commendation and

of Merit

Commendation Ribbon
Following the surrender of Germany and the end of hostilities in the Atlantic,

TRAINING VESSEL
training vessel May 1,

She was placed in the Inactive Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Florida, and her Coast Guard crew removed

the LOWE operated as a fon U. S. Navy officers at Norfolk.

191*6.

USS RAMSDEN (DE-382) ESCORT DIVISION 23 COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOY/N The Coast Guard manned USS
RAMSDEN (DE-382) was built

March 2l+, 191+6.

USS LOWE (DE-325)

ESCORT DIVISION I+6
COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN

and named for was killed in action aboard the USS LEXINGTON in the
Battle of the Coral Sea on May 8, 191+2. She was com missioned on October 19, 191+3, and after a month's
intensive shakedown off the Coast of Bermuda, she re ported to Destroyer's Atlantic Fleet, to operate as an escort vessel. Prior to making trans-Atlantic crossings, the RAMSDEN escorted a convoy of heavily

by the Brown Shipbuilding Corporation of Houston

Marvin Lee Ramsden, Coxswain, USN, who

The Coast Guard manned USS LOWE (DE-325) was built by the Consolidated Ship Building Corporation, Ltd.,

laden troopships to Panama.

AIR ATTACK ON CONVOY

in Orange, Texas. She was named after Harry J. Lowe, Jr., Gunner's Mate, Third Class, USNR, who was killed in action aboard the USS SAN FRANCISCO, November 12, 191+2. She was commissioned November 22, 191+3. Three Coast Guard officers have commanded the LOViE. Her first commanding officer was Commander R. H. French, USCG. He was followed by Comdr. James A. Alger, USCG, on May 22, 191+1+. Lt. Comdr. Herbert Feldman, USCGR, assigned command on October ll+, 19i+lw After a brief
shakedown and training period the LOWE began escort

duty.

In January, 191+1+, the

attached to Escort
Division 23, left New York

RAMSDEN,
escorting a tanker and

She returned to New

LST convoy bound for Casablanca. York in February. On April 1, 19hh, a convoy escorted
by the RAMSDEN to Bizerte, North Africa, was attacked
at night by a flight of German Dornier bombers. In
the ensuing engagement the RAMSDEN shot down one of
the attackers. The one merchantman struck was not
sunk.
The final score of the encounter was four Na z i planes destroyed, one allied merchantman damaged. FOURTEEN MORE CROSSINGS

ESCORT DUTY

She was attached to Escort Division h6, which on April 20, ISkht was escorting

During the following thir-

teen months which were to
complete her career in the

Atlantic, the

RAMSDEN made

129

the crossing an additional fourteen times, putting into Cardiff, Londonderry, Glasgow, Plymouth, Forts
aouth, Le Havre and Chei-bourg.

Her career in the Atlantic was an interesting, dangerous and, at tli-.es, an uncomfortable one. On many occasions submarine contacts were established and the RAISDEN and her sister escorts dropped depth charge patterns in order to destroy or divert the submarines from making tor
pedo

USS MILLS (DE-3C.3) ESCORT DIVISION 23 cc?.i!n:ssioNi?iG

AMD SHAKEDOWN

The Coast Guard manned USS Mill (BE-383) vras built by the Brown Shipbuilding

attacks.

With the defeat of Germany the RAI.SDEN, overhauled, her armament increased, was dispatched to the Paci fie to aid in the knockout of Japan, departing New York on May 29, 19u5>, as a unit of Escort Division 23 She arrived at San Francisco late in June and was ordered to proceed to Adak in the Aleutian Is lands to report for duty with Commander, North Pacific Forces. En route the RA'SDNK sighted and destroyed .by shellfire a floating mine. Upon arriving at Adak the RA"SDEN was dispatched to Attu, Aleutian Islands and was assigned to operate with Fleet Air iifing Four, as a plane guard vessel, assisting Army and Navyplanes on bombing and reconnaissance missions over the Japanese held Kurile Islands. While on this duty the RAi-SDEN crossed the International Date Line eight times.

NORTHERN PACIFIC DUTY

and commissioned there on October 12, 19h3* Lt. Coradr. J. S. Muzzy, USCG, was the first skipper, with a crew of 186 Coast Guardsmen and 9 other Coast Guard officers. Leaving Galveston on October 2oth, she ar rived at New Orleans and on November 2nd, in company witu the SELLSTRl?.', departed for her shakedown in Ber muda. She left Bermuda on December' 3rd for Charleston Navy Yard for repairs and maintenance until the l^th when she departed for Norfolk where she remained until January o, 19UU, training nucleus crews for
future PFs and DEs. On January b, 19kh, the '/ILLS departed Norfolk for New York in company with the SELLSTROM (DE-255), RAMSDEN (DK-3b2), SAVAGE (DE-366). The four escorts of Escort Division 23, later to be augniented by the RHODES (DE-361i) and the RITCIEY (DE-3U5), returned to Norfolk with the New York section of convoy UGS-3O and on the 13th of January, together for the first time with all the ships of Escort Division 23, plus Escort Division 7, departed Norfolk for North Africa. Leaving the convoy at Gibraltar, the IHLLS with four other escorts, proceeded to Casablanca arriving there on February Ist. On the lith the "ILLS departed Casa blanca and, after picking up convoy GUS-29 at Gibral tar, proceeded for the United States. En route the MILLS left the convoy to take an appendectomy case to Bermuda. Rejoining the convoy she arrived at New York on 21 February. FIRST CONVOY ESCORT

Company at Houston, Texas,

At sea w.<en hostilities ceased, the RAi.ISDEN returnEd to Adak and departed on August 29, 19U5, escorting a service force unit of the occupation fleet. After passing through the heavi ly rained Tsugaru Straits she dropped anchor in Ominato Naval Anchorage on September 9th. She returned to Adak on September 2i>th. Inher two years of service her four commanding officers wei-e Commander J. E. Hadacey, USCG, Lt. Comdr. S. T. Eaketel, USCGR, Lt. Proctor Winter, USCGR, and Lt. R. H. Helton, USCG. She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved at Green Cove Springs, Florida, 13 June, 19U6. IN JAPAN

TWO COAST GUAHD MANNED DESTROYER ESCORTS TRAIL IN THE FROTHY WAKE OF A THIRD SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC

j>/*fiAlEMilflM^^^M

130

LIBESTY cmr SHIP

iii nri.-.ii

FIRE EXTINGUISHED

Yard availability at Brooklyn and a period of

Navy

in company with Escort Division 23 Division 57, departed Norfolk as escorts of convoy UGS-36 bound for the Mediterranean. On April Ist the convoy was attacked by a group of low flying German torpedo bombers. At least two were shot down by other convoy escorts. At daybreak the MILLS was ordered to the assistance of the SS JARED INGERSOLL, a liberty ship which had been torpedoed, and although in a sink ing condition, was also afire. After picking up the survivors who had abandoned ship, the MILLS put its own party aboard the INGERSOLL. By courageous and heroic efforts this party extinguished tho fire3, after the INGERSOLL had been twice abandoned by her crew, and in spite of the fact that the compartment adjacent to the burning hold was a magazine contain ing ammunition. After bringing the fire under con trol, the MILLS assisted in towing the ship to Algiers where it was beached. Lt. Comdr. Muzzy was awarded the Legion of Merit and Lt. (j.g.) saldron and 13 fire fighting crew members received commendations. On April3rd, the MILLS rejoined the convoy just be fore the escorts broke off and proceeded with then into Bizerte. An uneventful return voyage with con
voy 'Jay

liontauk,

refresher

training off L. 1., the MILLS, and Destroyer

UGS-U3 TCU-35 CV-hl CU-U7 CU-53 CU-59 CU-65

Norfolk S/Z2/UU New York &/13M

New York New New New New

Bizerte

Londonderry

9/29/hh York 11/l5Ak York 1/3/U5 York 2/19 AS York it/BAS

6/22/Uh 8/23/Ui I ord Ml f Haven 10/9M 1/15A5 3/2/U5 Southampton k/20/kS

Southampton

Liverpool 11/26/U; Plymouth

GUS-J3 UCT-35
UC-UIA UC-U7B UC-53A UO-59A UC-658

GUS-36
2nd.

became

brought the MILLS back to New York on On May Ijth Lt. Comdr. V. Pfeiffer, USCG, the MILL'S commanding officer.

6/19/Ui Bizerte 8/27/Uli Londonderry 10/13M Milford H. 12/3 /U Lverpool 1/16A5 Plymouth 3/5A5 Southampton li/26A5 Southampton

7/lWt Norfolk 9/S/hh New York 10/29/Wi New York 12/17M York New 2/3A5 pew York 3/17A5 rjew York 5/7A5 uew York

ATLANTIC

The movements

during the remainder of her

duty escorting trans-Atlan tic convoys are as follows:

of the LULLS

GH

PnL

A A U. S. COAST GUARD CONVOY CUTTER AND A DESTROYER MEET IN RENDEZVOUS HELD SOUEWHEHE AT SEA

131

CONFIDEj^
NORTHERN PACIFIC DUTY
bra Island, one of the Virgin Group, arriving there n June 3 where all ships engaged in shore bombard ment exercises. After a period of intensive training at Guantanamo Bay she departed on June 15th for the anal Zone, and San Francisco where she arrived on June 27th. On June 30th she departed for Adak, Aleutian Islands arriving there on July Bth and then or setting out, in company with the SAVAGE,f Dutch arbor. She arrived at Attu on July 20th and on the iith departed on weather patrol and plane guard sta .ion between Paramashiro and Attu until the 31st. he was again on the same station between August sth and 11th. VJ-day was celebrated on August lUth, and on the lsth Lt. Henry E. Ringling, USCGR, became com manding officer. The MILLS was again on weather sta tion between August 17th and 23rd. On the 25th she roceeded to Adak. In company with the RAMSDEN, as scorts for the USS EXANTHUS, she departed Adak for apan on August 29th to participate in the occupation, he RITCHIE with the USS TIPPECANOE joined en route and on September 6th, rendezvous was made with the fleet of NOR PAC FORCE. On September 9th the MILLS ntered Mutsu Bay and anchored off Ominato Naval ase. Returning to Adak on the 25th of September, ;he MILLS finally returned to the Atlantic Coast where he joined the Inactive Reserve Fleet at Green Cove prings, Florida, and her Coast Guard crew was re oved on June 13, 19^6^

Escort Division 23 for Cule

On May 30, 19U5, the MILLS departed New York in com pany with other ships of

USS RHODES (DE-381i)

ESCORT DIVISION 23

The Coast Guard manned USS RHODES (DE-381i) was built at the Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, Texas, and commissioned there on October 25, 191i3. After completing her post-commissioning fitting out period in Galveston she departed on her first voyage to Ber muda on November 13, 19U2, for a six week's shakedown and training period. Her first commanding officer was Lt, Comdr. E. A. Coffin, Jr., USCG. After a brief Navy Yard availability and Christmas holiday in Charles ton, South Carolina, she cruised to Norfolk, Virginia, for orders, then to New York for her first duty assign ment.

COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN

FIRST CONVOY
DUTY

That duty began New Year's 19UU, when the RHODES rounded Sandy Hook as an
Day,

escort for the New York section of convoy UGS-30, bound for North Afxca, via Norfolk. She remained in Norfolk as a draining ship for prospective destroyer escort crews until January 13, 19UU. On that date she departed Hampton Roads as an escort for convoy UGS-30, bound for North Afri can ports. No positive enemy activity was encountered during the voyage, although the RHODES attacked four possible submarine sonar contacts during the voyage. The convoy was transferred to a British escort at the Straits of Gibraltar and the vessel's first EuropeanLiberty was granted in Casablanca, African Theatre. French Morocco. By February 23rd the RHODES was back in the United States after escorting convoy GUS-29 returning from the Mediterranean area.

DESTROYER ESCORTS GUARDIANS OF ALLIED CONTOIS

132

AIR ATTACK

and a brief refresher training period off Montauk Point, the RHODES return ed to Norfolk, departing as escort to another North African convoy, UGS-36, on March 13, 19U+. Vftdle en route to Gibraltar the escort commander received orders to remain with this convoy as far as Bizerte, Tunisia, instead of transferring it to British es corts at the entrance of the Mediterranean, as had been the procedure in the war thus far. Consequently on March 30, 19hk, the RHODES became part of the first United States ocean escort to enter the Mediterranean Sea. Early on the morning of April1, 19hh, while on station, sc reening the starboard bow of the convoy, the RHODES intercepted a voice radio signal, indicat ing that enemy planes were overhead. At the same time, armed guard crews in the convoy opened up with vigorous anti-aircraft fire. Immediately closing to her anti-aircraft screening station, the RHODES join ed the battle, and for the next 20 minutes helped
engage some eighteen JU-Ud and DO-217 enemy planes.
Twice her mast was nearly destroyed by low-diving German attackers, but each time her stubborn fire turned the enemy away. When the planes departed, they left one of their number as tribute to the mark manship of the USS RAMSDEN. One merchant vessel was foundering badly, a gaping torpedo hole in her bow. However, a boarding party from the USS MILLS extin guished the fires aboard the stricken ship, and the MILLS then towed her to port where all of her vital cargo was saved. On April 3, 19hh, the RHODES an chored in Bizerte, Tunisia. Leaving Bizerte on April 11, 19hh, the RHODES arrived inNew York May 2nd with convoy GUS-36.

Following a Navy Yard availability in New York,

Fleet Air Wing Four for duty as guard and rescue ship. She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on June 13, 19U6.
USS RICHEY

(DE-385)

ESCORT DIVISION 23
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The USS RICHEY (DE-385), a Coast Guard manned

destroyer escort>was com missioned October 30, 19U3, at the Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, Texas. She was named in honor of Ensign Joseph Lee Richey, USNR, who died on the USS CALIFORNIA in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After a shakedown cruise in Bermuda she reported as a member of Escort Division 23.

ATLANTIC CONVOY DUTY

After availability at New York and a training peri od at Casco Bay, Maine, the RHODES proceeded to convoy UGS-I+3 on May 22, 19U+, returning Eizerte with with convoy GUS-2+3 on Uuly 11, I?UU- Upon her re turn she was assigned availability in Boston followed by a two week's training period at Casco Bay, after which, as part of Escort Division 23, she joined a task group escorting convoys from the United States to the United Kingdom. She continued this North
Atlantic escort duty from August 11, 191+1+, until
May U, 19U5> seeing service in the Irish Sea and
English Channel areas during the height of the sub marine threat to these vital shipping lanes. While engaged in this duty, the RHODES, on April9, 191+5 rescued six survivors from the SS SAINT MIHIELand SS NASH BULK, tankers which collided while in a United Kingdom bound convoy. For his performance of duty that night, Lt. A. C. Wagner, USCG, the commanding officer who had relieved Commander Coffin on the 29th of December, 19W+, received a letter of commendation from the Commander Destroyers, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. RESCUES SIX With the arrival of VE day, the RHODES was ordered to join the Pacific Fleet and after a refresh er period in the Carribean Sea, passed through the Panama Canal in the Pacific 18, 19U5. She arrived at Adak, Aleutian Is on June lands on July 8, 191+5, and began serving under the Commander Alaskan Sea Frontier as an escort and airsea rescue vessel, occasionally being assigned to . duty under Commander, Northern Pacific Forces and Commander, Task Force 92. She served under the latter command between July 15 and July 21, 191+5, escorting the service group of Task Group 92 during one of its strikes at shipping in the Sea of Okhotsk and the bom bardment of the Kurile Islands. On August 20, 191+5, Lt. Wagner was relieved of command by Lt. Comdr. W.K. Eajc|g^fl%g>|, ayi the RHODES was assigned to Commander, PACIFIC SERVICE
NORTHERN

THie RICHEY made te* first trip a#escort to convoy UGS-30 "from Norfolk to Casablanca on 11+ January, 9hh, and returned to New York on 22 February, 19Ut, with convoy GUS-29. On March 16, 19UU, the RICHEY acted as escort to convoy UGS-36 from Norfolk to Oran, Algeria and then proceeded on 2 April, 19UU, with convoy GUS-36 from Oran to Bizerte , Tunisia, and then to New York. The RICHEY left Norfolk, Virginia, May 23, 19hh, as escort to convoy UGS-I+3 bound for Bizerte and returned to New York on July 10th es corting GUS-U3. On August 11th, 19liU, she joined convoy TCU-35 as escort from New York to Londonderry and departed there on the 27th escorting convoy UCT 35 to New York. Again on 29 September, 19U+, she de parted New York escorting convoy CU-Ul for Belfast

and returned to New York on October 25, 19U+, with convoy UC-i*l. From January, 191+5, the RICHEY escorted
convoys to England and France until May 29, 19U5

Each of these convoy trips had its individual sur prises and calls upon the officers and men for alert ness and expert seamanship. On one run to Africa, a merchant ship in the convoy persisted in showing a light which threatened the security of the entire con voy. After sending warning by bullhorn, the RICHEY took decisive action by firing 10 rounds of .30" cali ber rifle ammunition over the bow of the offending ships. The merchant skipper quickly extinguished the light. A trip from Plymouth, England, was memorable when one ship of the convoy, the SS STONY C3EEK, found it necessary to fall behind and leave the safety of the convoy behind because of flooded tanks. The RICHEY was detailed to escort the limping ship and stayed with her three days and nights until the mer chant vessel regained control and again took her place in the convoy. OUTSTANDING
INCIDENTS

PICKS UP 32 SURVIVORS
causing a tremendous

Early in April, 19U5, the

SS NASH BULK and ST. MIHIEL

tankers

carrying high

octane

gasoline, collided in midfire in which scores ocean, men, more than half of the total perished. Thirty two survivors, were picked up by the RICHEY from the of fire swept seas. John F. Collins, MoMM l/c particu larly distinguished himself by plunging into the fire covered sea and personally bringing in three men who would have perished, dazed and weighted with oil as they were. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps

Medal for this action.

northTaclfic

IN THE

The RICHEY made 16 safe

crossings of the submarine
infested watsrs of the

133

Mediterranean and the Atlantic. She had just return ed to New York from France when the final surrender of Germany was announced. The ship underwent exten
sive overhaul and was immediately ordered to the

EIGHTEEN
TKr,

CMPSSTfiGS

Pacific Theatre of War. Before reaching the Aleutian Islands, stopovers vrere made at such places as Cuba and the Canal Zone. The first week of July, I?US, she reported to the Northern Pacific Fleet at Adak, AlLaska. She there operated from the Aleutian area as part of the Ninth Fleet, which constantly harassed the Kurile Islands by bombarding their snores.
When capitulation of Japan came, the RICHEY was then assigned to the Fourth Flaet, which on September (3, 19U5, occupied the Japanese Naval Base Returning to Adak on September at Ominato, Japan. 20th, the RICHEY celebrated Navy Day, 19hS, at Valdez, Alaska. After returning to Adak, the RICHEY left for Okinawa on November 11*, 19h%. After a few days spent anchored in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, the RICHEY sailed for Taku, China, where she was in ready duty status until her return to the United States. She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on June 13,

0? months of 9h5, the SAVAGE escortea high speed trocp ATLANTIC convoys oetvreen New York and the British Isles to During Id sr;),ort, the final assault on Germany. crossings of the Atlantic the SAVAGE r.nd her sister through over ICCO beaded troop ships safely brought and supply ships -without a single loss.

*"-vin the latter h^lf 19UU ar.d the first six

of

TO OKINAWA AND CHINA

NOftTtiSRN PACIFIC DUTY

Following the defeat of Germany, Escort Division Navy Yard for overiiaul

23

went

into the Kevr York

19U6.

The RICHEY had three commanding officers during the war. Her first was Commander Petros D. Mills, USCG, who was captain until July,l9l|li, when command was turned over to Commander John H. Forney, USCG. In December, 19UU, CotfTiander Forney became cormuander of Escort Division 23 and the command of the RICHEY went to Lt. Comdr. Roger J. Auge, USCQ. ~ COMMANDING OFFICERS

and the addition of mere anti-aircraft guns. An intensive period of operational and gunnery training followed in the Caribbean and in June, 19W?, the SAVAGE and her sister ships, passed through the canal and into the pacific. Sailing north to the Aleutians, they reported to the Commander, North Pacific Fleet, for escort duty. The end of hosti lities in the Pacific found the SAVAGE supporting a strike against the Kuriles. The SAVAGE had had four commanding officers: Commander Cscsr C. Rohnke, Lt. Comdr. Randolph Ridge ly 111, Lt. Comdr. James A. Norton and Lt, John ?.': Waters, Jr. Returning to the United States the SAVAGE was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew removed on June 13, 19^6. U3S VANCE

(DE-3&7)
ESCORT DIVISI01! hS

The Coast Guard manned USS

VANCE (DE-OS?) was com missioned on November 1, 19U3, at the Brown Ship building Company, Houston, Texas. All during August and September, I?U3, the nucleus crew of the VANCE! had studied and trained in all phases cf. destroyer escort operation at the Submarine Chaser Training Center, Miami, Florida. This nucleus crew consisted of the first commanding officer, Lt. Coir.dr. E. A. Anderson, UvSCG, and about forty key officers sjiJ men, most of whom had had previous duty on Coast Guard cutters, chasing subs and convoying in the North Atlantic and Caribbean. Early in October they left for Houston, where they were joined by 30 other Coast Guardsmen assigned to the VANCE, mainly techni cians and specialists from Navy Service Schools. After loading ammunition at San Jacinto, Texas, the VANCE left for Galveston for her first sea nnd gunnery trials. By mid-Movember the VANCE vras en route Bermuda for her shakedown cruise, which ex tended through most of December, 19U3. On December 19, 19U3, Commander E. J. Rolsnd, Commander, Escort Division U5, reported on board and his burgee com mand pennant wss hoisted. The VANCE thus became flagship for a division which included USS LANSING

COMMSSiONING AND SHAKEDG'.VU

USS SAVAGE
(DE-386)
ESCORT DIVISION 23
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOViN
ton,

The Coast Guard manred USS SAVAGE (DE-386) was built by the Brown Ship
building Company of Hous

Texas, and placed in commission on 29 October, 19U3 She was namedin honor of Ensign Walter S. Savage, (SC), USNR, who gave his life on December 7, 19Ul, aboard the USS ARIZONA during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After final fitting out at Galveston, she proceeded to Bermuda for combat train ing and shakedown. After completing her training on Christmas Day 19U3, ship and crew reported to Nor
folk as members of the Atlantic Fleet.

FIRST

CONVQY

In January, 19kh, the SAVAGE was assigned as one of the six ships composing

Escort Division 23 of Task Force 63. This task force was engaged in escorting convoys of from 60 to 50 merchant ships to the Medi terranean Theatre. During these operations, lasting approximately seven weeks for each convoy, the SAVAGE and her sister ships safely escorted hundreds of ships loaded with vital war materials safsly past the heavy enemy submarine and air concentrations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
On April 1, 19Uli, convoy UGS-36, whose escort inATTACK eluded the SAVAGE, was attacked by some 30 enemy aircraft North of Algiers, Africa. So intense was the gunfire of the escorting DE's and Destroyers that the attack was repelled with only one merchant ship being hit. This vessel was later taken into port and AIR

(DE-388), USS DURANT (DE-3&9), USS CALCATERRA (DE USS CHAMBERS (DK-391), and USS I.ERRILL (DE-392). Four days before Christmas, 19ij3, the VANCE departed
390),

for Charleston for post shakedown FIRST CONVOY DUTY

repairs.

From Charleston the VANCE went to Norfolk for her f-'.rst assignment convoying a group of ai1 tankers to Port Arthur, Texas, and back to Norfolk. On the return trip the VANCE had her first sonar contact in the Florida Straits, which was investigated and proved Arriving at Norfolk she was to be non-submarine. used as a training skip for future DE crews, wl-iile awaiting the arrival of the remainder of Escort

Division US*

beached.

134

tifctfr

ESCORTS CONVOYS TO GIBRALTAR

On February 6,

19hk,

the

VANCE departed Norfolk escorting an aircraft carrier to New York. On February 10, 19hh, with the rest of Escort Division U5, she was assigned her first UGS convoy, departing with the New York section of UGS-33. This was the beginning of a long tour of convoy duty from the United States to the Mediterranean. Off Norfolk the remainder of the convoy plus another DE division and the USCGC 8188 (flagship of Task Force 66) joined.
Rough weather accompanied

speed and headed up into the convoy to investigate. When within ranye, the light was illuminated by It proved to be a surfaced German sub searchlight. marine. All guns were trained on the target and were rePdy to commence firing. At first the sub started to run, but after a few convincing orders in German over the VANCE'S bull horn, the sub heaved to and pre The VMCE came alongside' and pared to surrender. placed a prize crew on board. The German U-boat was
number

in at Casablanca

the VANCE during the entire trip. She finally arrived at Gibraltar where the con voy was taken over by a British task force and she put

torpedoed several ships off Newfoundland. The sub was escorted back to Portsmouth, N. H., without
incident. FACIFIC DUTY

873.

She had been out for fifty days and had

United States.

She departed Casablanca March 7, 19hh, joining convoy GUS-32 and arrived at New York on March day availability. 23rd for a ten

awaiting the return convoy to the

The VANCE proceeded to

Boston Navy Yard for UO

RAMS DUMMY
FERISCQSB

The VANCE sailed again with a large Mediterranean convoy on April13, 19hh* This was convoy UGS-39 and consisted of 102 merchant ships, escorted by Escort Division hS, and another division of six Navy manned destroyer escorts, bound for Bizerte, Tunisia. The trip through the Mediterranean was one of constant vigil as German planes and subs were operating and

which many changes and alterations were made in the

ship s anti-aircraft armament. On July 2, lyU, she departed Boston for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for an in tensive two weeks period of refresher training. The Germans had been defeated and the VANCE was now destined for the Pacific. In mid-July, the VANCE de parted Guantanamo Bay for the pacific, stopping at Coco-Solo, Canal Zone. Her first stop in the Pacific was at San Diego. From there she sailed for Pearl Harbor, where she again went through another training

'

days availability, during

All went well, however, and the VANCE arrived at Bizerte on May 3rd, 19UU. She left Bizerte on Hay 11th as escort of convoy GUS-39 bound for the United States. Early in the ' morning of May lli, \9hh off Oran, Algeria, an enemy submarine penetrated the escort screen and succeeded in torpedoing, but not sinking, two merchant vessels. As soon as the submarine was detected in the convoy, the VANCE came up from her position astern of the convoy. As the two ships were torpedoed, one in each column, a periscope was sighted and the VANCE rammed it, following with a depth charge attack and gunfire. The periscope proved to be a dummy, used by the sub for deception. The VANCE remained in the vicinity of the submerged German sub for ten hours, making
several depth charge and hedge hog attacks. Finally
she was relieved by five American destroyers coming
Oran, and rejoined the convoy. These de out from stroyers remained in the vicinity of the sub and finally after five days it surfaced and was sunk by
regularly attacking
gunfire

convoys.

control and anti-submarine warfare exercises. By this time the Japanese had been beaten and had sued for peace and the VANCE returned to New York, via San Pedro and the Panama Canal. By mid-October, 19U5, she had completed her availability at the New York Navy Yard and headed south to Florida to be placed in the Inactive Fleet on the St. John's River, south of Jacksonville, at Green Cove Springs, Her Coast Guard crew was removed February 27, 19l6. USS LANSING (DE-388) ESCORT DIVISION U The Coast Guard manned
USS LANSING (DE-388) was
commissioned on November*
10, 191*3, 6t the Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, Texas. She reported to DE Shakedown Group, Commander, Task Group 23.1 at Bermuda on December 8, 19U3, for training under GOT CLANT. The LANSING made a total of eight round trip across the Atlantic escorting convoys. The numbers of these convoys outbound and homebound were as follows t Outbound UGS UGS UG,S UGS UGS UGS UGS UGS TITO ENEMY ENCOUNTERS 33 39 Homebound GUS GUS GUS GUS GUS CONVOY DUTY COMMISSIONING AWK) SHAKEDOWN

period of anti-aircraft and surface firing, damage

The VANCE made a total of eight round trips to the Mediterranean Theatre, each time followed by availability at the New York or Boston several day 3 Navy Yards* four times she engaged in training exer cises between trips at Casco Bay, Maine. She escort ed some 2000 merchant ships through mine and submarine infested waters, without loss of life or a single ship due to enei^y action. She attacked submarines on sever al occasions. An enemy air attack on the morning of July lit,I9hk, off Oran was repulsed with an effective smoke screen and heavy anti-aircraft fire from the escorts and merchant ships. Her station during most of her convoy work was the "whip" astern of the con voy. Many gruelling hours were spent rounding up and shepherding stragglers. Carrying the division doctor, she was responsible for the lives of the men on both the merchant ships and escort vessels, and countless times sick and injured were transferred to her via breeches buoy for emergency medical treatment and operations, under all kinds of weather conditions. ENEMY AIR ATTACK
GERMAN SUB

U6 53

60 62 66 78

32 39 U6 53
60

GUS 68 GUS 80
During this period of

trans-Atlantic escort

SURRENDERS

On

May

2, 19U5, the VANCE

departed from New York

with her last Mediterran can convoy. Off the Azores on the morning of May 11th, a light was sighted up in the convoy. The VANCE left her position at full

duty the convoys the LANSING was escorting had two encounters with the enemy. On the morning of May Hi, 19kht a German submarine attacked convoy GUS-39. On the morning of July 12, 19hh, enemy aircraft were encountered while escorting convoy UGS-J46. Both of these encounters were in the Mediterranean Sea off

Oran.

In the first encounter two merchant vessels

135

of the convoy were torpedoed but did not sink. The second enemy air attack was thwarted by a smoke screen from the escorts and heavy anti-aircraft from escorts and merchant vessels. At the end of the European of the conflict the LANSING underwent a length availability in preparation for service in the ened Pacific. She reported to CINCPAC/CINCH)A on August 1, 19ii5. She reached Pearl Harbor after the surrender of Japan and was ordered to return to the East Coast. She reported to CINCLANT for duty September 20, 19U5. Upon completion of availability at New York in Octo ber, 19U5, she reported to Jacksonville, Florida, for transfer to the Inactive Fleet at Green Cove Springs, in the St. John's River. Her Coast Guard crew was removed May 6, 19U6. PACIFIC DUTY
phase

the bay and lashed savagely at the ships. As the storm increased in tempo, the violent wind caused the anchor of the DURANT to drag, and the vessel was literally carried to the side of a sister ship. The result was slight material damage. The voyage across with convoy UGS-39 which began on April13th and end ed at Bizerte on May 3, 19UU, was uneventful. The ll*thof May, 19hk, found the DURANT on the return

mm

trip. At about U:00 A.M., in the dull grey of the morning, the general alarm was sounded, sending all

hands to battle stations. One of the escort vessels had contacted a sub, which was attacking one of the whips of the convoy. Depth charges were dropped, and before the submarine departed she managed to torpedo another vessel. These incidents did not long go un avenged, for several days later the submarine was sunk.
ENEMY

USS DURANT
ESCORT DIVISION U5
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN The Coast Guard manned USS DURAMT (DE-389) was com missioned at the Brown Ship
building Company, Houston,

(DE-389)

Texas, on November 16, 19U3. She was named for Kenneth W. Durant, U. S. Marine Corps, who gave his life during a marine offensive in the Natanikau River area of Guadalcanal on November 3, 19U2. After sea trials off Galveston, she departed early in December, 191+3, for the island of Bermuda where she engaged in the many and varied exercises, including tactical maneuvers, anti-submarine warfare, surface, anti aircraft and night firing, etc., that make up the shakedown period. After three weeks, she was assign ed to Escort Division U5 in January, 19^, and proceed ed to Charleston for post shakedown repairs. After that she headed for Norfolk. Here, while awaiting the entire division to form, the DURANT was used as a school ship for crews connected with Destroyer Escort training program. An unexpected order to pro ceed to Tampa to pick up a vessel and escort her to Norfolk, found many of the DURANT *s crew on leave, and she had to depart with a limited number of men. However, she accomplished the mission successfully. FIRST ESCORT DUTY In February, 19Ui, the DURANT was ordered to New York where she was to start

The DURANT returned to New York and, after another training period, left Nor folk on June 2U, 19hh, as one of the escorts of UGS-I*6. Shortly after 1:00 A.M. on July 12, 19lti+, the DURANT received an 'air raid warning from the Oran radio. She immediately assumed her air defense station, laying a smoke screen in her wake. Ready at general quarters the men awaited the oncoming attack. Nerves were taut and men prayed as they stood at their guns. The morning was heavy and still as death itself. Occasionally the silence was broken by the Public Address System, reporting the distance and bearing of the enemy. Before they reach ed the convoy, the greater part of the Nazi force had been intercepted by allied planes. The remainder, reaching the convoy, found the smoke screen effective enough to prevent any accurate aim in dropping their destructive missiles. Futilely, however, the huge four engined bombers let loose their torpedo loads. Then the heavens resounded with the rumble of many firing guns, filling the skies with thousands of sparkling tracers. Merchant and war ships alike open ed up with their batteries, enveloping the now weaken ed foe. Flying low, some 1500 yards from the stern of the DURANT, an enemy plane found itself in the spray of the ship's withering fire. The bomber headed for the nearby mountains and was not heard from again. The convoy' resumed its course without the loss of a AIR ATTACK
single ship*

OTHER CONVOY TRIPS

on her long tour of convoy duty. She escorted "the New York section of convoy UGS-33 to Norfolk where on February 10, 1914*, the remainder of the convoy joined and her first transAtlantic duty began. Days of the roughest weather followed. Mountainous waves enveloped the. small ship, tossing her about like a match. When nearly to the Azores, the. DURANT was ordered to turn back and herd a straggling ammunition ship back to the Gibraltar-bound convoy. This meant many extra miles of travel and hours more of weathering the raging seas. The DURANT finally found the vessel she was hunting, far off her course. A radar contact led her to the wayward ship, whom, she took in escort back to the convoy. At Gibraltar the crew was afforded their first look at foreign soil, the DURANT was under way to Casablanca and the crew was given their first liberty in weeks. The DURANT left Casablanca on March 7, 191411, bound for the States, arriving in New York on March 23rd.
IN COLLISION

panied convoy UGS-53 to Bizerte, arriving on the 22nd. Departing Bizerte next day she anchored in Palermo harbor on the 2Uth and remained there until

On September 2, 19UU, the DURANT was part of Escort Division U5 which accom

the 28th when she began escorting GUS-53 to the United States. She arrived in New York in mid-October, and after a refresher training at Casco Bay, went to Sta ten Island to await her next convoy. This one took her to Mers-el-Kebir, Oran, Algeria, and she returned to New York in December 19hh. In January, 19U5, she made another trip to Oran. On the return trip, in the bleak cold of February, 19U5, while en route to Boston, one of the vessels in escort lost a screw. The DURANT was designated to stand by the disabled vessel until a tug arrived. The DURANT, took the ves sel in tow, despite the merchant vessels great size compared with her own, and towed her until relieved by a tug. The DURANT made another trip to Oran in
March,

19U5,

returning early in May.

SUB ATTACK

After a period of refresher training at Casco Bay, Maine, early in April, 19l*U, the DURANT proceeded to Norfolk to await her next convoy. While anchored out of Nor folk one stormy night, an angry wind whipped across

On the 11th of May, I?US, while again en route Oran all hands were called to their battle stations. It was a black and windy morning. A huge 2k inch search light was played over the dark waters. A surfaced Jlazi U-boat had been sighted. The light cutting through the inky blackness, finally fell up its traget.

A SUB SURRENDERS

136

Itwas a huge Gentian submarine that had surrendered, to the surface and was awaiting further develop ments. The U-boat was standing idle in the wpter, her crew nervously pacing the decks. The DURANT di verted the sub from the path of the convoy, under the train of her watchful guns. Once the convoy had safely passed, a sister ship relieved the DURANT, placed a boarding party aboard the sub and escorted the enemy to an American port. The DURANT resumed

come

her journey to Oran. PACIFIC DUTY

termination of the
Atlantic phase of the war,
the CALCATERRA made pre parations for pacific duty. She reported to Commander
in Chief,U. S. Pacific Fleet on July 28, 1915. The
end of the war came, however, while she was still
east of Pearl Harbor. Shortly afterwards she was
ordered to the East Coast to be placed in reserve
status at Green Cove Springs, St. John's River, Flo rida. Hew Coast Guard crew was removed May 1, 19U6.
PACIFIC DUTY USS CHAMBERS
(DE-391)

Upon

On returning to Boston in June, 19U5, a large portion of the crew had served aboard the DURANT for more than 18 months. Those who desired transfer ashore were granted their re quest and those wishing to remain aboard were given rehabilitation leave. The greater part of the men chose the latter and returned to the ship. The DURANT was now destined for Pacific waters. The battle of the Atlantic had been won. In July, 19k, the ship sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a peri

ESCORT DIVISION I*s

The Coast Guard manned USS CHAMBERS (DE-391) was com missioned at the Brown Shipyards of Houston, Texas, on November 22,- 19U3. Her first commanding officer was Comnander Harry A. Loughlin, USCG, who was suc ceeded on October 2li, 19liU, by Lt. Comdr. W. K. Thomp son, USCG. The CHAMBERS proceeded to Galveston for tests and then departed for Bermuda for a month of shakedown training, after which she had a ten day post shakedown availability at Charleston, S. C. Pro ceeding to Norfolk she served for several weeks as a
training ship.

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

od of refresher training before entering the Pacific. Here she learned to fight a different kind of war. Japanese battle tactics were studied and counter measures rehearsed. Then the DURANT proceeded to Coco Solo and from there through the Panama Canal. After a short stay in San Diego she proceeded to Pearl Harbor. Prior to her arrival, there, however, the war had come to its victorious end. For two weeks the DURANT lay in Pearl Harbor and was then ordered to return home. She arrived at San Pedro in Septem ber and from there sailed for New York via the Panama Canal. In October, 191*5, she sailed for Florida where she was placed in inactive status at Green Cove Springs, in the St. John's River. Her Coast Guard crew was removed February 27, 19U6.

EIRST

ESCORT DUTY

USS CALCATERRA
(DE-390)

ESCORT DIVISION h$
COMMISSIONINQ
AND SHAKEDOWN
by the Brown Shipbuilding Company of Houston, Texas, the Coast Guard mann

Norfolk February 12, 19kk, in company with Task Force

66, accompanying convoy UGS-33 to Gibraltar, where
they arrived March 2, 19UU. Detaching for Casablanca
she awaited rendezvous with homeward bound convoy
GUS-32, leaving Casablanca on the 7th to rendezvous with the convoy on the Bth. The Chesapeake section of the convoy to which Escort Division Us> was assign ed reached Norfolk March 23, 19hh> A ten day availa bility at New York Navy Yard followed. SEVEN TRANS-ATLANTIC VOYAGES
and June 10, 19U5, the CHAMBERS, as part of Es

h$ the CHAMBERS

As part of Escort Division

departed

Built

Between April 13, 19U*,

Norfolk. 00NV0Y DUTY

was commissioned there on November 17, 19U3, her first commanding officer being Commander H. J. Wuensch, USCG, She completed shakedown at Bermuda on January 6, 19hk, and then took on her first duty of escorting the de* stroyer tender USS PIEDMONT from Tampa, Florida to

ed USS CALCATERRA (DE-390)

cort Division U5 made seven round trips, three to Bizerte and four to Oran, escorting trans-Atlantic convoys. Six periods of availability intervened, all spent at New York and followed by short training peri-, ods at Casco Bay or the New London area.
after and 18 day availabi lity, the CHAMBERS pro ceeded to Pearl Harbor via Guantanamo, Canal Zone and San Diego, arriving August 17, 19h5. En route from San Diego the Japanese had surrendered and the war was over. The CHAMBERS did not tarry long at Pearl Harbor. By September 20, 19U5, she was back in New York where after an availa bility for laying up, she proceeded to Jacksonville, Florida, for laying up in reserve status at Green Cove Springs, Florida. PACIFIC DECOMMISSIONING Coast Guard crew removed*
The CHAMBERS was decom missioned April 22, 19l6, at Jacksonville and her TO THE

Leaving New York July 8,19U5,

From then until the end of the European war she was assigned to escort convoys from the United States to Mediterranean ports, serving as part of Escort Divi sion kS in task forces 66 and 60 (Task Group 60.1*). On April1, 1914j, Commander Wuensch was relieved of command by Lt. Comdr. E. D. Howard, USCGR, who con tinued in command of the CALCATERRA throughout the war. Altogether she made eight round trips across the Atlantic. Two convoys she was escorting were attacked. On May IU, 191^, two merchant ships of convoy GUS-39 were torpedoed off the North Africa Coast but made port under their own power. On July 12, Ishh, an attempt was made to attack convoy UGS-At6 from the air, east of Oran. This attack was effective ly repulsed, principally by shore based fighters and a very heavy smoke screen. At least two planes broke through and were taken under fire without observed results by the CALCATERRA or other ships of the screen and convoy. On the night of March 7-8, \9hh, the CALCATERRA also participated in a demonstration against U-boat hideouts off the Spanish Moroccan Coast*

USS MERRILL (DE-392) ESCORT DIVISION k$

COMMISSIONING

AND SHAKEDOWN

The Coast Guard manned USS MERRILL (DE-392) was com

137

,mmm

missioned at the Brown Shipyards of Houston, Texas, on November 27, 19U3 Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. IrvinJ. Stephens, USCG. Proceeding to San Jacinto, Texas, for ammunition and depth charges two days later, she next went to Galveston, Texas, for structural firing tests, speed trials and drydocklng. On. December 16, 19h3, she departed Qalveston for Bermuda for a month of shakedown train ing. On January litth, 19hh, she departed for Charles ton, where she arrived two days later for a 10 day post shakedown availability., On the 27th she headed foe Norfolk. Here she served until February 12, 19uh>
as a training ship.

.'. .: .

FIRST CONVOY DUTY

hs> in company with Task Force 66, accompanied convoy UGS-33 to Gibraltar, arriving there March 2, 19U14. There the escort force was detached and ordered to Casablanca to await ren dezvous with convoy GUS-32, homeward bound. She left Casablanca on March 7, to conduct operations off the Coast of the African International Zone, for the pur pose of detecting German submarines, suspected of putting landing parties ashore in that area. No enemy contacts irere made and the MERSILL effected rendezvous with the convoy on March Bth. The trip home was un eventful and the Chesapeake Section of the convoy, to which the MERRILL vras assigned, arrived in Norfolk on March 23, 19hh. A ten day availability period at the Navy Yard,New York followed.
TWO VESSELS TORPEDOED The MERRILL arrived in Norfolk on April 11, 19Wi, fol lowing a refresher training

Departing Norfolk on February 12, 19kh, the LSERRILL, as part of Escort Division

The MERRILL again departed Norfolk on September 2 > 19hh, as part of Task Force 60, escorting convoy UGS-53 to the Mediterranean. After being relieved of escort duty on the 22nd, the Task Force sailed for Palermo, Sicily arriving there on the 23rd for a four day stay before departing September 27th to escort GUS-53 to the United States. During this home-ward passage the Commander of Task Force 60 shifted his flag from the 8188 to the MERRILL on October 13th. Mooring at the New York Navy Yard on the 17th for a 10 day availability, the LERRILL then departed for Casco Bay, Maine, for a training period extending until November 7th, l?Ui.
AT PALERMO

The next escort duty commenced on November 10, 19hh, when the MERRILL be gan escorting UGS-60 to the Mediterranean. Following the dispersal of this convoy at Gibraltar, the MERRILL, with Task Force 60, stood into Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria, where she remained until December 3rd, 19kh The return trip to the United States was as escort for convoy GUS-60, the New York section of which arrived on December 21, 19kh A Navy Yard availability until December 31st was followed by two '"ays training in the New London
TO

MERS-EL-KEBIR

area.

CONVOYS

UGS-^7

AND GUS-69

On January 7, 19^5, the MERRILL, as escort coramander of the New York

section of UGS-67,

depart-

course at Casco Bay, Maine, and left next day with Task Force 60 escorting convoy UGS-39 to Bizerte where she arrived May 3, 19hk. After a layover of a week the MERRILL resumed duty as escort for GUS-39 leaving Bizerte on May 11th. Early on the norning of May li*th, following report of an underwater sound contact, two merchant ships, the S3 WAIDEN and SS FORT FIDLER were torpedoed and forced to put into Oran. Four escorts were detailed to search for the submarine, later being relieved of this duty by destroyers from Oran, who sank the sub marine some days later. No further attempts were made to attack the convoy, which arrived at its desti nation on May 29th, the MERRILL escorting the Dela ware section. After 10 days availability at New York

Ed for rendezvous with the Chesapeake Bay section on January 9th. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 25th after an uneventful passage, and the MERRILL then moored at Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria, until February Ist, when she began escorting GUS-69 to the United States. She discharged the Chesapeake section on February 19th and after a 10 day availability at the New York Navy Yard spent two days at refresher training in the New London a-ea. On February 2ljth Commander Stephens was relieved of com mand by Lt# Sidney K. Broussard, USCG.

Navy Yard and 8 days refresher training at Casco Bay, Maine, the MERRILL returned to Norfolk on the 23rd.

ENEMY AIR ATTACK

UGS-lt6

19hhi to escort convoy to Mediterranean ports. Arriving in the Medi terranean, the convoy was one day out of Gibraltar on July 11th when it was alerted by a "red" air raid warning foom Algiers. At ti:2o P.M. the MERRILL assum ed air defense station, patrolling astern of the con voy, coming to general quarters when informed an hour and a half later that enemy aircraft were approaching the convoy. She was secured from general quarters an hour later, but again came to general quarters at 1:11 A. M. on the 12th. Ten minutes later she com menced laying a smoke screen. Convoy ships fired on aircraft over the convoy two hours later. The "all clear" signal was not received until Ui3o A.M. The MERRILL sighted no enemy aircraft during 'the action. The escort duty of the convoy ended July l^th at Bizerte. The return trip to the United States with convoy GUS-U6 was uneventful, the MERRILL arriving at New York on August 9th for ten days availability. After a 9 day refresher training period at Casco Bay, Maine, the MERRILL moored at Norfolk August 31st.

Again as a unit of Task Force 60, the MERRILL de parted Norfolk June 2k,

The MERRILL began escor^

ing the New York section
of UGS-79 on March 7, 19UU,
rendezvousing with the main
convoy on the 9th. After dispersal at Gibraltar on the 211th, the MERRILL proceeded to Mers-el-Kebir where
she remained until April Ist. She began escorting
convoy OUS-81 on April 2, 19hS, arriving in New York on the 21st for a 5 day upkeep period and then de parted for Casco Bay, Maine, where she engaged in refresher training until May ljth. CONVOYS UGS-79 AND GUS-ttl
"BREECHES BUOY OPERATIONS"

2k

May 6th, During this passage of 15 days,, a total of lh "breeches buoy operations" were accomplished, medical cases from convoy merchant vessels being so transferred to the MERRILL for treatment. Arriving in Mers-el-Kebir on May 23rd, the MERRILL remained moored until June Ist when the return trip to the United States was made The MERRILL arrived at New York on June 10th and entered the Navy Yard for a 25 day availability. On July 6th it. Comdr. Paul G. Prins, USCG, relieved Lt. S. X Broussard as commanding officer.

News of peace in Europe was being broadcast as the MERRILL departed Norfolk as escort for UGS-91 on

PACIFIC DUTY

period at Guantanamo Bay Escort Division US, she departed for

Ordered to the Pacific Fleet, the MERRILL embarked on a two week training on July 13th. Then, with

th^MaMf^MM^^

138

Coast via the Panama Canal. The MERRILL remained at San Diego until August 11th, when, with the USS CHAMBERS (DE-391), and with the Commander of Escort Division I*s aboard, she departed for Pearl Harbor. During the passage the Pacific War came to an end as the Japanese accepted surrender terms on August IU, IUs>. The MERRILL arrived in Pearl Harbor August 16,'t and reported tc Commander, Destroyers, Pacific Fleet for duty. On September 3, 19U5, the MERRILL was ordered back to the United States. She arrived at San Pedro on September 9th and departed next day for the East Coast via the Panama Canal. Later she join ed the Inactive Fleet at Green Cove Springs, St. John's River, Florida, where her Coast Guard crew
was removed May 1, 19U6.

139

USS TACOMA

(PF-3)
The CG manned USS TACOMA (PF-3) wa3 commissioned on November 6, 19h3, with Lt. Comdr., Adrian F. Vferner, USCG, as her firet command ing officer. She remained at San Francisco for com pleting and fitting out from Aprilk, 19hh, until early in October, 19kk TO ALASKA
Arriving ax. Kodiak, Alaska Ax-rx\rxfigat Aoaiaic, on October 21, 19kk, she re mained there as part of EsDivision 27 until February 13, 1945, when she
urned to San Pedro, California. She arrived at
Francisco on March 1, 191*5, and remained there
il May 13, 19U5, on availability. From the 19th the 26th of May, 191+5, she was at San Francisco on ilability. On June 19, 19^5, she was transferred m Escort Division 27 to Commander, Alaskan Sea
AxasKa

COMMISSIONING

She remained at Kodiak until June 5, 191i5, as part of Escort Division 27. On June 6, 19U5, the frigate was transferred to Commander, Alaska Sea Frontier and proceeded to Seattle.

IN ALASKA.

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

It

Soviet Russia, under LendLease an July 6, 19U5, and departed for Cold Bay, Alaska, arriving there on August 19, 19U5, and at Dutch Harbor on the 20th. She arrived at Petropav lousk, Ri.issia, AugU3t 25, 19U5.

19U5,

Arriving in Seattle June 11, she was transferred to

USS HOQUIAM (PF-5) Built at Kaiser Cargo Yard k, Richmond, California, the Coast Guard manned USS HDQUIAM (PF-5) was commissioned on May 8, 19hh, with Lt. Paul E. Trumble, USCG, as her first commanding officer. He was succeeded October 10, 19UU, by Lt. Joseph G. Bastow, Jr., USCG, who in turn was succeeded on March 8, 19U5, by Lt, Comdr. Carlton Skinner, USCGR.
COMMISSIONING She departed Mare Island on June 15, 19UU for Kodiak, via Alameda, San Francisco and Seattle, arriving there on August 27, 19hk to become part of Escort Division 27. She visited Adak on December 2, 19UU, and arrived at Attu, Kurile Islands, December 6, 19hk, remaining there until January 11, 19U5, returning to Adak until June 5, 19U5, when she left for Seattle, being transferred to Commander Alaska Sea Frontier. TO ALASKA TO SOVIET RUSSIA

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

On July

6, 19U5,

she was

transferred to Soviet Russia and proceeded to Cold Bay Dutch Harbor arriving there on August 20, 19hS from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, she proceeded to Petrq lousk, Russia, where she arrived August 25, 19U5. USS SAUSALITO (PF-ii)

The CG manned USS SAUSALITO (PF-4;) was built by the Kaiser Cargo Inc. of Richmond California, and commissioned March k, 19kk Her first commanding officer was Commander Edward A. Eve, Jr., USCG. He was succeeded on October 17, 19iili by Lt. Comdr. Paul E. Trumble, USCG, who in turn was succeed
ed on May Ik, 19U5, by Conciander Stanley J. Woycie chowsky, USCG. She arrived at Oakland, California, on April 13, 19Ui, and departed from Mare Island on September 26, 19kk, for Kodiak where she arrived

COMMISSIONING

October 5, 19kk. 1. See

Dutch Harbor, via Cold

Bay, arriving there on August

On July 6, 19U5 she was trans ferred to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease and proceeded to

Appendix

THE COAST GUARD-MANNED PATROL FRIGATE ALEXANDRIA

"

140

20, 19U5. On August 25, 19U5, she arrived at Petro pavlousk, Russia. USS PASCO (PF-6) The Coast Guard manned USS PASCO (PF-6) was built by the Kaiser Cargo Inc. of Richmond, California, and was commissioned April 15, 19kk Her first commanding officer was Commander Roy E. Stockstill, USCG, who was succeeded on April 26, 19i*5, by Lt># Olaz Laveson, USCG. She remained on post shakedown availability at San Francisco until October k, 19hh, when she was ordered to Alaska.
Arriving at Kodiak on October Is, 19hh) she became part of Escort Division 27. She was stationed at Adak from January 12, 191j5 to June 5> 19U5. On June 6, 19U5 she was transferred to Command er, Alaskan Sea Frontier and departed for Seattle arriving there June 11, 19U5. On July 6, 19U5 she was transferred to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease.

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

Russia,

She proceeded to Dutch Har bor, via Cold Bay, arriving there on August 20, 19U5. On August 25, 19U5, she arrived at Petropavlousk, OSS POCATELLO (PF-9)

COMMISSIONING

IN ALASKA

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

pavlousk, Russian on August 25,

Proceeding to Dutch Harbor,

via Cold Bay, on August 20,
19U5, she arrived at Petro

The Coast Guard manned USS POCATELLO (PF-9) was built at Kaiser Yard #U, Richmond, California, and launched there October 17, 19U3. She was commissioned February 18, 19hh, with Lt. Comdr. S. G. Guill, USCG, command ing. She moved to General Engineering and Drydocking Co., Alameda, California for outfitting. On March 30, 19UJ4, she departed San Francisco for San Diego with a complement of lU officers and 1014. men, including Commander Allen Winbeck, Commander, Escort Division #Ul, the POCATELLO having been designated the Divi sion's flagship. He was detached shortly after the first patrol. After shakedown exercises through April 28 19UU, she departed for post-shakedown availability at Alameda. Departing Alameda she pro ceeded to Seattle, Washington, arriving there May 22,

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

19kk.

1955.

ON WEATHER PATROL

On June 22,

19hh,

parted Seattle for Weather

she de-

USS ALBUQUERQUE
PF-7

COMMISSIONING

The Coast Guard manned USS

missioned

officer was Lt, Comdr. Wayne I.Goff, USCGR, who was

succeeded on October 6, 19kk, by Lt. R. C. Sweet,
USCGR.
IN ALASKA

19U3. Her first commanding

ALBUQUERQUE (PF-7) was com on December 11,

mB 00 W). Her weather' patrol duty consisted of 30 days at sea and 10 days in port (Seattle). By October 7, 19U5, she had con cluded her eleventh patrol, alternating her duties on this weather station with USCGC HAIDA. During this period there were two changes of command. On
May

Station "Able" (U9 001 N,

7, 19^5, Lt. Comdr. H. H. Horrocks, Jr., USCGR, assumed command, succeeding Lt. Comdr. Guill. On September 6, 19U5, Lt. Comdr. John D. Winn, succeeded Lt. Comdr. Horrocks. Her Coast Guard crew was re moved May 2, 19U6. USS BROWNSVILLE (PF-10) The USS BROWNSVILLE (PF-10) was commissioned at Richmond, California, May 6, 19kk. Her first commanding officer was Commander H. M. Warner, USCG. He was succeeded by Lt. Comdr. Mitland L. Midonick, USCGR. On October 23, 19U5, Lt. R. B. Newell, USCG, became her skipper and was succeeded February 7, 19&6, by Lt. R. F. Barnes, USCG. She arrived at San Diego for shakedown exer cises June 21, 19hh and at Oakland July 2k, 19kk> She was assigned to weather patrol and plane guard duty and proceeded to San Diego September 28th and to San Clemente Island, November 23rd, returning to San Diego December 2, 19w. Proceeding to San Pedro March 1, 1915, she arrived at San Francisco May 28, 19U5> and returned to San Diego, January k, 19U6. She was de commissioned August 2, 19U6.
WEATHER AND

She

to Adak on April 20, 19UU, as She proceeded to Attu where she remained until December 27, 1914t, returning to Adak on the 29th. On June 5, 19U5, she departed Dutch Harbor for Seattle being transferred next day to Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier.
part of Escort Division 27.

proceeded to Seattle Aprilh, 19hh, and thence

PLANE GUARD DUTY

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

she wa3 transferred to Soviet Russia under LendLease July 6, 19U5, and arrived at Dutch Harbor, via Cold 3ay, on August 20, 19U5. She arrived at Petro pavlousk, Russia, on August 25, 19U5.

19U5,

Arriving at Seattle June 10,

USS EVERETT (PF-S) The Coast Guard manned USS EVERETT (PF-8) was commission ed January 22, 19kk Her first commanding officer was Lt, Comdr. Warren L. David, USCG, who was succeeded October 2k, 19lji, by Lt. Eugene I.Brown. Arriving at Mare Island April k, 19IU*, she proceeded to Port Townsend on the 13th and arrived at Adak on April 22, 191*1*. She remained at Adak as part of Escort Division 27 until June 5, 19U5, '"hen she departEd for Seattle, having been transferred to Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier* On July 6, 19U5, she was transJ^Ted'^^to^Kjjfet 'Russian on Lend-Lease. IN ALASKA COMMISSIONING

USS GRAND FORKS

(PF-11)

qjjjjpML

Commissioned March 18, 19% the first commanding officer of the USS GRAND FORKS (PF-11) was Lt. Comdr. C. W. Peterson, USCG. He was succeeded by Lt. William F. Adams, USCG, and on August 25, 19U5, by Lt. Hugh A. Leoy, USCGR. Proceeding to San Francisco on April15, 19Wt, she de parted for San Diego, May 3, 19kk* She returned to San Francisco, October 25, 15*UU, for weather and piano
WEATHER AND PLANE GUARD DUTY

141

18, 19h6, Proceeding to Charleston, S. C. via the Canal Zone, she was de 16, 19146. commissioned May
guard duty unt.il March

at Oran on her second escort duty on May 9, 19U5>, returning to Philadelphia June 2, 19U5. After two week's availability she departed Philadelphia June 16, 19hS, for the West Coest.

USS CASPER
(PF-12)

WEATHER PATROL

FATHER AND PLANE GUARD DUTY

The USS CASPER (PF-12) was commissioned at Richmond, California, March 31> 19l*i+. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. F. J. Scheiber, USCG, wlio was followed January 5> 19U6, by Lt. Condr. R. F. Lucy, USCGR. Re porting for duty in the San Francisco area, she arriv ed on weather station "Able" October 7, 19UU. She arrived in Seattle November 3, 19ltU for plane guard and weather ship duty. She returned to San Francisco July 26, 19U5. On March 214, 19U6, she left San Fran cisco for Charleston, S. C, via the Canal Zone, and was decommissioned May 16, 19U6. USS PUEBLO (PF-13)

19L5. She arrived

at Kodiak, September IC, 19U5, and returned to Seattle, September 2s, 19k5>. On Jaruary 5, 19U6, she arrived at San Francisco and was on V/eather Station E unt'l April $, 19U6. She left San Francisco April 16, for Seattle where she Kay 29, ISU6. \u25a0was decommissioned

The ANKAFOLIS arrived at San Pedro, via the Panama Canal, on Jvugust 5, 19h5, and Seattle on August 10,

USS BANGCR
(PF-16)

COMMISSIONING
AND

SHAKEDOYfII

Built in the yards of the American Ship Building Co. Lorain, Ohio, the hull of the
Coast Guard manned BANGOR

Commissioned at Richmond, California on Ifey 27, 19iUt, the USS PUEBLO (PF-13) had as her first commanding officer Comdr. D. T. Adams, USCG. He was succeeded on Decem ber 6, 19UU, by Lt, Comdr. John S. Uickerson, USCGR. Lt. Edward J. Stack, USCGR, took command on August h, 19U5, and Lt. Ccmdr. E. P. Chester, USCG, on November 26, \9hs* The last commanding officer was Lt. Bernard A* Hyde, who took over on March 12, 19U6. The PUEBLO reported for weather ship and plane guard duty on October 27, 1914 ii, in the San Francisco area and re mained on that duty until March 13, 19U6, when she departed for Charleston, S* C. via the Canal Zone. She was decommissioned May 6, 19146.
VfIgATHSR AND PLANE GUARD DUTf

Mayor of Bangor, exercises were conducted off Ber muda. Three 3"/f0 caliber guns made up her main bat tery. Additional armament consisted of two I+o ISJ twin mounts, nine 20 MM single mounts, two depth charge racks held eight 600 pounds or twelve 300 pound depth charges, eight depth charge projectors and one set of anti-submarine rocket racks. by Mrs.

(PF-16) was first laid do-sm as PG-12lj, the designa tion later being changed to Frigate. She is 30U feet long, 38 feet wide, with a maximum displacement cl* 2300 tons and a speed of 20 knots. The vessel was fitted out at New Orleans where she was placed in comission on November 22, ljlUt, with Lt. Comdr. Fred J. Statts, USCG, assuming command. 12 officers and 199 men reported on board. The vessel was christened

Maine.

Ruth R. Hutchins, wife of the

Shakedown

OSS GRAND ISLAND (FF-HO IEATHER AND PLANE GUARD PUTT" The USS GRAND ISLAND (FF-Ui) was commissioned May, I9kh, at Richmond, California. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr H. L Morgan, USCG, who was followed by Fiske, Jr., U3CGR. On October 1, 19U5, Lt. Lt. A. H* Comdr. P.. A. Sarenberg took command. From September 12, 19kh t she was within the geographical jurisdic tion of the 12th District Coast Guard Officer on Weather and plane guard duty. She left San Francisco March 26, 19U6, for Charleston, S C. via Canal Zone and was decommissioned May 22, 19^6. USS ANNAPOLIS (FF-1S) Built by the American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio, the USS ANNAPOLIS (PF-15) was floated down the Mississippi River and completed at the Port Houston Iwn Works, Houston, Texas. She was commissioned December h, 19idt, and departed January 18, 191*5, for shakedown. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. H. F. Garcia, USCG, who was succeeded December Hi, 19kh t by Comdr. M. F. Garfield. She arrived at Norfolk February 17, 19i*5, for post shakedown availability. She made her first trans-Atlantic trjp on escort duty arriving at Oran, Algeria, March f>, 191i5>, and returning to New York March 30, 19^5. After two week's availability she departed on exercises April 13, 19U5 She arrived CCT3ZISS3DNIHB
AND

The BANGOR spent the first months of her career operat ing in the anti-submarine screen of fast convoys be tween the United States and North African ports. She sailed for her first convoy duty on January 23, 19i*5, when she took station in the anti-submarine screen of a large convoy bound for Africa. On her second day out, the frigate rescued a boatswain's mate who had fallen overboard from another escort, the USS ERICS SCH (DD-UUo) The convoy -went into Mers-el-Kebir, Oran, Algeria on February 8, 19U5. The return trip proved more eventful. During the second day out of Oran, one of the ships on the other side of the con voy from the BANGOR was torpedoed. The frigate charged in to take part in a coordinated depth charge attack. SHIP TORPEDOED

fesdoftt

DOTY

steaming in company with

another convoy, an alert
lookout shouted from the bridge that a lifeboat was seen. The BANGOR investigated but found that the boat contained nothing more than a small compass and other minor items, none of which revealed any clue as to why it happened to be that far out at sea. On April 2s, 191*5 while in another Oran-bound convoy out of New York, the BANGOR1s crew prevented a major disaster by acting quickly to extinguish a fire near the galley stove. She reached Mers-el-Kebir on May 9th, 19U5, and VE-day was spent at anchor in Oran. On May 17th, the BANGOR set out with a return convoy, everyone realizing that an end to her European duty had come and sensing a new assignment in the Pacific
theater.

ABANDONED

On March 2b,

19U5, while

142

IHI

NORTH PACIFIC AND WEATHER DUTY

period of overhaul, the BANGOR made a fast trip to the Canal Zone, arriving on June 21, 19^5. The next month was spent in training with newly constructed submarines near Saboga Island, thirty miles west of L-he Canal Zone. The frigate was sent to San Pedro, California in the middle of July, I?iis. VJ-day found her undergoing repairs at Smith's Cove, Seatrle, \Va cVl., She then proceeded in September in company with o.' 3 USS Ai.iiAPOLIS (PF-15) to Cold Bay, Alaska, returning to Bremerton, Washington, by the end of the month to await further assignment. On May 22, 19U6, the BANGOR was on weather station duty off Pearl Harbor. Her Coast Guard crew was removed

After a

she received emergency orders to join a killer group hunting for German submarines. She was on this Mis sion on VE-day. ON YiEATHER PATROL At the completion of this training period in !.!ay, 1^5 > she was ordered back to Charleston, S. C, where she was outfitted for weather patrol work. lYith her new gear aboard, the ship was then sent bo Argentia, New foundland on June lit, 19h$ to join the fleet of weath er vessels. She completed five weather patrols in the North Atlantic, serving a two-fold mission of daily sending valuable weather data to //asnin^ton and serving as an air-sea rescue vessel and plane guard for trans-Atlantic airplanes. Lt. Hache :,;. V/hitlock, U3CGR, served as commanding ofiicer from July 2i3, \9ks to October 20, 19U5. He was succeeded by Lt. Aaron T. Leopard, USCC-. Her Coast Guard crew was removed in May, 19U6. USS HURON

August

16, 1916.

USS KEY WEST

(PF-17)

C^tMISSIONING
AND

Shakedown

The USS KEY '.VEST (PF-17) was built by the American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio,

(PF-19)

and brought down the Missis sippi River to New Orleans on August 1, 19hk. She proceeded to Houston where further work brought her to completion. She was com missioned November 7, 19hU, at Houston. Her first comiranding officer was Lt. Comdr. Bertheld Papanek, USCGR, followed by Lt. William F. Andersen, USCGR, and finally on November 15, 19hk, by Comdr. Oscar C. Rohnke, USCG. She proceeded to Bermuda for a month's shakedown exercises and returned to Norfolk December 2U, 19UU, for post shakedown availability.

ESCURT DUTY

arrived at Oran, The KEY Algeria, Febraary 2, 191+5, on her first trans-Atlantic convoy escort duty, return ing to Boston February 2b, 19U5. After an availa bility and refresher training period she arrived at New York March 16, 19U5, departing two days later for her second tour of escort duty to Oran, where she arrived April U, 19U5. Returning to Boston May 1, 19h$, she had another availability period followed by refresher training exercises at Casco Bay, Maine. On May lUth she departed New York for Norfolk and arrived at Oran June 3, 19U5 on hex- tnird escort duty. She returned to Boston July 6, 191+5 and left for the Pacific on the 31st. PLANE PATROL The KEY '/JEST arrived at Pearl Harbor August 23, 19u5. After a trip to Guam, she returned to Pearl Harbor, March 1, 191+6 and was assigned to Plane Patrol Station No. lon April 6, 19U6. She was decommissioned at Seattle on June lit, 19U6.

19UU.

The Coast Guard manned USS HURON (PF-19) 'fas commission ed at new Orleans, September 7, 191i.1t. Her commanding officer throughout her active duty period was Lt. Condr. '//alter \'l. Collins, USCG. On the 17th she pro ceeded down the Mississippi to Burrwood, Louisiana and thence into the Gulf of Mexico in company with the USS EATH (FF-55) i'or formation cruising and gen eral drills. On the 23rd she left for Bermuda in company with the USS POUGHKEE.PSIE (PF-26) for shake down training. She continued training until October 27, 19U4, when she left for Norfolk, escorting tne USS ESCALANTO, a Navy "Fleet Tanker. Post shakedown availability at Norfolk continued until November 30,

CO'.^.ISSiCMIHO AND SHAiffiDO./!!

1

USS ALEXANDRIA
(PF-18)

COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN Ed January

The USS ALEXANDRIA (PF-18)

and named for the city of Alexandria, Virginia. Launchshe was towed down the Missis?

was built at the American Shipyards, Lorain, Ohio

ls,l9hh,

sippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana, for outfitting and was commissioned March 11, ~L9hs at Avondale Mar ine Ways, Avondale, Louisiana. Her first commanding officer was Lt4 Comdr. C. G. Houtsma, USCG. The ALEXANDRIA proceeded at once for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for shakedown, after which she reported at Norfolk. At the end of her availability there, the frigate was
sent to Cssco Bay, Maine, for additional training. While stationed at Casco Bay, the crew members of the ALEXANDRIA got their first taste of combat duty when

On December 1, 19hh, the HURON got underway as one of eight escorts for a convoy to Oran, Africa. On December Bth she was ordered to round up stragglers and stay with them until they resumed station. At OhhS she was rammed at the starboard side abaft the beam by the SS JA'ES FENNr'ORE COOPER. All electricity fail ed and the engine room was abandoned due to flooding conditions. She began sending out distress messages, her position being 36 Us' N, U7 Ol'tf. The engineroom bulkhead was holding and the rantning vessel as well as the DE-171 were standing by. The latter began towing the HURON. Depth charges and snoke screen generators were jettisoned as the DE-1&3 came alongside to render assistance. Cne officer and h9 men were transferred to the DE-171 by motor whale boat and 1)4. men to the DE-168 by raft before 12 hours had elapsed. By noon of the 9th, 98 men and much meat and perishables had been transferred to DE-326. On the 10th a large fender was secured over the hole and a collision mat completed and secured over it, after an inspection party from ARS-21 came alongside. Later that day a second collision mat was put in place place followed by a third on the 11th. The HURON reached Bermuda on the 15th, Here she was dry-docked on the 16th. On the 2itth she proceeded under tow of the CHOCTAW to Navy Yard, Charleston, with the DE-33U acting as escort. While at Charleston the HURON was converted to a sonar training ship.

:iMSED ON

FIRST TRIP

Departing Charleston, S. C. on February 20, 19U5, she proceeded to Key West, Fla., for duty as Flagship, Fleet Sonar School Squadron, and remained on that duty as
SONAR

TRAINING

143

an aid in instructing student officers and men in the use of sonar equipment until the end of the war. Her Coast Guard crew was removed in May, 19U6.

commanding officer. She helped maintain the weather station at U3 N, 165 E until her return to the United States for decommissioning on May 28, 19U6.

USS GULFPORT ' (PF-2O) COMMISSIONING

AND

USS BAYONNE (FF-21) COMMISSIONINO ANU SHAKEDOWN Built by the American Shipbuilding Co. of Cleveland, Ohio, the USS BAYOME, (PF2l) was towed down the

SHAKEDOTN

The Coast Guard manned USS GULFPORT (PF-20) was first placed in service August 29, 19hk at New Orleans, having

been built by the American She underwent at New Orleans between the sth and lMth of trials September, took on stores at the Naval Supply Depot, and left for Gulfport, Mississippi where she was com missioned September 16, 19UU, Commander, G. A. Knud sen, USCG, assuming command. On the 13th she depart ed for a two day stay at Mobile, Alabama, and then headed for Bermuda for shakedown training. Due to ruptured boiler tubes she moored at Miami on .the 23rd and then left for Charleston where she remained until October 7, 19UU, undergoing repairs. On the 9th she left for Bermuda. Here she conducted shakedown train ing exercises until November 9th when she departed for Norfolk. After undergoing repairs there she acted as Destroyer Escort Schoolship until December lii,19hU, when she left for Washington, D. C. to undergo inspections for two days. On the 17th she returned to Norfolk and reported ready for duty to Commander Task Force 6U.

Shipbuilding Co., Cleveland, Ohio.

Mississippi ftiver, arriving at New Orleans on September 16, 19hh She was order ed to report to Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Md., for fitting out and completion and arrived there October 3, 19UU. Itwas not until February Hi, 19U5, that she was commissioned with Comdr. Elmer E. Comstock as her first commanding officer. Departing the yard on February 26, 19^5 she proceeded to Norfolk. On March 3, 19U5> she left Norfolk for Guantanamo Eay, where she engaged in shakedown exercises until April

3rd.

TO RUSSIA ON

Wm

Stopping at Kingston, Jamaica Jamaica on AprilU, 19^5,

the BAYONNE escorted the GEORGE WASHINGTON to New York and then reported to

LEASE

CONVOY DUTY

On January 7th the Task convoy GUS-64 from Oran to Roads, Virginia. They reached their destina Hampton tion on January 22nd and the GULFPORT proceeded to New York. After Navy Yard availability and refresher training in the New London area she moved to Norfolk. Lt. Comdr. H. C. Reeves, USCGR, became commanding officer on February 11, 1945. On February 12, 1945* as a member of Task Group 60.11 she became one of the escorts for convoy UGS-74 from Norfolk to Gibral tar. Arriving there on the 26th, she was relieved of escort duty and proceeded to Oran. She left Oran on March 8, 1945 escorting convoy GUS-76 to Hampton Roads. On the 11th, first the GULFPORT, and then the USS MASON (DE-529), conducted urgent depth charge attacks, seven minutes apart, on a contact classified as submarine. The two vessels remained with the con tact for two hours before discontinuing search and taking up their screening positions again. On the 23rd the GULFPORT broke off from the main convoy to escort the Delaware Bay section, after' which she 'proceeded to New York. On April 18, 1945, after undergoing repairs during Navy Yard availability, she rendezvoused with convoy UGS-87, as a member of Task Group 60.12 escorting the convoy. to Western Mediter ranean waters. On May 3rd she was relieved of escort duty and proceeded to Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. On May 12th she began escorting convoy GUS-89 to the United States arriving at Hampton Roads on the 28th.
Group began escorting

60.11) escorting convoy Virginia, to Oran, Algeria. Arriving at Gibraltar on January k> 19U5, the Task Force was relieved of escort duty and the GULFPORT

On December 18, 19Wi, she commenced escort duty with Task Force 61* (Task Group

the Philadelphia Navy Yard for post shakedown availa bility until May 8, 191i5. After several months of local escort duty off New York, she left New York July 3, 19U5 for Seattle, via the Canal Zone, and was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease on August 26, 191*5.

UGS-6U from Norfolk,

USS GLOUCESTER
(PF-22)
COMMISSIONING AND

moored at Mers-el-Kebir.

ShTkedowiJ

December 10, 19U3 with Lt. Comdr. C R. Couser, USCG, as her first commanding officer. She arrived at Bermuda AprilU, 19UU, for shakedown, and proceeded to New York on April16, 19hh, to remain there until the 25th. TRAINING

her Coast Guard crew on

The USS GLOUCESTER acquired

The GLOUCESTER proceeded to Norfolk on April 26, 19hh, and on May 15th departed for Galveston in connection with the training of patrol frigate crews from the Coast Guard barracks there. This duty was performed at Miami and the assignment continued through January 7, 1945 > with a ten day availability at Charleston from November 27, 19UU, for overhaul. Returning to New York on January 10, 19U5, the frigate was assigned to Commander Eastern Sea Frontier for patrol duty.
PF CHEWS

The frigate remained on patrol duty at New York until May 30, 19U5, and was then assigned to Air-Sea Rescue Station No. 10 at Gloucester until June 13th, when she returned to New York. Departing New York on July IU, 1945, she arrived at Seattle, via Canal Zone, on August 23, 1945 and on August 26, 1945, was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease.
TO RUSSIA USS SHREVEPORT

On completion of transAtlantic escort duty the GULFPORT was converted to a weather ship at Staten Island, New York, and ordered to Adak, Alaska, via Pearl Harbor, T. H. She reported at Adak on Sep tember 16, 1945, and on the 20th Lt. Comdr. W. J. Dongian, USCG, relieved Lt. Comdr H. C. Reeves as
WEATHER

PATROL

(PF-23)

COMMISSIONIMa
AND SHAKEDOWN

The Coast Guard manned USS SHREVEPORT (PF-23) was com missioned on April 2l|, 1944 at the Todd-Johnson Dry Docks

144

command. On May 12th she departed for Galveston for extensive shipyard availability. She left Galveston on September 30th, and after a short training cruise in the Gulf-of Mexico, arrived in Ber muda October 13th, where she conducted daily shakedown exercises until November 6, 19hl*. She arrived at Boston November 9, 19hh for further shipyard availabi lityand conversion into a weather patrol vessel. Lt. K. N. Akers, USCG, assumed command on December 11th,

USCG, assuming

Algiers, Louisiana. Commander H. A. Morrison,

ordered to return to Boston for WEATHER PATROL

duty.

Arriving in

Boston early in October, 19kk, the ship under

19hk.

WEATHER PATROL

The SHREVEPORT departed Boston March 2, 19k5, for Argen tia, Newfoundland, for weath er patrol duty in the North Atlantic. The weather stations patrolled and the dates were as follows :
April

went conversion to a weather ship, and in the first week of November headed for Operating Base, Argentia, Newfoundland, for Naval duty. En route, on November hf 19hh f while underway through the Gulf of Maine, a sound contact was made on what was classified as a submarine. The MUSKEGON maneuvered to attack with projectors (hedge hogs). After closing in, the first salvo was fired with re sounding bottom explosion. A second salvo followed* Since it continued to remain in the same position, the target was considered to be not a submarine, but possibly a wreck.

March 7
Mty 11

June 20

-h-

AHOUGH PATROL

27, 19h5 20, 19hS June 5, 19hS July 17, 19h5

Weather Station No. 8 Weather Station No. 7

(also as Air-Sea Rescue Vessel)

Weather Station No. 2 Weather Station No. 7

The frigate departed Boston July 19, 19l;5. for Casco Maine for training after which she moored at U. S. Navy Yard Annex, Chelsea, Mass., for shipyard
availability. Further weather patrol duty followed t

Bay, August

20

September

13,

19U5

September 28,- October 23,

Weather and Plane Guard Station No. 3 19ii5 Weather and plane Guard Station No. 1

Two at 58 N, 37 W located in the Inninger Sea. The weather was extremely bad, the wind never being below 30 knots, but several ice bergs that were sighted provided excellent target practice. For 15 days the MUSKEGON took a pounding, three days with winds as high as 80 knots. The crew it difficult to eat, impossible to sleep and found almost too exhausting to work. On December 1, 19lUj, following a day of gale winds, a tremendous wave struck the ship on the starboard side forward. Damage was not severe but extensive.
SOME

The MUSKEGON was ordered to report to Weather Station

CALMER PATROLS

After a few days back in Argentia for repairs, the MUSKEGON was
again

She remained at Argentia, Newfoundland until November 1, 19h5 and then proceeded to South Boston Navy Yard November 3, 19W, for availability prior to proceeding to South Americe for Weather Patrol and Plare Guard

duties*

SOUTH AMERICAN WEATHER PATROL follows:

December 21,
February 1
Departing

The SHREVEPORT arrived at Recife on December 17, 19U5.

Her duty on weather stations
in South America was as

19U5

January

February 21,

8, 19U6 Weather Station No. 13 Weather Station No. 13

19U6

Recife March 8, 19U6 she arrived in New York, via Trinidad, March 23nd. After a brief stay in Boston, she proceeded to Charleston April 8, 191j6 where she was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew removed May 9, 19i;6. USS MUSKEGON (PF-210 COMMISSIONING The Coast Guard manned USS MUSKEGON (PF-2U) was built in the Walter Butler Ship yard, Superior, Wisconsin, in the latter part of 191*3

off for another Weather Station, number Eight be tween Bermuda and the Azores. A friendly shipping lane and no submarines in the vicinity made the patrol both enjoyable and uneventful. The sound gear once experienced a contact in the middle of the night. The ship maneuvered for some time, gradually nearing the target. The projectors failed to fire and after the target drew away, a retiring search was conducted to regain contact. When daylight broke several whales were noted in the vicinity, the probable contacts. After another patrol on Station Seven, between Azores and Bermuda the ship returned to Argentia, where routine patrol was punctuated with such interesting experiences as destroying drifting mines, screening a convoy or lighting a friendly ship with star shells.

back to Weather Station Two to relieve another weather ship that had been damaged* time the wind never went above 25 knots. Itwas This cold, but calm and liveable. One January night while on Station Two, a target picked up by radar failed to answer a challenge by flashing light. General quar ters was sounded and another challenge remained un answered. Finally three star shells spread over the area revealed a low silhouette and HMRT MEDIATOR an swered and confirmed her friendliness. Back to New foundland for a brief respite and the MUSKEGON was

ordered

ANTI-SUB SWEEP

SUkEDOWN

and towed down the Mississippi on pontoons to the Todd-Johnson Shipyard inNew Orleans,where the ship was outfitted. She was commissioned on February 9, first 19hh HerUSCG, commanding officer Commander George D. Synon, was succeeded October 25, 19hh, by Lt. Joe L. Home, USCG. After shakedown off Bermuda she returned to New York Navy Yard for main engine repairs, then to Norfolk for sea trials, then to Phi ladelphia for engine rebuild and finally passed her sea trials J.n Sejpjb^feer, l?hk. Ordered to the Pacific, the Panama Canal when she was

theMUSlfttoOiy&^eached

the route. From Boston the ship joined an anti-sub marine sweep in the Gulf of Maine. In a scouting line of ships abeam, two thousand yards apart, the group proceeded northward along the coast. On April 2lith the MUSKEGON and USS EBERLE, a destroyer, were detached to carry out inshore search near Monhegan Island. Operating two hundred yards off shore, at full speed, in 16 feet of water, with a 15 foot draft, smoke was sighted on the surface near Roaring Bull Rock Buoy in the afternoon. Itwas 3 miles distant and from no vi sable source. The smoke resembled diesel exhaust, apparently moving upwind, and was pre sumed to be an enemy submarine using a shorchel. Depth

In April 19U5, the MUSKEGON went to the aid of a Green land-to-Boston convoy, encountering pack ice along

145

r 71EATHER OBSERVATION AT SEA V.AS ONE OF THE COAST GUARD'S

MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE- COAST GUARD MANNED PATROL FRIGATES

146

charges were dropped and hedge hogs fired at the sup posedly bottomed submarine, +he entire Task Group com ing to the MUSKEGON's assistance. No contact was made,

however, after several hours of the target was abandoned. POTENTIAL FLOATING ROCKET

thorough search and

Back in Boston the ship was

loaded with one thousand hedge hogs for transporta tion to Argentia. Every available compartment, the deck space and even the passages were filled with ammunition. A potential floating rocket, the MUSKEGON sped at full speed thrciigh the sub-infested Gulf of Maine. Constant alertness and excellent training brought the ship safelj into Argentia with its danger ous cargo. Soon afterwards, the end of the war in Europe was followed by the termination of Pacific hostilities. The MUSKEGON was on weather patrol on both occasions, Station 2 in May and Station 10 in August, where she was now vigilant for airplanes in stead of submarines. Her decks, once gray, now a bril liant yellow, as an aid to air navigation, she was furnishing trans-Atlantic planes constant radio and ' light beaccns, as well as weather information and air-sea rescue service. Her Coast Guard crew was removed when she was decommissioned August 27, 19<b6, USS CHARLOTTESVILLE

After a short period at Guantanamo for training she returned to New York on February 21i, 19U5> and departed on her first patrol duty under Commander Eastern Sea Frontier, (Task Group 02.9) on March 111, 191*5. She remained on this duty until July 3rd, 19h5, when she departed New York for Seattle.
PATROL DOTY TO RUSSIA ON LEKD-LEASE
August Arriving at Seattle on July 27, 19h5, the POUGHKEEPSIB \u25a0was turned over bo Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease on

26, 1915.

USS NEWPORT
(PF-27)
COMISSIONING

AND
SHAKEDOWN

The USS NEWPORT (PF-27) was built by Walter Butler, Superior, Wisconsin, and towed down the Mississippi

to New Orleans where she was commissioned on September 6, 19hh Her first nd only commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. George I.Holt. USCG. After three weeks of shakedown exercises off Bermuda, the frigate returned to Philadelphia on November 9, 19hh> for post shakedown availability. On February 2, 19U5, the NEWPORT reported to Com mander, Eastern Sea Frontier (Task Group 02.9) for duty. After five days at Guan tanamo, Cuba, for training she returned to New York and departed on her first patrol duty on March lli, 19U5. She remained on this duty until May 7, 19U5*

(PF-25)

PATROL DUTY

Commissioned April10, 19hh at New Orleans, the USS CHARLOTTESVILLE (PF-25) had as her first and only com manding officer Lt. Comdr. William F. Cass, USCG. On May 5, 19hk she arrived at Bermuda for shakedown. By June sth she was' at Philadelphia for post shakedown COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN
availability.

TO RUSSIA

Departing New York on July 9, 19U5> the frigate arrived

at Seattle, via Canal Zone, and was turned over to

PACIFIC DUTY

Guinea, via Canal Zone, Bora Bora and Hollandia, ar riving there on September 29, 19hh* Proceeding to
Biak she left there November 15, 19Wi> as escort for
a convoy to Leyte, Philippine Islands. She returned
to New Guinea on December 7, 191+U. She was in the
Philippine Area again on December 21, 19kh f returning to New Guinea on February LU, 19^5. Returning to
Leyte February 20, 19k5, she left for Pearl Harbor
March 6, 19h$, by way of Ulithi, Eniwetok and Manus.

TO RUSSIA

Leaving Philadelphia on
July 25th, 19iUi, she pro ceeded to Finschaven,
New

Soviet Russian on Lend-Lease August 26, 19U5 She arrived at Petropavlousk, Russia on September 25, 19U5
USS MPORIA

(PF-28)

COMMISSIONING AND

The USS EIffORIA (PF-2b) was built by Walter Butler, Superior, Wisconsin, and
towed down the Mississippi

The CHARLOTTESVILLE left

Pearl Harbor on March 31,
191*6 for Cold Bay, Alaska,
via Seattle and Kodiak. She to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease and was turned over arrived at Petropavlousk, Siberia, July 21, 19U5* USS POJGHKEEPSIE
(PF-26)

Built by the Walter Butler Yards, Superior, Wisconsin, the USS POUGHKEEPSIE (PF-26) was towed down the Missis sippi River for completion and fitting out. She was commissioned at New Orleans, September 6, 19Uit, her first commanding officer being Comdr. Quentin M. Greeley, USCG, who was succeeded by Lt. Comdr. Charles B. Perkins, USCGR, on December 6, 19hh She departed New Orleans for shakedown on September 23, 19hh} and remained at Bermuda until October 27, 19i4u She was at Philadelphia on post shakedown availability until
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

River to New Orleass. in May, 19UU. She was ferried

to Galveston and then to Houston where she was pre pared as a weather service vessel, and commissioned
October 7, 19UU. Her first commanding officer was
Commander G. H. Miller, USCG. He was succeeded by
Lt. Comdr. L. Anderson on September 22, 19Uii, who
in turn was succeeded by Lt. R. F. Althauser, USCGR.
On September 29, 19U5, Lt. Bradford J. Beeching,
USCGR, became commanding officer, being succeeded by
Lt. H. A. Vaughan, USCG on June 1, 19U6, who turned
over command to Lt. J. L. Gilliken, USCG, on July 1,
19U6. After a three week's shakedown at Bermuda be ginning October 25, 19hk, the EMPORIA reported for
duty with Task Force 214. at Boston on November 13, 19U*.
WEATHER
PATROL
Departing Boston November 29, 19hh, for Argentia the

EMPORIA was assigned to duty

on the following weather
stations

J^^j^j|
147

December 9-2U, 19hh January 23 February 7, 19U5 February 22 March 9, 1915 March 25 April9, 19U5

Weather Station 8 Weather Station 2 Weather Station 1 Weather Station 5

April 19
May

10, 191*5 Weather Station 5 October 1* October 21, 19U5 Weather Station 2 November 13 December 5, 191*5 Weather Station 1* 17, 191*5 January December 114, 19U6 At Boston on availabi
August 22 September
lity.

June 23

Hi -

jJMHW||i^Vm'
11, 191*5
At Boston on availabi
lity.

May

USS HINGHAM
(PF-30)

June 3, 19h$
July

27 February 10, 191*6 Weather Station 2 19 February 22, 19U6 Weather Station 2 March 2 March 21*, 19U6 Weather Station 3
January February
DECOyMISSKINED

- --

U*, 191*5

Weather Station 8 Weather Station 6

The Coast Guard manned USS HINGHAM (PF-30) was com missioned on November 3 19hh, at New Orleans, La. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. William K. Earle, USCG. She proceeded to Bermuda where she underwent shakedown exercises. Departing Bermuda December 12, 19hkt she went on post shakedown availa bility at Boston, where she was outfitted as a weath
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

er ship.

March 31, 19U6 the EMPORIA remain there on availability ed until August 8, I?lj6, when she proceeded to New Orleans
where she was decommissioned August 30, 191*6.
USS GROTON
(PF-29)

Returning to Boston on

the USS GROTON (PF-29) was towed down the Mississippi River to New Orleans in June, 19l*U. She left New Orleans for Charleston, S. C. for comple tion and fitting out on July 1* 19l*i* She was com missioned at Charleston on September 5> 19U*. Her
first commanding officer, Commander, John N. Zeller, USCG, was succeeded by Lt. Comdr. P. L. Chase, USCGR.
On June 2U, 191*6, Lt. Comdr. J. Lenci became her com manding officer. After a three week's shakedown at
Bermuda, the GB3TON reported, on October 22, 19l*l*, to
Boston for post-shakedown availabioity.
AND SHAKEDOWN

COMMISSIONING

Built

by Walter

Superior, Wisconsin,

Butler,

WEATHER
PATROL

November 8 December 9 23, January 8 February 11 17,

February 21 March 10, April 8 April

April30 May

June 3-23, Weather Station 7

August 2 Weather Station 3
September 11 October 1, Weather Station 1
Weather Station 8
October 21 November 13, January 8,
November At Boston on availabi
lity.

11 20, February 10 March 3, March 9 April10, 191*6

January

-- 21*, 191*1* 19l*l* - -21*,19U5 - 191*5 19U5 -- 2l*, 19U5 19U5 - 21*,191*5 - - 191*5 191*5 191*5 15 191*5 -- 191*619U6 191*6 21*,
June 15,
May

The following is the record

of the GROTON on weather
patrol during the next 20
months j
Weather Station 1* Weather Station 1 Weather Station 2
At Boston on availabi Weather Station 8 Weather Station 3
At Boston on availabi

she was assigned to North Atlantic Weather Patrol, AirSea Rescue and Escort of Convoy duties on January 3 191*5> after escorting the PONTIAC from Argentia to Boston. Escorting the LARAMIE to Argentia on January 19th she proceeded to Weather Station 5 on February Bth. Returning to Boston she again went on weather patrol for a ten day period on March 10th patrolling Station 1. After availability in Boston she patrolled Station 2 for a like period from April 9th. Back to Boston for availability and to Casco Bay for refresh er training she patrolled Station 6 for a period from June 3rd, after which on July 5> 19k5> Lt. Comdr. Hugh V. Hopkins, USCG, took command. She was on Station 5 for a similar period from August 2nd, Station 2 for periods from August 31st and again from September 11th, From November Ist she was on Weather Station I*. Then after a period of availability, she patrolled Weather Station 2 for three consecutive ten day periods be ginning January ll*th, 191*6, February 10th and February 22nd, basing at Reykjavik after two of them. Then she took over Weather Station 6 from March ll*th, returning for availability to Boston until May l*th. She was de commissioned at Charleston June 5, 19U6.
USS GRAND RAPIDS

WEATHER PATROL

(PF-31)
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The Coast Guard manned USS GRAND RAPIDS (PF-31) was built by the Walter Butler

lity.

lity.

April
May

23

15 --

Weather Station 8 Weather Station 6

At Boston vessel de commissioned and re
commissioned as Coast
Guard vessel.
Weather Station 7
Weather Station D

5, 191*6

191*6

DECOMMISSIONING
riving there on July

The GROTON returned to Bosoon on June 20, 19U6. She de

parted for New Orleans,

ar

17, 19U6. On September she was decommissioned.

25, 19U6,

ior, Wisconsin, and turned over to the U. S. Maritime Commission at that place in June, 9kk. A skeleton crew from the Coast Guard Training Station, Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, N. V., went aboard on June 7, 19U1* when she departed from Duluth, Minnesota, en route to New Orleans, La., via Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Plaquemine, Louisiana. In August, 19U14, she was moved to the Avondale Marine Ways, Avondale, Louisiana, where she was outfitted and placed in commission under the super vision of the Industrial Manager, Bth Naval District on Oc+ober 10, 1914*. Her first ccomanding officer was Lt. Comdr. Theo. F. Knoll, USCG. After completing river trials, the GRAND RAPIDS departed Burrwood, La., on October 17, 19hk, en route to Bermuda for shakedown. On the second day out, high winds and heavy seas from a hurricane were encountered off the west coast of Florida, causing damage to deck gear and on October 20th she was ordered back to New Orleans for repairs. Seven days later she was again on her way to Bermuda, but after two days out, engine trouble developed which kept her at Ky West for seven days. She finally ar rived at Bermuda on November 8, 191*1*. Completing shakedown on December 2, 19hk, she was ordered into Boston for alterations and irepairs and on January 6, 19U5 sailed for Argentia, Newfoundland, for assignment to duty under Commander, Task Force 21*.

Shipbuilders, Inc., at Super

"'
148

''

\u25a0-

: *'*4^ *

Assigned to duty as ?.reather Vessel with Task Force 2k, under Destroyers, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, her first orders were to proceed to Weather Station No. 3. Subsequent patrols in the Atlantic were Stations U, 5 and 8. After the patrol of Station 8, the GRAND RAPIDS put into Reyjkavik, Iceland, for an inport period. During this period the war in Europe ended. Leaving Reykjavik, a patrol was made on Station 2, after which the ship put into Boston for a 30-day availability on June 6, 19U5. She departed Boston on July 7, 19U5 and returned to Argentia, leaving there on a 20-day patrol on Station 9. Upon com pletion of this patrol and while awaiting orders in Argentia the war with Japan ended. Lt. R. G. Oster felt, USCGR, became commanding officer August 11, 19U5. The vessel was then ordered to Air-Sea Rescue duty in conjunction with the Weather Patrol activities. She made two patrols in this status, one on Station 7, and one on Station 3, before reporting to Boston on Novem ber 17, 19U5, for an inport period. On December 5, 19U5, she departed Boston for a 22 day patrol on Weather Station No* 10, arriving in Boston on January 1, 19b6. She patrolled Weather Station No. 12 from January 20, 19U6, and Weather Station No. 3 from February 19, 191i6. Her Coast Guard crew was removed May 9, 19^6 after decommissioning on April10, 19U6.

WEATHER PATROL

commanding officer June 30, 19U6. Her Coast Guard crew was removed September 18, 19U6.

USS DEARBORN (PF-33) Built at Superior, Wisconsin by the Walter Butler ShipShakedown yards, the USS DEARBORN was moved down the Mississippi River on June, 19l*li, and ferried from New Orleans to Charleston, S. C. for fitting out and completion. She was commissioned September 10, 19hh, with Lt. Comdr. Fred F. Nichols, USCG, as commanding officer. After three weeks of shakedown at Bermuda she proceeded to Boston for postAND shakedown availability.

COMMISSIONING

WEATHER
PATROL

Assigned to

USS WDONSOCKET
(PF-32)

November 10 December 9 25, January 7-23, 19U5 February 7-23, 191*5 March 25 April 9, 191+5 April 22 May 9, 19*i5 May 16 June 25, 19U5 June 27 August 2

The Coast Guard manned USS WOONSOCKET (PF-32) was comShakedown missioned at Boston, Mass., on September 1, 19lUu Her first commanding officer was J. Conley, Jr. After this there Commander William were pre-shakedown tests which c ntinued until Sep tember > .17th. Between 20tb September and 13th October, 19liU, she was on shakedown exercises at Bermuda. WEATHER PATROL
Returning to Boston on October 17, 1914*, she was con

COMMISSIONING AND

Ik, 19i*5 Weather Station 10 22, 19U5 Weather Station 11 September 11 October 1, 19k$ Weather Station 6 6-12, 191+5 October Weather Station 3 November 13 December 7, 191i5 Weather Station 8 Gada, December 11 27, 19U5 At Ponta de Gada,
July

--28

I?UU -- 2U,19hh

patrol the DEARBORN patrolled the following weather stations:

Weather Station 3

Atlantic weather

'

Weather Station 5 Weather Station 1

Weather Station 2 Weather Station 8

Weather Station 7 At Boston on availa

bility.

19U6

December 30, 191*5

January

Azores.

January

February 13

March 23

- February

21,
Weather Station 12

10, 19^6 Weather Station 8 March 15, 19U6 At Boston on availa

bility.

April Ik, 19l;6

Weather Station 2

verted for Weather Patrol duty and on October 31st, arrived at Argentia, Newfoundland. She patrolled Weather Station 8 between the 3rd and 2Uth of Novem ber, 19kk, and Weather Station 2 between the 9th and 2Uth of December, 19kk. From December 27th, 19W to January 19, 19U5, she was undergoing repairs at Bermuda. She patrolled weather station 3 between January 23rd and February 8, 19kS and Weather Station k between February 23rd and March 13th, 19U5. On March 15, 191i5, she had a sonar contact off Cape Race, Newfoundland, which she followed up with negative re rults. Returning to Argentia, she proceeded to Bos ton, where she was on availability between March 20th and April 6, 19U5, with refresher training at Casco Bay, Maine, between the 7th and 18th of April, 19^5. Returning to Argentia, she patrolled weather station 1 between April,,2i*th and May lltth, 191i5, and weather station 8 between June 3rd and 28th, 19U5. Commander Conley was relieved by Lt.Comdr. E. E. Schwenzfeger on July 7, 19k5. After patrolling station 7 from July 13th to August 2nd, 191*5, she again sailed for Boston for availability between August 6th and September 5, 19U5 She was on two more weather pa one on Station 3 between September 11th and trols, October 5, 19U5, and one on Station 1, between Octo ber 21st and 21st, 191*5. On November 9, 19^5, while at Boston, Lt. Comdr, H. A. White relieved Lt. Comdr. E. E".Schwenzgeger, as commanding officer. During December, 19U5, she patrolled Weather Station 2j during February, 19U6, Weather Station 10; in April, 191|6, weather Station 3 and in May, 191*6, Weather Station k. Lt. (jg) W. J. Zinck, USCG, became

DECOMMISSIONING

Returning

to Boston on April 30, 19U6, the DEARBORN

arrived there June 5, 19U6.

May

departed for Charleston and 9, 19U6. She was decommissioned

USS LONG BEACH (PF-310 Constructed by the Consoli dated Steel Corp., WilmingSHAKEDOWN ton Yard, Los Angeles, Calf fornia, the 30lt foot, 1100 ton, 18 knot USS LONG BEACH (PF-3U) was launched Bay 5, 19U3, and was christened by Mrs. Wlater H. Boyd, of Long Beach, California. Manned by a Coast Guard crew, the vessel was placed in commission at U. S. Naval Dry Docks, Terminal Is land, California, on September 8, 19U3, with Lt. Comdr. T. R. Midtlyng, USCG in command. Shortly after completing shakedown training, the LONG BEACH was on her way to the Pacific. COMMISSIONING
Assigned to the seventh Fleet Amphibiout Force, the LON3 BEACH took part in the Bismarch Archipelago opera tions during March 16 18, 19kk, earning her first engagement star. The story of the Admiralties' opera tion is told by Lt. Max Sturgis, USCGR, who was aboard the LONG BEACH:

ADMIRALTIES LANDING

149

"During the night we weighed anchor and eased out to pick up our convoy in the dim light of the moon, heading out to sea. Our course to destination led right down by the Jap's 'front yard, an area which, until rather recently, they had considered to be the Jap equivalent of 'mare nostrum l The Coast Guard men and ships had a job of insurance on their hands the safe arrive~_ of those landing craft in the Admiral ties for the Army. The Array Air Forces nad promised us air protection during the trek to the islands, and they came through. At dusk a destroyer joined us, and after a prolonged twilight 'alert' at the guns, the formation altered course in the darkness and bored into the night for our destination, Seeadler Harbor at the east end of Maims Island in the Admiralty Group.

'

up clouds of greasy

palms, and these same groves filled wit the sound of rifle and machine gun fire, as we steadily drove the enemy back into the hills. On our right, bombers were 'laying eggs' on the rid^e and in the resulting explosions clouds of earth and debris would go hurtl ing into the quiet air, while occssional fires sent
yellowish

standing out from the harbor, sent shell after shell whistling into the ridge, while a spotter plane droned over the Jap positions at low altitude contemptuous of the weak- AA fire. Over on the south side of the sack shaped harbor landing barges disgorged troops on the beaches where they were immediately lost to view in the palms. Soon rifles and carbines spoke up, with now and then a heavier voiced mortar joining, the
1

smoke.

Navy warships,

"Officers and crews of these patrol frigates have the firm conviction (and not without justification) that their vessels were built for the frigid weather of the North Atlantic sub patrol. They have an over abundance of lovely steam radiators all over the ves sel. When the ship is blacked out in the evening, all lights above the deck are extinguished, all hatches, doors and portholes are closed and dogged shut so that no possible ray of light can leak out, and conversely, no fresh air can leak ml To the al ready sticky heat of the equator and the closely com pressed bodies of over two hundred men, add the labor ing steam engines, boilers and miles of steam pipe. Gun crews are more fortunate. They can sleep at their weapons on the steel deck but mattresses and bedding are forbidden as they constitute a fire hazard in
event of battle.

cacophony.

They had 'contacted'

the Jap.

"Then blinkers were off. We're off to a new

coming up. assignment*

Orders to snove

Engaged in escort work, the LONG BEAGH was awarded her second engagement star for her operations in Western New Guinea. In April, 19hh, the vessel worked
out of Humboldt Bay and other New Guinea ports. On August 13, I9UU, the LONG BEACH was requested by the commanding General, Ulst Division, U. S. Army, to bombard the Napido Area, Soepiori Island, and the Wardo area, Biak Island, New Guinea. With several Army officers aboard, and a Japanese -American Army sergaent, as well as four native guides, the frigate moved within $00 yards of the beaches and let loose. Caves, rock barricades, aid possible camp areas were raked. An Army reconnaissance party was then put

BOMBARDS BEACH

"Just as the inconceivably beautiful, red, tropic dawn broke, the speaker blared 'unidentified planes bearing one nine zero, range seven miles' sleepless eyed gun crews whipped their weapons around tobear on on 'one nine zero.' 'Bearing one -nine -eight range 'Bearing two-two-zero, three miles'. six miles' Then 'Friendly aircraft. Friendly aircraft.' The morning
patrol of our Army air chaperones.

ashore and was reembarked

investigation,

at tne conclusion

of its

"With daylight, the physical characteristics of Los Negros (the smaller) and Manus (the larger) were revealed as being somewhat similar to that of south ern California during the winter rainy season when its foliage is in full bloom, except that coconut palms and plantation extend down to the water's end. Smoke seemed to be rising from one of the hills just back of Seeadler Harbor and as we got closer there was no doubt as to what was happening, Army bombers were plastering the Jap with bombs lots of them. Just prior to our arrival the Army ground forcs had cap tured the Laurengau airstrip on Manus, forcing the Japs to retreat but only as far as the coconut planta tion adjacent to the airfield where from a ridge their fire prevented its occupation. All day our bombers from Negros were bombing and straffing the

- -

The LONG BEACH got underway from Mios .Toendi Lagocn on September 12;, 19kh, to sortie with echelon M-7, consisting of five Navy and five Army tugs. The con voy towing enough heavy equipment to outfit a small naval base, was escorted into Morotai without incident After rendezvousing with a task unit off Kokoja Island, the LONG BEACH proceeded to southern Race Island and at 1 P. M. screened the landing on Loleolawa Village. No enemy opposition was encountered. In November, 19hh, the frigate moved up to the Philippines where she earned her third and final engagement star, partici pating in the Leyte operation during the period Novem
ber

OTHER OfERATICNS

21,

19UU.

ridge.

"There had been warning that Seeadler Harbor was mined by the Nips and by,our own forces. For tunately none was encountered as we went in to pro vide screen for the landing craft when they erupted toward the beaches. The frigate's task for the mo ment, being finished, the crews relaxed a little in

the blistering, motionless air. Someone half hearted a swim, but this was quickly squelched ly suggested by the reminder that Jap snipers were right down on the beach. "The harbor and its surrounding hills presented and unreal appearance, a curious admixture of peace and war, a beautiful harbor of quiet waters with small boats scurrying back and forth over it's surface, but small craft that were landing barges bent on invasion. Heavily laden groves of coconut
a strange

bound. She reached Ealboa, Canal Zone, on January lit, 19U5, stocked up with winter clothing, and headed into Boston where she was drydocked for overhauling in Feb ruary. Lt. W. H. Stafford, USCG, relieved Commander Midtlyng as commanding officer shortly after the fri gate reached the Canal Zone, on her long journey back to the Pacific begun in April. She arrived in Seattle Washington at the end of Apr.1, 19^5, and proceeded to the Aleutians, where she was decommissioned July 12, 19U5, and turned over to the Soviet Navy. Her final record indicates that she arrived in Petropavlousk, Siberia on July 21, 19U5. USS BELFAST
(FF-35)
COMMISSIONING SHAKEDOWN The USS BELFAST (PF-35) was commissioned at Mare Island, California on

TURNED OVER TO RUSSIA

New Year s Day, 19k$, found the LONG BEACH homeward

'

150

*-i
PACIFIC PUTT

>__

Lt. Coradr. John L. Hutson, Jr., USCG. After comple tion, fitting out and shakedoim she arrived at San Diego, California, Aprilh,l9kh'
Proceeding to San Pedro on the 13th, she sailed, in company -with the USS HUTCH

INSON (PF-U5) for Cairns, Australia on April 29, 1914; and arrived at her destination May 29, 19Ui. She op erated in the New Guinea area from June lth to Novem ber 30th, 19Ui, when she arrived in the Philippines. Returning to New Guinea December lit, 19Ui, she depart ed for the United States, via Bora Bora and Canal Zone and arrived in Boston January 2U, 191i5
TO

two Australian transports. Ordered to reverse course the transports and the GLENDALE returned to Cairns, where she was joined by the LONG BEACH and then con tinued to Milne Bay. On the 13th she departed Milne Bay in company with the IDNG BEACH and two LCS's for Cape Sudest. After a stop here the frigates departed early on the 16th for Admiralty Islands, convoying the LSD CARTER HALL, entering Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island on the 17th. While here action was witnessed on land but the vessels of the GLENDALE group were not engag ed. On the 20th she escorted six LST's with two SC's from Cape Sudest to Cape Cretin and returned with a convoy to Cape Sudest. ESCORT MISSIONS

BOMBARDMENT

SOVIET RUSSIA
arriving

Canal Zone, March 28, 19U5,

there April 26th. Here she was turned over
to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lea3e and proceeded, via
Kodiak and Cold Bay, Alaska to Petropavlousk, Russia,
arriving there on July 21, 19U5
USS GLENDALE (PF-36)

After a two month's availability at Boston, she de parted for Seattle, via the

The 30U foot Coast Guard

manned USS GLENDALE (PF-36)
was built by the Consolida ted Steel Corp. Ltd., Wil mington Yard, Los Angeles, California, and commission ed October 1, 19U3. Her first commanding officer was
Commander Harold J. Doebler, USCG. She closely re sembled the British "River Class" frigates, with tri ple expansion engines, twin screws and capable of a \u25a0peed of 20 knots. Her fullload' displacement was 2,500 tons. The frigate was christened by Miss Shirley Schlichtman of Glendale, California. Post shakedown COMMISSIONING
repairs, outfitting and provisioning occupied the period from January 1-9, 19UU, and following a trial run from* Long Beach to San Diego, she departed San Diego, January 12, 19hh for Cairns, Australia, via Tutuila, Samoa, and Noumea, New Caledonia, in company

On April 11, 15kk, she b gan escorting the USS TRIM GUIAN and USS WILLIAMH. AND SELEO BYERS to Lac, New Guinea, and then continued with the
BYERS to Finschaven. She
then proceeded to Buna, New Guinea until the 16th,
when she turned toward Cape Cretin with the USS FLET CHER, MURRAY and LONG BEACH. Arriving on the 19th the
vessels formed an anti-submarine screen around Task
Unit 77.U.3, and proceeded to Finschaven where two
other task units rende zvoused to form Task Unit 77.U.
On the 20th the Task Unit formed a special cruising disposition to pass through the restricted area in the Admiralty Islands vicinity. On the 22nd two "bogies"
were picked up which circled the formation well out
They were believed to
of gun range and disappeared, be "Betty's." The GLENDALE with the other escorts,
and joined by four more escorts, accompanied Task
Unit 77.U.3 to Aitape, New
Guinea. Arriving on the
23rd, she left the anti-submarine screen and proceed ed about one mile north of Tumleo Island to begin
anti-submarine patrol. Destroyers began shore bombard ment of Tumleo and Seleo Islands and when they ceased,
TBF carrier based planes took up the' bombing. At 2200
the Task Force was reforming and shortly after the
GLENDALE became one of its escorts to Cape Cretin. On
the 25th while still escorting the Task Force she
sighted a small cabin Army cruiser, D-sl> out of gas
which had been drifting two days without food and
water. The GLENDALE took it in tow and later turned

it over to SC-981 and rejoined the convoy, which split on the 26th, one section anchoring in Buna Roads with the GLENDALE.

with the LONG BEACH (PF-31). TWO SOUND CONTACTS

of the YMS-lBlt in distress. On the 30th after contacting the VMS, and' learning

parted on the 29th in search

She moored at Tutuila on January 27, 19hh, and de

that the vessel had ample fuel to make port, she re turned to Tutuila. On February Ist, 19UU> she depart ed for Noumea in company with the LONG BEACH. On the 2nd the GLENDALE made a strong, sharp sound contact and fired a fullpattern of hedge hogs, the LONG BEACH attacking the same target shortly afterwards. After several other attacks and a search of the area, the frigates resumed base course. Arriving at Noumea February 7, 19Ui, she departed next day for Gladstone, Australia, in company with the lONG BEACH. En route she made a sharp sound contact and fired several pat terns of hedge hogs. The contact was strong and be lieved to be a submarine as the target was using full evasive measures and propeller noises were heard. Failing to regain contact the GLENDALE started a search and was joined by SC vessels from Noumea and planes on the 9th. On the 10th the search was aban doned and the frigates arrived at Gladstone on Feb ruary 13th, and at Cairns on the 17th reporting to Commander Escort and Mine Craft Squadron, 7th Fleet

five other escorts

on the 27th, the GLENDALE
proceeded first to Cape
Cretin and then to Humbolat Bay, where she and another escort formed an anti-sub patrol at the entrance until May 3rd, departing next day for Cape Cretin. On the $th she picked up an emer gency IFF signal, sighted a plane circling and learned that a B-2U had crash landed, with seven survivors picked up by the CORONADO (PF-38). They were trans ferred to the GLENDALE, who turned them over to the Army at Cape Cretin. Departing on the tith for Seeadler Harbor, she escorted two vessels to Cape Cretin, re turning with three Liberty ships to Humboldt Bay. After escorting another convoy to Cape Cretin and returning with two vessels to Buna Roads, she proceeded to Port Harvey for availability. BRINGS IK ESCORT DUTY
On June 2, 19kh, as part of Escort Division 2, Task Force 76, she escorted two Liberty ships from Cape Cretin to Hollandia and then
five more to Wakde Island. Proceeding to Humboldt
Bay she escorted two vessels to Milne Bay, arriving
on the 17th. After $ days in drydock, she took freight, mail and personnel to Langemak. Here she escorted six LST's and LCI Flotilla to Aitape and Humboldt Eay. On July 3rd, with 14. other escorts, she took an eight ship convoy to Langemak. On the 11th she

Joining

for

duty.

OPERATIONS
IN THE

ADMIRALTIES

On March h, 19hh, the GLEN DALE got underway for Milne Bay, New Guinea, escorting

PiUi

151

returned to Humboldt Bay with 12 merchant ships and an LCI. She then proceeded to Wakde Island with 2 LST's. BOi.BARDS EKE.IV POSITION On July Is, 19i|ii, the GLEN DALE proceeded to the vici nity of the Arai River mouth, New Guinea, to bombard enemy positions and fuel dumps. Here, with the aid of spotting planes, she destroyed an estimated 800 drums of enemy gasoline and blew up an ammunition dump. Maintaining anti-submarine patrol, off llaffin Bay until the 21st, she proceeded to Humboldt Bay and re turned to i'affin Bay with a convoy of seven LST's and Proceeding to Humboldt Bay she one other vessel. maintained anti-submarine patrol until August 2nd, 19liii, when she moored in Hollandia Bay for mainten

group of C-2|7'3, swooped low and hit the SAUGRAIN. Half an hour later, two more closed suc cessfilly, one succeeding in scoring another hit on the SAUGIiAIN. A fifth bomber came in at 3 o'clock but its bomb fell wide of the target. At 3:26 P.M. a Jap fighter dropped a small bomb on the SS iivRCUS DALY and then joined with another in a suicide crash. One smashed into the DALY'S bow starting fires. Two later attempts were frustrated by barrage fire. Four destroyers now joined the convoy to provide addition al fire power. The SAUGsIAIN dropped out of the con voy with the CORONADO, SAN Pi^DliO and LT-I+5U dispatch They rescued the Ul3 men a ed to her assistance. board before she sank, not a single one injured. The DALY was able to reach port but 22 of her crew were killed, SO missing and 30 wounded.

ttie^^UJTONE

ance.

On August 12, V)hh, she escorted two vessels, one to 7/oendi Island and the other to Sorido Lagoon, Biak Island, and then proceeded to Noemfoor with a Navy destroyer escort and a PC, patrolling 10 miles south of the island to intercept' evacuating Japanese. On the 16th the GLENDALE received information that several out-rigger canoes had departed the island the previous midnight and she dispatched PC-U77 to search. The PC captured nine Japanese in two native canoes and delivered them to the U. S. Army on Noemfoor Is land. Proceeding to Pegun Island on the 21st to des troy enemy barges, she found all barges aground on a coral reef and beyond repair. After patrolling off Noemfoor until the 30th she left for I'foendi Island.

CAPTURES JAPANSSE

TO RUSSIA ON LEND-LEASE

A week later the Trigate was on her way back to the United States. She arrived at Boston January 2u, 19^5- Next day Lt. Comdr. Ambrose Simko, USCG, became commanding officer. After 2 months availability at Boston she proceeded to Seattle. De parting for Kodiak and Cold Bay the GLENDALE was decommissioned and on July 12, 19U5, turned over to the Soviet Navy, under the LEND-LEASE agreement. US3 SAN PKDRO

This all day attack was tlie GLSNDALS's final en

gagement.

(PF-37)
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

19h3, the USS SAN PEDRO

commanding officer, proceeded

Commissioned October 23,

(PF-37) had as her first

The GLENDALE departed for Manus Island on September 7, 19UU, for escort duty. She escorted one group of 5 LST's to Humboldt Bay and another group to Morotai Island on the litth. Here while preparing to screen a ccnvoy to Humboldt Bay, she observed enemy planes bombarding Morotai Island. On the 22nd she left the formation with 2 LST's for Oivi Island. Proceeding to Humboldt Bay, she left there on the 29th escorting a vessel to Palau Islands. Releasing the vessel at Anguar Island on October Uth she returned to Humboldt Bay on the 6th. Escorting 7 LST's to Biak on the 11th, she returned with 5 on the 15th. ESCORT DUTY with U other escorts and 20 merchant ships the GLENDALE departed Humboldt Bay October 29, 19UU, for Leyte, Philippine Islands. En route, one of the escorts made three embarrassing attacks on a sonar contact. They entered Leyte Gulf on November Itth. There were many red alerts that night and the enemy was seen bombing shore establishments. On the 9th she de parted for Hollandia with another convoy.

Comdr. Charles 0. Ashley, USCG. exercises she

PACIFIC DUTY

TO LEYTE

Forming Task Group

76.2,

She operated in the New Guinea area from Aprilh t SURVIVORS 19h.it, to November 10, 1914;, when she arrived in Leyte. She was again in the Philip pine area on December 7, 19Ui. The convoy she escort to the Philippines on this occasion underwent an ed all day air attack by enemy planes. The SS ANTOTNE SAUGRAIN and the USS I.iARCUS DALY were hit and the SAN PEDRO, along with the CORONADO, and LT-USU were sent to the SAUGRAIN 's assistance. They rescued the I+l3 men aboard before she sank, not a single man being hurt. Returning to Hollandia December U4., 19hh, the SAN PEDRO departed for Boston, arriving there January 21;, 19U5. RESCUE OF
TO RUSSIA ON LENDLEASE
ing

After shakedown to the Southwest Pacific.

Lt.

ALLDAY AIR ATTACK

On November 29,

19kh,

the

convoy of 35 Navy, Army and merchant ships en route the Philippines with three other escorts. The frigate's most prolonged air attack came on December 5> 19hh while this con voy was en route Leyte Gulf. Early in the day large flights of friendly C-hl transport planes passed over the track of the convoy. At 8:30 A.M. alert Jap bomber pilots, learning of this situation, wing ed in among the C-4t7's and dropped a bomb over a ship in the convoy, scoring a near miss with no damage. This introduced a problem of identification for ship's gunners but no friendly aircraft was hit. At noon another enemy torpedo bomber came in with a

GLENDALE stood out of Hollandia and formed up a

Comdr. H. L. Sutherland, became her command officer, the SAN PEDRO left Boston March 25, 19U5 for Seattle, Kodiak and Cold Bay. Here she was turned over to Soviet Russia on July 12, 19k$, and arrived at Petropavlousk, Russia July 21, 191i5
USCGR,

After a period of availability, during which Lt.

USS CORONADO
(PF-38)

The Coast Guard manned USS CORONADO (PF-38) was c oramissioned at Hare Is land on November 12, 19^3, and after shakedown exer cises departed for Cairns Harbor, Australia. Her first commanding officer was Oomdr.- Ned W. Sprow,USCG.
AGROUND

COMMISSIONING AND SKAKEDOT/N

From 1 to 5 March, 19kh, the CORONADO and SAN PEDRO were anchored at Noumea,

152

New Caledonia, undergoing voyage repairs, arriving at Cairns Harbor on the 10th. Getting underway on the 20th the CORORADO went aground in Cairns Channel. At evening high-water an attempt was made by two tugs to pull tne vessel off. She was finally slipped free on the 21st and towed to Admiralty Inlet to have the main circulators and condensers cleaned and the plant placed in operation. Docked for inspection on the 22nd, all damage was repaired and she was floated on the 23rd. She then proceeded to Milne Bay and left for Cape Sudest on the 27th. On Lurch 29, 19UU, in com-
pany -with the SAN PEDRO,
she escorted four vessels
to Cape Cretin, then, with
3 other escorts, she departed for Seeadler
Harbor with 5 troop and cargo ships. Returning to Cape Sud est on jtprii 2nd she anchored there until the ldth. On the 19th she proceeded to Tanah l.ierah Bay for antisub patrol until the 2iith, when she returned to Cretin Harbor. Later she proceeded to Aitape Roads for antisub patrols until May 3rd. On the sth while again on escort duty to Aitape, a U. S. Army B-2U began circling the CORONADO and then crash landed off her port bow. A boat from the frigate departed for the scene. Two plane crew members were in the water, five were in a rubber raft and. three more were said to be still in the plane." No one was discovered in the plane, whose bottom had been ripped out. The plane sank and all survivors were brought aboard, four being seriously injured. Three were listed as missing. The CORONADO turned the survivors over to the GLENDALE and proceed ed to Aitape, where she took over off-shore anti-sub patrol until the 11th.

RESCUES
FLIERS

relieving the VAN BIREN on anti-sub patrol until the 16th. While on patrol on the 13th, during a red alert, shore batteries opener fire on a "bandit." She then escorted a vessel to Humboldt Bay, and after two days of patrol, escorted another vessel to Manus where she remained on "anchor upkeep" until the 25th. She re turned to Humboldt Bay on the 29th for anti-sub patrol until July 3rd, when she escorted eight vessels, with three other escorts to Langenak. She returned with 12 vessels to Humboldt Bay on July 11th. She proceed ed independently to Y.'oendi next day and to Biak to relieve the USS LOVELACE of anti-sub patrol. She was relieved on the 17th and proceeded to Huriboldt Bay. She left for Alexishaven on the 20th for availability until the 25th. On the 30th she escorted an LST to Humboldt Bay. She departed far Woendi on August 3rd with a 6 vessel convoy, returning to Red Beach with 9 LST's and a merchant ship on the 11th. She returned to V/oendi on the 17th.
A group of U. S. Army officers were embarked on August 23, 19Ui, for a firing and reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Warsa and Sansvendi, North Coast of Biak, Schouten Islands. At Warsa Bay the CORONADO embarked a native to get information on Japanese movements and bivouac areas, and then opened fire with all guns on the area between Kwaree point and Saoeadi Village, where Japanese were said to be living. Later she closed to the beach at Arivandi and opened fire with automatic weapons. She then stood up to Sansoendi Village and opened fire on var ious caves pointed out by native and Army interpreters. Disembarking Army personnel at Bosnik, she proceeded to Woendi Lagoon area to patrol. She departed on the 26th, picked up k LST's near Noemfoor Island and es corted them to Biak. She patrolled off Biak for a day and anchored in Woendi Lagoon until the end of FIRING

I.IISSION

After a period of "at anchor" upkeep from the 15th to 2Uth of May at Port Harvey, she proceeded to Hollandia where she was on anti-sub patrol and then screened ships an chored between Wakde and "Yellow Beach." On 31 May,she left her patrol to bombard areas #2 and #3 at a dis tance of 3^oo to U5OO yards from the beach. The re sults were hidden by the dense foliage. The range was a little long for U0 M,ris, many rounds falling a few hundred yards short or bursting in the air over the beach. No return fire was observed. Next day the beach was again bombarded this tijne areas 15, 18,* 19 and 21 with similar results, except that a column of smoke arose from the area immediately after cessation of firing. Itappeared to be an oil fire. Army opera tions informed CORONADO personnel that 225 dead Japa nese had been found in the area shelled. Again on the 2nd the CORONADO shelled areas 18, 19, 21 and 22. Be ginning at U5OO yards the bombardment was closed to 1000 yards on approaching area 25. No fires were set, but shells were seen bursting in one or more native huts. The CORONADO was relieved by the ORANGE and pro ceeded to Humboldt Bay.
On the morning of June 5, the CORONADO got under way for Wakde. En route a crude raft was sighted bear ing six men, who proved to be badly emaciated Japanese they were removed to PT-160 which took them to when Wakde. She also sighted a partially inflated life raft and picked up debris indicating a recent plane crash. Her findings were reported to Army operations at Wakde who sent out search planes.

BOMBARDS ENEMY

August.

ESCORTS CONVOY

The CORONADO returned to Humboldt Bay on September 1, 19hh, for availability until the 13th, when she left for Aitape to escort an LST to Humboldt. She then escorted 5 LST s to Point Elk, where they were joined by four LST's and 3 AK's. They reached Loetoe on the 19th when the convoy proceeded to the beaches to un load as the CORONADO began anti-sub patrol. She later escorted the returning convoy to Oivi and then returned to Humboldt Bay. She departed for Finschaven on the 26t}i and returned escorting two vessels to Humboldt Bay.

'

PICKS UP

19hh,

ESCORT AND PATROL DUTY

The CORONADO relieved the ORANGE of anti-sub patrol off Wakde continuing until June. Bth, the crew going to on the sth when bombs started fallbattle stations Wakde. She proceeded to Humboldt Bay and in&|QC c3 wPj^%Jks^*i^hny oiler to Wakde on the 12th

The CORONADO departed Hum boldt Bay on October 10, 19Uh, escorting a large convoy of Army vessels to San Pedro Bay, Philippines Islands. Her mission completed she proceeded to screen southward of USS BLUERIDGE anchored in the northern transport area. On the 26th she opened fire with all guns on a Japanese "Val" passing overhead. Five hours later whe fired on enemy aircraft passing northward on the eastern side of San Pedro Bay. On the 2oth Com mander, Escort Division 25 transferred to the CORONADO and she joined Task Unit 78.2.21 standing out of Leyte Gulf. Later she opened fire on an unseen plane when radar range was between 1500 and 1000 yards, but a splash, a little abaft the starboard beam at a distance of 300 feet, was believed to be a bomb which failed to detonate. Soon thereafter the plane crossed the CORONADO 's bow about 100 yards distant and 35 feet high and was identified as a "Lilly." At least one hit was observed in his greenhouse, as a tracer was seen to glow there after the plane passed out of sight. The CORONADO arrived at Kumboldt Bay on November Uth, 19hh. Commander, Escort Division shifted flag to USS LONG ffiACH FIRES ON ENEMY AIRCRAFT INPHILIPPINE:

153

CCNVOY TO LEYTE AND RETURN

22 LST's, APC-18, AK-102 and-11 merchant ships. Two joined on the 13th and AF-16 and 17 LST's joined on the mth. USS CALD.ffiLL and SHAW joined on the llith the former becoming Escort Commander. The disposi tion became known as Task Group 76. 5 Two more es corts joined on the 17th and on the 19th the convoy arrived off Catmon Hill, Leyte Gulf, where it began breaking up to proceed to assigned beaches, The CCROKADO screened merchant ships standing into South ern Transport Area and then moved to Northern Trans port Area to rendezvous with screen for outbound con voy. She escorted LST-7UI to the main body of the convoy consisting of 6 LST's and h merchant ships and screened by eight other escorts. A splash made by a bomb which missed its mark was observed near the lead ing LST on November 21 and at the same time a low fly ing twin engine Japanese bomber, streaked the length of the convoy from van to rear. Itwas not fired upon

The CORONADO got underway on November 12, 19Ui, as a member of Echelon L-13> con sisting of 7 escorts and

to have a good chance to make port. At 07iil on the 6th a "Betty" arrived in the vicinity, furiously chased by four P-3b's and was shot down in flames. At 0600 the COROKADC proceeded to San Pedro Bay. At 1600, it was learned that the towing mission had been unsuc cessful and that the SAUGRAIN had sunk after receiving
a third torpedo.
RETURN TO UNITED STATES
>

8r 19hli, the COROKADG stood out of San Pedro Bay to for* a convoy of 9 merchant ships and 1$ Army craft, with seven other escorts. The convoy ar Bay on the ll*th. She left for Manus rived at Humboldt the lvth for 36ra Bora, anchoring on the 15 th and on there on December 29th, leaving next day for Balboa, Canal Zone where she arrived January Ik, 19U5 Arriv ing at Boston for drydock and overhaul in February, she returned to the Pacific and was turned over to Soviet Russia on August 26, 1?U5 under Lend-Lease.
On December USS OGDEN

as there were numerous friendly carrier planes in the area at the time. A few minutes later another "Lilly" came in low on the starboard bow of the same LST and dropped a bomb which missed, but this plane was al most immediately destroyed by AA fire from LST's. The convoy reached Humboldt Bay on November 25th without

(PF-39)

further incident.

The CORONADO departed for Vtoendi on November 29th, 19hh, to escort any vessels departing for Leyte, re ceiving mail and 12 Naval Reserve passengers, and es corting two Aimy vessels. She joined Task Unit 76.U.7 on December 1, 19hh, consisting of h other escorts and a convoy of 1 AF, 3 AX's, 5 LST's, 21 merchant ships and 9 Army vessels. When it was observed at O&38 on December 5, 19hh, that the starboard side of the con voy was under attack by an enemy bomber, the CORONADO went to general quarters. The bombs did no damage and the plane escaped. Another enemy plane was sight ed at 1216, heading in on the port side of the convoy, flying very low. The COROKADO opened fire and as the plane passed ahead it launched a torpedo which hit the SS ANTOIME SAUGRAIN 's stern. Cease fire was ordered as the plane crossed the CORONADO 's bow. A few rounds were fired from forward starboard automatic weapons. One of these rounds hit and killed a Coast Guard offi cer who had placed himself in the line of fire, un observed by the crew. Seven minutes later another "Oscar" made a torpedo, run on the convoy. The SAUGRAIN, now dead in the water, was again hit and began settling slowly forward, taking a starboard list and was quickly abandoned by all hands. The CORONADO, Lt-Usl*and SAN "PEDRO put boats over to pick up the survivors. The CORONADO received 223 Army troops, 9 Navy gun crew members and 31 merchant sea men, including the SAUGRAIN 's master. After a survey of the vessels it was recommended that it be sunk by gunfire. At 1600 deven enemy planes were sighted and at 1030 one "Oscar" started to make a run in. It was fired upon by the CORONADO, hits from 20 ISI being ob served when the plane was 1000 yards from the SAUGRAIN. enemy dropped a bomb 300 yards on the SAUGRAIiI's The starboard beam, streaked on over, was hit again, began to lose altitude, and was fired upon by the SAN PEDRO, who claimed hits. The bomber was last seen losing al titude and s;noking and disappeared suddenly from the radar screen at 6 miles. LAST OF THE SAUGRAIN The SAUGRAIN refused to sink
having apparently reached a state of equillibrium. The LT-lt5U was ordered to take

SAUGRAIN IS HIT

The USS OGDEN was conjr missioned at Mare Island, California on December 20, 1913, her first commanding officer being Lt. Coodr. Kenneth C. Th&rp, USCG. After s akedown exercises she departed for Cairns, Australia, arriving there April
AND SHAKSDOVrtI

co:.: :issio:;ii:g

h, 9hk.

PACIFIC DUTY

Assigned to escort

duty

in the New Guinea area, the OGDEN began operations in that area on April 13, 19Un She was engaged in the Hollandia operation from April 26 to May 3, 19UU. 7i/hile patrolling off Biak Island on June 6, 19UU> the frigate engaged in anti-aircraft action with the enemy. She arrived at Leyte, Philippine Islands and while there underwent air attack twice on November 17, I?UU, once in San Pedro Bay and once off Dulag, Leyte Island. On a second trip to the Philippines ehe experienced

another enemy attack December >, 19Uli> in which attack the 3S AOTOINE SAUGRAIN was sunk. Returning to the New Guinea area on December XU, \9hh, the OGDSN de parted for the United States.
TO SOVIET RJSSIA

The OGDEN arrived at Bos ton on January 2it, 19U5 for a two month's period of availability at Boston Navy Yard, Following' refresher training at Casco Bay, Maine, she departed for Seattle March 28, 19U5> ar riving there, via Canal Zone on June 7, 19U5. She pro ceeded to Kodiak, Alaska where she was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease. She arrived at Petro pavlousk, Siberia on July 21, 191*5.
USS EUGENE

(PF-UO)

COMMISSIONING
AND"

3HAKEDOM

commissioned January 15, at Terminal Island, California, Commander C. R. MacLean, USCG, being, the commanding officer. From that date until Febru first ary 9th various tests, alterations and repairs were completed before she got underway for shakedown exer cises, which continued through March 23, 19UU. On the 2Uth she proceeded to San Francisco for post shake

USS BIT3EHE (PF-UO) was

The Coast Guard manned

19hh,

down availability.

her in tow, stern first, and continued towing her through the night. At daylight on the 6th she seemed

f
154

TO HKVY GUINEA

on May 29, 19Uk, the EUGERE stood out of San Francisco Harbor bound for the Southwest Pacific, via Samoa, and moored in Cairns Harbor, Australia on On the 29th three other Coast Guard manned June 23rd. patrol frigates the USS BI3BEE, USS CORPUS CHRIST I, and USS GALLUP arrived and anchored nearby. On July Ist the EUG3NB departed for Milne Bay, where after four days of anti-aircraft, shore bombardment and sur face firing exercises, she stood out for Bouganville. On the Jith she was underway for Cape Cretin (Lange mak), New Guinea.

days and heavy anti-aircraft firing was observed on

the beach. On the 30th she was relieved by the USS
ORANGE and proceeded to Mios Woendi with three Army officers. Japanese planes were over Eiak on Septem ber Ist and Uth. On the 6th she proceeded to Bosnek and with Army personnel aboard departed for the bom bardment of Korido Village, Soepiori Island.
t

SKORK
BO.tfBARDMENT

uSHS

AT NOEMFOOR

Rendezvousing

EHEMY ATTACK

escorted her to Seeadler

Harbor, Manus Island, and
then departed on the 26th for Hollandia with several 7th Fleet staff officers aboard. Two days later she was bound for Mios Woendi escorting two AX's and 2 LCl's. Proceeding next to Noemfoor Island she began anti-sub patrol off the loading area, as Japanese
planes raided the island. The EUGENE continued on
this duty until August Bth, during which time Noemfoor
was raided almost daily by enemy planes. Three times she went to the rescue of crashed allied planes, pick ing up a pilot from one of them on the sth. ESCORT AND PATROL DUTY
Returning to Humboldt Bay on August 9th, she stood

ALTAMAHA off Langemak on

July 17th, 19hk, the EUGENE

with the USS

19hh, the EUGEi.E lowered a boat to take picutres of the firing and cornmencEd fire at ObO2. At 0902, after Allied planes had bombed the village, landing craft put personnel on the beach. The EUGENE returned to Bosnek that evening and got underway again at 19U3 for Bepondi Island for a survey. KORIDO

Standing close to shore at Korido on September 7,

out on the 12th escorting an LST' to Maffin Bay, where she relieved a Navy destroyer escort on anti-sub pat rol. On the 16th she joined a convoy of Army craft bound for Mios Woendi and then proceeded to Biak, contacting the USS BISBEE and USS CORONADO off Sorido for antii-sub patrol. On the 21st after escorting two vessels to a rendezvous with a west bound convoy, she departed for Bosnek to pick up a party of Army per
scene of a recent mop-up landing. Proceeding next to Rani Island, where an Amy party went ashore to ques tion natives, she got underway for Sawendi, Soepiori Island where a shore bombardment was to be carried

to Bosnek on the 9th, she departed next day for Mios Woendi, proceeding to Humboldt Bay on the 11th, in company with the USS VAN BUSEN. On September 30th she. stood out for Langemak arid on October 6th escorted 1; LST's to Humboldt Bay. On the 19th she escorted h LST's to Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island and returned with them to Humboldt Bay on the 15th, On October 23rd, 19ltit, she stood out of Humboldt Bay, in company with the EL PASO, VAN PUEEN and ORANGE escorting 29 freighters and LST's bound for Leyie, P. I. On the 2oth, five Navy destroyers joined the escort and next day the convoy entered San Pedro Bay in a heavy rain, amidst many air raid alerts. On the 30th she got underway as a typhoon began to blow, taking in tow an LCVP which was adrift and unmanned. Turning it over to a local boat pool, she began anti-sub patrol off Dulag. On November Ist she stood put of San fedrW Bay, under intermittent air raids fpr anti-sub patrol in Leyte Gulf, with the ORANGE and SAX FEDHO. On the 3rd she
Returning

TO LEYTE

sonnel, bound for Wardo

departed
AGAIN

Bay,

Biak, which had been the

for Humboldt

Bay,

Hollandia.

TO LEYTE
San

out.

SHORE BOMBARDMENT

for
Going to general quarters at 1333 on August 22, 191^,
was

the EUGENE felt her way in between reefs to get closer to the village of Sawendi and commenced fire on the village at lUlb. The charts of the area were almost useless, the islands being misplaced and the water depths incorrectly shown. The village was built on stilts over the water and was the usual quiet, peaceful village until the bombardment started. After 10 minutes the EUGENE ceased fire. The tide had fallen during the^helling of the village and the EUGENE had to free herself from a coral head on which she had come to rest. No damage was noticed and she stood out between coral reefs and then engaged in 15 more minutes of firing on the village. Two hours later she was bombarding Pimonsbary Point, StJepiori Island, raking the gardens used by the Japanese to grow vegetables and the surrounding shacks and also the caves in the cliffs. Returning to Bosnek, Biak, the Army officers went ashore and the frigate resumed antisub patrol. AIR ATTACKS

did

25th.

On November 12, 19hk, the EUGENE was again underway with a convoy bound for Leyte, P. 1., entering Pedro Bay on the 19th. Forming another convoy return to Humboldt -Bay on that day, the convoy attacked on the 21st by a Japanese plane, which no damage. She stood into Humboldt Bay on the The EUGENE was underway
again on

ANOTHER CONVOY
0 LEYTI

Leyte

standing out of HutHboldt Bay as one of six escorts to a large convoy bound for Leyte. Two destroyers joined on the 20th and next day the convoy stood into

December 13th,

having been received to proceed to the States, when re lieved on present assignment, several passengers re ported for transportation home. On December 2bth the EUGENE stood out of San Pedro Bay with the EL PASO for a rendezvous with a convoy for Humboldt Bay. The two frigates were to continue to the States via Seead ler Harbor, Bora Bora and Panama. On the 30th a fire broke out in the battery room and the main engines stopped, as all power failed. The fire was under con
under portable lights.

Gulf and anchored in San Pedro

Bay.

Orders

trol in two hours and three hours later the frigate was underway, having raised steam in No. 2 boiler,

AT SANSAPOR

EUGENE, in company with the EL PASO escorted a merchant vessel and several JLST's to Sansapor, where she relieved a Navy destroyer on anti-sub patrol. Ja panese planes were over Sansapor during the next four

Proceeding to Mios Woendi on August 2lith, 19Uh, the

RETURN TO UNITED STATES

electrical gear, and the EUGENE departed for Seeadler Harbor on the 6th, with the EL PASO. She left there on the Bth for Bora Bora,

Arriving at Humboldt Bay on January 2, 19U5> re pairs irere made to damaged

155

where she arrived on the 19th. Passing through the Panama Canal on February sth, she got underway for New York on the 7th escorting two Army transports as far as the western end of Cuba. The EL PASO which had "remained in Panama an extra day for repairs, join ed the EUGEHS in the Straits of Florida and the two frigates moored at Brooklyn Navy Yard on February 15, 19hS for extensive overhaul. On March 21, 19U5, Lt. Henry T. Hillard, USCGR, relieved Commander MacLean. Proceeding to Casco Bay, IJaine, on April 3, -19U5, the EUGKNE received orders on April6th to report to the USS KNOXVILLE (PF-61) for duty in connection with an anti-sub sweep off Cape Cod. On the Bth she rendez voused with the EL PASO and proceeded to New York. On April13, 19h$, she joined the New York section of convoy UGS-86 and stood toward Norfolk meeting the main convoy for Oran on the liith. On the 21st she transferred a doctor via breeches buoy to one of the convoy vessels to examine an injured man. Two other medical cases were assisted dxxring the voyage. Stand ing through the Straits of Gibraltar on the 26th, the EUGENE moored at Mers-el-Kebir next, day- On May kth she entered drydock at Oran and on the 7th was under way standing towards Gibraltar with convoy GUS-68. She moored at Brooklyn on May 2Uth. CONVOY TO AFRICA WEATHER On May

enemy forces that had stopped t.ie Allied Army at Maf fin Village. With all guns firing the EL PASO made several runs along the Kaffin Beach, rakLng the Japa nese gun positions sufficiently to permit an Allied break through the next day. Three days later the fri gate was requested to perform a similar mission at Wakde Island, New Guinea. Standing in company with two American destroyer escorts, the XLPASO passed through inacurrate enemy fire and bombarded the Wakde
section. BOMBARDS AITAPE AND WAKDE

While on anti-submarine duty in the Aitape Area, New Guinea on June llith, 19hh, the EL PASO was enemy positions that night. called upon to boiabard Bivouac areas, supply dumps, and gun positions were shelled in this operation. Eleven days later the frigate struck again, this time hitting the eastern edge of the Maffin Airdrome, T/akde Island.
TOO PART

MISSION

25, 19U5,

the EUGENE

PATROL

12th she was standing out bound for her first Weather Patrol on Station 10, (Lat. .36 N Long. 70 W) where she relieved the USS GLOUCESTER (PF-22). She was re lieved on weather station by the USS DEARBORN (PF-33) on June 27th and stood into Charleston, S. C, on the 29th. On July 12th she departed Charleston for Weath Long. 71 30 < W), re er Station 11 (Lat. 29 30' N lieving the USS PEORIA (PF-67). She patrolled this station until August 2, 19U5, when she was relieved by the USS DEARBORN and proceeded to Bermuda. From August 22 until September 11, 191*5, she was on Weath er Station 6; from October 20 31, 19U5 she patrolled Weather Station 5. She patrolled leather Station 7 from December 3rd5 Station 3 from March 15, 19U6 and Station U from March 23rd. Arriving at Charleston on May 16, I?U6, she was decommissioned June 16, 191*6.

proceeded to Philadelphia Navy Yard for conversion a weather ship. On June

to

first objective was to salvage an Australian Beaufighter plane which had been forced down on Fanildo Island and the second was to determine ifmembers of a previous salvage crew were still alive and rescue them if possible. A FT boat landed the search party during the early morning, At 920 the EL PASO was called to cover the retreat of the scouts who were

On August 23, 19hh, the EL PASO was assigned to furnish fire support in a two-part mission. The

considerable opposition. The f rigate laid down a blanket of fire at suspected Jap gun positions and an accompanying airplane straffed the Japanese who were shooting at the American scouts. Every one of the scouting force returned safely and the EL PASO gave the area a thorough going over before the small task force departed.
IN ACTION

experiencing

AT MDROTAI

On September 16, 19hh, the EL PASO was one of an es cort screen that led some

USS EL PASO (PF-ia) COMMISSIONING SHIKEDOWN

EL PASO (PF-Ul) was con. structed by the Consolidated

UO craft, including Liberty ships, LST's and LCl's into Morotai. A Japanese bomb er, penetrating American aircraft cover, dropped two bombs and let go several bursts from his machine guns. The EL PASO fired at the retreating enemy plane, which ' was reported shot down several minutes later by one 'of our planes. Next morning, a dawn enemy plane attack developed and EL PASO gunners fired at an enemy plane as it passed across the inner end of the harbor.
The EL PASO earned an en gagement star for partici pating in the Leyte opera tion. She served there from October 23rd to November 5, 19Uh, and then, following her bombardment of Sarmi Point and Mount Makko, New Guinea on November 11, 1914*, returned to Leyte again. AT LEYTE RETURN TO

The Coast Guard manned USS

Steel Corporation, Vfilming ton Yard, Los Angeles, Cali fornia and launched on July 16, 19U3. She was placed in commission on December 1, 19U3. A member of the TACCfrA class, the EL PASO measured 30U feet in length, 38 foot beam, displaced 1100 tons and was credited with a speed of 18 knots. Her first commanding offi cer was Commander R. JU Borroosy, USCG. He rollowed successively by Lt. Thos, W. Phillips, USCGR, on Sep tenber 5, 19U5, Lt. comdr. Thomas W. Spencer, USCGR, November 12, 19U5, and Lt. Comdr. J. A. Small, USCG, her last skipper, on February 10, 19U6.
BOMBARDS MAFFIN BEACH AND WAKDE ISLAND

Recalled to the United States the frigate left

the Philippines December 28, 19hh, and set out for She arrived at Panama Canal Zone, February 5, 191i5, and left for New York three days later. After an overhaul at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, she proceeded to Casco Bay for a period of training. home. In the summer of 19U5, the EL PASO returned to the New York Navy Yard for con version to a" weather ship. With her new meteorological gear installed, the frigate left Staten Island on August 7, 19U5, bound for more Pacific duty. During the months following the war's end, the EL PASO served as a weather ship off Lgvjfo. WEATHER PATROL OFF LEYTE

The EL PASO left San Diego, California, on February 20th, 19UU, and set out on her long series of Pacific mis sions. After a period of patrol duty, she was directed on May anti-submarine 2l*th to bombard enemy positions on Uaffin Bay, New Guinea, Her mission was to pour destruction into the

156

In the late spring of

v

19U6

she was recalled to the

decommissioning. She arrived at Seattle, Washington on June 3, 191*6, and her Coast Guard crew was removed June 30, 19U6.

United States for

USS VAN BUREN

(PF-U2)

After commissioning at San

Pedro, California, on De-
STUteDOWN cember 17, 19U3, with Com mander Charles B. Arrington, USCG, as first commanding officer, the USS VAN BUHEN (PF-U2) left for a series
COMMISSIONING AND

and escorting convoys to forward areas. On June 2, 19kh, she took part in her initial engage ment. On vsrbal orders from the commanding general of the area, the frigate went within I^oo yards of the New Guinea beach west of the Tor River and shell ed enemy installations known to be located there. Three days later, operating with an Amy liaison officer aboard, she shelled supply dumps located along a road between Arami Village and the mouth of the Oral River. Several fires were left burning and no enemy opposition was encountered. Between bombardn.. ments, the vessel took a turn at anti-sub-patrol duty to protect the heavy flow of American shipping beaches
supporting

the landings.

of shakedown drills under Commander, Pacific Fleet Operational Training Command.

PACIFIC DUTY

RESCUE

A- QUICK

taking part in Hollandia Operations from April 26 to Hay 2, was engaged on June 9j 19iiUj in the bomb bardment of the Sarmi-Sawar Area, New Guinea where the allied armies had encountered strong enemy oppo

The VAN BUREN arrived in

the New Guinea Area on
Aprilk, 19khy and after

sition. The first bombardment of this area was fol lowed by a second on June 20, 19hh Between these assaults the VAN BU3EN bombarded the Maffin Village area, New Guinea, on June 19, 19UU, and followed this with a second bombardment of that area on June 23, 19kh' She participated in the landings at Cape Sansapor from August 1 to 22, IsUh She escorted Echelon L-lU to Morotai Island for operations there 16, 19UU. While part of Task Group on November 13 76.6 escorting a convoy to Leyte Gulf on November 23, 19hk, she was under enemy aircraft attack. Later in San Pedro Bay she was engaged in anti-aircraft action. She returned to the New Guinea area on Decem ber 7,-19lUt, and was back at Leyte on December 13, 19kk.

search of a scouting party which had been operating behind enemy lines near Point, New Guinea. The two officers and five Sarmi enlisted men had been put ashore some time earlier in a small rubber boat. They carried only small arms and a "walkie-talkie" radio. The party had encounter ed a number of Japanese patrols and concern was flt for their safety. The frigate groped its way around Sarmi Point with all guns manned and a motor launch ready to dash shoreward for the rescue. Three miles distant from the Point an Army observation plane spotted a rubber boat. An armed guard boarded a motor launch, sped to the raft, took the Army men on board and returned without a shot*eing fired. There were two Japanese among the party. They had been a forward scouting party of a Japanese patrol and were captured before they could report the presence of the . Americans.

On July 27, 19hh, the ORANGE was directed to take three Army officers in

NAMJo

BOMBARDS

she left for Pearl Harbor on Decem 22, 19UU, arriving ber there January 2, \9hS. Here she was assigned as a training vessel to Commander, Pacific Destroyers. On July 2, 19U5, she Arrived at San Francisco where she was assigned to Commander, Western Sea Frontier as a Weather Station Vessel. Leaving San Francisco March 13, 19U6, she proceeded to Charleston, S. C, via Canal Zone, where she was decommissioned May 6, 1946.

RETURN TO UNITED STATES

Returning to Manus

On September 6, 19hh, the ORANGE proceeded to where an Army assault landing was to take place the next morning. Dawn of the 7th found the frigate laying heavy bombardment into the landing area. No damage was sustained from the enemy.
Napido

AT LEYTE

USS ORANGE

(PF-4*3)

ing with an anti-submarine unit off Leyte, Philippine Islands. While escorting the HMS RESERVE and its tow through Surigao Straits on December 5, \9hh, the frigate repelled the attack of a lone Japanese plane. On the 6th she kept several more Japanese planes out of range by detecting them early and putting up a stream of fire that made the enemy craft decide to seek an easier target.
RETURN TO

19U1*, the ORANGE was

By the

first of December,
work

The Coast Guard manned USS AND ORANGE (PF-40) was built SHAKEDOWN by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Ltd., Wilming ton Yard, Los Angeles, Call foAia, and commissioned on January 1, 1944, at Ter minal Island. Her f^rst commanding officer was Com mander John A. Dirks, USCG. The ORANGE left' the Navy Yard at the end of January to begin a lengthy series of shakedown drills under Commander, Pacific Fleet Operational Training Command. The frigate is 304 feet in length, 38 foot beam and has a full load dis placement of 2,300 tons. Her maximum speed is about 20 knots. Her main battery consisted of three 3"/5O caliber guns, two I*o MM twin mounts and nine 20 MM single mounts made up her anti-aircraft battery. TWO SHORE
BOHHKEDHENTS

COMMISSIONING

UNITED STATES

Mare Island Navy Sound School and was still participating in sonar exercises when the war ended. WEATHER PATROL

The ORANGE returned to the West Coast at the end of February 19U5, and after a period of availability at Yard, was assigned to the West Coast

On December 1, 1945, the ORANGE equipped with new gear, reported to the Com mander, Hawaiian Sea Frontier for duty as a weather station vessel, being recommissioned as a Coast Guard vessel April15, 1946. She remained on this duty until July 1946, when she returned to San Francisco. She was decommissioned October 28, 1946.

The ORANGE

spent eight

months in the Pacific lend ing the Army a hand in softening up New Guinea

mMmmM
157

USS CORPUS CHRISTI

(PF-Wi)

191+5,

The Coast Guard manned USS CORPJS CHRISTI (PF-Hi) was built by the Consolidated Steel Corp. Ltd., and com missioned at Harbor Boat Works, Terminal Island, San Pedro, California, Janu ary 21, 19l*li, her first commanding officer being Comdr. W. W. Childress, USCG. Shakedown exercises ttere completed under Commander, Pacific Fleet Opera tional Training Command. COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDibW

and at Peiri Harbor September 2k, 1915, leaving next day for Terminal Island, California. Here she entered drydock on availability until January 10, 19U6 for conversion to a weather ship.

l*m

18, 1910u

The CORPUS CHRISTI departed Los Angeles in company with USS BISBEB (PP-i*6) ana USS GALLUP (PF-U7) May 31, 1914w After three days spent en route at Noumei, New Caledonia, she arrived at Cairns, Australia on June 28, I9ljfu On July 6, 191+U, she departed Cairns for Perth, Australia for duty with Commander Task Force 71, arriving there on July TO AUSTRALIA
Operating until August 27, 19U5, as exercise and train ing unit under Commander,

for Weather Station A, which she patrolled until March 5, 19k6. Returning to Seattle for 10 days availability, she again patrolled Weather Station A from March 19th to April sth, 19h6. She proceeded to San Francisco where she was re commissioned April 15, 19U6, as a Coast Guard vessel, being transferred by the Navy to the Coast Guard on a loan charter basis. After two periods of sea duty, one from June 22 to July ?, 191*6, and another from August 1 26, 19U6, she proceeded to Seattle, where

WEATHER PATROL

Proceeding to Seattle, she left there February 6, 19U6,

she was decommissioned

September 23,

19U6.

USS BISBEE (PF-4i6) COMMISSIONING

AND SHAKEDOWN

RESCUES 92

IN INDIAN OCEAN

The Coast Guard manned USS BISBEB (PF-4*6) was conaie

sioned
being manned

Submarine Seventh Fleet, the ship received two commendations. On February 13, 19U5, she rescued 92 survivors of the torpedoed Ameri Liberty ship PETER SYLVESTER in the Indian Ocean. can On June 13 15, 19U5, she fueled the battleship HMS HOWE. Lt. Charles H. Lavell, Jr., USCGR, became com manding officer August lit, 1?U5

with her Coast Guard crew the same day. Her first commanding officer was Commander J. P. German, USCG. She spent the next month and a half on shakedown exercises under Command er, Pacific Fleet Operational Training Command. TO AUSTRALIA She reported for duty to the Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet, on April 1, 1914.1+ at Terminal Island, California, and on May 31, 19hh, was ordered to report to the Commander, ?th Fleet for duty. She was to proceed to Australia and upon arrival re port to the Senior U. S. Naval Officer. She arrived at Noumea on June 27, 19Uu BOMBARDMENT ~ OF WARDO LANDINGS ON BIAK
On August 10, 19hh, the BISBEE was in the bombardment of Wardo Village on Biak Island and a week later she took part in the operations in support of the landings on the West Coast of Biak, where three ship-to-shore movements were made to expand the coast line holdings of our forces. These resulted in the eastern half of the island being in U. S. control by the end of August. Landings on the North Coast of Biak were made on August 25, 19Ui, and on the same day our forces went ashore in the vicinity of Cape Oboe bari on Biak Island. The completion of bases on Biak and Noemfoor Islands and the occupation or Cape San sapor on the c xtreme northwest coast of New Guinea in late July had completed the by-passing of New Guinea, eliminating all enemy aerial opposition and all ship ping except a few coastal craft, off Southwest New Guinea and a few barges elsewhere.

on February 15, 19UU,

RETURN TO
WEATHER PATROL

Harbor, via Manus, Admiralty

On August 27, 19U5, the CORPJS CHRISTI departed Perth, Australia in company with USS HUTCHINSON (PF-iis) for Pearl

Islands for duty with Destroyers, Pacific Fleet. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on September 21;, 19U5, and departed next day for San Pedro, California, for fur ther assignment by Commander, Western Sea Frontier. Proceeding to San Francisco she was assigned to Weather Station D. She was decommissioned August 2, l?i+6, .at Seattle. USS HUTCHINSON (PP4i5) Commissioned February 3, 19hh, the first commanding officer of the USS HUTCHINSON (PF-45) was Commander Carl H. Stober, USCG. After commissioning, the frigate was engaged in shakedown exercises until April13, 19Wi, when 3he arrived in San Pedro, California. COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOtIf TO SOUTHWEST PACIFIC The HUTCHINSON left San Pedro on April 30, 19U1*, for the Southwest Pacific. On Octo ber 17, 19UU, Lt. Comdr. E. H. Houghtaling, USCG, became commanding officer. Arriv ing at Leyte on escort and patrol duty on November 10, 19hh, she engaged in anti-aircraft action in Leyte Gulf on November 12, 19l|li, returning to New Guinea on November 30, 19kk On December 28, 19141+, she ar rived at Freemantle, Australia for duty with Commander, Task Force 71. She remained here until August 27, 19U5. TO AUSTRALIA RETURN TO
tflli'M)STATES Departing Freemantle, Australia on August 27, 19h5, she ar rived at Uanus September 8,

AT LKYTE

Homonhon Island, Philippines, on October 18, 19UU. This landing was made two days before the landings on Leyte Island, and followed landings the day previously on KLnagat and Suluan Is lands which commanded the approaches to Leyte Gulf. Together these three operations enabled minesweepers to remove the mines in Leyte Gulf and demolition teams to investigate and remove obstructions from those landing beaches which had been selected on Leyte. The BISBEE also acted as a patrol vessel at the four land ings made on Leyte Island two days later. She continu ed on patrol operations in Leyte Gulf until November 20, 19Ui, and then acted as one of uMt ing a convoy from Leyte Gulf to

The BISBEE next took part in the landing operations on

atak HumbdJP^^^^^HHE,

ejgt^rafl

158

The BISBEE continued on to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on December 15, 19hh Commander Russell Cowan became commanding officer on December

Guinea.

17, 19hh.

TO RUSSIA

January .'-, 19U5. Arriving there seven days later, she departed for Adafc, Aleu tian Islands. Here the BISBEE operated as part of Escort Division U3 together with five other patrol frigates. Her Coast Guard crew was removed on April 2#, 19U5> and on Ju3y 6, she departed for Seattle, arriving on July 12. Escort Division U3 was dis solved on August Hi, 19U5, and the BISBEE departed for Petropavlousk, Siberia. She arrived *there Sep tember 5> 19U5> having been turned over to Russia on

She left Pearl Harbor for Dutch Harbor, Alaska on

Australia, via Noumea, arriving on July 22, 19UU. Be tween that date and October 16, 19U-;, she was engaged in patrol and escort duty in the Southwest Pacific area. She left Harms Island October 18, 19Ui, and arrived at Seattle, via Pearl Harbor and Oakland on January 9, 19U5. Lt. Malcolm C. .McGuire, USCGR, be came her commanding officer on Decei>er 12, 1914*.
TO SOVIET RUSSIA

until June 30, 19U5. returned to Seattle July 12th and was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease. She arrived at Petro parlousk, Russia on September $, 19U5. USS MUSKOGEE (PF-U9)
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

She proceeded to Dutch Harbor and Cold Bay where she remained on patrol duty Departing Adak July 6, 191+5, she

Lend-Lease

USS GALLUP
(PF-4i7)

The USS GALLUP (PF-^7) was commissioned February 29, 19Ui,, with Lt. Comdr. Clayton M. Opp as her first commanding officer. He was later succeeded by Comdr. J. P. German, USCG. Shakedown exe rcises were completed April 9, 19hk under commander, Pacific Fleet Opera tional Training Command. COMMISSIONING PACIFIC DUTY
Departing San Pedro, Califor nia on May 31, 19hh, the GALLUP proceeded to Cairns,

Wilmington, California, and conmissioned March 16, 19hh Her first commanding officer was Commander Ri:fus B. Mroczkowski, USCG. After shakedown exercises under Commander, Pacific Fleet Operational Training Command, she arrived at San pedro, California on May 2U, 19Uu

The USS ivIUSKOGEE (PF-2+9) was built by the Consoli dated Steel Company of

PACIFIC DUTY

Australia, via Noumea and arrived there June 27, 1914u She participated in the bombardment of the Wardo River area of Biak Island on August 17, 19144*. and of the South Coast of Biak Island on August 25, 19hh, The frigate next took part in screening operations in New guinea and off Morotai Island between September 19th and 2ltth, 19hh, Proceeding to the Philippines she participated in the operations in the landings on Dinegat Island between the 12th and 18th of October, and in subsequent patrol operations in Leyte Gulf between October 2U and November 20, 1914+. She es corted a convoy
from Leyte to Hollandia between Novem ber 22 28, 19Uli.

Noumea, arriving there on July 18, 19hh> After a period of patrol and escort duty in the Southwest .Pacific she proceeded to the Philippines. She saw action against enemy aircraft

The MUSKOGEE departed San Pedro June 18, 19Ui, for Cairns, Australia via

in Leyte Gulf and San Pedro Bay between 2Uth and 26th of October, 19UU. She returned to the New Guinea area November 30, 19Uu From New Guinea she proceeded to Pearl Harbor ar riving there December 15, 19hh Here Commander Edgar V. Carlson, USCG, became cormandins officer December 17, 19UU. She left Pearl Harbor on January 5, 19U5 and arrived at Dutch Harbor January 12, 191i5, and a^ Akutan, Alaska January 17, \9ks*. She remained in Alaska on patrol duty until July 6, 19U5, when she departed Adak for Seattle. Ar riving at Seattle July 12, 19i;5j she was turned over to Soviet. Russia, on Lend-Lease and arrived at Fetro TO SOVIET RUSSIA c

The GALLUP arrived art Manus Island December h, 19hh, and at Pearl Harbor December 15* 19iUi, on her way home, ar riving at Mare Island December 25th and Seattle Janu ary 12, 191*5. Between January 20th and July 6th, 19U5, she was at Adak, Alaska on patrol and escort duty. RETURN TO
UNITED STATES TO SOVIET RUSSIA

pavlouak, Siberia September 5,

19^5

USS CARSON CITY (PF-50) Built by the Consolidated Steel Company of Wilmington, California, the USS. CARSON CITY (PF-50) was commissionEd March 2k, 19hh, with Commander Harold B. Roberts, USCG as her first commanding officer. After shakedown exercises she arrived at San Pedro June 5, 19liU
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOVn'

She returned to Seattle on July 12, 19U5, and was turned over to Soviet Russia on LendLease, arriving at Petropavlousk, Russia on September

5, 19ii5.

USS HOCKFORD (EF4t6) The USS BOCKFOHD (PF-4iB) was AND SHAKEDOVra commissioned March 6, 19hh, with Lt. Comdr. David W, Bartlett, USCG, as her first commanding officer. Shakedown exercises were com pleted under Commander, Pacific Fleet Operational Command when the frigate arrived at San Pedro on May 21, 19^. COMMISSIONINO
PACIFIC DUTY

PACIFIC DUTY

She

piritu Santo on August 6, 19UU. The frigate partici pated in the operations leading up to the invasion and occupation of Morotai Island on September 15, 19^. She continued on escort and patrol duty in the South
west Pacific until November 27, at Manus on her way home.

departed for the South west Pacific via Cairns., Australia, stopping at Es

19hh*

when she arrived

The ROCKFORD left San Pedro June 27, 19liU, for Cairns,

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

The CARSON CITY arrived at Pearl Harbor December 15,

*^^KNKKHm&
159

191*1*.

On December 18, 19hh. Lt. Robert L. Barbee, USCGR, became her commanding officer. She departed Pearl Harbor January 5 1?1*5, and arrived at Dutch Harbor January 12, 19U5, and at Akutan, Aleutian Islands, January 17, 19U5. She remained in Alaska

on patrol duty until July 6, 191*5 when she departed Adak for Seattle. Here she was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease and arrived at Petropavlousk, Siberia on September 5 19U5.

Bhe a rrived at Leyte November 18, 19hk, for several weeks of patrol duty. Returning to the New Guinea area December 7, 19l*l*, she was again in the Philippine area from December 21, 19l*l*i to February 6, 19l*$. She returned to Hollandia February 12, 191*5, and left two days later for a third trip to Leyte where she remained until March 6, 191*5.

lshk,

USS BURLINGTON (PF-51) The USS BURLINGTON (PF-51) was built by the Consolidated Steel Co. Wilmington, Califor nia and commissioned April 3j 19l*l*. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. Carlson, USCG. Shakedown exercises were con Edgar 7* ducted under Commander, Pacific Fleet Operational Training Command. COMMISSIONING Califor nia, July 27, 1914;, the BUR LINGTON stopped at Espiritu Santo on August Ik, 19hh, and then proceeded to the Southwest Pacific area, via Cairns, Australia. Here she took part in the operations culminating in the invasion of Morotai Island on September 15, 191*1*. She was engaged in anti-aircraft action off Morotai- on PACIFIC PUTT
Departing San Pedro,

She returned to Pearl Harbor April1, 19UB, and arrived at Seattle April 7, 19U5. After a 6 week Availability, she arrived at Cold Bay, Alaska, June 15th, where she was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease. She arrived at Petro pavlousk, Siberia, July 21, 191*5. DliS MACHIAS (PF-53) Built by Froemming Bros. Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., the USS MACHIAS (FF-53) was brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, La., where she was commissioned March 29, 19U*. Her first commanding officer was Coraaander Robert J. Alexander, USCG. She arrived at Bermuda April 21, 19kk, for shakedown, after which she proceeded to Philadelphia for post shakedown COMMISSIONING
availability.

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

September 16th. Proceeding to the Philippines, she was engaged in operations during the invasion of Leyte between October lth and 28th, 191*1*. She was in action against Japanese aircraft off Leyte Island on November 12, 19UU. Returning to the New Guinea area November 30, 19l*U, she departed for home December 2, 19U*, via Manus and Pearl Harbor where she arrived December 15, 19l*lw Here Lt. B. K. Cook, USCGR, became commanding

PACIFIC DUTY

officer December 16, 191*1*.

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

Arriving at San Francisco December 25, 19lUl, the BUR LINGTON departed for Adak, Aleutians, and remained on patrol duty here until July 6, 19U5 She returned to Seattle July 12, 191*5 and was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease, arriving at Petropavlousk, Siberia, September 5, 191*5.

30th she left for Norfolk next day for Norfolk. She returned to New York August 16th and left 2 days later for Charleston and the Canal where she arrived August 28, 19liU. After a three days stop at Bora Bcra on September lltth and at Espiritu Santo, she arrived in the New Guinea area. She was engaged in anti-aircraft action off Morotai Island, October 31, 19l*U, and then proceeded to Leyte, via Biak, November 15th. She returned to New Guinea December 7th and was again in the Philippine area from December 21st, 19l*l* to March 4>, 191*5.

Proceeding to New York July

one

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

Returning to Seattle April 7,

USS ALLENTOWN (PF-52) The USS ALLENTOWN (PF-52) was built by Froemming Bros. Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin and brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans where work was completed at the Todd-Johnson Shipyards. She was commissioned March 21*, 191*1*, with Commander Garland W. Collins, USCG, as her first commanding officer. He was succeeded by Lt. Coodr. Edward G. Cardwell, USCG, on 1February, 191*5. She arrived at Bermuda April13, 19l*U, for a month's shakedown* COMMISSIONING York on ALLENTOWN remained there under Conmand er, Task Force 29 until June 27, 19hh, on escort duty. She 'Mas on duty at Hampton Roads from June 28 to Aug ust 15* 191*1*. Returning to New York on August 16, 191*1*, she left two days later for Charleston and then left for the Canal Zone where she arrived August 28th. She arrived at Bora Bora on September ll*thand then proceeded to Hollandia and Finschaven. . On October 31, 191*1* while anchored in Morotai Harbor, the frigate engaged inanti-aircraft action against Japanese planes Which were attacking. Leaving Biak November 15th, PACIFIC DOTY
Proceeding to New May 13, 19l*U, the

Pearl Harbor, she remained on avialability until May 26th. Proceeding to Cold Bay she was turned over to Soviet Russia June 15> 191*5 and left for Petropavlousk, Siberia, where she ar rived July 21, 191*5. USS SANDUSKT (PF-SU) The USS SANDUSKY (PF-SU) was built by Froemming Bros. Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., and brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, La., where she was conmissioned on April 18, 191*1*, with Lt. Comdr. Thomas R. Sargent 111, USCG, as her commanding officer. She proceeded to Bermuda where she underwent shakedown exercises from May Bth to June Ist, 191*1*. She was on post shakedown availa
COMMLSSIONIBQ

19U5*

via Eniwetok, Manus and

AND SHAKEDOWN

bility at Philadelphia until August 1, 191*1*.

PACIFIC DUTY

After two weeks at Hampton Roads, Va., the SANDUSKY returned to New York for two days on August 16th and then departed for the South west Pacific, putting in at Charleston and arriving at the Canal Zone August 28th. She reached Bora Bora September ll*and Finachaven September 29, 191*1*. She was in the Philippine area for three tours of rs cort and patrol duty, one beginning November 30, 191*1*, one from December 21, 19l*l* to February 6, 191*5 and one

160

February

Philippine tour she returned to New Guinea. She re turned to the v. S. after the last Philippine dutyarriving at Manus March 10th, 191*5> Pearl Harbor April Ist and Seattle April 7th. Here she remained on availability until May 27, 19U5. Proceeding to Cold Bay, Alaska on June 15, 19U5, the SANDUSKI was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease and departed for Petro pavlousk, Siberia, July 15, 19U5> arriving there July

20, 19U5 to March 6, 19U5.

After each

19U5

TO SOVIET RUSSIA

20 January.- 13 February 17 February 25 February 8 March 27 March 8 April 27 April 12 May 1* June 7 June 13 July 13 July 3 August 3 August 21 August 21 August 13 September 26 September September 13 28 .September -26 October 26 October December

21, 19U5.

USS BATH (PF-55) Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.,the USS BATH (PF-55) was brought down the Mississippi River to the Pendleton Shipyards, New Orleans, La., for completion and fitting out. Here she was commissioned September 9, 19hh, with Commander John R. Stewart, USCG, as com manding officer. She departed New Orleans September 25, 19hh, for shakedown exercises at Bermuda, arriving at Philadelphia, Pa., on November 1, 19UU, for post shakedown availabality. SHAKEDOWN PATR3L DUTY After a few days on standardi zation trials for patrol frigates at Rockland, Me., the BATH returned to Phila delphia for availability and a re-run of economy trials. Proceeding to New York on December 31, 19hk, she de parted for Guantanamo, Cuba, January 6, 191*5 and re mained there until January 18th. She returned to New York on January 25th, and was assigned to regular pat rol in that area until May 17, 19U5. On May 18, 191*5, she arrived at Weather Station No. 10 but was relieved the same day. Returning to New York, she was ordered on* June 11th to report to Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and departed July Hi, 191*5. After leaving the Canal Zone July 22, 19U5, she was order ed to Seattle* Here she was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-Lease and de parted August 28, 191*5, for Petropavlousk, Siberia, arriving there September 25, 19U5* TO SOVIET RUSSIA USS COTOJGTON
(PF-56) COMMISSIONINQ AND

191*6

Built by Froeming Bros.

1* January

7 December

7 January 30 January 13 February

3 March 3 March 21; March 29 March 11 May 11 May 11 September 11 September 17 September

- --- 1*-. ---5 --ll* -- -

Station No. 8 Yard Station No. 3 Station No. h Station No. U Availability Boston Navy Yard Weather Station No. 10 Charleston Navy Yard Weather Station No. 11 Boston Navy Yard Weather Station No. 6 Boston Navy Yard Weather Boston Weather Weather Weather
Navy

January January IX) February

3 January

Weather Station No. 8" Bermuda Boston Weather Station No. 7

Argentia

Weather Station No. 7 Boston New York En route New Orleans

She ia.a decommissioned at New Orleans on September 23, 19l6. During all these patrols the OOVINGTON was a unit of Task Force 21* with duties of taking and re porting weather observations, with additional AirSea Rescue duties." included the use of radio sonde balloons, the re cording of ocean temperature at various depths, the computations of surface and aloft winds and temperatures which were reported to the Weather Bureau in Washington, D. C, and used in meteorological research, which proved valuable to the successful operation of the Air Transport Command. The Air-Sea Rescue phase depended primarily upon the accuracy of the navigational position of the vessel* Itinvolved the transmission of radio beacons both on predetermined periodic schedule and upon request from airplanes. Extensive rescue gear was placed aboard for use in aircraft emergencies. Lt. Comdr. Brown was succeeded by Lt. Comdr. Roy M. Hutchins, Jr., USCG on 19 September, 191*5. USS SHSBOYGAN (PF-57) HEATHER OBSERVATIONS AND AIR-SEA RESCUE
The weather observations

The Coast Guard manned USS COVINGTCN (PF-56) was built by The Globe Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wis., and commission17, 191*1*, at Houston, Texas. Lt. Comdr. Ed on October Brown, USCGR, assumed comnand of the ves Frederick S. sel and its 160 officers and man at that time. After taking on fuel and ammunition at Galveston the COVDJG 'TON departed for Bermuda on October 29, 19141*, for shakedown. On November 28, 19hh, she left Bermuda for post-shakedown availability at Boston. WEATHER PATROL The COVINGTON departed Boston for Argentia, Newfoundland, on December 22, 19U*, to join Task Force 21* and on the 27th left Argentia for Atlantic Weather Station No. 1, re turning to U. S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia, N. F., on 10 January, 19U5* Her subsequent duty on weather patrol was as follows t

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

CCaffiIISSIONDjQ

was built by the Globe Ship building Co., Superior, Wis. > and reached New Orleans Hay 19, 19hh, via the Illinois Waterway and the Mississippi Riv*r* Her first com manding officer on her commissioning on October IU, 191*1*, at Tampa, Florida, was Lt. Comdr. A. J. Carpen ter, USCG. The frigate proceeded to Charleston on October 27th where on November 17, 191*1*, Lt. William R. Dickinson, Jr., USCGR, became commanding officer. She departed Charleston November 20, 19l*U, for Ber

AND SHAhkuuWiJ

The USS SHEBOYGAN (PF-57)

muda where she underwent shakedown exercises until December 16, 191*1*, and then proceeded to Boston for post shakedown availability until February 19, 19U5. HEATHER PATROL

The SHEBOYGAN arrived at Argentia February 21, 191*5 for weather patrol duty. The frigate was on the following weather stations during the next ll*months t

161

21; March 7 March 9 March 13 April 9 March 2b April 23 April 29 May 13 June J June 23 July 13 July 16 August 19
February August

December 8 December 27 December 29 December 30 December 31 January 21

October 2 October 22 November 13 December 2

March March

-- ---2ii -191*6 -k 21*

1915
January

19h6
'/feather Station 3 Weather Station 3 Weather Station h Weather Station 8 Weather Station 1 Weather Station 1* Boston on availability Weather Station 9 Yfeattier Station 7 Weather Station 3 Boston on availability. Weather Station 10 (old) Weather Station 10 (new)

January 21 February ID March 3 March 21* March 30 April 15

-- -

Weather Station 6 Weather Station U Boston on availability

September

lU

On March 13, 19i*6 the ABILENE was decommissioned as

a naval and recommissioned as a Coast Guard vessel.
She proceeded to Argentia April18, 191*6, but return weather patrol duty.

ed to Boston

May 6,

Boston for New Orleans, La., where she was decommis sioned August 21, I?U6. USS BEAUFORT (PF-59)

19ii6, without performing further On August 1, 19i*6, she left

22 February 22 March 17
April li*

Boston on availability Weather Station 6 Weather Station 3

191*6.

li*th, while on station, the SHEBOTOAN was decommissioned as a naval vessel and immediately re commissioned as a Coast Guard vessel. Returning to Boston on April 20, 19U6, she departed for New Orleans July 21*, 191t6, where she was decommissioned August 9,
On March

USS ABILENE (Ex-BRIDGEPORT) (PF-58) COMMISSIONING

AND SHAKEDOWN

The USS BEAUFORT (PF-59) 'was

built by the Globe Ship building Co. of Superior,
Wis., and brought down the
Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans, La., on July 5, 1914* and then to Boston on July 20, 19Uu. Here she was fitted out as a weather ship and commissioned on August 28, 191*1*. Her first command ing officer was Lt. Comdr. George R. Boyce, Jr., USCG, who later was succeeded by Lt. B. R. Henry, USCG. She departed for Bermuda and shakedown exercises Sep tember 8, 19th, and returned to Boston for post shakedown availability October 6, 19U. After re fresher training at Casco Bay, Maine, she arrived at
Argentia October 22, 19hh*
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN WEATHER PATROL The BEAUFORT'S career as a weather ship is outline in the following record of weather stations patrolled:

Built

by the Globe Shipbuilding Co., Superior, Wis., the USS ABILENE (PF-58) was brought

Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans on June 15, 19l*U, where she was fitted out as a weather ship and commissioned October 28, 19l*l*. Her first com manding officer was Lt. Comdr. Chester I. Steele, USCG. She was at Bermuda on shakedown exercises from

down the Illinois

November 6 December 9

November 10 to December 5, 19hh, and then returned to Boston on post-shakedown availability until December 23, 19UU. HEATHER PATROL

stations from January 7, 19U5, until March 21*, 191*6

Proceeding to Argentia, N.F. the ABILENE was on weather patrol duty at the following

January 8 January 26 February 10 February

March
March

April

19U5

7 January 23 February 8 February 19 February 21 March 6

January

Weather Station 3 April May Weather Station h May 19 June Boston on availability June 28 July 13 Weather Station 9 August 2 August 21 Weather Station 7 August 27, Lt. Frank K. Wyatt, USCGR becomes commanding officer September September 26 Weather Station 9 October 13 October 21 Weather Station 3 November Lt. Comdr. DeWitt S. WaIton,USCGR becomes com manding officer November 13 December 7 Weather Station 10 December 9 January 17 Boston on availability December 15, 191*5 Lt. L. W. Wedemeyer, USCG becomes commanding officer

March

-25 25 li* -- 21* 19U5 ll* -5, 191*5 --

August 2

Weather Station 8 Weather Station 1 Boston and Casco Bay on availability and refresher
training

September

April 6

October November December December

-191*5 -1* 25 25 -- 1* 29
19lh
May

November 30 December 2U

Weather Station 2

Weather Station

March

12 June 3 June 23 June 28 July 30

Station 2 Station 6 Weather Station h Boston on availability August 23 Weather Station 9 September 17 Weather Station 7 11 October 22 Boston on availability 13 December 6 Weather Station 7 ' December 30 Weather Station 6 (old) 31,- January 21 6 (old) Weather Station
Weather

April 9

Hi

25

Weather Weather Boston Weather

Station 5 Station 8
on availability

191*6
March 3

January 26 February 9

--

March 15

February 8 February 20

Boston on availability Weather Station 10 Weather Station 12

The BEAUFORT departed Argentia for Boston on March 20, 19U6, and left there on the 26th for Norfolk, where she was decommissioned April19, 191*6. USS CHARLOTTE (PF-60) COMUISSIONING AMD SHAKEDOWN Built at the Globe Ship.
building Co., Superior, Wise,
the USS CHARLOTTE (PF-60)

proceeded^oi^^^^K|
162

...^

IllinoisWaterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans' and then to Houston for a brief outfitting and final commissioning there on October 9, 19kh* She departed on the lUth for Bermuda but put in at the U. S. Naval Station, Key West, Florida on the 20th for repairs. On Novenber 1, 19hk, she again headed for Bermuda, arriving on the 3rd to undergo shakedown until November 27, 19Ui. She then proceeded to Bos ton for post-shakeftiown repairs and alterations. Her first commanding officer was Commander Ralph D. Dean, USCG, who was succeeded by Lt. Comdr. E F. Fricke, USCGR on July 21, 19U5* *ho in turn was Succeeded by Lt. Charles A O'Reilly, USCG on September 17, 19hS
Lakes,

November 1 November 13 November 17 November 21 December December 27

19U6
January January

January 17 21 February ID February 10 March 22 April 13 May

5 5 --5

Weather Station 7 (new) Patrol Duty Return route Prime Minister Atlee

Weather Station 3

Boston on availability Weather Station 10 Boston on availability Weather Station 2

Operating in North Atlan tic waters as a weather ship the CHARLOTTE pa trolled assigned positions Tor approximately 20 days at a time. Not only did she furnish aircraft with positions but was always ready to render assistance when needed. At the same time she furnished periodic weather reports when on station which were relayed to weather stations in the United States. Beginning on January 18, 19U5, she patrolled Weather Station h, followed by Weather Station 5 beginning February 23rd and again beginning on April 9th. In May she was on Station 3 and in June on Station 8. Following a month's availability in Boston from mid-July, she was on station 10 in late August and Station 11 in early October. Another period of availability in Boston followed. A tour on Station h from mid Dicember was followed by a ten day availability In Boston. From January 20, 19U6, she patrolled Station 8, and from February 7 Station 7. Returning to Boston in March her weather equipment was removed and she was de commissioned at Norfolk on April16, 191+6.
WEATHER PATROL

On March Hi, I?U6, the frigate was decommissioned as a naval vessel and recommissioned as a Coast Guard vessel. Proceeding to New York on May IU, 191i6, she remained there until August 23, 19U6, when she de parted for New Orleans where she was decomnissioned

September

3, 191+6.

USS OLADWYNS (Ex-SVORCESTEH)

(PF-62)

USS MANITOWOC (PF-61) The USS MANITOWOC (PF-61) was built by the Globe Shipbuild ing Co. of Superior, Wis., and brought down the Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans on October 22, 19kh> She was ordered to Boston for con version and outfitting as a weather ship and arrived there November U, 19UH. Here she was commissioned on December S>, 19hht with Lt. Comdr. James A. Martin, USCG, as her first commanding officer. She departed Boston December 16, 19hh, for shakedown exercises at Bermuda extending through January 18, 19U5, when she returned to Boston for post shakedown availability until February 2, 191i5. COMMISSIONING HEATHER PATHOL
Proceeding to Argentia, N. F. the MANITOWOC was engaged in weather patrol duty until May 5, 19U6, at the following stations:

19U5.

Built by the Globe Shipbuilding Co. of Superior, Wis., the USS GLADWINE (PF-62) was brought down the Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans August 15, 19UU. From here she was ferried to Galveston, Texas, for further work by the Brown Shipbuilding Co. and commissioned November 21, 19kh, Lt. Comdr. R. G. Miller, USCG, was her commanding officer. She departed for shakedown at Bermuda, Decem ber 6, 19hh, and arrived at Philadelphia for post shakedown availability January 8, 19k$, after which she proceeded to Casco Bay for training on January 23,
Arriving at New York

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

CONVOY ESCORT

19U5, the GLADWYNE departed. three days later for the first of two trans-Atlantic trips as a convoy escort, ar riving at Oran February 23, 19U5 She returned to Boston March 20, 19U5, and left ten days later for Hampton Roads when she departed April 3rd for her second trans-Atlantic escort duty. She arrived at Oran April19, 19U5 and returned to Boston May llith. Between May 20th and June 7th, 19U5, she was at Casco Bay for refresher training. She returned to Casco Bay for another training period between June 10th and July Uth, 191*5, after being a ssigned to Pacific duty*
February 3,

19W
February 8

March 13, March 28 April 6 April 17 April 29 May Hi May 30 June 23 July 13 August 2

August September August 6, 191i5 September

--5

February

2k

21

26 October 10 October 19, 19U5 October 21

Weather Station 3 Weather Station h Boston on availability Weather Station 8 Weather Station 2 Weather Station h Boston on availability
Lt. Olcott Gates, DSCGR,
became commanding
officer.
Weather Station 9
Lt. Wesley L. Saunders,

USCG, became

commanding

October 31

officer.
Weather Station 7 (old)

the Canal Zone. The vessel arrived at Pearl Harbor August 23, 191*5, at Majuro, Marshall Islands September 5, 19U5 for plane guard duty. On November 27, 19U5 she arrived at Kwajalein for a tour of plane guard duty until December 18, 19U5 when she returned to Pearl Harbor. The frigate operated from Pearl Harbor as a weather and plane guard station vessel until February 27, 19U6, and then patrolled Weather Station D until March 23, 19U6. She departed Pearl Harbor April 2, 191*6, and arrived t San Francisco, April 9, 19U6, and was decommissionou as a naval vessel and placed in commission as a Coast Guard vessel April15, 19U6. She was on two subsequent assignments to ocean aircraft Station H, one from May 23 to June 7, 19U6 and another from July 12 to August 3, 19U6. On August 9, 19U6, she arrived at Seattle and was decommissioned August 31, 191*6.

Returning to Boston July the frigate was converted into a weather and plane guard ship and when conversion was completed departed Boston July 31, 19U5, for Pearl Harbor, via

PACIFIC DUTY

k, 19U5,

163

USS MOBERLY (Ex-SCRANTON) (PP-63) COtCnSSIONINO The USS MOBERLY (PF-63) was built by the Globe AMD SHAX&xMjJ Shipbuilding Company of Superior, Wis., and fer ried down the Mississippi River to New Orleans and thence to Houston, Texas, where she arrived Septem ber 5, 19UU, where work on the frigate was completed* She was commissioned December h, 19Ui. Lt. Comdr. Leslie B. Tollaksen, USCG, served as commanding offi cer from September 5, 19kk, until succeeded, late in 19hS t by Lt. Comdr. Berthold Papanek, USCGR. Pro ceeding to Bermuda on December 23, 19 Ui, for shakedown the MOBERLT arrived at Philadelphia January 29, 19U5, for post-shakdeown availability.
CONVOY ESCORT

191i6 to June 3 19U6, after which she lulu for San Francisco Jane 20, 19U6.
Seattle on June 29, August 12, 19U6.

19U6,

departed Hono Proceeding to ns deconmissioned she

USS KNOXVILLE (PF-6U) The USS KNOXVILLE (PF 6U) Has built at Leatham D. Smith Shipyard at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and was launched there in July, 1943* She was delivered in New Orleans, La., on 29 December, 19U3, and after extensive engine and hull alterations was commissioned on April 29, 19Ui. Lt. Comdr. 0. R. Reynolds, USCQ, assumed command. On May 12, 19UU, in company with the SHREVEPORT (PF-23) the frigate proceeded to Gal veston for repairs and alterations. She left for Bermuda October 9th for shakedown training. Departing was assigned to escort the Bermuda November 13th she SS BETTI ZANE to rendezvous with convoy DGS-60 north west of Bermuda and then proceeded to Norfolk for post shakedown availability until November 30, 19Uh,
COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

convoy escort duty across the Atlantic and arrived at Oran, Algeria, March 11, 19U5. She departed on the return trip March 18, 19U5, but had to turn back. She departed a second time on April 17, 191i5, and arrived at Boston, May k, 19h5, for a 16 day availability.

The MOBERLT departed Hampton Roads on February 22, 19U5, on her first

Immediately prior to the end of the European War, on May 6, 19U5, the MOBERLY, along with the USS ATHERTON (DE-169), con tacted," attacked and destroyed a German submarine, the U-Bs3, in the vicinity of Block Island, Rhode Island. The submarine had sunk an American merchant ship, in a daring attack just ten miles off the coast. The MOBERLY and the BE arrived on the scene three hours later. The sub was discovered shortly there after hiding on the bottom in shallow water at Ul 13 1 N 71 27 W and a night long attack began. The sub was pounded to pieces and thus became one of the last enemy submarines sunk in the Atlantic and the first to be destroyed on the bottom in American waters. The commanding officer, Lt. Comdr. L. B. Tollaksen, USCG, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for this feat.

SINKS SUB

CONVOY ESCORT A VESSEL TORPSDOED

On November 30, 19hk, the KNOXVILLE was as-

signed temporarily to

tic Fleet untilDecember 10, 19hh, when she was to Task Force 63, which escorted convoy UGS-63 from Lynnhaven Roads on December 11, en route to the Meditarranean. She arrived at Oran, Algeria On December 28, 19hh and departed January 2, 19U5 escorting convoy OUS-13 to the United States. On January 13, 19U5, at the Atlantic approaches to the Straits of Gibraltar, the SS HENRY MILLER, on* of the convoyed ship's was hit by an enemy torpedo, and an unsuccessful search was instituted for the submarine* Arriving at Boston on January 20, 19U5, she underwent voyage repairs and on January 30, 19U5, was assigned to Task Group 60,9 as c scort of convoy UQS-72
assigned

Commander, Fleet Opera tional Command, Atlan

The executive officer Lt. G. K. Kelz, USCG} the anti submarine officer, Lt. (jg) G. E. Raycraft, USCGRj the gunnery officer, Lt. S. F. Regard, USCGR jand the engineering officer, Lt. (jg) J. H. Moore, USCGR were given letters of commendation. A German submarine silhouette was authorized painted on the ship's bridge, and the officers and crew to wear the Engagement Star in their American Theater Ribbon.
The vessel left New York for a second trans-Atlan tic trip on May 22, 19U5, and arrived at Oran June

OOMVOY ESCORT

8, 19U5. She returned to New York June 18, 19U5, via

the Azores*

WEATHER PATROL PACIFIC

The convoy departed Her York February 1, 19U5 and on February 17th as the ships were forming to enter the Straits of Gibraltar, two vessels in the convoy were torpedoed* An intensive search for the submarine began, aided by. aircraft and ships from Gibraltar, but, after 12 hours, the Task Group was detached from the search and arrived a t Oran on February 18th. The Task Group sailed from Oran February 26, escorting convoy GUS-74 en route the United States > arriving at the Navy Yard, lew York on March 16, 19U5. An completion of availa bility on April1, 19b, the KNOXVILLE waa detached from the Task Group and departed for Casco Bay, Maine, for training units April 6th.
TWO VESSELS HIT

Pacific and departed on July 31, 19U5, with the GLADWYNE for Pearl Harbor, via the Canal Zone. She arrived at Majuro, September sth and Kwajalein Octo ber Bth. She patrolled Weather Station H from Novem ber U*th to December 6th, 19U5, when she returned to Pearl Harbor. From then until March 31, 19U6, she was on Weather and Plane Guard duty out of Pearl Har bor. She patrolled Weather Station #2 from April 3rd to April 22nd. While on station she was decommission ed as a naval vessel and immediately recommissioned as a Coast Guard vessel on AprilIs, 19U6, Lt. Carl McNulty, USCG, became commanding officer May IX), 19h6. She again patrolled Weather Station #2 from May 20,

Proceeding to Boston on July 6, 19U5, she was made ready for duty as a weather ship" in the

The KNOXVILLE left Casco Bay on April 6 as part of a killer group hunting the submarine which had torpedoed the SS ATLANTIC STATES off Cape Cod. After a continuous and unavailing search in the general area off Cape Cod, the KNOXVILLEwas detached from the search group and returned to Casco Bay for further training on the 18th. AIR SEA RESCUE DUTY
Proceeding to Boston for minor repairs on April 22nd, the KNOX

IN KILLER GROUP

7ILLK sailed for Nor folk on the 28th escorting the USS POLAMA (AK-35) There she was assigned to Task Group 60.U on May 6, 19U5, and sailed next day as escort to convoy UGS-91

164

l^^^W^Hjlj^P(^
for Gibraltar. She was detached from the Task Group on May 18th and proceeded to Air Sea Rescue Station 19, where she patrolled until relieved on May 23rd

was ordered to assist in a hunt for a submarine which had been sighted south of the Grand Banks but the search proved negative*

October 2 October 20 October 23 November 28 October 29

-
-

and sailed for Philadelphia, Pa.

En route
there she

bility

cer

Weather Station 8
At Boston, on availa Lt. F. X. Riley, TJSOO, became commanding offi

weather stations

Arriving at Philadelphia June 2nd she was converted into a weather ship and de parted for Argentia June 17th. Her duty on various

WEATHER PATROL

Proceeding to Norfolk on Novenber 30, 191t5, shs was

decommissioned

December 20, 19U5. USS HBADID (PF-66)

follows i

19U5
June 30

October December 3 December 7 December 29

July August 2 August 22 September 11 October 2

19ii6

March 12 April 13

January February 6 February 12 March 3

May

-- 13 - - 5 k - 5

Weather Station 3
leather
Station 1 leather Station 8 Boston on availability
Weather Station 6

Aprfl ID

Boston leather Weather Weather

on availability
I Station ht

Station 8
Station 8

Proceeding to Charleston, via Boston and Bermuda, she was decommissioned June 17, 191t6.

The USS READING (PF-66) was built by the Leathaa D. Smith Shipbuilding Co. of Sturgeon Bay, Us., and after being brought down the Mississippi " River to New Orleans on November 8, 1913, was completed and commissioned August 19, 19ltJt. Her first commanding officer was Lt. Comdr. Nelson C. McCormack, OSCG. From then until December It, 19Wt, the READING underwent numerous testa on the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico, Commander H. A. Morrison assuming com mand on December 3, 19l*it. She departed for Bermuda and shakedown exercises on December 8, 19kk, and after their completion on January 11, 191t5, proceeded to Norfolk for availability until January 23rd. Lt. Comdr. C. Leupold, DSCGR, became commanding officer January 23, 191t5, when she was assigned to duty with Task Group 60.8.
Amp

ccmmissionimq

shai&duwW

USS UNIONTOWN (Ex-CHATTANOOGA) (PF-65) Built by the Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co. of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. the USS UNIONTOWN (PF-65) was brought down the Mississippi to New Orleans April It, 19Ut> and commissioned there October 6, 19kh, with Commander Richard E. Morellas first commanding offi cer. Proceeding to Bermuda for shakedown exercises from October 26th to November 2lt, 19UU, she returned to Norfolk for a month's availability. ESCORT DUTY
Reporting tc Task Force 61 on December 27, 19ltU, the UNIONTOWN departed Norfolk two days later for Oran, Algeria, escorting
a convoy, which arrived there on January 15th, 19U5.
She returned to New York February
11th .for availa bility and proceeded to the New London area on the
23rd for two days training before leaving for Hampton
Roads. Her second trans-Atlantic trip began March
lj>th as she escorted a convoy to Oran, arriving there
March 23rd. She returned to New York April 9th and proceeded to Casco Bay on the 18th for training exer cises. Her third tour of escort duty began on April
she left Hampton Roads for Oran, ar riving there on May 13th. She returned to Philadel

BSdORT POTT

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The READING made two trips across the Atlan tic on convoy escort duty. Departing Norfolk January 28, 19U5, she ar at Oran February 13th and left there on the 21st rived for return to New York on March 11th. Proceeding to Norfolk via Hew London on March 2lt, 19it5, she departed on her second escort assignment March 29, 19U5, arriv ing at Oran April15th and returning to Boston May 9th. After a short availability at Boston she proceed ed to Philadelphia where she was converted to a weather ship, while on availability from May 25th until June
12th, 19U5.
WEATHER PATROL The frigate then served
on the following Air-
Sea Rescue and Weather

Stations
19h$
June

July 1U August 2 August I]; August 28 September 7

13

--

June

23

28, 19U5, when

November 21

September 11

October 1

phia June Bth for availability until July 3rd, during which she was converted to a weather ship.

Weather Station 11 Weather Station 6 Weather Station 1A Lt. Jay G. Terry, USCGR assumed command ' Weather Station 2 Lt. Comdr. Charles B. Masters, Jr., took command*

WEATHER PATBDL

The UNIONTOWN patrolled the following weather stations after her ar rival at Argentiai Newfoundland, on July 30, 19Uf>:
July 33 August 2 August 3 August 20 August 8

She proceeded to Norfolk on November 2lt, 19U5,and was decommissioned December 19, 19U5. USS PEORIA (PF-67) The USS PEORIA (EF*67) was built by the Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co., of Strugeon Bay, Wis., and arrived at Houston, Texas, via the Missis sippi River and New Organs July Is, 19hh. After com pletion she was commissioned there on January 2, 191t5,
OOMMISSIONIWQ AM) SHAKEDOWN

August 22

--

September

11

Weather Station 3 At Grondal, Greenland Lt. Harry g# Young, USCGR became commanding officer Weather Station 1

165

with Commander George R. Leslie, USCG, as her first comaanding officer* She departed for Bermuda on a shakedown which extended until February 18, 19l5, and then returned to Norfolk for post shakedown availa bility until February 20, l?l. The PBORIA made one transAtlantic trip on escort duty. Departing Norfolk on March U, I?US, she reached Oran with a convoy on March 20. On March 16th she depth charged a sound contact thought to be a submarine. She returned to New York April13,1?U5. After two week's availability at lew York she proceeded to Casco Bay for a week's training and then spent two weeks in the New London area, training submarine crews after which she proceeded to Charleston for a month's availability while being con verted to a weather ship. WBATBBR PATROL
patrol i

CONTOY B3CORT

Oran, N. A* March 3-20 OUS-75 Oran, N. A. to Hew York, H.Y April 28 Mar 13 DQ3-89 Hampton Roads, Va. to Oran, N. A* May 22 June 6 GOS-91 Oran, I.A* to Hampton Roads, Va*

February 7-

2k

JOS-73

Hampton Roads, Va. to

as part of the escort screen of convoy ODS-63, and when a short distance outside the Straits of Gibraltar, the merchant vessel S3 HENRY MTLIJBR was torpedoed. The BRUNSWICK proceeded to pick up survivors and then made several runs on the submarine which was thought to have made the attack. She then escorted the crippled merchant vessel back to Gibraltar, landed the survivors there, and rejoined convoy 008-63 en route to Hampton Roads, Va.
PICKS UP SURVIVORS

- While operating

The following is a resume of the periods of duty the PBORIA spent on weather

WEATHER PATROL

W
June 23 July 17

August 2 September September

- 13 -July

August 22 September 21

Weather Station 11 Lt. Robert C. Oarlin, U3COR, assumed crcawanri Weather Station 6 AtBoston on availa
bility

After completing the assignment to convoy OUS-91 on Jane 6, iSkk, the BRUNSWICK was ordered to the Navy Yard, Philadelphia, fa. for alterations and conver sion to a weather ship type of vessel. Upon comple tion of the conversion, she proceeded to Norfolk for patrol duty on weather stations. Her record follows t

October 1 October 23 November 33 December 10

-17

July 33 August 2 September 8

Lt. Carl Sriokson assumed command Weather Station 5 Weather Station 2

11 October 2 October 23 November 1 November 1-13 December 1 December 13

September

1&6
January January

5 Hi

March 2

--

January 11 February 22

Weather Station 8 AtBoston on availa

bility

19h6

March 23

Weather Station 2

December
January

Returning to Boston April15, 19i*6, the PBORIA was ordered to Charleston for decommissioning on May 15,

March

-5 29k 2U
27

Weather Station 8 Lt. Oomdr. William B. Long assumed command Weather Station 10 Weather Station 11 Weather Station 10 Lt. (jg) Harold Q, Hygren assumed command Weather Station k

January

March 1

22

Weather Station 3 At Boston on aval availa

bility

Weather Station 8

Proceeding to Norfolk from Boston on April 8, I?U6, the BRUNSWICK was decommissioned May 3, 191*6.

USS BRUNSWICK (PF-68) Built by the Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co, of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., the USS BRUNSWICK (PF-68) was towed down the Mississippi River to Row Orleans and thence to delve stoh. Texas* where she arrived May 23, 19l*U. Bare she was outfitted at the Todd Qalveston Drydocks, Inc., and commissioned on October 3, 19hk- Her first oopmanding officer was Commander B. B. Sherry, USCQ. She left Qalveston October 15, 19iili, for Bermuda, where, shakedown exercises engaged her until November 22, 3sl*lu She then rewmied to Norfolk on post-shake down availability until December 11, 19W+.
COMMISSIONINQ

USS DAVENPORT (PF-69) The USS DAVENPORT (PF-69) was built by the Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co. of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. and was Mississippi River to New Orleans ferried down the arriving there May 29, 19Ww She departed June It for Houston, Texas, where she was fitted out at the Houston Iron Works. Here she was commissioned on February 15, 19U5, with Commander H. F. titolfi as her first commanding officer. She departed Galveston February 25, I?li5, for Quantanamo Bay and shakedown exercises, returning to Norfolk for post shakedown AMD SHAJiJxjUft'
availability on AprilUtfa.
CONVOX ESCORT

AND SHAKBDOIg

COMVOY ESCORT

The BRUNSWICK made three round trips on convoy escort duty to Oran, Algeria. The trips follows t record of these
Convoy

lskk
December 11-28

Route Oran, N.

UQS-63 Hampton Roads, Va. to

Proceeding to New York on April 16th for a few days of patrol duty, she departed as escort to a convoy en route to Oran, Algeria, on April 27th. She arrived at Oran on May 13 and re turned to Charleston June 9, 19U5 for a period of availability and conversion to a weather ship.
WEATHER PATROL

1916
January

2-20

OUS-63 Oran, N. A. to Hampton

Roads,

On June 26, 19U5, the

DAVENPORT pcaceeded to

Va.

\u25a0mmmrMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm\flm*i mn

<

166

Trgentia

various matter stations follows j

fo!r%eather

patrol duty. Her record, on

191*5
July

13 August 2 August 22 September 11 October 1 October 21 DECOMMISSIONED

--

Weather Station 5
Weather Station 2
Weather Station 1*

After her last tour on Weather Station I*, the DAVENPORT was ordered to Boston on availability. The frigate had encountered some very rough weather on her last patrol and was in need of extensive repairs. Itwas estimated that at least two and a half months would be required to return her to normal operation. In lieu of repairs, therefore, she was ordered to report to Commandant, First Naval District, for disposition. She was de commissioned at Boston February I*, 19U6, USS EVANSVILLB (PF-70)
was built by the 'Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co, of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. and towed down the Mississippi River to New Orleans where she was fitted out and commissioned on December I*, 192*1*. Lt. Comdr. Gerald T. A. Applagate, USCG, assumed command. She departed New Orleans for Charleston, S. C, on December 20, 19hk, and proceeded on January

bound convoy. The k3 ships of this group steamed back with the usual number of minor incidents. A stowaway had to be landed at Gibraltar, and the chief engineer became ill and had to be removed to the near est friendly port. A week later one of the crew be came violently illfrom an attack of appendicitis. A breeches buoy^was rigged to the USS GLADWYNE (PF-62) and the latters medical officer rode across the gap of icy Atlantic water that separated the two ships and successfully performed the appendectomy. The frigate arrived at Boston March 20th. Departing Hampton Roads on her next convoy on AprilBth, the frigate was detailed to search for a man who had fall en overboard from one of the merchant vessels, but the quest was unsuccessful. Arriving at Oran April 2l*th the frigate departed on her final westbound passage on May 2nd and arrived at Boston May 19th, where she was converted to a weather ship while on an availability that lasted until July 31, 191*5. the Pacific the NEW BEDFORD started from Boston on the first leg of the long journey to the Pacific on July 31, 191*5. The war ended as she was en route from the Canal Zone to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived August 27, 191*5. Three days later she departed for Guam. For the next six months the NEW BEDFORD stood regular weather station patrols, re turning to Guam, her home base, only long enough to fuel, provision and afford a period of recreation for the crew. The weather patrols were, for the most part, dull and tiring. Violent tropical storms some times beat her unmercifully as she stood her station. Once a Japanese destroyer on a peaceful repatriation mission was sighted. On March 10, 191*6, the NEW BEDFORD arrived at San Francisco and then proceeded to Seattle, Here she was decommissioned May 21*, 191*6, USS LORAIN
(PF-93)

WEATHER PATROL PACIFIC

Assigned to weather patrol in

COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

The USS EVANSVILLE (PF-70)

8,

February 11th to March 22nd she was at Philadelphia for post shakedown availability.

191*5

to Bermuda for shakedown exercises.

From

PATROL POTT

On March 22, 29U5, the BVANSVILLE reported to Com mander, Task Force 21*, at New York for patrol duty. She remained on patrol duty out of New York until 1, 191*5. June

TO

SOVIET RUSSIA

191*5.

(PF-27) to the Canal Zone and report to Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet. Arriving here on July 15, 191*5, she proceeded to Seattle where she was turned over to Soviet Russia on Lend-lease. She left Seattle August 26, 191*5, and arrived at Petropavlousk, Siberia on September 25,

on July 9, 191*5, she was proceed ordered to proceed in coi com pany with the USS NEWPORT

USS NSW BEDFORD (PF-71)

COMMISSIOWIIg

The USS NEW BEDFORD (PF-71) was built by the Leathern D. Smith Shipbuilding Co. of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and launched there December 29, 191*3. She was towed down the Mississippi River and ferried to Houston, Texas, for completion and fitting out. She was commissioned November 18, 192*1*, her first commanding officer being Lt. Comdr. J. S. Muzzy. USCG. She proceeded to Ber muda on December 6, 191*1*, for a month' 8 hakedown exercises, returning to Philadelphia January 12, 191*5, for post shakedown availability.
AND SHAKEDOWN

The USS LORAIN (PF-93) was built by the American Shlp building Co, of Lorain, Ohio, She was brought down the Illi nois Waterway and Mississippi River and reached Cur tis Bay, Maryland, October 25, 191*1*. Here she was completed and outfitted at the Coast Guard Yard. Lt. Comdr. L. 3. Tollaksen, USCG, who had been in command since October IU, 19l*l*, had relinquished command to Lt. Harry E. Dennle, USCGR, who in turn was relieved by Lt. Comdr, J. G. Ramsay, USCG, when the LORAIN was commissioned on January 15, 191*5. The vessel left Curtis Bay for Bermuda, via Norfolk, on January 28, 191*5, for shakedown exorcises which lasted until February 27th. Then after two days at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, she proceeded to Boston for post-shakedown availability until March 21*, 19kS, AMD SHAKEDOWN

OOUMgSIONING

After a week at Casoo Bay, Maine, for training, she re turned to Boston April9th and then departed two days later for Argentla. She now entered upon a 13 month's tour of weather patrol which covered the following stations 1

WEATHER PATROL

191*5

CONVOY ESCORT

Departing New York on Feb ruary 6, 191*5, the NEW BEDFORD proceeded to Oran escorting her first trans-Atlantio convoy which put safely into Oran on February 23rd. On March 3rd the frigate joined the anti-submarine screen of a west

June 2 June July 13 August 2 August 22 September 10 September October 20 October November 1 December 7 December 17 December 17 December 31

April 21*

--- 2313 -15 25 May

Weather Station 3 Weather Station 5 Weather Station 2 Weather Station 1* At Boston on availability Weather Station 9 En route Recife, Brasll Recife, Brasil

167

191*6

January January February

2 January 12 20 January 30 10 liarch 1* March 7 April 9

April
May

-- 11*

Trinidad Weather Station 7 Weather Station 8 8 At Boston on availabi

lity

Weather Station 6

Proceeding to New York, via Boston, the LORAIN re mained there until August 15, 192*6, when she departed for New Orleans, where she was decommissioned Septem ber 6, 191*6.

proceeded down the Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans and thence nas ferried to Hous ton, Texas, for fitting out at the Houston Iron Works. She nas commissioned here on November 15, 19l*l*, and Lt. Comdr. Janes A* Hyslop became her first commanding officer. The period between December 19, 19l*U, and January 17, 195 was spent at Bermuda undergoing shakedown, after which she proceeded to Philadelphia post shakedown availability until January 31, for

191*5.

USS MILLEDGEVILIZ (PF-9U) The USS MILLEDGEVILLE (PF-9li) was built by the American Shipbuild ing Co. Lorain, Ohio, and after being brought down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, was ferried to Charleston, S. C. on November 22, 191*1*. Here she was converted to a weather ship and was commissioned January 18, 191*5, with Lt* Comdr* Joseph H. Hantman, USCG, as first commanding officer. After three weeks of shakedown exercises at Bermuda beginning February 1, 191*5, she proceeded to Boston for post shakedown availability until April 3, 19U5. WBATHER PATROL
Proceeding to Argentia the MILLEDGEVILLEbegan a year's duty patrolling

COMMISSIONIIP AND SHAKEDOWN

The ORLANDO left Hampton Roads on February 7, 19U5j on her first con voy escort duty across the Atlantic arriving at Oran Algeria on February 23rd. The return voyage, begun March 3rd ended at Boston on the 20th. After a ten day availability and four days at Casco Bay, Maine, for training exercises, the ORLANDO proceeded to Hampton Roads and departed from there on April Bth for -her second trans-Atlantic convoy escort duty. Arriving at Oran April 25th she remained there until May 2nd and returned to Boston May 19, ~9ks for availa
CONVOY ESCORT

bility.

PACIFIC DUTY

The frigate proceeded to New York July 6, 19U5,

for conversion to a

the following weather stations:

191*5
May

April 9

June 8

U* June 2

July August 2 August 22 August October September 26

June 22

October 11 October November November 16 November 22 November December 1 December 18 December 21 December 29

19W

December 31 January 2 January 9 January February 12 January February 19 February April March DECOMMISSIONED

-- 2li -- 13 - 1* 25 - 25 5 21* ---- ll* 21* - 13 21* 21*

April

Weather Station 1 Weather Station 5 Lt. Comdr. Carl J. Millar, USCGR, assumed command Weather Station 2 Weather Station 1* At Boston on availability Lt. B. M. Wineke assumed
COIDDAXkI

weather ship and left there August 10, 19U5, for Pearl Harbor, via the Canal Zone. Lt. John L. Barren, USCGR, became her commanding officer August 9, 19145* Proceeding to Pearl Harbor, via the Canal Zone, the frigate arrived there September 6, 191*5* and five days later left for Adak, Aleutians arriving there September 16th. On September 22, 191*5 Lt. Comdr. James M. McLaughlin, USCG, became her commanding officer. From September 16, Il*s until March 1, 191*6 the ORLANDO was on weather patrol and plane guard duty based on Adak. She patrolled weather station "J" from April 5 19U6 returning to Adak, and from there departed May 6th for Seattle. Here she was de commissioned June 27, 191*6. USS RACINE (PF-100) The USS RACINE (PF-100) was built by the Ameri can Shipbuilding Co., Cleveland, Ohio, and brought down the Illinois Waterway and Mississippi to New Orleans. She was then ferried to Hous River ton where she was completed and fitted out at the Brown Shipyard beginning December 5> 191*1*. On Feb ruary 6, 19U5* she departed for shakedown exercises at Bermuda. She left Bermuda March 3rd escorting the Italian submarine SS ATROPO from Bermuda to Quantana mo Bay, Cuba, and remained there until the 11th for further shakedown exercises. Between March 15th and 26th she was at Philadelphia for post shakedown availability, drydocking and repairs. COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN

Weather Station 9 AtBoston on availability At Trinidad At Recife, Brazil Weather Station 12

At Recife, Brazil At Trinidad Weather Station 1* Weather Station 10 Weather Station 8

Returning to Boston on April16, 191*6., the frl gat was decommissioned as a naval vessel and recommissioned as a Coast Guard vessel on May 7, 191*6. On August li*,191*6, she de parted for New Orleans, where she was decommissioned August 16, 191*6.

CONVOY ESCORT

USS ORLANDO (PF-99)

AMD SHAftUBUHN

Proceeding to Hampton Roads, she departed April 8, 191*5, from Norfolk en route Oran, Algeria, on convoy duty es corting convoy UGS-81*, with five other vessels. On April 20, 191*5* she was relieved of escort duties and stood into Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. On April 27, 191*5> she departed en route Norfolk as one of the escort of convoy GUS-86. On May sth she went along

cgmissioNisG

was built by the Ameri can Shipbuilding Co.

of Cleveland, Ohio, and

The USS ORLANDO (PF-99)

side the SS LISNER to render medical assistance to one of the passengers aboard that vessel sending a Public Health Service doctor aboard by breeches buoy. On May li*thshe detached from the New York section of the convoy and escorted the SS TWEEDSMUIR PARK to Cape Cod Canal proceeding independently to Boston on

168

theTSth. After training exercisea at Casco Bay while t thei^tfi. extended tmtil July 5, 191i5, the frigate returned to a month's availability, where she was New York for converted to a weather ship*
On August 7, 19k$, the RACINE departed for Pearl Harbor and Leyte, via the Canal Zone. She anchored in San Pedro Bay, Gulf of September. 23, 19U5. On September 29, 19W, Hyte, she commenced her assigned duties under Commander, Philippine Sea Frontier as aieather station vessel stationed on Samar. This duty continued until April IU, 191*6, when the frigate returned to Seattle, via Guam and Pearl Harbor, arriving on May 12, 19U6. Here she was decommissioned June 27, 19U6. PACIFIC DDTI USS GREENSBORO (PP-1O1) The USS GREENSBORO (PF-101) was built by the American Shipbuilding Co. of Cleve land, Ohio, and was towed down the Mississippi River arriving at New Orleans September 19, 19lJu She departed for Curtis Bay September 2Uth remaining there for fitting out and completion from October 3rd until February 11, 19U5* She was commissioned there on January 29, 19U5> with Lt. Comdr. H. P. Kniskern, USCO, as first commanding officer. After a short stay at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, where final preparations were made for sea, the GREENSBORO was outward bound. February 18th for Bermuda and the rigors of shakedown. From February 23 to March 6 the frigate was mainly under way carrying out the various drills and exercises prescribed. On March 6th the Shakedown Group, escort ing the tender ship USS ALTAIR (APC-86) and the APC 91, moved to Ouantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the training continued until March 16th. Proceeding to Kingston, Jamaica, the GREENSBORO escorted the SS GEORGE WASHINGTON to New York, arriving on the 21st. She then proceeded to Boston on post shakedown availabi lity where Lt. Comdr* James S. Muzzy, USCG, became commanding officer on April h, 19k5 A week's train ing at Casco Bay, Maine, was completed on April 19, COMMISSIONING AND SHAKEDOWN

Brazil/ in support of

Any Air Corps and Any Trans-^ port Command redeployaent in the South Atlantic. The frigate arrived at Recife, Brazil,November 21*, 19U5. Tia Trinidad, and patrolled Weather Station 12 between December 7 and 21, 19U5* Returning to Recife the frigate departed for Trinidad, Bermuda and Argentia arriTing at the latter port January 17, 19U6. After patrolling leather Station 3 from January 21 to February 12th she returned to Boston for an inport period, extending from February 17th to March 18th. She then patrolled Weather Station 7 from March 2Uth to April lUth, 19U6, remaining at Ponta de Gada, Azores, until May 2nd, and r eturned to Boston May Bth. Proceeding to New York on May 11th she was snt to Mew Orleans August 28th and decommissioned Septem

ber 11, 19U6.

USS FORSYTH (PF-102) The USS FORSTTH (PF-102) was built by the American Shipbuilding Co., Cleve land, Ohio* and after be ing moved to Chicago was towed down the Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River to New Orleans, ar riving there December 7, 19kh* She was ferried to Charleston, S. C, where she was converted to a weather station ship and commissioned February 11, 19U5>. Lt. Comdr. E. M. Osborne, USCGR, was her first commanding officer. She departed Charleston Feb ruary 23, 19U5f for Qnantanamo Bay, Cuba, for shake down exercises and t hen proceeded to Boston for postshakedown availability until April 11, 19U5. COMMISSIONING AND SHAKJEDOWN WEATHER PATROL
Arriving at Argentia the FORSYTH left for Weather Station 5 on April 21. She remained on this sta tion from April 2l;th to May 12, 19U5. On that day the FORSYTH received a radio report that a German submarine was in her area and wanted to surrended. In haze and fog, the FORSYTH searched the mid-North Atlantic for the sub for three days. In the meantime, two Canadian warships had raced to the scene inthe hope of taking the prize. Early on the morning of May 15th the FORSYTH "came up" on the 1600 ton sub. She was the U-23U and had been spotted shortly before by the USS SUTTON, Navy destroyer escort, which was standing by. The submarine was carrying high rank ing officers of the German air force, battle plans, and aerial maps of strategic targets in the United States. She was reported on her way to Japan, and was carrying two Japanese, both of whom committed suicide prior to her surrender. Under orders to bring the U-boat into port, the SUTTON took most of the German officers and crew off the U-boat and put an anaed guard aboard. With the SUTTON and FORSYTH escorting, the sub was headed for the United States.
AN ACCIDENT AND

19U5.

HEATHER BUTROL

Commander, Task Force 2k, to Weather Patrol and Air Sea Rescue in the North May 1, 19h$, Lt. H. E. Steel, USCGR, Atlantic. On became commanding officer, and, after convoying the USS DRILLER (YO-61) to St. John's, N. F. and back to Argentia, the GREENSBORO left Argentia May nth for her first weather station duty. After a day on Weather Station 3 the vessel proceeded to Praia, .Terceira, in the Azores, to disembark the ship's doctor who had become suddenly ill. The frigate re turned to new Weather Station 7 UOO miles northwest of the Azores on May 19, 191*5. The vessel was re lieved and returned to Argentia on June 5, 191*5 The following is the record of weather stations patrolled

Proceeding to Argentia, N.F. the frigate was assigned by

subsequentlyi

191*5
June 23

August 2 August 22 August 28 October 1

October 21

October 2

--

July

Weather Station 5 Weather Station 2 At Boston on availa

bllity

Weather Station 10

Returning to Boston October 22. 191*5 the GREENSBORO was released from Task Force 2U and reassigned as a u^HMMtfMHjjtace 26 for operations based on Recife,

A few hours later the 'FORSYTH was notified ATTOPERATION that one of the SUTTON 's guards aboard the U-boat had been accidentally shot and was in a critical condition necessitating an operation. He had been shot when a German Mauser pistol accidentally went off in the hands of another American sailor. He and other guards were collecting the pistols and other small arms aboard the U-boat when the accident occurred. The German doctor said he was unable to perform the operation aboard the sub because of limited facilities and because lt was a two-doctor job. The bullet had entered the small of the back and travelled upward puncturing the rec tum and large intestine. Dr. Samson, a senior assis tant surgeon of the Public Health Service, on the

169

FORSYTH went aboard the sub to examine the sailor and bring Mm to the FORSXTH. Transferred in a stretcher s from the sub by Dr. Samson, in the FORSYTH I 26 foot motor whaleboat across a mile of water, the wounded frigate fe sick bay without mishap. The man reached the operation lasted one and a half hours and was per formed while the three vessels were underway. In port at Argentia, H. F., two days later, the man was trans ferred to the Navy dispensary, where, a week later, be died of internal hemorrhages.
WEATHEH PATROL

Officer for escort duty from Coco Solo, Canal Zone to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and upon reporting assumed these duties. On the 12th of Hay, 19hk, two of her personnel earned the Jfavy and Marine Corp Medal by volunteering to go over the side in shark infested waters to rescue one shipmate and attempt tie rescue of another, who had been washed overboard. In July, 19hk, Lt. (Jg) Richard V. Young, USCG, was OKINAWA relieved of command by Lt. (jg) Stanley B. Kurta, USCGR. In September, 19hh, she headed for the Pacific to report to the Commander Service Force (0. S. Pacific Fleet) for duty. Upon reporting she was. converted
into an Amphibious Control Vessel and was assigned
to an amphibious training period off Oahu and Maul, Territory of Hawaii. In February, 19U5, she re ceived orders to proceed to Iwo Jima, Kasin Group, to be a part of the initial invasion force. At that place she had control of all personnel and supplies landed on "red beaches" and while performing these
duties, she sustained one hit from small. caliber
shore battery. No material damage but one personnel
casualty was received. On 28 February, 19^5, she
resumed duty as escort for convoys and headed for
Tacloban, Leyte, Philippine Islands. Upon arrival
in Leyte, she was assigned to another amphibious training period. On the Ist of April, ISUS, she participated in the initial invasion of Okinawa Shima, Okinawa Gunto, where she once again played the part of "traffic cop" for all personnel and supplies landed on "yellow beach." Upon being detached from this duty, she was assigned to escort duty from Oki nawa to Leyte. From the 2nd to 17th May, I?li5, she assumed various duties as anti-submarine, anti-suicide boat and antiaircraft screen. On the night of 3 May, 19^5, she was attacked by Japanese suicide boats and succeeded in sinking three of them with only minor
damages to herself and no personnel casualties. The
18th of May, 19U5, found her as another escort for a
convoy headed for Saipan, Mariana Islands. ITO JIMA LANDIM In June, 19U5, Lt. (jg) Stanley B. Kurta, OSCGR, was relieved bt command by Lt. John L. Bender, USCGR. On the 13th of June, 19U5, she headed back to Okinawa with another convoy. The night of 20th of June, 19U5, while furnishing anti submarine and anti-aircraft screen for an LST off Agu ni Shima, Okinawa "Gunto, she was attacked by three Japanese planes and "splashed" two of them (one a SALLY and the other a TOJO) She received no material damage and there were no personnel casualties. Lt. ( jg) John W. Noda, USCR, and the following enlisted personnel received the Commendation Ribbon for out standing performance of duty and contributing materi ally to the destruction of the two planes t AT OKINAWA

The subsequent record of the FORSYTH on weath er stations follows t

19W
June 3

July 13 August 2 August 22 September 11

October 21

---

June 30

November 1

weather Weather Weather Weather

Station Station Station Station

3 1 8 10

Lt. Comdr. Benjamin F. Langland, USCQR, became com manding officer on October 10, 19U5. The FORSYTH proceeded to Recife, Brasil, via Trinidad, from Boston on November 16, 19U5, and was on weather station 13 for three periods of dutys

19U5 191*6

December 7

January 9 January February 21 March

--

December 21

Weather Station 13

29 1

Weather Station 13 Weather Station 13

The FORSTTH was decom missioned as a Navy vessel on March 15, 19h&, and recoamissioned as a Coast Guard vessel. Arriving at Boston on March 23, 19U6, the frigate patrolled leather Station A. from May 21 to June 6, 19U6. Re turning to Boston on July 12th she proceeded to New Orleans where she was decommissioad August 2, 191*6 \u26 6 DECOMMISSIONED USS PC(C)-k69 The USS PC(C)-U69 was built by the George Lawley and Son, Corporation at Neponset, Mass . On 10 June, 19U2, she was launched and placed in full commission on 13 July, 191*2 at Neponset, Mass., with Lt. Comdr. Richard E. Morrell, USCG, assuming duties as her commanding officer. Her shakedown cruise was completed at Key West, Florida, and in September, 191*2, she headed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to report to the Commander, Carribean Sea Frontier for duty. Upon reporting she was assigned to escort duty from Guantanamo Bay to Tetron Bay, Trinidad, British West Indies. As a part of the escort for convoy TAG-18 from 1 to 6 November, 191*2, she earned one bronze engagement star on American Area Service Ribbon for action with enemy submarines. The ship sustained no damage. In January, 19h$, Lt. Comdr. Richard E. Morrell, USCG, was relieved of command by Lt. Thomas R. Sargent, 111, BBCO. In May, 191*3, Lt. Thomas R. Sargent, 111, USCG, was relieved of command by Lt. Kenneth H. Potts, USCG. COMMISSIONING
AND SHAKEDOWN

Milmo W. ROSEBERRT Robert R. MANEVTTCH Valsriano J. ROULLETT Edward N. FICK Lawrence D. LORENTZEN Thomas F. DRISCOLL Earl MELTON Earlie D. ARNOLD Harold A. HUNTER ESCORT ANTI-SUBMARINE AND

GM3c, USCGR
RdM3c, USCGR
BM2c, USCGR
BM2c, USCGR
SC3c, USCOR
RM2c, USCGR
MM2c, USCGR
MoSfflOc, USCGR
GM2c, USCGR

IN

gANAL ZONE

in August,

Kenneth H. Potts, USCG,

was relieved of command

19U3, Lt.

by Lt. (Jg) Richard W. young, USCG. In January, 19hh, she was ordered to Solo, Canal Zone to report to the Readiness Coco

escort, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft screen. After weathering the two major typhoons (16 September and 17 October, 19U5) at Oki nawa, she was ordered to report to Key West, Florida, for a major overhaul.

The remainder of her time in the Pacific was spent as

_______

__^

170

\u25a0

In January, 19U6, Lt. John L. Bender, USCGR, was relieved of command by Lt. Thomas R. O'Connor, USCGR. On the Bth of Feb ruary, 191*6, having completed her overhaul, she de parted Key West, Florida, headed for Green Cove Springs, Florida to report to Commander Florida Group, Sixteenth Fleet for preservation and inactiva tion. In March, 19U6, Lt. Thomas R. O'Connor, USCGR, was relieved of command by Lt. (jg) John J. Dunn, USCGR. The ship engaged in preservation work until she joined the Reserve Inactive Fleet in June, 191*6. DECOMMISSIONING

PC-5U5
TRANSFERRED TO FRENCH The PC-51*5 was commissioned June 27, 191*2.
(Further reports on

her activities are not available). On March 25, 191*1*, she arrived in the Mediterranean Area and was at Naples and Oran. On October 17, 19U*, she was transferred to the French,
pc-556

guns to bear on the target. The boats bad the out lines of torpedo boats. Challenged twice with no reply, fire was opened with first the forward 220 mm guns followed by the after 20 mm and UO mm aft. Hits were jegistered immediately and smoke issued from one boat at once. Firing was continued for about 15 minutes as long as the boats were visibly in range. The torpedo boats fled at full speed to the northward, laying a dense smoke screen as they fled. The PC-556 gave chase for a short time, then turned backto cover the convoy from further attack. At least 10 20 mm shells were seen to explode on the sides of one boat and as both torpedo boats were literally sprayed with 20 mm shells at close range, it is believed high ly probable that at least one of them suffered severe damage and casualties before he could hide himself in the smoke screen. No damage was suffered by either the convoy or the escorts and the convoy was delivered safely at daylight. (No reports are avail able between July 20, 191*3, and January 1, 19hh, covering the operations of PC-556).

The PC-556 was com missioned September 1, 191*2. Her first com manding officer was Lt. Victor L. Colomb, Jr., USCGR. She was control vessel for the USS LEONARD WOOD dur ing the invasion of Sicily.
Shortly after midnight on the night of July .19, 191+3, and in the early hours of July 20th, the PC-556, Coast Guard manned Navy submarine chaser, re pulsed an attack by German -or Italian motor torpedo boats on a convoy entering the harbor of Syracuse, Sicily. The convoy, consisting of two merchant ves sels and two LST's had left.Qe la anchorage, Sicily, early in the previous afternoon, escorted by the USS NIBLACK (DD) and the PC-556. The convoy was being led into the swept channel toward the Syracuse net entrance by the NIBLACK," leading a single column in close formation. Visibilitywas good, with bright and continuous moonlight. Sea condition was calm, no swells, with slight westerly breeze ruffing the surface of the water. The PC-556 was screening the convoy to seaward, as previously ordered by the de stroyer EBLACK. At 0115 on July 20th, while on the southerly leg of the screening movements to seaward, the first evidence of the attack occurred. An ex plosion took place about 300 yards off the starboard bow, throwing up a 2*o foot spout of water. Seconds later a similar explosion took place 75 yards dead ahead. With full realization that the enemy mine fields off Syracuse were close at hand, engines were immediately shifted from one third ahead to one third astern. Sixty seconds later, when the vessel had gathered good sternway, the wake of a torpedo was clearly visible from starboard to port close aboard the bow. The engines were ordered ahead full speed and general quarters sounded. Before full speed was a second torpedo wake was reported passing attained astern, close aboard and moving from starboard to port. The rudder was put over hard right and before the ship had completed a reversal of course, a third torpedo wake was sighted 50 to 100 yards ahead and crossing the bow from port to starboard. Scanning the direction of the origin of these wakes, two small sleek forms were seen on the surface apparently mo tionles*. Turning left toward them and closing the distance, the PC-556 swerved rapidly to the right to avoid a possible fourth torpedo and to bring all

COMMISSIONING

REPULSES ATTACK

As part of Task Group 81.9 the PC-556 got underway from Naples January 21, 19hh, to take station in assault convoy NAM-1 on CTF-31 for the assault on Anzio beach. At OBlts the PC-556 was on station and commenced patrol of station in convoy, taking station on CTG-81.9 at 1501. On the morning of the 22nd there were numerous air raids but no action by PC-556. At 1205 the PC reported to CTG 81.6 and commenced patrol of rendezvous area. On the 23rd she reported to USS SUSTAIN and proceeded at various speeds in her vicinity. At 1100 took station on port of return convoy and commenced patrolling station entering Naples Harbor at 0205 on January 21*, 191*1*. At 0700 on the sajae day weighed anchor and proceeded awaiting formation of convoy, taking station ahead at 081*5 proceeding down swept channel of Naples Harbor. At 2330 she was detached from convoy at point "Charlie" carried out various patrol assignments. There were frequent air raids but no action by the PC. At 1513 on January 26, 19Uh, a force of about 5 enemy planes was seen coming from the west dropping several bombs in the transport area. No hits were seen but one plane was seen coming down. The PC expended 21*0 rounds of 20 mm and 35 rounds of I*o mm ammunition. At 161*5 she *as underway for patrol area at point "Queen" when enemy planes were seen flying close to the water. The PC expended 260 rounds of 20 mm, 30 rounds of UO mm and 2 rounds of 3 50 caliber ammunition. No damage was done. Lying to at point "Queen" at 1915 & awaited arrival of three SC's who were to patrol with her, and they proceeded to patrol area together on arrival. On January 27, 19l*U> proceeded to point "Charlie" and then was underway to locate CTG-Bl,lli, anchoring in his vicinity at 19U0. On January 28, 19hh, proceeded with PC-551, 515 and YMS-29 as escorts to form convoy and at l510 stood into inner Naples Harbor and moored. Availa bility was granted until February Ist. On February 3, 191U*, the PC-556 proceeded into Naples Harbor and on the sth proceeded to the rendezvous area, arriving at point "Charlie" on February $, 191*1*, at 201*5. At 1015 on the 6th reported with ships in company to USS SYMBOL on Ponza patrol to relieve ships on patrol there. On February 6, 19l*U, relieved USS PC-627 of patrol and continued to patrol in the vicinity of Isle D'Zanone until February 17, 19l*lj, when relieved. There were no direct engagements with the enemy, although there were frequent air raids on the beach head. On May 9, 19kk t the PC-556 was damaged in an AT- ANZIO LANDINGS

attack.

TRANSFERRED TO FRENCH

PC-556

On October 15, 19i*l*, the was transferred to the French.

171

SC-527
TO SYDNEY From 19 to 22 July, 19U2, the SC-527 was undergoing repairs at Boston Navy Yard, On the 2Uth she departed Boston escorting four traw lers for Caseo Bay. Departing Casco Bay on July 31st she arrived at Sydney, August h, 19kZ, GREENLAND PATRDL
On August

of four merchant vessels and five other escorts which left Sydney, N* S., anchor ing at Bluie West One, Greenland on the 10th. On the 12th the SC-527 proceeded to the assistance of the wrecked army schooner ARMSTRONG, returning to BW #1 August 15, 19k2. She escorted a two vessel convoy to Kungnat Bay on the 22nd and on the 27th escorted the DARIEN to BW #1. On September 1, 19U2, the SC 527 took aboard six enlisted Coast Guard personnel for transportation to Cruncher Island, Sondre Strom fjord returning as escort of two vessels with the CGC ALGONQUIN to BW #2 arriving September 5, 19U2. On the 11th she cruised off West Greenland Banks to board Portuguese fishing vessels but sighting none anchored in Holstenborg Harbor. On the 12th she pro ceeded to Edgesminde Harbor, returning to Sondre Strom fjord on the lUth to board SS HAVMOT laying to on the fishing banks and bound to Edgesminde with supplies for the Greenland Government. Arriving at Sondre Stromf jord on the 16th she proceeded to Marrak Point on the 28th and, on the 29th, was underway to join the USS BLUEBIRD and SS HALMA for Kungnat Bay. During October and November 19U2 she was engaged in patrol duty in West Greenland waters relieving the SC-528 on sound and lookout watch at Kungnat Bay on Decem ber 1, 19U2. On the 10th she moored at Ivigtut until the 17th when she proceeded to Torssukatak, piloting the BELLI!ISLE into Kungnat Bay on the lflth. Then she performed freight transportation duties until the end of the month. PATROL DUTY TO BOSTON

527 and SC-528 of convoy SG-ii

5, 19U2, the SC
consisting

were escorts

duties included ice breaking in the fjords, hospital transport duty, anti-submarine patrol, and local es cort duty* On the 25th she proceeded, with SC-528, SC-7OU,and COMANCHE as guide, for Argentia arriving there on the 30th. On August 5, 19UU, in company with SC-70U, SC-528 and USS KAIEAH she proceeded to Boston where she was on availability through August 27, 19kk* On that date she proceeded to Norfolk where she moored at Little Creek, Va., August 31, 19Wi. (No further reports of World War II activities are available).
DBCOMMISSIONING-

She was decommissioned and her Coast Guard crew re moved March 7, 19W>.

SC-528
GREENLAND PATHDL had been transferred from the Eastern Sea Frontier to Greenland Patrol, was relieved by a Coast Guard crew and on the 30th she departed Boston for Casco Bay where she arrived next day, departing same day with SC-527 and TAHOMA for Sydney, N. S., escorting four trawlers. On August 5, 19U2, she departed Sydney for Greenland escorting 3 vessels with k other es corts arriving on the 10th. On the 11th she proceeded to Bluie West Seven and a ssumed guardship duties off entrance to Kungnat Bay. On August 27th she proceed ed to Holstenborg to inspect Portuguese fishing ves sels en route to Helfiske Bay, returning to BW #8 on the 31st. During September 19i*2 she was engaged in local escort duty between Greenland stations. She reassumed guardship duties at the junction of Brede and Skov Fjords on October 9, 19U2, but was forced to return to BW #1 because of heavy waters and ice. On the 21st she went to the assistance of the dis abled freighter MARGARET LIKES and escorted her to Marrak Point where she assumed guardship duties, de parting for BW #1 on the 22nd. During November and December, 19U2, the SC-528 was on guardship ay the entrance to Arsuk Fjord, being relieved periodically, when she usually escorted incoming vessels to BW #7* The SC-528 was on patrol and guardship duty at the entrance to Arsuk Fjord, performing local esort duty in Greenland waters from January 1, 19U3, until May 20, 19U3, when she departed BW#7 in company with SC-527 and three other escorts of a two vessel convoy for Argentia, arriving on the 28th, departing same day for Boston, where she arrived June 1, 19U3, for an availability until July lit, 1943. Standing out of Boston on that day the FALCON collided with the SC-527 on the 15th. The USS PINTO in convoy lost her tow and the SC-528 screened her until itwas recovered, mooring at Argentia with SC-707 to rendez vous with two other escorts to accompany three ves sels to Argentia where she remained until the 31st After further local escort duty at Argentia the SC-528 stood out on the sth with three other escorts arriving at St. John's on the 6th and from there escorting con voy SG-29 with 6 other escorts to Kungnat Bay, moor ing at BW #7 on the 21st. The SC-528 continued on patrol and local escort duty in Greenland waters until the end of 19U3. PATROL DUTY PATROL DUTY The SC-528 remained on patrol duty in Greenland
On July 28, crew on the

19h2, the

Navy

SC-528 which

From
May

January 1, 19k3, to 20, 19UJ, the SC-527 was on patrol duty in Greenland waters, acting as guardship

at the entrance to Arsuk Fjord, transporting supplies and personnel between Greenland stations or anchor ing in Kungnat Bay or at Ivigtut. On May 20, 191i3, in company with SC-528 she departed Kungnat Bay with convoy GS-23 and stood into Boston Harbor on June 1, 19U3, remaining at Charlestown Navy Yard until July 111, 19U3, undergoing overhaul and repairs.
ESCORT DUTY The SC-527
July lit, 19k3 t in convoy
departed

Boston

with the USS YNG-27 and YCK-2 in company with USS FALCON and SC 528. On the 15th the FALCON collided with the SC 527 's port beam and the SC-527 proceeded to Portland, Maine, and moored to survey the damage, returning to Charlestcam Navy Yard for hull repairs until July 31, 19^3. On August 1, 19U3, she was underway to join a convoy for Halifax. N. S., the escort being addition ally composed of 3 Canadian corvettes and the COMANCHB. On the 3rd the SC-527 was ordered to proceed to Hali fax independently and moored. Proceeding to Sydney on the 7th and Argentia on tne 11th. After perform ing local escort out of Argentia, the SC-527 was underway on the 23rd with the RARITAN and TAMPA for Greenland, arriving at Gronne Dal on the 28th. Here she performed local escort duty and stood sound watch until the end of 19U3. PATROL DUTY The SC-527 remained on pat rol duty in Greenland waters until July 5 19l*U. Her

PINTO, towing

During that period she broke ice in the fjords and re lieved the SC-527 and SC-688 on sound and r adar watches on anti-submarine patrol at the entrance to Arsuk Fjord. On January 11, 19kh her propeller was damaged by ice varying in thickness to 2 feet in South Entrance, Force Bay and Kungnat Bay. During

waters until July 25, 19Wu

172

to Commander, Service Forces 'U. S. Atlantic Fleet, After availability at the Navy Yard, Chelsea, Mass., until August 27th she was ordered to proceed to Flo rida with SC-701* but put into Charleston on the 30th for minor repairs, and was there at the end of August 19hh. (No further record of the SC-528 in World War II available). is
DECOMMISSIONING She was decommissioned March 7, 191*6, and her Coast Guard crew removed. SC-688 The USS SC-688, Coast Guard manned, was accepted for the Navy from the Annapolis Yacht Yard, Annapolis, Md., on November 28, 191*2. On I*, 19U2, she departed for Norfolk Navy Yard December where she was outfitted for combat duty. She departr ed for New York on the 23rd and for Casco Bay, Maine, on the 26th. On December 31, 19U2, she departed for maneuvers off Cape Elizabeth with the SC-689 and 709 returning to moor at Casco Bay same day.
COMMISSIONING

19kh, she was engaged in transportation duty between Navy 26 and BIT #7. On July 25, 19l*l, she sailed for Argentia in ctapany with COMANCHE, SC-527 and SC-701* and proceeded on to Boston with the latter two and IKS KAWEAH whero on August 6, 19hk, she detached from Task Group 21t.8 and was assigned
Froruary,

patrol duty at the entrance to Arsuk Fjord until May 1, 19kk. On January 7, 19U*, her crew rescued Major F. E. Bristol, U. S. Medical Corps, who had fallen in

19hh,

and administered first aid* On May 1, NOF Navy 28 Dock in company with four other escorts for Argentia, mooring there on the 6th, and departing on the 9th with four other c scorts for Boston where she moored on the 12th. After over ' haul until June IU, 191*1*, she proceeded to Portland for training exercises and on the 2l*th proceeded to Argentia with SC-689 and 705. On July 10, 191*1*, she proceeded to Gronne Dal with four other c scorts enter ing Arsuk Fjord on the lUth. She remained on patrol and local escort duty in Greenland until September 9, 19kh, when she began escorting with SC-689 and 705 the SS VISCAIA (Nor.) for St. John's, N. F., arriving on the 13th and proceeding to Argentia on the 18th. On the 21st she proceeded to Boston arriving on the 2l*th and remaining through October 15, 19U*, when she departed for Norfolk. Arsuk
Fjord
\u25a0

she departed

AIR STATION DUTY

On October 18, 19hh> she departed Norfolk for Naval

Auxiliary Station, Harvey

Point Albermarle Sound, N. C. where she remained on air station duty through the rest of 191*1*.
DECOMMISSIONING

She was decommissioned November 28, 191*5,

On January 2, 191*3, she moored at Portland, Maine, and on the 7th broke ice in the channel to the Maine Shipbuilding Company's shipyard. From the Bth to ll*thshe was repaired due to collision with a ship mooring alongside and then, after various tests, departed for Argentia on the 25th in company with the 8188 and SC-689. On the 26th as the 8188 made a depth charge attack on a sound contact the sound apparatus of SC-688 gave no indica tion. On the 27th the radar was not working properly and on arrival at Argentia on the 29th repairs to radar and sound apparatus were undertaken. She re lieved SC-706 on patrol of outer anchorage, Ship Har bor, Argentia from the 6th to the Bth of February, 191*3 and then returned to port for further repairs to main generators. On the 22nd she departed for Burin Harbor, N. F., towing the CG-ll*7 accompanied by the CGC FAUNCE. On March 11, 191*3, she broke ice in Burin Harbor and then entered Marine railway for repairs to port propeller, departing for Argentia on the 22nd. On the 28th she assumed patrol duties but on the 29th her radar failed and 6n the 31st she va cated patrol and moored at Ship Harbor, N. F. Patrol duties were again assumed on April 1, 191*3, for three day periods. On the 15 th she departed Argentia to investigate the wreck of an Army schooner aground near Marystown, N. F., returning to assume patrol duties until April 28th, 191*3. PATBOL DDTY On April 28, 191|3, the SC-688 departed Argentia for St. John's in company with five other escorts and on May 1, 19U3, departed St. John's for Greenland with same escorts mooring at Gronne Dal on the 6th. On the 10th departed Kung nat Bay in search of a submarine reported by a PBY accompanied by TAHOMA, SC-689 and 705. ESCORT DUTY PATROL DUTY LOCAL ESCORT

SC-689
The USS SC-689 was commis sioned November 2, 19U2, and a Coast Guard crew placed on board. On December 31, 191*2, she was on training exercises at Casco Bay, Maine.
COMMISSIONING

Departing Casco Bay, Maine, on January 25, 191*3, for Argentia, N. F.-, she re mained on patrol duty there until April 28, 19U3, when she departed with five other escorts for St. John's and on May 1, 19U3, for Greenland, arriving at Gronne Dal on the 6th, departing on the 10th, with other escorts to search for a submarine. She re mained on patrol duty inArsuk Fjord, relieving SC

PATBOL DOTY

191j3.

688 and SC-705 and other vessels until December 31,

The SC-689 remained on patrol duty in Greenland until May 1, 19U1*, when departed, with 1* other escorts for Boston via she Argentia, arriving on May 12, 19U1*. On June 16, 191*1* she departed for Portland for training exercises. On June 21*, 191*1*, with four other escorts, she departed Portland for Greenland, via Argentia, mooring at Gronne Dal on July lii,19hh Here she remained on patrol duty until September 8, 191*1*, when she depart ed for St. John's in company with the MOHAWK and SC 705, the MOHAWK towing HMT STBATHELLA. On September 18, 19l*l*, she departed St. John's with SC's 705 and 688 for Boston, via Argentia, arriving on the 2l*th. PATBOL DOTY After 20 days availability at Boston the SC-689 got underway with SC-705 for Navy Section Base, Newport, R. 1., where she was used as a target vessel untilNovember 1, 19l*l*. On that date she proceeded to Coast Guard Patrol Base, Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she laid sono-buoys and retrieved dummy projectiles in A/S /i operations. She remained on this duty for the rest of 191*1*.
AS TARGET VESSEL

off the entrance to Arsuk ice and en gaged in local escort duty in Greenland.
Fjord breaking

During the rest of 19U3 the SC-688 was on patrol duty

':*\u25a0*&&&%!&**?*

The SC-688 remained on

DECOMMISSIONING

The SC-689 was decommis sioned January 21*, 19U6*

173

SC-705
COMMISSIONING Diaries are not available) PATBOLPOTY The USS SC-705 was com missioned on October 2, ]&2. (19U2 and 191*3 War

From January 1, 19hh, to May 1, 19UU, the SC-705 was on patrol duty in Greenl&nd waters, mostly in Patrol Area No, 3> in Arsuk ?jord, Greenland. Other areas were also patrolled the SC-705 relieving SC's 70U, 638, 527, 528 and 689. Between patrols the SC-705 moored at Gronne Dal usual lymaking a stop at Ivigtut en route to her mooring. TO BOSTON
On May 1, 1914, the SC-705 departed Gronne Dal en route Argentia in convoy with USS NORTHLAND, SC-688 and SC-689. Arriving on the 6th she departed on the 9th for Boston in company with three other escorts arriving on the 12th, where she remained for repairs until June lit, 19hh, when she departed for. Casco Bay, Maine, for training exer cises. On the 22nd she was underway for Argentia. Hare on July 6th she was damaged slightly by a fire

around the galley stack* On the 10th she departed for Gronne Dal arriving on the lUth. The SC-705 remained in
Greenland on patrol duty
of area No. 3 in Arsuk
Deptember 8, 19hk, when she departed in Fjord until company with two other escorts for Boston, via St. John's, arriving on September 21;, 19UU. PATROL DUTY Yard Annex until October
10, 19l*U, on availability the SC-705 departed for Quonset Point, Rhode Island, on October 15, 19hh,
assigned r adar target towing duty. She
where she was remained on this duty during the rest of 19Ulu
DECOMMISSIONING The SC-705 was decommis sioned January 22, 19U6. TOWING TARGETS
Remaining at Chelsea Navy

174

MJSTER AT COAST ODARD BASE, HBTCHIKAIJ, SPBDW, \%Z

"

tmm

UMALASKA, DUTCH HAEBOB, 19lrf)

175

PATROL MO ESCORT VESSELS

ALASKA

CGC ATALANTA
(WPC-ID2)

COMMISSIONING AND

cUCractbristics

The CGC ATALANTA (ifPC-102) tias built at Seattle, Wash

ington, and commissioned on September 20, 1931*. She is 165 feet long with a beam

ranging search of Admiralty Inlet without results.

Again on July 28, 191*2, report of contact with an
unidentified vessel south of Brush Point led to a
search to Point No Point and the sighting of only
two small tugs with tows in the approximate reported
location.

of 25 feet 3 inches and mayimnm draft of 9 feet 6 inches. She displaces 337 tons. Built of steel, her HP diesel motor and twin screw propulsion give her a speed of 16 knots. Her permanent station on July I, 191*1, was Seattle, Washington.

ATALANTA received orders to WASHINGTON relieve the MORRIS at the junction of Rich Passage and Port Orchard and main a JK (underwater sound) watch in the vicinity of tain White Point, during daylight and in the vicinity of Blake Island during the night. On the night of Janu ary 31, 191*2, an anti-sub alert was maintained on re ports of submarine activity in the neighborhood of Victoria, B.C. After proceeding to Port Townsend on February 3, 191*2, for degaussing calibration, the cut ter resumed sound patrol at her station. The crew were exercised frequently at emergency drills as there were a number of inexperienced men in the complement. The USS COLORADO was operating in the area between Port Townsend and Port Angeles as the ATALANTA cruised in the vicinity on February 20 and 21, 191*2, on antisub guard. During -darkness she was anchored SW of Point Wilson to maintain effective sound sweep watch of the area. On February 23, 191*2, a report wa3 received that a submarine had been fired on 100 yards off New Dungeness. The ATALANTA was at the time 3 miles NE of the report ed position and no sub was believed in the vicinity. On March 10, 191*2, while the ATALANTA was moored at Seattle, a report was received of a submarine off Point No Point and the cutter was ordered to notify gate ves sels and proceed to reported position, conducting a sound sweep en route. The results were negative. Again on March 28, 191*2, she proceeded to conduct a search for a reported submarine 'between West Waterway and Duwamish Head but without results. SUB FIRED ON OTHER REPORTS On April 23, 191*2, while on station, the ATALANTA proceeded to a position near the USAT DAVID W. BRANCH who was aground.- Aid in re floating was negative due to ebbing tide, but the cut ter stood by until the tug MAHOPAC arrived before re suming her regular duties. On May 8, 191*2, a smoke screen demonstration was conducted for the Secretary of the Navy who was inspecting Puget Sound Navy Yard. On May 12, 19i*2, the cutter proceeded to Haines Land ing, near Edmond3, Washington, to search for a report ed submarine, conducting sound ranging with negative results* Again on June 20, 191*2, she proceeded to a position 11miles NW of Waddah Island to patrol that area on reported submarine activity. Sound ranging and visual search from Swiftsure Bank produced negative results. On July 8. 191*2, the ATALANTA escorted the U. S. Submarine S-34 from Apple Cove to the net gate at Orchard point. A report of a possible submarine contact on July Is, 191*2, led to a two hour sound ASSISTANCE MORE REPORTS OF SUBS

ANTI-SUB GUARD PORT TOWNSEND,

19U2
On January 20,

191*2,

the

On August 5, 191*2, officers, quartermasters and soundmen INSTRUCTION of the ATALANTA received ex tensive instructions in anti-submarine warfare under the direction of Canadian officers at Esquemalt, British Columbia. Much was learned of Canadian equip ment and methods which facilitated working with their vessels in joint search and attack. Patrols of the various areas from Tillamook Rock, Oregon to Port Townsend, Washington, continued during August, 191*2. (War diaries from September through December 191*2 not available). CANADIAN ANTI-SUB As January 191*3 began, the ATALANTA was escorting the SS JONATHAN HARRINGTON in the North Pacific having departed Port Angeles Decem ber 30, 191*2, operating singly under the Northwest Sea Frontier. On January I*, 191*3 she lost contact with the convoy in a thick snow squall and standing into Chiniak Harbor, found the convoy already an chored there. She moored with convoy at Kodiak that afternoon and next day her commanding officer re ported to Commander, Alaskan Sector, 13 ND for duty and the ATALANTA was assigned to Task Force 6.2. ESCORT DUTY

191*3
TO JUNEAU AND KODIAK
On January 10, 191*3, the cutter proceeded to Pleasant
routing

CGC SWIFTSUKE, departing the same day to make patrol west of Cape Spencer and contact the SS COXUMBIA, but because of poor visibility she was unable to contact

Island and reported to the officer on board the

her and returned to Pleasant Island after patrolling until the 13th. On the ll*thshe left for Juneau, Alaska, to await next west bound convoy on the 17th. On the 16 th, she departed for Kodiak, with four Navy enlisted men and mail. Here supplies were taken aboard and after two days of anti-submarine patrol off Kodiak Entrance she escorted the U. S. Submarine S-23 for several hours before returning to Kodiak for hull repairs. On the 30th she conducted anti-sub patrol off Kodiak Entrance. ESCORTS CABLE SHIP RESTORER ATTACKS SUB

On February 1, 191*3, the ATALANTA proceeded to St. Paul Harbor where she began escorting the SS RESTORER (Navy Cable Repair Ship),

conducting anti-sub search the cable ship spliced the cable in Monaska Bay and lay cable from Monaska Bay to Montague Strait. This activity continued until February 9, 191*3, when the RESTORER was escorted to Kodiak. Further screen ing of the cable ship was conducted between Spruce Cape and Miller point in Monaska Bay on the 10th. On the 13th the RESTORER was c scorted to Dutch Harbor. En route the ATALANTA made contact on the lth with a submarine and at 11*51* made urgent attack. As the attack developed, the contact became doubtful but was followed through as a similar contact in this positkn had been reported five hours earlier. The results were negative. On the 19th the RESTORER to Chernofski Harbor and screenea*MM||Rib

as

cu^teili^MMg^the

176

she. engaged in cable laying off Spray Cape from "the 23rd to 27th. On the latter date she screened simi lar work off Otter Bight, Umnak Island. They return Next day she es ed to Dutch Harbor March 1, 19^3 corted the cable ship to cross Sound, where she de parted to escort the SS YUKON to Cape Hinchinbrook and then return to Kodiak for repairs. On the lUth she conducted anti-sub patrol off Kodiak, escorting the YUKON in and proceeded to Juneau on the 19th. On the 2Uth she was again escorting the RESTORER from Cross Sound to Kodiak and the SS TOLOA to Chiniak Bay. Es cort of the cable ship to Dutch Harbor on the 28th was followed by continued escort to Chernofski where she maintained listening watch with guns constantly manned. From April Ist to 3rd she screened the RE STORES patrolling from Ram Point to Otter Bight and returned Dutch Harbor until the 6th when weather again became favorable for cable work, this time in Unalaska Bay as the cable ship worked near Hog Island, returning to Dutch Harbor same day.

apparatus iras dispatched. The fire was extinguislied on arrival, however, without casualties. On the 25th she departed Sitka to search for a reported submarine. On arrival at the reported location ID miles west of Lituya Bay, Alaska, the object proved to be a spar rising about 15 feet out of the water. The spar was towed to Port Althrop and beached. On July 1, 19U5* she departed Sitka for Cape Decision Light to pick up a sick man and transport him to Ketchikan for treat
ment.

Later in the month she arrived at Goddard from Sitka to assist the fish boat EAGIE who had received a hole in the bottom by striking a rock, but who had already departed for Sitka, staying close inshore where the cutter could not follow. The boat arrived safely. Proceeding to McFarland Island on the 11th to assist a fishing vessel reported aground, a search of the vicinity failed to locate any such vessel. On the 30th she intercepted another fishing vessel, taking off a sick man for treatment in Ketchikan. TRANSFER TO 13 ND Routine patrols continued during August with no unusual
situations encountered. On

ESCORT DUTY
various vessels.

to Atka and Adak including Chernofski Harbor and Kuluk Bay, after each of which escort trips, she would return to Dutch Harbor. As the vessels unloaded at their various destinations the ATALANTA screened them and then escorted them back to Dutch Harbor. In August 19^3 these operations extended as far as Mass acre Bay, Attu Island. On October 3, 19U3* she de parted Dutch Harbor for Seattle and Astoria via Kodiak and Ketchikan delivering depth charges to the Naval Section Base at Astoria for stowage on the 18th. Then she returned to Portland where she was still in repair status on November 13, 19k3
Bay,

the ATALANTA embarked upon a of escort duty of These operations took her to Cold
long period

Beginning on April 7, 191i3,

October 3, 19U5, the ATALANTA was transferred to District Coast Guard Officer, 13 ND. CGC AURORA (WPC-103) The CGC AURORA (WPC-103) was built in Bath, Maine, in 1931 CHARACTERISTICS and commissioned December 17, 1931, her permanent station on July 1, 19U1, being San Pedro, California. She is 165 feet long, 25 feet 3 inch beam and draws 9 feet 6 inches with 33i* ton displacement. Her hull is steel and her 131; HP diesel motor, with twin screw propulsion, gives her a speed of 16 knots. COMMISSIONING "

AND"

19hh
(The only remaining reference 19U3-19W; to the ATA LANTA occurs in the November 19hh Ketchikan District (Sitka' Subsector) war Diaries, when she wa3 reported being dispatched to search for a submarine lh miles SW of Cape Spencer together with a number of other Coast Guard units)

191+5
From June 2 to 18, 19U5, the ATALANTA patrolled the Cape Muzon to Cape Ommaney area, transporting a medical patient from Cape Decision Light Station to Ketchikan on the 19th and resuming patrol until the 27th when she moored at Ketchikan. PATROL DUTY

RIPAIR STATUS

Until April12, V)hs, she was at Portland, Oregon, under going repairs in drydock. Proceeding to Seattle she loaded ammunition and supplies but on the 20th her main generator became inoperative and she remained in Seattle until May 2f>th, 19k$, while it was being re paired. On that date she departed for Ketchikan.
IN
Arriving Ketchikan on May 28, 19U5, she departed for routine patrol from Cape Onmaney to Yakutat on the 31st relieving the CYANE. While on this patrol she sighted two icebergs wefst of Cape Spencer which were reported to the Commander, Sitka Sector. She also sunk a floating mine.

PATROL DUTY

h, 191+2, the AURORA was ordered to escort duty. En route from Seattle on December 18, 191*1, she had made a probable sound con tact and expended- one depth charge. Between January h, 191i2, and May 2, 191i2, she escorted 18 convoys be tween Icy Straits, Yakutat, Seward, Alitak, Dutch Har bor and Chernofski. The only incident of note occurred on April 16, 19U2, while she was escorting the SS COLUMBIA from Icy Strait to Kodiak. At lhhS one of the lookouts reported a submarine diving about 2 miles ahead. This was not confirmed by any other member of the crew. Within one minute an echo was picked up on the QC (underwater sound) equipment and a charge dropped a minute or so later. The AURORA circled and again established contact, this time an attack with two charges from the stern and two from the "V" gun, .formed a diamond. Contact was maintained for an hour and a half and two more attacks of four charges each were made, with settings between 100 and 200 feet. There was no conclusive evidence that the submarine was damaged, however, or even that there was a sub marine in the vicinity.
ATTACKS CONTACT
January

ESCORT DUTY

Arriving at Ketchikan on

ASSISTANCE arm mi3Ta*kbn

Returning to Sitka on

ava

fiSKiauJM!;

~~~IISSHBL''

)\u25a0#

aboard a fishing vessel across the harbor on the 22nd and a pull ing boat with fire fighting

19U5, fire was observed

June 16,

The AURORA had a great deal of difficulty with recognition signals during this period. Both Navy and Merchant Marine ships were found lax in this respect. Itwas only rarely that a challenge was correctly replied to, if at all. The reason, it was believed, was inadequate instruction and multiplicity of systems. Ships in convoys did not have signal guns for night signalling or signal searchlights for daylight signalling. Only a few had competent signalmen. Station keeping, while

RECOGNITION SIGNALS

177

improving, ims not good, practically all vessels think ing $00 yards too close and preferring to keep a dis tance of 800 yards. The AURORA had to go alongside vessels of the convoys many times and speak them in order to get a message across*

ESCORT DOTY

convoys from Kodiak to ley Strait and return. On August 9, 191i2, she escorted
a convoy from Xnchorage to Kodiak and then proceeded
to Ketchikan. >0n August 22, 19^2, ate arrived at
Seattle. Here she remained for the reai of 191+2
undergoing repairs in drydock.

19U2, the AURORA escorted

From July 12 to August 8,

These -were followed by a lights and some tracer fire, and the blacking but of unloading operations in the harbor. Ittu, 300 miles anay, and Kiska, only 69 miles northwest of Amchitka,
nere being heavily attacked at this time by our bomb ers from fighter strips on Atka and Amchitka and
retaliatory attacks by enemy aircraft Here constantly expected. General quarters on the AUBORA nere secured in about half an hour as there /was no further develop ment. At 181*3 the USS DEWEY dropped depth charges about a mile to the eastward, and general quarters 'was again called but secured as the DEWEY resumed her *normal patrol.

19l.

di^iayrf^fiuSHp^

KBTURN TO ALASKA ESCORT DOTY

19U3
On January

0 OGLPIGA

k, 191i3,

the

AURORA left drydock in

Seattle and after taking on
ammunition and making other
preparations departed for Alaskan waters on January 8, 19U3. She moored at Ketchikan on the Hth and pro ceeded to Pleasant Island via Juneau and Petersburg to report to the routing officer aboard the USS
SWIFTSURE. As no convoy was leaving in the immediate
future she returned to Juneau until the 17th when she
began escorting two vessels to Kodiak. She returned
to the routing vessel on the 2Uth but required three
days to repair damage resulting from heavy seas, and
it was not until the 28th that she began escorting
the cable ship RESTORER from Icy Strait to Kodiak.
She remained here until February 2, 19k3, when she
departed for Dutch Harbor, with 13 Army and Navy per sonnel aboard, arriving, via Sand Point, on the sth*
Three days later she was escorting another vessel through Unimak Pass to a point 12 miles beyond Scotch
Cap Light when the vessel proceeded independently.
En route to Dutch Harbor on the 9th she searched the
vicinity of Cape Cheerful for a reported submarine*
TO ADAK
On February 12, 19U3, the
AURORA and the USS LONG

On the same day the AURORA began escorting the SS COR dova to Ogluiga Island ar riving next day and beginning anti submarine patrol* When rising -wind made about ll|oo made further opera tions impossible, the CORDOVA was escorted to Tanaga Bay, where the AURORA again instituted anti-submarine patrol. On the 25th another attempt to anchor at Ogluiga proved unsafe for the CORDOVA. Similar at tempts on the 27th and 31st were abandoned. Unload ing at Ogliiig* was possible on April Ist and 2nd but on the 3rd a heavy sea prevented departure for '

Adak until the sth.

the Bth. On the 11th she escorted another vessel 50 miles beyond Unimak Pass and oh the 12th picked up 9 Havy personnel at Cold Bay for transportation to Dutch Harbor, escorting another vessel at the same time. Next day she was off for Adak with 6 Navy men aboard and escorting a convoy of 5 vessels with one additional escort. On the 15th, she escorted two vessels to Chernof ski, returning to Dutch Harbor on the 19th. She departed again for Adak on the 22nd with 2 vessels and returned to Dutch Harbor on the 29th with 2 more. GUARDS CABLE SHIPS

April 6, 19U3, the AURORA

departed
Kuluk Bay, Adak for Chernof ski to pick up a conTroy for escort to Dutch Harbor which was reached on

ESCORT DUTY

- On

began escorting two merchant

vessels to Kuluk Bay, Adak, where they arrived on the
lbth. On the 17th she went to the aid of the ground ed YP-72 but found the crew had already been removed.
Because of unfavorable weather and the condition of
the YP no attempt was made to float her. On the 18th
along with a destroyer, she rendezvoused with the
, TMS-125 and UOO in Tanaga Bay to await favorable weather before proceeding to Ogluiga Island. On the .20th, the AURORA began escorting the YP-bOO, who had a damaged rudder, to Adak. En route on the 23rd she was ordered to join anti- submarine patrol off Ogluiga Island. On the 2Uth one of the merchant vessels unloading in the northern part of the island lost her anchor and she was escorted by the AURORA and aPC boat to Tanaga Bay. Patrol was resumed. On the 27th, the PC (600) informed the AURORA that four of her crew were stranded on Cable Point in Tanaga Bay with the PC's boat out of commission. They were returned to the PC suffering from cold and hun ger. The patrol was continued. On March 3 19U3* the AURORA took aboard the body of a seaman and de parted for Adak, returning to patrol duties at Og luiga Island on the sth where operations were com pleted on the 6th and the vessel was escorted to Adak. Here the AURORA anchored until the 9th when she was ordered to anti-submarine patrol in Kuluk Bay. This patrol duty continued until March 18, 191i3. Next day she began escorting a vessel to Constantine Harbor, Amchitka.

The AURORA was on anti-submarine patrol and escort duty in the approaches off Dutch Harbor until May 5, 19U3, when she began escorting the cable ship DELLWOOD to Otter Point, Umiak pass for cable laying until the 10th when she escorted her to Dutch Harbor. On the 12th she escorted the cable ship to Women's Bay and thenc* to Seward where the AURORA guarded her as she lay cable between Caines Head and Rugged Island. On the 22nd she escorted her to Pleasant Island and then escorted the cable ship RESTORER to Middleton Island while she grappled for damaged cable 23 miles from that location until operation had to be suspended on June 3, 19^3, when wind and sea caused them to seek shelter in the lee of Kayak Island until the lith. Operations were resumed next day until completion on the Hth when both vessels returned to Seward and then to Cold Bay, where on the lUth the RESTORER be gan laying cable from Fox Island to Thin Point before starting back to Seward, where after two days at Pleasant Island the RESTORER departed for Seattle as the AURORA, after I|B hours availability at Juneau/ began escorting the DELLBDOD to Dutch Harbor. (July war diaries of AURORA are not available). ESCORT DUTY
During August 191*3, the AURORA was engaged in escorting mer

AT AMCHITKA

where we had made an unopposed Landing on January 12,

On March 22, 19U3, parachute

flares and star shells were
observed over Amchitka

chant vessels between Adak and Dutch Harbor. Trips to Adak and return were made from the 2nd to the 6th; from the Bth to the l^thj from the 20th to the 2l|th and from the 31st to Sep tember 8, 19k3. fll^^^^fc.'

178

En route Adak on the latter trip, with four vessels In convoy, one of them, the SS' GAINES, signalled on Septem ber 3, 191*3> that she would have to heave- to as her load was loose. The convoy hove to off Great Silkln to await daylight. At 1630, the QAINBS signalled that her No. 2 hold was afire and changed course to head into the sea. As the eea was too rough for the AURORA to assist the GAINES, and as no smoke was vis ible, the other vessels were led within sight of Zeto Point as the AURORA set course for the GAINES. Another of the convoy was standing by the GAINES and signalled that she had checked the fire and secured the deck load, whereupon the AURORA proceeded to Sweeper Cove and moored. On the 6th she "escorted four more vessels to Dutch Harbor arriving on the Bth. AFIRE On September 11, 191*3, the
AURORA stood out of Dutch
Harbor for another period
of escort duty. This duty took her to Chernofski, Adak and Andrew Bay where she -stood in close to the beach to put communication cable ashore for the RBSTOHER, preparatory to that cable ship laying cable from Adak to Atka. After laying a mile of cable, weather conditions caused the RESTORER to anchor in Andrew Bay where her anchor windlass was found damag ed, forcing her to let out all her chain, which she was buoying with cable and return to Kuluk Bay for major repairs. Here both ships remained until the 21st when the AURORA departed for Amchitka when she escorted one vessel to Adak and another back to Amchitka and then to Adak. On October 3, 191*3, she departed for Atka escorting one vessel to Adak and on tiie sth departed there escorting two vessels for Dutch Harbor. On the 9th she accompanied four vessels to Attu returning to Kiska with the IST-J*sl. On the 25th she escorted a vessel to Adak and then proceeded to assist the USS CBBE, having difficulty with her tow about 80 miles from Adak. Proceeding to Amchitka she assisted the YP-88 on the 28th but weather condi tion and submerged rocks made approach in darkness inadvisable and she returned to base. ESCORT DUTX ASSISTS CABLE SHIP The AURORA escorted one yessel to Adak and on November SUBMARINE 2, 191*3, began escorting TO ATTU another to Kiska. On the 6th, in a force 9 wind, the JOSEPH HENRY requested the AURORA, who was cruising around the harbor having lost both anchors and unable to approaoh the mooring buoy, to save the HENRY I barge which had broken away. s The AURORA'S crew succeeded in putting an 8" hawser barge and returned it to the HENRY. At aboard the 171*0 the AURORA was finally able to moor. On the 9th she was underway for Amchitka when she escorted the ~ SS MEEK to Adak and on the ll*thescorted the USAT . TURRIABLE to Dutch Harbor via Atka. Returning to Adak with two vessels on the 23rd she was back at Dutch Harbor on the 25th and began to escort the USS S-35 to Attu. She lost contact with the submar ine on the 27th due to mountainous seas and searched for the sub through the 29th as the seas moderated. Itwas not until the 30th that she rojoined her con voy and anchored at Massacre Bay, Attu, at 2150 on that day. The AURORA'S lack of a radar proved a handicap, especially while escorting submarines. (December 191*3 and all 191*1* war diaries not available). ISCORTS

035 on, the th. The McLANE relieved her of pa trol for seven days during March 191*5 The Cape Qmmaney-Takutat patrol was conducted throughout April 191*5, with relief by the MeLANE fram the sth to 12th, and from 19th to 26th. On April 15, 191t5, memorial services were held for the late President F. Di Roosevelt. (No further war diaries are available)
at

being relieved by CGC McLAHE for approximately seven days during this period, with the patrol routine and uneventful. This patrol continued in February 191*5 until the tith when the AURORA was dispatched to assist the DSS HIRAM reported aground on Porpoise Island. The vessel was found in good condition float ing free, under her own power at high tide. On the 21st the AURORA was dispatched to search the area between Icy Point and Cape Cross for a reported RFD bearing but the search was discontinued on the 23rd. On the 27th she went to assist the SS ALEUTIAN, re ported aground in Wrangell Narrows but finding her afloat and out of danger, escorted her to Juneau. During February she was relieved for about ? days by the McLANE. Routine patrol as before continued dur ing March, the AURORA assisting the SS DENALI on the sth, who was aground in Shelter Bay but floated free

CGC BONHAM (WSCt-129)

dcaoassioNiNG

AND

CHARACTERISTICS

The CGC BONHAM (VSC-129) was built in 1926 at Camden, New Jersey, and

29, 1927. She was 125 feet long, with 23 foot 6 inch beam, drawing 9 feet displacing 220 tons'. Her hull was steel and her and speed 11 knots. She was equipped with 350 HP diesel twin screw power. Her permanent station on July 1, . 19U1 was Sitka, Alaska.
Her duty at the beginning of 19U2 was patrolling Cross Sound, being re lieved periodically by the;CIANK. During the week ending June 27, 191*2, she patrolled off Dutch Harbor* entrance and Uhalaska Bay, identifying vessels, in cluding several Russian vessels bound both east and west. These patrols continued 'throughout 191*2 and included Unalaska Bay, Unimak Pass and Akutan Pass, during which she observed and identified vessels and exchanged signals with convoys. Late in 191*2, the BONHAM returned to Seattle.

commissioned

on January

PATROL PUTT

ASSISTANCE^

191*3
ESCORT DUTY On February 26, 191*3> the BONHAM departed Seattle en. route Ketchikan via the inside route where she moored March 2, 191*3. On March 18th she departed Ketchikan for Pleasant Island where she received orders from the Naval Routing officer, aboard the, USS SWIFTSUHEjand proceeded to Excursion Inlet. On the 22nd she departed Excursion Inlet escorting LST's 1*56 and 2*5 to Kodiak where she l arrived en the 27th. On the 29th she was underway, with the Naval Routing officer aboard to board the . Russian icebreaker JOSEPH STALIN, Using sound equip ment she escorted the STALIN to Akutan Bay returning to Dutch Harbor. On April 6, 191*3, she met USS BRAZOS and escorted her to Dutch Harbor where she patrolled the entrance escorting vessel* into Dutch' Harbor and assuming guard duty at the torpedo net until April l6th. On that date she escorted a barge, which she had pumped free of water and secured the batches, tb Sand Point, returning to DutchUftrbbf on the 20th. On that date she departed for Seattle standing into Talmic channel on May 1. 191*3.

PATBOtPPTY"
ASSISTANCE

191*5
During January 191*5, the AURORA patrolled between
AURORA patrolled between Ca P c Ommaney and Yakutat

A^Bl^^^^**-^--^ <*3WS

179

/igggy^^te
PATBOLDUTI COLUMBIA THVBR
During the rest of 19h3 the BONHAM patrolled the Colum

duty she was relieved intermittently by SC-536. Numerous vessels were assisted during this period including the CG-iiOOI7, the SS IEST COAST as mil as -various fishing vessels in distress and numerous barges that had broken adrift.

bia River entrance, with her base at the Naval Station, Astoria, Oregon. In this

19hh -191*5
(War diaries are not available).
covering

the BONHAM during 19hh

- U5

CGC CIANE (WPC-1O5)

BE

The CGC CIANE was built in Seattle in 193U and comCHARACTERISTICS missioned October 25, 1951w Her permanent station on July 1, 1910, was Ketchikan, Alaska. She is 165 feet long, 25 feet 3 inch beam, and draft of 9 feet 6 inches. Her steel hull has a 337 ton displacement. Her 131*0 HP diesel, ' twin screw motor gives her a speed of 16 knots. COMMISSIONING

CYANE was anchored in the entrance to Akutan Bailor, searching the entrance with underwater sound appara tus. Proceeding to Dutch Harbor on the 2nd she was underway on the sth to a position thirty Biles north of Islands Of Four Mountains to search for a barge. The barge was sighted on the 7th and taken in tow. While returning to Dutch Harbor she was ordered to search for a capsized barge, between Islands of Four Mountains and Nikolski Bay, which was sighted on the 9th. She took the barge in tow and proceeded to Inan udak Bay where the barge broke away. The CIANE had to reaain anchored, due to weather conditions, until the 12th, when she got underway to search for the quonset barge. Proceeding to Kaganul Island and Chernofski Harbor she escorted the USAT DAVID Y. BRANCH to Dutch Harbor on the 15th. Returning to Chernofski she escorted the SS SACAJAIBA to Dutch Harbor. On the 21st she joined two vessels and two escorts for Kulak Bay, Adak, returning on the 25th to' Dutch Harbor escorting two other Merchant vessels. Other escort duty followed between Dutch Harbor and
Chernpfski during February.

IvHJoSS

PATROL DOTY

On declaration of war on December 8, l?Ul, the CYANS was one of four cutters which established the Dixon Entrance Patrol. On Deceaber 21st, she narrowly escaped an armed encounter with a Canadian bomber due to not having recognition lights. A Japanese submarine was reported off the Pacific coast. All Japanese owned vessels were investigated and detained. On the 22nd the CYANE was directed to investigate the cable between Seattle, Ketchikan and Seward which was reported out of commission. She returned on the 2l|th having found that the cable was short circuited due to an improper connection at Twelve Mile Arm. On the 31st a suspicious craft was reported maneuvering north of Annette Island. The patrol was doubled in order to make a search. During the week ending January 31, 19U2, the CIANE relieved the McLANE off Dixon Entrance and while anchored at the entrance to Mallard Bay, guarding Dixon Entrance and maintaining continuous watch on listening devices, the wind shifted suddenly and the anchor started dragging. Using her engine to ease the strain, tha CIANE"s port chain parted. Later the starboard an chor took hold in passing over ten fathom pinnacle shoal and parted at the ninety fathom link. Next day the CIANE was engaged unsuccessfully in placing buoys and dragging for anchors but the current towed the anchor buoys under and operations postponed until a later day when they would be resumed with a diver. The CIANE spent the rest of the period identifying planes and vessels*

The CYANS returned to Dutch Harbor oa March h, 19U3, as escort to a convoy and on the same day proceeded to Cold Bay to escort the USAT CHIRIKOF to Dutch Harbor. While underway on the sth near Davidson Bank, two planes signalled that planes were in distress at a distance of k miles and at 1105 the CYANB picked op four aviators on two life rafts and stood over to salvage two planes,whieh were hoisted aboard the transport and taken to Dutch Harbor. Escort duty continued including the USS SPICA to Akutan pass, the USS VEGA to Chernofski Harbor, the USS BRAZOS to Unimak Pass, and the USS YUKON to Dutch Harbor. The CHIRIKOF was escorted from Cold Bay to Dutch Harbor on the 23rd. Two other vessels were escorted to Dutch Harbor from King Cove on the 28th. RESCUES GUARDS CABLE SHIP
Escorting duty continued during early April between

Chernofski, Dutch Harbor, Kazan Bay and Adak Island. From April lUth to 17th the CYANB acted as guard ship for the S3 RESTORER engaged in cable repair work off Amatignak Island in Adak Strait and Andrew Bay. On the 21st and 22nd she guarded the RESTORER in Korovin Bay and on the 26th off Bishop's Point. On the 28th she proceeded with the cable ship to Kodiak and Seward where the escort was discontinued at Pleasant Island on May 6th, 19U3, and the CYANB returned to Kodiak. Proceeding to Sitka en the 20th she escorted the SS NORTHSBA to Kodiak. The CYANB left Kodiak on June 5, 1910, with seven ESCORT enlisted men for Dutch Harbor, proceeding to AND TOWING Seward, via Kodiak, she returned to Kodiak on the liithand departed for Sand Point, transporting three men. On the 29th she proceeded to assist the disabled halibut schooner ALTBN off Black Point, towing her to Kodiak. On July 2, 19U3, she began towing the ALTBN from Kodiak to Sitka. Proceeding to Juneau on the Bth and Ketchikan on the 9th, she was underway on the 11th for Seattle, Washington where she entered drydock on the 15th. She remained at Seattle, undergoing repairs until September 16, 19U3* She returned to Kodiak on the 30th. On October 6, 19U3, the CYANE left Dutch Harbor into Unalaska Bay, search ing for a r eported submar inc. The CIANE took charge of a group.caaaist^jjg^oX 'jy \u25a0 SEARCHES FOR SUB TRANSPORTATION,

ESCORT DUTI

Earlier in

January

19U2,

were officially directed to report to Commander, Alaskan Security, for escort duty. The CIANE acted as escort vessel for the U. S. submarines S-18 and S-23 which had been ordered to Kodiak and then to Dutch Harbor. At time of the Dutch Harbor bombard ments on June 3-5, 19U2, the CIANE, along with the HAIDA, NEMAHA and BONHAM were with the Army contin gent on Chernofski Island. (Further war diary material for 19U2 unavailable).

HAIDA, AURORA and NEMAHA

the CIANE, along with the

191*3
ASSISTANCE On February 1, 19U3, the

Ggpfc'

180

on the 7th the group was underway in Bering Sea searching in the de signated area for the reported submarine. The search was discontinued at 0500 and the CTANE returned to Dutch Harbor. Escort of three vessels to Adak follow ed and on the 12th two other vessels were escorted to Kiska. Proceeding to inchitka on the liithshe return ed to Kiska to escort a vessel to Sand Bay on the 24th.

one fcHpPpK and 2 SC boats, and

District Coast Guard Office, 17th HD, for duty. On the 16th she proceeded from Sitka with the ATILANTA to a point in the North Pacific te stand by for a plane flight, and after two revisions of plans, the CTANE resumed normal patrol status on the 19th. On that day she relieved the BITTERSWEET to search for a log raft lost by a tog on the 13th. The raft was locatedj on the 20th and towed to Takutat.
CQC HcLAHE

RESCUES

tSCf-4^l CHEW

Escort duty continued during November 1943, the CTANE en COMMIS3IONIWO

route with two other escorts of two merchant vessels and a transport. On the 4th she was escorting another vessel to Attu where she anchored on the 6th. Stand ing out of Massacre on the th with the SS EXPLORER she assisted her in sounding operations between Agattu and Boldiri Islands. On the 13th she proceeded with there that day, and repeating the performance on the . 16th. On the 19th she stood out of llassacre Bay proceeding to assistance of Army Tug LST-421, in distress off Shemya entrance. The CITRUS was attempting to put a towline on the tug but the effort was aban

(WSC-146)

the EXPLORER into Shemya Harbor, guarding her while

doned because of the danger of pulling her under. The CTANE stood by the LST in preparation for floating a portable pump on a life raft to supplement her own pumps which were insufficient to keep her afloat. At the crew of 1635 brought on the LST abandoned ship and 13 members were board suffering from exposure. An . hour later she began firing her forward 3" 50 gun in an attempt to sink the LST but after 10 minutes the tug was still afloat but in a sinking condition as the CTANE proceeded to Massacre Bay to hospitalise the sur vivors. On the "21st she stood out in company with the EXPLORER to assist in sounding operations south of Agattu Island, patrolling the south side of Shemya Is land, on the 23rd. Returning to Massacre! Bay, sounding operations with the EXPLORER off Agattu were resumed on the 26th. On November 30, 1943, the CTANE was enroute Adak escorting the SS TOLOA and LST-lt6l. (No further war diaries are available until June 1945) On June 7, 1945, the CTANE departed Juneau and proceeded to relieve the ATALANTA of routine offshore patrol from Cape Ommanay to Yakutat. On the Bth she struck a submerged log, damaging the echo ranging equipment so that it would neither hoist nor train and was ordered to Ketchikan for repairs where she remained until the 24th. .Returning to patrol duty she proceeded on the 25th to investigate with the ATALANTA a reported ribmarine contact off Icy Bay. The area between Lituya Bay and Cape St. Ellas was searched until the 28th without results. On July 7, 1945, while on routine offshore patrol as above, en gine trouble made docking at Ketchikan necessary until the 14th. En route to Juneau on the 16th the cutter was diverted to Tebenkof Bay to search for the body of a fisherman lost overboard. The search was abandoned on the 18th and the patrols continued. STRIKES LOO INVESTIGATES CONTACT ASSISTANCE
August

The CQC McLANE (WSC-IU6) was built in 1927 at Camden, CHARACTERISTICS Hew Jersey, and commissioned on April 8, 1927, with her permanent station on July 1, North Carolina. She 19U1> at Morehead City,to navigation. Being had beea fitted to service aids 125 feet t< draft long, 23 foot 6 inch beam, and 9 feet she had a steel hull and displaced 220 tons* With a 1400 HP diesel motor and twin screw propellers she attained a speed of 11 knots.

PATROL DOTY

7, 1941, she had been transferred to the 17t Naval Itstrict (Alaska) where
she was on patrol duty in Chatham Strait. She con tinued on this duty until February 16, 1942, assisting vessels, awaiting United States submarines off Tongass Harbor to escort them, and checking aids to navigation.
By December

undergoing repairs.

From February 17, 1942, the McLANE proceeded to Seattle where she moored until June 6, 19U2, awaiting generator repair parts and AYAILABILITT SUB SEARCH

1945

Returning to Alaska, the McLANE was patrolling Dixon Entrance, between Caps Cha con and Barren Island on June 7, 1942, when a submar ine was reported in Hidden Inlet and the McLANE put on full speed to search the area. En route she was overtaken by HMCG QUATSDJO who joined in the search. They entered the Pearse Canal at 1709 with all guns manned and ready.- Later they contacted the CG-7275

and instructed, Passage, while

him to search Pearse Canal to Wales the McLANE searched the Portland Canal and bays as far as Hattie Island. The results' of the search were negative and the McLANE returned to pa trolling Dixon1s Entrance for the rest of the week*. A spectacular development was to follow.

McLANE AND TP-2gl SEARCH FOR SUB

mm*

uneventful and after escort ing two Coast Guard boats te decommissioning, the CTANE, with two Ketchikan for other Coast Guard boats was called upon on September 8, 1945, to assist the Cannery Tender MERCURT which had struck a submerged object. The tender would have been lost but for the use of a submersible pump after which she was beached, patched and refloated at high tide and towed to Juneau. On the 13th the CTANE and McLANS searched for an airplane believed to be down along the beach north of Clarence Strait, without success. Oi^Smtember 15, 1945, the CYANS reported to

19U5

operations

were

\u25a0iiyfariwi^g the Dixon and patrol planes were sighted frequently. On July 8,
I$U2, a radio message from HMJ stated that a submarine
was bombed by a plane in grid "Vternon Nine* that after noon and the TP-251 was underway at 0115 on search. She plotted the position of the bombing on the chart. To the northwest of this position was a spot with only " the 100 52 fathoms as against logical to lo fathoms of the bombed area. Itwas to assume that ifthe submarine were damaged or suspected that search would be made for him, he would seek the nearest spot where he could lie oh the ocean bottom, with his engines eff,

During the week ending June 30, 1942, the McLANE patroll* ed in the vicinity of ForCape Mason, identifying various vessels off Cape Addington
Entrance Patrol,
On*""mn

raster's Island and

The McLANE was ordered to take station two miles dis tant and commence a search pattern working towards the north. A Canadian minesweeper joined the search,
\u25a0

so as evade deteotion. At 06U5, the TP-251 arrived at "vsrnon Nine" and the McLANS came alongside for orders.

181

PRESENTING lEGION OF MERIT TO LIEUTENANT BURNS FOR HIS ACTION IN SINKING A JAPANESE SUBMARINE
CAPTAIN ZEUSIER. COMMANIER HICKS AND LIEUTENANT BURNS

QHXAH PLANE RESCUE

WV^llQ^^tfMl

182

&

taking station two miles on the opposite beam, head ing on the eastern leg of the pattern. Thus a search was evolved which seemed worth trying. The method was to make squares, steering, for example, four miles

east, then four miles north, then four miles west; then six miles south, six miles east, etc., enlarging the squares as they went along. The McLANE was to stay two miles or so on the inside of the XP-251 on all courses, as she had a listening device. In this manner, they could always surround the original

three hours and large amounts of oil. There was every possibility that the submarine attacked, and later verified as sunk, was the one that had been bombed th previous night by the Royal Canadian Air Force, sta tioned at Annetie Island. The submarine was probably damaged at that time and was attempting to reach a safe harbor when itwas seen by a fishing vessel, whose report brought the patrol vessels to the scene. A THEORY be asked "Why did the sub

The question willnaturally

search area and should the submarine be on the inside of the TP-251, the TP's noisy engines would drive him to where the McLANE could pick him up with her listening device. Should the submarine head out, they would catch him on their next circle. Itwas doubted if ha would attempt to go very far as he had been below for some time already. At olo on July 9, 19U2, th> search was renewed with the McLANE on the port beam heading for the shallow (52 fathom) search area. At 0850 the TP-251 noticed that the McLANE was out of formation and acting strangely and the IF made for her position at full speed.

The strange behavior of the McLANE was readily accounted for. At 0600, while cruis ing in & 20 N, XikUl' W, northwest of Dixon's Entrance, she had made aJK (under water sound) contact. She immediately put about and brought the contact ahead, decreasing speed to close in for the attack. The signal stopped at 0855 and a depth charge, dropped to explode at 300 feet, failed to explode. The contact was picked up again at 0905 and followed for an hour, the intermittent sound in dicating that the sub was running at short intervals and zigzagging during the entire time* The McLANE cruised in the vicinity until 15140 when the contact was again made. Putting about, the McLANE followed this contact for 13 minutes when she dropped two depth charges. Jfhe first set at 250 feet and the second at 150 feet. Three minutes later two more depth charges, set at 200 and 300 feet respectively, were dropped 200 yards from the first contact. Eleven minutes later numerous air bubbles were sighted in the vicinity of these depth charges. At 1735, as the McLANE closed astern of the TP-251, a torpedo passed under her bow. The command lng officer was standing in the bow and saw the torpedo coming, re cognizing the yellow head and green body and hearing ithiss. Itleft a feather of 125 feet as it came toward the cutter. ATTACK ON SOB

marine not leave the area The answer is believed to lie in the examination of the two charts of the area. The suall scale chart #6002 shows a 52 fathom spot ten miles northwest of the position where the .submarine was first bombed by the plane. This was the area concentrated on during the search. A larger chart #8152 discloses no such shallow spot and it may be assupad that the submarine was operating on chart #8002 and was- searching for the $2 fathom spot .when contacted. This could account for his reluctance to leave the area during the thirty six hour period.
during those thirty hours?"

CITATIONS

CONFIRMATION,

The sinking of this Japanese submarine was confirmed by records uncovered after the war. Itwas the HO-32 and the sinking took place at 55 20 N, 13k 1*0 Won July 9, 19U2, according to the Navy Department re lease of June 27, 19U6. The sinking is officially credited to the USCGC McLANE, USS YP-251 and RCAF Air Corps. Lt. Ralph Burns, USCG, Commanding Officer of the McLANE, was awarded the Legion of Merit.

'

On July U, 19U2, at 17U5, while patrolling Dixon Entrance the McLANE sighted HUCS hettr CHASSB who came up on her starboard bow with all guns manned and demanded an answer to her challenge by searchlight. For fifteen minutes the McLANE endeavored to answer the challenge with blink ers, tube and flag hoist. The BELLE CHASSE passed astern, came hard about and a ttempted to cross the McLANE's bow from port. The McLANE was forced to stop her engines and come hard about to avoid colli sion. The BELLE CHASSB had not been able to read the blinker tube light and had her guns manned, ready to open fire. The need for a signal search light on each of our patrol vessels seemed to have been definitelyA CHALLENGE
demonstrated

The McLANE went full speed ahead in the direction from which the toppedo had come and the XP-251 dropped one depth charge where the periscope had been sighted. At 1805 a smoke bomb that the TP-251 had dropped over the sub's position, about one mile north, was seen by the McLANE, who proceeded to the position and dropped two more charges by the smoke bomb at 100 to 200 feet. The cutter remained in the vicinity, attempting to make JK contact, when a large oil slick came on the water and remained for about an hour. The McLANE continued, widening the search of the area until 1935. At that time the TP-251 reported sighting a periscope and dropped one charge. The TP-251 turned right and about one third around and appeared to bump over some object as if going over a sand bar. The McLANE again mad* contact and dropped two more charges set at 200 and 100 feet* There were no more contacts after that, only oil on the water and bubbles. The distance be tween the two contacts had been 500 yards. The McLANE remained in the area until 0317 on the morning of July 10, 19U2, attempting to get contact. In passing through the area, bubbles were constantly seen, and after the second depth charges had been dropped a con siderable amount of hairy substance, resembling rock woplij^jnA jjotlced. Air bubbles were seen for at least SOB IS SUNK

On July 20, 1912, the McLANE reported a contact on SU( U2t N, 131 53 W. This occurred in broad daylight and the sound of the pro pellers was picked up in second gear. Three depth charges were dropped after which all contact was lost. The McLANE continued to patrol the area in question. The evaluation was considered good* CONTACTS SOB

ASSISTS
Yp_2si

On July 27, 19U2, while patrolling Dixon"3 Entrance the McLANE intercepted a message that the TP-251 was disabled and went to her assistance, towing her to McLeod Bay where she was turned over to TP-250. Five patrol planes had been sighted during this patrol. During the week ending August 8, 19U2, the patrol was continued between Port St. Albans and Warren Island, cruising to the south end of Summer Strait in dense fog. She continued on patrol during the week ending
August 15,

19U2.

Moored at Ketchikan until August 20, 19U2, the McLANE got underway for Clarence Strait patrol, stopping off at Mary Island

PATH3L DUTY

183

flMtaa^^^^l^^Hjjr
Light Station to land three seamen for duty there. Getting underway for Barren Island she patrolled between Tree Point and Barren Island, landing one seaman for duty at Tree Point Light Station and patroll ing between Cape Chacon and West Rock and then the

'

Strait. Planes covered all of the territory as fair

south as Prince Rupert, British Colombia, the search
continuing until the 19th* Beginning 2J> January, the
regular patrol planes again began thoroughly covering the east beam but did not locate any of the survivors
On February 3, I?U3, the patrol boat CGR-232, while

South Entrance to Clarence Strait until the 22nd. Proceeding to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, on that date she was drydocked for painting and repairs to propeller. On August 26, 1?1|2, she was underway standing out for Green Island on patrol, and then patrolling Dixon Entrance until August 29, I?U2. PATRCfc AND ASSISTANCE
McLANE,

TWO SURVIVORS FOUND

On September 8, 19U2, the YP-kOl and two Canadian corvettes were

kept busy investigating re pbrts of a submarine seen off Cape Decision. After bringing up oilby depth charging on the 12th and 13th, the oil was finally believed to come from a natural submarine oil well. On September 26th, the two vessels searched for a sub off Cape Spencer. Again on. October 2, the two searched for a sub report s ed off Dixonl Entrance. During the week ending November ili, 19U2, the McLANE patrolled Cape Chacon,

Clarence Strait, Cordova Bay Entrance, Ranter Bay and Dixon Entrance. On the 16th she departed Ketchikan en route Shrubby Island to take the yacht HOLIDAY., disabled there, in tow returning with her to Ketchikan the next day. Patrol between Cape Muzon and Cape Chacon was then resumed. During the week ending December 12, 19U2, she patrolled Tongass Narrows, Dixon Entrance and Clarence Strait. On December 18, 19U2, she was ordered to assist the SS FORT ORFORD aground off Keen Island in Wrangell Narrows. On the 19th she came alongside the vessel and taking her hawser began pulling but after half an hour the tow line parted. Being unable to float the vessel with the help of the tog COMMODORE, she proceeded to Peters burg and picked up two lighters and returned to the vessel, lightening her as she awaited favorable tide. At 1203 on the 20th, with the help of the CGC ALDER she was floated but was steering poorly, her anchor being frozen in the hawser pipes. Accompanying the vessel to Petersburg, she hit and wrecked a beacon but was finally moored at Petersburg. The McLANE resumed patrol but on the 23rd was again called to Chatham Strait to assist the PORT ORFORD reported aground once more, this time on Yasha Island. On the 2lith she was sighted hard aground and on the 25th was reported upright, with after deck awash at high tide, while awaiting lighters for salvage.. On the 26th the vessel began breaking up, in heavy NW swells as the barges arrived.

searching the shores of Boca de Quadia resetted two survivors. An overland search was arranged immediate ly. The two survivors were in fairly good condition and were questioned regarding the location of the plane and the camp where the other survivors were. The search party of Coast Guard enlisted personnel and a number of the best woodsmen in the section, using the McLANE as base craft, was sent to Smeaton Bay as aerial search was begun. The two survivors insisted ongoing along, against the Doctor's advice. One of them assisted in spotting the camp from the air and food and blankets were dropped. Then they return ed to the McLANE and the overland party started out. The body of Ilr.Gillam was found three miles north east of Quadia Point directly across from area Point by the Bureau of Fisheries patrol boat. On reaching camp the plane had discovered one man alive. The search party searched until 2200 on the Uth and at daybreak on the sth found they had missed the camp by 300 yards in the darkness. Two men were found alive and their needs attended to. Soon after ar rival at the camp the two survivors who had accompa nied the search party became very ill and two enlisted men started back to the HcLANE with them, carrying plane, covered with them for about three miles. The snow, was not then visible from the air.

SURVIVORS

BROUGHT 1 OUT OVER NEW TRAIL

Planning the way out, it was found that ice on the rivers

and lakes had melted and it would be necessary to make

a new trail. After a num

19U3
The week ending January 3, 19h3, was an active one. Planes and surface craft were searching all week for the lost Lockhead plane by the Morrison Knudsen Construc No. 10A #lUl5 owned tion Company. The plane had left Seattle without advising anyone of its destination and by evening a single message was received indicating that it was in distress somewhere in southeastern Alaska. An esti mate of the situation was made and it was determined that the plane must be somewhere in an area within a 60 mile radius from Annette Island, probably on the eastern side. The sea search was in conjunction with the regular patrol duty and with vessels assigned to duty in connection with servicing aids to navigation. The first search by ship consisted of covering the inland waters and Dixon Entrance. The small craft were directed thoroughly to search the shore line, commencing with Hidden Inlet, and as far north as Ketchikan shores, Mary Island, Annette Island, Duke Island, Bold Island and both shores of Clarence SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS OF LOST LOCKHEAD

ber of flights it was decided to attempt the rescue via Badger Bay and a new group of men from the McLANE, which had arrived meanwhile in Badger Bay, landed aria started blazing a trail. With the arrival at camp of Territorial Guards and others over the new trail on the evening of the 6th, a sled was made for hnHi hng the wire basket containing one badly injured survivor while a toboggan carried the other. They finally axv rived at the water's edge on Badger Bay at 1500 on the 7th. Here the McLANE had broken the ice, making it possible for small boats to work into the beach and take the rescued on board. They were taken to Ketchi kan that evening. On the 16th the party was reorgani zed and again proceeded to the scene of the wreck where the body of Miss Batzer, who died in the crash, remained. Her body was delivered to the local under takers in Ketchikan next day, preparatory to shipment to her parents later. The McLANE, after the rescue of the two injured survivors on the 7th of February, 19J43, proceeded around Mary Island on the 10th in Felice Strait, encountering heavy rain squalls and high winds. After patrolling the area, she b roke ice in Kendrick Bay and on the lUth began cruising Dixon 's Entrance. She had to seek shelter from a strong SE gale in Hunter Bay on the 15th. Dixon Entrance patrol was resumed amidst heavy weather on the 16th. On the 18th she proceeded to Kendrick Bay to pick up the logger NICKOLUS 'KRDJG and proceed with her to Ketchikan. On the 26th she resumed patrol of Clarence Strait-Dixon Entrance until March 6, 19U3. On the return to Ket chikan on the Bth she proceeded to Free Point Light to help the SEBANUS to a fish trap inNakat Bay where she was secured to shore by mooring lines. McLANE RESUMES PATROL

SPSpr*
184

On March 12, 19U3, the McLANE transported a surveyparty of four men from Ketr chikan to Forrester Island but the party was unable to land there on the 13th
due to heavy swells and sharp rocks. The McLANB
cruised in Dixon Entrance making other unsuccessful
attempts to land the party, meanwhile patrolling Clarence Strait and Dixon Entrance until March 30,
19U3, when she returned to Ketchikan.

SURVEY PARTY UNABLE TO lAND

shore of Cascade Bay, Owners asked aid in refloating the raft and after communicating wi,th plane NC 18673 the plane departed to obtain a tug. The army tug LT-l&O arrived later and took the raft in tow, as the McLANE continued patrolling until March sth, Wkk, ATTACKS CONTACT

19kk, the McLANE carried

Underway again on March 22

25, Il*3, the McLANE left Ketchikan to search for a sub reported at Hidden Inlet. She cruisEd in Dixon Entrance and up and down Pearse Canal on the 26th searching for the sub and on the 27th anchor ed in Nakat Harbor seeking shelter from a NW gale, after -which she continued the patrol until April 3,
On March

SEARCHES FOR SUB

19i*3

RETURNS TO SEATTLE
Cape

Decision and in Sumner and Clarence Straits, the McLANE was underway for Seattle on the 21st to-under go overhaul. She arrived on the 25th and remained ii repair status until June 10, 19U3, when, carrying 25 enlisted men as passengers, she departed for Ketchikan arriving on June 13, 191*3. SEARCHES FOR 19u3, she cruised in Sumer and Chatham Straits until the 22jth when she changed
course to investigate an
oil slick in the North Pacific Ocean off Baranof Island. The search plan, which took into consideration the McLANE'a limited speed and the possible courses of the enemy submarine, consisted of a series of courses in the form of a parallelogram IiOOO yards in width extending coastward. This plan enabled the McLANB to "echo range" an area of slightly more than 250 square miles in less than 18 hours. She was relieved by the CG-95002 on
the 26th, and after delivering mail at Cape Decision Lighthouse
and taking on a passenger and mail proceeded to Ketchikan on June 26, 191*3.
(War diaries from June 27 to November 13, 19U3, are not available) On November 13, 1943, the McLANE departed Ketchikan for Seattle, arriving on the lth. Departing Ketchikan June 18,

to 17, 191i3, between Cape Muzon and Warren Island, between Dixon Entrance and

After cruising from

April9

nail and stores for a number of light stations encounter ing heavy snow squalls on the 23rd at Waterfall and on the 2l;th near Forrester Island. On the 26th she made contact with her echo ranging gear at 56 18.17H, 131* 33*8* W. Sounding general quarters she dropped one depth charge. She regained the contact and dropped a four charge pattern at 05U5 An hour later, being unable to regain contact she secured from general quarters. Later that day she escorted the SS HAMAQtJA through the contact area turning her over to CGC CLOVER. Returning to the area she resumed the search with four Navy planes arriving to assist for two hours. Ten minutes after they had departed the contact was reestablished but was lost 15 minutes later. At 1300 the CLOVER arrived and assisted in the search which continued throughout the day. At 2025 the YMS-333 stood in to assist. There were no new contacts. On the 27th a seaman developed acute appendicitis and the cutter proceeded to Petersburg at full speed, being Intercepted near Labouchere Baywhere an Assistant Public Health Surgeon came aboard to examine the patient whose condition was not satis factory for plane travel. After leaving the patient at Petersburg that evening, the cutter resumed patrol arriving at Ketchikan on March 31, 19UU. ON PATROL
Leaving Ketchikan on April 6, 19hh, the McLANE proceeded

to

patrol

TO SEATTLE

carrying mail and stores for various Coast Guard sta tions in the area. On April 8, 191^, she began pa trolling Chatham Straits, Davidson Inlet, Gulf of Bsquibel, Cape Flares and Cape Muzon before returning to Ketchikan on the 31th. Resuming patrol on May k, 19hh, she relieved IP-251, carrying mail and enlisted personnel for various light stations and for Edna Bay, Craig, Forrester Island and Waterfall where she relit the Cape Flores buoy. She patrolled successfully Gulf of Bquibel, St. Nicholas Channel, Cape Decision, Sumner Straits, Cordova Bay, Chatham Straits and Capo Ommaney, a total of 122U miles and 169 hours, before being relieved by SC-998 and returning to Ketchikan on May 11, 1?U1*.

Sumner Strait area

19Ut
Returning to Alaska, the McLANE on February 9, 19kk, was en route Forrester Is land with two men aboard for transportation. Landing on the island was impossible next day due to heavy swells and the men were not land
DUTY ed until the 11th, at the soast Guard Observation Base on the island. Men were taken off for transportation

TRANSPORTATION

to Ketchikan.

On February 21*, 19UU, the McLANE reassumed the Cape Decision patrol, landing mail at Lincoln Rock Light Station, Cape Pole, Edna Bay, Steamboat Bay and Waterfall, re lighting Cape Flores Lighted Buoy and picking up mail at Forrester Island on the 26th. On the 2?th she pro ceeded to assist in the location of a lost tow in the vicinity of Peril Straits but had to take shelter at Tyee Cannery Dock on the 28th in a northerly gale. the 29th, the lost log raft was sighted on the south On

LOCATES t>6 RAift

The McLANE departed Ketchikan on June 29, 1914i, relieving the YP-251 on the North and South Outer Patrol. After delivering mail and stores for Coast Guard stations she departed Ketchikan again on June 30, 19Ui, on patrol, proceeding to Edna Bay on the Ist to land her commanding officer who became ill and was transported to Ketchikan Coast Guard Hospital by Coast Guard plane. The patrol was continu ed including Chatham Straits, Sumner Straits and the area between Forrester and Dall Islands, Cape Ommaney and Iphigenia Bay, Cape Augustine to Cape Muzon, and Gulf of Esqulbel, being relieved of patrol duty by YP-251 on July 6, 191^, and returning to Ketchikan. SAMPLES OF Departing again on patrol July 13. 19lili. SKA LION MEAT on July 13, 19kk, she re she r lieved the YP-251 of the north and south outer patrol, carrying mail, stores and personnel for Coast Guard Stations and patrolling Chatham Strait, Forrester Island to Cape Muzon and Cape Decision to Cape Ommaney. On July 16th she departed for Hazy Islands where she sent a boat and crew ashore with Mr. John Dassow to get samples of sea lion meat to be used for research

PATROL DOTY

185

purposes by the Fish and Wildlife Service laboratories. Proceeding to Craig she patrolled Bucarelli Bay, Iphi genia Bay and Cape Bartoleme, Forrester Island, Cape Muzon, before being relieved of patrol by SC-998 on the 20th and returning to Ketchikan. On July 27, 19hk, the McLANE relieved the SC-998 of the North and South Outer Patrol carrying nail and stores for Coast Guard Stations and then patrolling the entrances to Chatham and Stuner Straits, the area east of Forrester Island, proceeded to Craig on August 2, 19hk, to pick up mail for Ket chikan returning there on August 3rd, 19Ui. ON PATROL On September 17, 19kh, the fishing vessel ARB-8 (HATJJES) nas aground at Dangerous River and a party of three were stranded on the beach beyond their boat. The McLANE, then temporarily at Juneau was dispatched to assist. Food and other necessary articles were dropped to the stranded party by civilian aircraft. The McLANEs surfboat capsized with the stranded party aboard and all hands were rescued but the surfboat was lost. On arrival at Yakutat one woman was pronounced dead by an Army doctor and the McLANE was directed by dispatch to re turn to Ketchikan with the other two survivors. (Further War Diaries for 19UU
are not available). ASSISTANCE

\u25a0lies from Cape Decision and towed a drifting buoy to Sitka. On the 22nd she took the CG-85OOU in tow at Kasaan Bayand proceeded to Ketchikan. On the to the 25th she proceeded caught vicinity of Tyee to assist in a fish trap, but the in freeing a whale whale freed itself ASSISTANCE
prior

tS^bctb^

to her arrival.

On August 23, 19U5, the McLANE proceeded to Peters burg with the District Sal vage Crew and equipment to assist in freeing a buoy anchor chain from the propeller of the SS A. M. BAXTER. A small boat, with four crew Members from the BAXTER, capsized as they attempted to board the MeLANE but were rescued and brought aboard. During slack water the chain was removed from the BAXTER'S propeller and the McLANB proceeded to Cape Decision, taking divers and diving equipment to Ward Cove to investigate the damage done the BAXTER before returning to Ketchikan* SEARCHES FOR PLANE After making a trip to Loring, with a recreation party
Base, the

19U5

ROUTINE PATROLS
During January 19U5, the
McLANE did routine and un eventful patrol between Caps
Ommaney and Yakutat, being

from Ketchikan Coast Guard McLANE proceeded

to Linooln Rock Fog Signal to take aboard a Naval
Reserve Lieutenant from the SS LAKINA for transporta tion to Ketchikan, proceeding to Sitka with personnel and supplies on the 7th. On the 13th she proceeded to Clarence Straits in company with the CTANK to search for an Alaska Coastal Airway plane overdue at Ketchikan, but discontinued the search and returned to Ketchikan at 165U. On the 20th she assisted in calibrating the Direction Finder Station at Biorka Island*
CGC NEMAHA

relieved of this patrol by the AURORA twice, for seven day periods, during this period. This patrol was resumed on February 8, and continued until the 20th when the McLANE and AURORA were dispatched to search for a reported RFD bearing between Icy Point and Cape Cross, same being discontinued on the 23rd. During March 19U5, the McLANE patrolled 2070 miles in the above area without event, being relieved twice on seven day periods by the AURORA. During April the McLANE 19U5* 5, 191*5, was on Cape Ommaney patrol from a April and was relieved by the AUBDRA for week on the 12th, before resuming the patrol for the rest of the month. While on routine patrol in the Cape Onmaney Ocean Cap* area, the McLANE was dispatchEd on May 19, 19U5, toward the Dangerous River to assist the fishing vessel SUCCESS. The SUCCESS was sighted high and dry 2 miles north of Dangerous River on the 20th with no crew present and the McLANB pro ceeded to Yakutat to contact the master of the vessel. On the 21st the cutter returned to the scene of the stranding with the master and crew of six attempting unsuccessfully to land in the surf. On the 22nd, the master and crew were taken overland to the scene by amphibious vessel and attempted to put a line ashore without success. On the 23rd,. succeeded in putting a line ashore with the aid of balloons and as the CYANS arrived to assist, the McLANE commenced towing at slow speed. The hawser parted at 700 RPM, being frayed, it was believed, as the CYANE passed over it. On the 2Uth the towing hawser was located in the surf and secured to the CYANE who succeeded in floating the SUCCESS next day at high tide, and towed to Yaku tat, where the McLANE was relieved of patrol by the CYANE and departed for Seattle, via Juneau and Ketchi kan. She remained in Seattle until July sth when she proceeded to Ketchikan, arriving on the 7th. ASSISTANCE
WHALE INFISH TRAP

(WSC-lW)

The CGC NEMAHA (TBSC-1U8) was built at Camden, New Jersey, in 1927, and commissioned on CHARACTERISTICS April 19, 1927. She was 125 feet long with a 23 foot 6 inch beam and drew 9 feet with a displacement of 220 tons. She had a steel hull. Her 350 HP diesel motor drove twin screw propellers, giving her a speed of 11 knots.. Her permanent station on July 1, 19ul, was Ketchikan, Alaska.
COMMISSIONING AND

PATROL AND ESCORT DOTY

\u25a0

Early in January 19U2, the NEMAHA reported to Conraander,

duty. On February ID, 19U2,

she assisted in floating the USS SAINT MIHIEL, grounded
Passage. in Seward's From March 1, 19U2, through
April18, 19U2, the NEMAHA was moored at Lake Union
Dry Dock and Machine Works, Seattle, Washington, undergoing engine overhaul and alterations. The first available reports of her Alaska operations were on May 16, 19U2, when she was cruising on patrol in Tongass Narrows, Revillagigedo Channel, Clarence Straits, Wrangell Narrows and Icy Straits until May 23rd identifying vessels and maintaining underwater sound and radio silence. The patrol continued during patrolling inland waterways, the NEMAHA was escorting Army Transports and engaging in various drills. Fre quent maintenance of radio silence, manning battle stations characterized the daily routine which includ ed patrol of Lynn Canal, Icy Straits, Cross Sound
and Stephens Passage

Alaskan

Security,

for escort

the week

ending May

30, 19U2, when in addition to

191*5, to a point 120 miles

proceeding on July 9

RESCUES SURVIVORS OF U. S. PLANE " BUMHKD hT

H,

19U2, the NEMAHA was with the

Army contingent at Chernofski. She picked up a United States

During the bombardment of Dutch Harbor on June 3 5i

186

plane damaged by gunfire. from a Japanese fighter plane while cruising in from Kupreanof Straits to Unimak Pass. The plane had made a forced landing. Taking aboard the surviving personnel they were transported to Kodiak Naval Station as the plane was sunk by exploding the gas tank in the wing. On June 32, 19U2, the NBMAHA exchanged signals with a FBI plane which dropped a bomb on her port side, distant about two miles. The plane circled and dropped a second bomb seventy-five yards off the port beam, spraying the vessel with shrapnel. The NEMAHA maneu vered to avoid being struck. The plane's challenge had been answered and it was not fired upon because it had been positively identified as an American plane. During the week ending June 13, 19i*2, the NEMAHA cruised in the vicinity of Shilikof Strait and Cold Bay, guarding the USS HATF3ELD in Women's Bay, Kodiak Island and a U. S. Army Barge at Cold Bay which was discharging a load of ammunition at the Naval Section Base. Cruising continued during the week ending June 20, 19U2> in the patrol area. Dur ing the week ending June 27, 19U2, she cruised in Ber ing Sea, identifying vessels and planes, continuing

At 0220 on October 18, 19U2, the NEMAHA exchanged recognition signals with es cort vessels of a two ship west bound convoy between Scotch Cap and Akun Head. The "JK" listening device proved to be of great value as the supersonic note of the escort vessel was picked up in sufficient time to maneuver and avoid collision with vessels of

o Piteviiflrrs coiiiisf n Sub search

LISTENINGDEVICE

the convoy. At 1225 the cutter escorted the S-18 into Dutch Harbor. Two days later on the 20th she escorted the S-35 to Dutch Harbor and on arrival re ceived instructions to search for an enemy submarine reported sighted off the* Harbor entrance. She con tinued the search through the 23rd as she escorted S-314. through Akutan Pass. Returning through the

pasSj extremely dangerous tide rips and seas, approxi mately 20 feet in height, were encountered making the passage very hazardous.

PATROL

this cruise until- July 2, 191*2, when she moored at Dutch Harbor to receive fuel and stores. Bering Sea cruising continued July 3rd, including the southern entrance to Akutan Pass on the l*th where she identir fied vessels and planes. The same area was cruised during the -Reek ending July 11th, where she Identified planes and vessels including a U. S. convoy of two transports and one destroyer, two U. S. army bombers, two U. S. P-38 planes, a U. S. convoy eastbound, Navy patrol planes and PBT patrol planes. PATROL DUTYSEARCHES PUR

Moored at Dutch Harbor until October 29, 19U2, the NEMAHA began patrolling the harbor entrance on that date challenging and identifying vessels until the 31st. She continued to patrol the harbor entrance during the following week. On November 1, 19U2, she received information of a possible enemy submarine at 166 30 'W, $k 06' N and proceeded toward the reported contact where, after communicating with IP-UOO, she resumed regular harbor entrance patrol. (Further war diaries for 19i|2 are not available).

WSf

PLANE SURVIVORS Island and Niloski Harbor

Landing supplies.

18, 19U2,

During the week ending July

the NEMAHA cruised the Akutan Pass area, iden tifying vessels and on the

19U3
On January 12, 191*3, the NEMAHA relieved the YP-333 of Harbor Entrance Patrol in Unalaska Bay, identifying escorting vessels to Broad Bay for boarding and and routing. This patrol continued during the week ending January 23, 19U3, after which she was moored at Un alaska until the 26th. On that date she stood out for Akun Head to rendezvous with the submarine S-23 and escort her to Dutch Harbor, after which she re sumed patrol. Harbor entrance patrol of Dutch Harbor continued during the week ending February 6, 191*3> during which the YP-814. was towed into Dutch Harbor because of engine trouble. Patrol ended on February 7, 19U3, when the cutter was relieved by TP-338 and moored in Dutch Harbor for rest and recreation for the crew and minor repairs to the vessel.

PATROL AND ESCORT

16th anchored off Bogoslof

taking on personnel and During the week ending July 25, 19^2, she drifted in the patrol area communicating with Russian vessels and proceeded to Protection Bay where she searched for a crasned plane, sending a shore party to search the mountaine without results. From July 26th to 29th she cruised and drifted on patrol in the vicinity of Akutan Pass identifying planes and vessels and mooring at Dutch Harbor, Naval AirStation on the 29th. Patrol was resumed in Akutan Pass until August I*, 191*2. On the sth she re turned to Dutch Harbor with a sick man who was put ashore there next day. The patrol of Unimak pass continued through October 3, 19U2,mooring in Dutch

Harbor for various intervals of relief.

On October 7, 192|2, after placing an officer ashore at Malga Bay, Unalga Island, the NEMAHA proceeded, in company with the USS MINNE HAHA through Akutan Pass to Cape Parkof Mountainous seas were encountered in Akutan Pass as the cutter proceeded against wind and tide. Parting company with the MINNSHAHA off Caps' Parkof the cutter proceeded on October 8, 191*2, to Sanak Harbor but was unable to deliver mail, due to high seas, until the 9th. The report that Sanak village was without food was in vestigated and found to be unfounded. The 10th was spent patrolling the area from Cape Pankof to Cold Bay, using underwater listening devices until re lieved by the TP-U+9. Proceeded to Dutch Harbor, searching en route for the Submarine reported off Cape Parkof by means of underwater listening devices. During the WBek ending October 17, 191*2, the cutter patrolled Dutch Harbor entrance and on the 17th was ordered to Akutan Pass on the 16th to meet and escort the USS S-18 into Dutch Harbor, maintaining underwater sound watejk^. SUB SEARCH

Net Patrol at Dutch Harbor entrance and at the anti submarine net in IluilluikBay. Relieved by the TP 338 on the 18th she moored at Dutch Harbor and re sumed Harbor Entrance Patrol on the 20th. This patrol was continued through March 6, 191*3. (No further war diaries on the NEMAHA are available).

February Ik, V?h3, she was underway to resume Har bor Entrance Patrol in UnAlaska Bay, being relieved same day to proceed to Bay to assist the USAT TROJAN who was aground Agmagik there. The TROJAN was refloated on February 15, 191*3 and the patrol resumed and after being relieved on the 16th, she proceeded to relieve the TP-338 of Loop

ASSISTANCE

On

(ex-FOHEMOST)

IP-251

CONVERTED HALIBUT BOAT December 23, 191*1*

The TP-251 (ex-FOREMOST)

had been commandeered by
the Navy and turned over to
the Ketchikan District on
She was 79 feet 8 inches long and

J^. ./\u25a0\u25a0 cW>

1

*'\u25a0

187

was a former halibut boat.

Her commanding officer was Lt. Neils P. Thomsen, USCG. She was on Captain of the Port duty and also acted as a patrol vessel, assigned to Craig, Alaska, during 19U2. PLANE BOMBS SOB

promised the skipper was in the bag. Slop, seas, rolling and pitching, general quarters in life bolts. Life boats made ready, codes and ciphers in weighted bag, all hands at battle stations throughout the

night."

On July 7, 19U2, a Boling broke Mark k bomber #9118 reconnaissance plane of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with a crew of four, left Annette Island landing field on a routine patrol. At 1759 the crew observed in grid 86 Kepner 63, a churn ing in the water in what appeared to be light, smoke puffs one half mile to the starboard of the wind. The plane was at 1500 feet, flying course 21*5, at 163 miles per hour, with unlimited visibility. The pilot made a 180 circle to target to right, dropping ap proximately 1000 feet and releasing a 2so pound anti submarine bomb at 500 feet, making a direct hit. The description cf the target when the bomb was released was that it was similar in shape to a cigar, well over 100 feet in length. The dark outline was just under the surface and the explosion was evidently 10 to 20 feet underwater, throwing a column of water 60 feet into the air. No debris was observed. The circled, observing this colored water and aircraft slight oil slick 200 feet to IjOO feet in diameter, but got no sight or track of air bubbles. Planes from Sitka and Ketchikan were sent out and surface craft alerted. All during July 8, 19U2, searches were made without contact. On the morning of July 9, the McLANE and TP-251 were working together in the area and made a contact about 0600. LT. THOMSENS ACCOUNT "The FOREMOST (YP-251) was just a good old converted

halibut boat" recounts

to clogging and that they were taking water. They wallowed and rolled until the pumps irere cleaned up. Meanwhile there was no sight nor sound of the sub marine. The next day (July 7, 19U2) was good and the They were underway again at 0800 sea had subsided. to search the shore lines and cores and adjoining passages on the supposition that the sub might be lying in some cove taking water. Fishing vessels were questioned but had no news. Coastal patrol planes flew overhead at regular intervals. The YP2^l again began taking water and headed back into one of the coves to make repairs. At 0300 (July 8, 191*2) a
message was received that
the patrol planes had sighted churning water at
6 7.11. (July 7, 191*2) in a position UO miles off shore from where the YP-251 then was, had bombed it and made a direct hit as recounted above. The sub marine had submerged but left a considerable oil slick. The plane had requested that search for wreckage be made.

At 2330 that night (July 6) the engine stopped and the engineer reported that the bilge pumps had failed due
SEARCH FOR SUB

SUB SIGHTED

A PLAN

Neils P. Thomsen, USCG,

commanding officer of the YP-251 (exFOHEMOST) "Guns and depth charges took the place of fishing gear. She had taken many terrific poundings in the heavy sea, but she always came back for more. She had been in numerous rescues, but one thought in the minds of all was to get a submarine. I been in command of her
had for sometime and how I liked the packet, notwithstand ing the 12 out and 3 in patrols. On this occasion,
we had left our Base with a blessing of the skipper and how I remember the greeting that I will received when I his office. "Well, Thomsen, good luck to left you. Maybe this time you will get a Jap. I going am to keep you and the old MAC (CGC McLANE) in the hot spot for the whole trip. Go to it, the subs are still out there!' I left with the determination and feeling that we must bring home the bacon." Lt. Thomson re turned to his ship and delivered a pep talk to the crew. "The old pep talk had its effect" his story continues. "Allthe gang wanted to become gunners; the cook did not want to cook and the engineer did not want to engineer, they all wanted to fight."
FIRST

Lt.

minutes our plan was sunk, we surely would see oil and wreckage in the area. If she was seriously damaged, she would head for the hot spot eithier offshore or inshore. To gether we started combing the area inshore. At day break (July 9, 191*2) a mine sweeper joined the search. No luck; and what was worse, at 1200, the rain came and hit a short while later, wind and rough seas. The mine sweeper left, but the MAC and the FOREMOST (TP-251) continued the search along standard plans. The MAC on the irside with her ears and we on the out side. Our propeller noises would drive the sub in or out. If inside, the big ears of the MAC would pick her up and if outside, then we would catch the craft on the larger square."
They drifted and kept quiet
so as not to scare the
quarry away. Most
of the hardened seamen were sea sick in the roll and pitch. The night seemed to last forever. They felt sure the submarine was 3till in the area. Daylight (July 9, 191*2) brought planes

"Here was old To jo again" Thomsen continues. "The MAC was called and in a few of operation worked out. Ifthe sub

SEARCH CONTINUES A CONTRACT

WARNING off shore, zigging and zagg ing through the area. It was sloppy and getting worse. I asked the MAC about her weather and sh> said not so good and not getting better fast. We *e:rv beginning to take it, but we were on patrol and had a job and, sea or no sea, wind or no wind, the FOHEMOST was going to be there. At 1715 that afternoon we intercepted a plain language message from a cannery to our base station as follows j 'Submarine periscope sighted off Cape about one thousand yards off beach. There is no doubt about it, it is a submarine The old man had indoctrinated these fishermen. He had given them pictures of subs. I darn sure that there was was our baby. 1718 saw us going full speed to the posi tion zigging en route. The MAC had been told about it and so she also came from the southward. My mind was filled with plans and other plans. The sub I had

"July sixth (19^2) found us

.'

that joined in the search. At BisO A. A. the McLANE broke formation and acted most strangely and soon signalled "I have a good sub contact." The YP-251 notified the McLANE that she would continue to drift and be ready for action. The McLANE fired a depth charge about 0900 but it seemed to be a dud. At 0915 however, the YP-251 got a terrific shock from a heavyexplosion that occurred underwater not far away. The disturbance was well clear of the McLANB but she felt it. The conclusion reached by Lt. Thomsen was that the depth charge had probably landed on the deck of the sub and, being set at too deep, failed to explode until it dislodged itself. The McLANE came alongside the YP-251 and after reporting, it was decided to follow the original plan. After searching with negative results Lt. Thomsen decided to take both vessels back to the scene of the first contact, which

was a shallow area.

ordered to come astern of the YP-25lj*'taaia^^ column 50 feet apart.

Arriving there the McLANE was

'^mBbSP^T

.,t

188

TQJIffiflHQSteffi. ;4
from port.

**'

"At about this time" Thomsen continues "a tor

with wide open eyes and with gaping mouth following

pedo was seen coming at us A cry went up from my crew Torpedo! 1 Lt. McLANS, pointed at itand followed it Burns, of the across the bow of the McLANE not more than 21* feet was away and in the wake of the backing vessel. I told that for a second or so all I was to stare did

the torpedo with pointing finger on its futile mission.

It was an air driven torpedo. There was a stream of air or water like a tail feather as it came along. There was no doubt of it being a torpedo. Too many of us saw it and recognized it. What a silly thing for me to do, stop and drift and make an easy target for the Japs. The officer of the day of the MAC and the gunner on watch on the FOREMOST spotted a peri scope simultaneously. Lt. Burns, reported at that juncture that he had made contact again and that the signals were so loud that he thought that his gang were chipping paint. He assured himself that this noise was not in his vessel, FOREMOST made a dash for the periscope while the MAC followed. Left fullrudder and full speed ahead was given. My im patience must have bothered the chief, he yelled up God love the sailor and have mercy on this engine. 1 Itwas making UO more turns than he had rrr ran it."
to the spot and I gave the signal to let go. 'Chow down l yelled Havelka, the cook, (this he yelled whenever he let go a depth charge) and bango went the depth charge. 'Chow down l again and bango went another depth charge. Up came the MAC with two. Air bubbles and oilbubbles were gave orders for plenty, but we were not satisfied. I another attack as a buoy was dropped to mark the spot. Would you believe it, a contact was again made by the MAC, this time the noise was so loud, sounding like heavy pounding either due to engine or propeller trouble. Itwa3 not long before the periscope was again seen by our two ships and the FOREMOST (YP-251) made a dash for it." BOMBS DROPPED SUB RAMMED "We crashed the submarine "We got

The successful sinking put the YP-251 on the alert. She was sent on another search 30 miles north of the combat area, but no signs of any other submarine or torpedoes were seen. At 2300 on July 9, 19U2, she received a "Well done" frcm commanding officer at the base. In view of certain suspicious reports having been made by two of the patrolling vessels that had investigated all the harbors on the west coast for signs of recent landings, possible caches, and probable oil stations, it was decided to place radiomen in canneries and other strategic positions. This was done because canneries, in shutting down, usually left a full supply of fuel oil, diesel oil, gasoline and food and maintained their radio stations throughout the year. Four to ten men were assigned to each. These men
not only checked the identification of personnel, but also investigated the movements of all
fishing vessels. They also inspected the harbors in
their respective areas for evidence of enemy activi ties. ARE MANNED CHALLENGES ARMY SCOW On July 22, 191*2, the YP 251 sighted a dark colored

CANNERIES

vessel several miles off

shore and challenged her

without receiving a reply. The TP sounded a whistle
and ordered the vessel to heave to but the vessel
con tinued at top speed. The TP prepared to fire across her bow but after 15 minutes she was identified as an army scow and the YP held fire. The master was caution ed to heave to when approached by a patrol vessel or run the risk of being fired upon. The master of the vessel, which was power Scow #110, said he knew nothing about identification procedure. It was believed he would stop in the future as he was much disturbed at looking down gun barrels.
On July 26, 19k2, the YP-251 received a message that a submarine had been sighted in BucareUL Bay at 730 the previous evening and was underway towards the area at full speed entering the bay at 0330. The engine was slowed down to reduce engine exhaust noise as the YP searched close to shore for signs of the. submarine , Anchoring in Port San
Antonio she sent a search party ashore
to comb all beaches in the bay, for signs of landing parties and all the shore of Port San Antonio was searched at low tide for such signs but without result. Then she load ed ammunition and bombs at the Coast Guard Depot for delivery to the Annette Island Air Field on August 5, 191*2, after which she cruised as far as Cape Muzon and thence between Cape Chacon and Barren Island until August 13, 192*2. PATROL DUTY

SUB SEARCHED

inches out of center, we felt as though we were running over a rock pile. Two depth charges from the FOREMOST almost blew us out of the water. The McLANE was con ing up behind us to let fly when our charges went off. Boy, we surely brought up the air bubbles and the oil, and did the McLANE finish him off with two more. The bumpy noise stopped. Large gushing bubbles of oil and air came to the surface. The water was filled with a form of rock wool. We zig-zagged over the area for the next 12 hours, oil came to the surface con stantly from the same spot. Itcovered the area for miles. We picked up some of the oil and tested it, I don't know why I didn't bring in some to the skipper. The following A. M. we still saw oil coming to the surface, the same old Jsuoy still watching the spot for us." CONFIRMATION

hard, then through knocking the false keel about 8

AWARDS AND

Commanding

YP-251

Lt. Neils P. Thomsen, USCG, Officer of the

(ex-FOHEMOST) was

awarded the Legion of Merit The same award went to Lt. Ralph Burns, USCG, command ing the McLANE. The sinking of this Japanese submar ine, the RO-32, at 55 20 N, UO' W, on July 9, 191*2, was subsequently confirmed by Japanese records uncovered after the war and was included in the Navy

Forrester to Coronation Islands. On the 25th several rocks near the beach were identified and on the 27th objects near the beach inside Cape Bartolome were found
to be trap patrol boats.
ASSISTS BARGE Ed to the assistance tow off Wolk Harbor. which was adrift she in tow and proceeding
Patrolling Dixon's Entrance and Clarence Strait during and Clarence Strait during the week. ending September
the

Leaving Ketchikan on August 20, 19U2, the YP-251 departEd on assigned patrol from Cape Ommaney to Forrester Island through the 22nd. Contacting the YF-250 on that day near Cape Decision, the commanding officer's relief came aboard. Patrol continued through the week ending August 29, 191*2, in the vicinity of Coronation and Hazy Islands and from

130

Department's release of June 27, 191*6, being offi cially credited to the USCGC McLANB, USS YP-251 (ex-

15, 19h2,

FOHEMOST) and the RCAF Air Corps.

of the SS CHILKOOT with barge in Putting a line on the barge, took both' the CHILKOOT and barge
to

YP-251 proceed-

sea, turned them over to ST-5lo

\u25a04

189

SOB SEARCHES

Entrance.

On the morning of September 26, 191+2, the YP-251 and the CGC McLANB engaged in searching for a submarine reported by merchant vessels off Cape Spencer. Again on October 2, 19U2, the two vessels searched for a submarine reported offDixon's

On October 12, 19h2, the YP-251 picked up 8 gasoline drums belonging to the U. S. Army but sighted no wreckage and returned to base. From October llith to 20th she patrolled Clarence Strait and Dixon 's Entrance. While again patrolling Clarence Strait entrance on November 12, 19U2, she intercepted a message that a barge was adrift off Tolstoi Point but, due to low visibility, was able to sight nothing. After loading stores at Annette Island, she departed for Ketchikan.* Here an alert was sounded on November 16, 19U2, and she patrolled Clarence Strait on the 17th. During the week ending December 12, 191*2, she patrolled Clarence Strait identifying vessels, lying at anchor part of the time, waiting for the weather to clear. DRIFTING
OIL DRUMS

received verbal orders to proceed to the vicinityox Lincoln Rock and relieve the halibut boat McKINLEY of her tow, the fishing vessel ZENITH. This -was ac complished and the IP proceeded to Ketchikan with the tow, mooring on the 22nd. On the 2ljth she proceeded to Battery Island, Wrangell Narrows, to assist the Army vessel FP-37 which was aground there. Anchoring off Battery Island on the 25th she awaited high water and, with the cannery tender KARLUK assisting, pulled the Army vessel off the rocks after which she proceed ed to Ketchikan under her own power. EXTINGUISHES
FIRE On April 30, 191j3, the

19U3
After undergoing repairs at Ketchikan until January 8, 19U3, the YP-251 patrolled Clarence Strait until the 16th when she again moored the 30th she was underway standing at Ketchikan. On north through Tongass Narrows in thick falling snow and poor visibility. Relieving the YP-250 she patroll ed Clarence Strait in thick snow and a NE wind,mooring at Ship Island that afternoon. Next day, with the weather moderating, she proceeded northward in Clarence Strait, patrolling in the vicinity of Ship Island on February 1, 19U3, and anchoring at Ratz Harbor waiting for the fog to lift. Daily patrols followed in Clarence Strait and the area between Ship Island and Myers Chuck, anchoring in Lyman anchorage on the Uth, waiting for the weather to clear. Hearing a distress call that a vessel was swamping at Brothers Island she was under way in thick snow until ordered to return to Ketchikan where she moored on February 6th, 19i*3. PATROL DUTY SIGHTS DRIFTWOOD
SEARCHES SHORE

Chacon and Cape Huzon and continued on patrol until May 8, 19U3, when she re turned to Ketchikan. While moored there on the lUth she rendered prompt assistance to the fishing vessel BROWNIE by extinguishing a fire caused by the overflow of oil in the galley stove. Next day she was underway patrolling Dixon Entrance and remained on patrol until Again May 22, 191*3, when she returned to Ketchikan. on Dixon Entrance patrol on May 28, 19U3* she remained there identifying vessels and planes until June k, 19U3> when she returned to Ketchikan. She again patrolled Dixon Entrance from June 11th to 18th, and, from June 25 to July 3 patrolled between Cape Muzon and Forres ter Island and Cape Muzon and Cape Addington. The Cape Muzon-Cape Addington patrol was resumed on July 9, 191*3, until she returned to Ketchikan on July 17, 19U3 (Further 19U3-W* war diaries of the YP-251 are not available)

patrol area between Cape

YP-251 proceeded to the

19U5
PATROL DUTY
by the During January Cape

191*5, the
in the
being re

YP-251 patrolled
Fox area,

Strait returning to Ketchi kan on the 19th. On two occasions she sighted large amounts of drift wood. She again patrolled Clarence Strait during the week ending March 6, 19U3, investi gating the Port of Craig and Waterfall Cannery before mooring at Ketchikan on March 6, 191*3. Again patroll ing Clarence Strait on March 12, 19U3, she relighted the Kasaan Light, and returned to Ketchikan on March 18, 19^3. Again underway on March 26, 19U3, north ward through Tongass Narrows, she patrolled from Guard Island to Ship Island, anchoring at Port Tongass on the 29th. In Tillmore Inlet and armed boat crew de parted to search the shoreline *to the head of the inlet and also the west shoreline with negative results. The search of the shore line was continued on the 30th and regular patrol resumed on the 31st, the YP returning to Ketchikan on April 3, 19U3. Patrol was resumed off Guard Island and in Clarence Strait on April 9, 19U3, the YP putting into Steamer Bay on the 11th awaiting moderation of the weather, returning to base on the 12th. After radio repairs, patrol off Guard Island and Clarence Strait was resumed until April 17, 19U3. ASSISTANCE On
April ZL,

Departing Ketchikan again on February 12, 19U3, the

YP-251 patrolled Clarence

lieved YP-1401 for seven day periods twice dur ing the month. This patrol was continued during February 19U5> as she relieved the YP-I*Ol twice for seven day periods. The same area was patrolled, al ternately with the YP-iiOl for two seven day periods, during March 19U5. On April 5 19i*5, the YP-251 re lieved the YP-UOl on Cape Fox patrol delivering mail and supplies to Mary Island Light Station. On the 17th she departed to assist the YP-UOl which had struck a submerged rock and took her in tow to Ketchikan. She maintained the routing patrol for the rest of April being relieved by the CG-90001. (May 191*5 War Diary of the YP-251 is not available). ASSISTANCE
ing passengers,
The

PATROL RESUMED

trol June 7, 19U5, discharg mail and freight at Mary Island Light Station and Free Point Light Station. On June 11, 191*5 she was ordered to search for the MADURA in the vicinity of Rudyerd Bay and searched Ihe west side of Behm Canal, Manzanita Cove and Walker Cove before discontinuing search on radio orders on the ll*th. She was in port until the 22nd when she relieved the YP-UOl of patrol duties, delivering passengers, mail and freight to Mary Island Light Station. On June 29, 19U5, she proceeded to aid the fishing boat NORRONA who was on the rocks off Caamano Point. She contacted the vessel off Ward Cove standing for Ketchikan and being advised she was able to proceed, the YP-251 stood by until she was able to tie up at Ketchikan.
LOCATES

YP-251 relieved the YP-UOl on the Cape Fox pa

192*3, the YP-251

was ordered to Judd Harbor to locate a suspicious metal which was found on the beach north of Judd Harbor and the Jap, S^S^SSSke Recovery Unit directed to it. On the ed to Kwain Bay to aid the fishing boat HBNOWN and towed
object
\u25a0

JAP BALLOON

On July 7, 19l;5, the YP

i(|j:^^sfcH^ed

cHlial

190

her to Ketchlkan.
MORE ASSISTANCE

She was next directed to assist the KENHOHB which had become disabled en route the fishing fleet and locating her in the vicinity of Patterson Island, adrift due to engine failure, took nor in tow for Ketchikan. After conducting routine patrols until August 18, 19U5, she was ordered to proceed to Port land Canal and maintain an alert for fishermen using nets, contrary to law. Her operations during Septem ber 19U5 were routine. LAW ENFORCEMENT

No trace could be found of a second bomb reported off Barren Island. On August 13, 19U5, she towed the disabled fish boat DOMINO from Mary Island Light to Ket chikan, after which she continued her regular patrol.

(ex-SPENCER)
The YP-250 (ex-SPENCER) was 6k feet 5 inches long and was manned by the Coast Guard on April 29, 19U2. Her Coast Guard crew was removed in April19UU* She was assign to Captain of the Port, Craig, Alaska. ed COAST GUAHD MANNED the week ending October 3, 19U2, the YP-250 patrolled Tongass Narrows on course 311, identifying vessels and sighting those that could not be identified. During the week ending December 25, 19U2, she patrolled the vicinity of Guard Island, Caamano Point, Helm Bay, Grundall Point and Channel Island returning to Ketchikan on December 25, PATROL DUTY
During

YP-250

(exHMDNTEHEY)

TP-UOI

The YP-JjOl (ex-MONTERBT) was 110 feet long and after being commandeered by the Navy was manned by Navy crew until January 22, I9UI, when a Coast Guard crew took over. The Coast Guard crew was removed October 2U, 19U5* As a Navy manned vessel the YP-UOl engaged in patrol work in Alaska during 19U2 and 19U3. On February 8, 19Ui, she departed Seattle for Ketchikan with her first Coast Guard crew. She moored there on the 12th and on the same day proceeded to Ifrangell, delivering supplies to the Captain of the Port there. She returned to Ketchikan on February 13, 19U1j.. (Fur ther 19hh war diaries are not available) COAST GUARD

19U2.

19U3
The YP-250 patrolled from Guard Island to Rosa Reef from January 1 to January 8, 191i3, when she returned to Ketchikan. On January 15, 19U3, she departed Ketchikan patrolling the same area, anchoring in Myers Chuck on the 20th so that the crew could chip ice 18 to 20 inches thick from the deck and sides of the vessel. On the 22nd while drifting near Ship Island the IP signalled a south bound vessel which failed to answer, and at OOUO she fired a Very flare in the ship's direction, stopping off at Guard Island to obtain the call letters of the vessel (WXHT) before returning to Ketchikan. The next patrol of the YP-250 which was reported was that between February 26, 19U3, between Caamano Point and Guard Island. CHALLENGES SHIP
PATROL DUTY

19U5
PATROL DUTY
During January 19U5, the YP-bOl patrolled the Cape Fox area being relieved of the patrol twice for seven day periods by the YP 251. The patrol continued during February and March 19U5 for the sama periods with the same relief.

While on the same patrol on April17,, 19^5, the YPUOl struck a submerged rock damaging her rudder so that she was unable to steer and requiring the assistance of the YP-251 to make port. She was under repair until April 28, 19U5,- and in port at Ketchikan for the bal ance of the month. During May 19U5, she again assumed patrol duties, relieving the YP-251 twice during the month and delivering mail and supplies and transport ing personnel to and from light stations, challenging and identifying vessels sighted in the patrol area during this period. RUDDER DAMAGE ASSISTANCE
Patrolling the Cape Fox

YP-250 cruised on patrol again on March 7-8, 191i3,

The then she moored at the Coast

she returned to Ketchikan and departed on the 11th in search of the yacht MADURA. After searching all bays and inlets from the south end of Behm Canal to Walker Cove without finding any trace of the yacht, it was later* learned that the yacht had returned to Ketchikan under her own power from the north end of the Behm Canal. On the 18th she searched the Revillagigedo Channel for a fishboat until relieved of patrol on the 22nd by the YP-251. During. July 19h5 she towed In the disabled fishing vessel FLOYD from southwest of Angle Point to Ketchikan and also escorted the CG-50076 from Yes Bay to Ketchikan, when a slight squall developed on the 22nd. On August 9, 19U5, after relieving the YP-251 of patrol in the Cape, Fox area a smoke bomb was observed Revillagigedo Channel.' The bomb was picked up in the five miles from Mary Island Light and patrol resumed PICKS UP SMOKE BOMB

area until June 7, 19U5

19U3

Guard Section and Repair Base, Ketchikan. The next patrol of record was from Sitka on June 27, 19U3, in cluding Sitka, St. Lazaria Island, Symonds Bay and Biocka Island. This ended at Sitka on July 2, 19U3. On July 10, 191i3, she was underway again on the assign ed patrol area off Cape Ommaney, Cape Decision and East Cora Point, anchoring in Alikula Bay on the 15th, re suming patrol on the 16 th. On Julx 18, 19U3, she was again underway patrolling off Cape Decision until the 21st and Clarence Strait through the 21+tfa, (Further

- U5

War Diaries of the

YP-250 are not available).

191

PART I
APPENDIX A

SYMBOLS: (G) German (I) Italian (J) Japanese Ifno symbol see total

SUBMARINES SUNK BY M0NTBS( 1) WORLD WAR H

NX B T

(1) Based on detail* revealed in enemy records found after the war and released by U. S. Navy 6/27/U6.

i J1939
October November December

'

BRITISH BIPIHB U. 3. NAVY: U. S. ARMI U. S. COAST GUARD COLLISION ICTNB UNKNOWN j TOTAL , OR EUROPEAN ALLfSD .. OR MARINS I AIR | VESSEL VESSELS AIR VESSEL AIR AIR CASUALTY J ;Q I
\u25a0

GRAND TOTAL

jseptember

2 2 2 1 7

;
;
!

,
'

I2

i
!

;
i

j
j
j

2
:
\u25a0

\
:

k
2 1 9

i
i
j

:
',

i2 11

!
;

II;
'

:
2
'

TOTAL 1939

19l0
January

|
1

\ j
j I

I
i

;
;
\u25a0

'

;
i

\9

\
j
'

j j

j .

February April
,

g
i 6 i 1G

|
;
'. 3

| 1

j |
I

|
1 :1

;l
1

[
'

\u25a0

\_
i
,\u25a0

;_g I 7
\u25a0

g
1 1 10

j
\u25a0

Ms:
.Tune

\
\ ;
Uj

'

j
i

\
\ j
f

|
|

:
1

\u25a0

i23z
\u25a0August September

\ j

\
i

j
3G
\u25a0'

i ;2

j
1
IS

j
'

30

'

3l|

U
1 $ 3 3

1 i -*E![!!! 1 ! i October i ; ; j jfl , <j ; jj; ; ; ! ; ' ; I November U i;\;! ;

;
\u25a0 \u25a0

! !

'\
\u25a0

\u25a0

December TOTAL 19140

2
20

\u25a0

;
\

j
'

1 2

:!
;
i

1 ij , ! ! ! 2 l|

j
|
'

2
;

\u25a0

;22

i 3j 20J
3

U2
3 7 2

I9iti
January

I
1

.1

i
;
\u25a0

';

.;
;

March
April

55
2

l|

21

I
j
\

; ;
[

:
;

:
\u25a0

r
i

;[
j
:

\u25a0

Ji-1

\ u^-!-j -j k . ;
;
June 21
2g
July August

j
'

<

; hh'y
\u25a0

1_
6 2

l_2
I 2

j II
21 31

September

October November December

TOTAL 19hl

.! 1So"1
j

'

1 '

'
\u25a0

j
;

lfij ;

|
j

So"
U 2G

\u25a0'

!
j j
1G i 1G

;:;

:
'.

i >
)

J_ -,
)

'

I' !
I j

!
\u25a0

'

!
j
ljj

-_J

!
i

I :

10

;
\u25a0

j1 1

\
)

'

I;
|

1|
2G 2J
r

'' .

I 46 " : U j 2 2 h
U U Ig 1 6

3 p | 2 p

_
\u25a0

g ,

.
1

II

; 10

jlO

13 j H4.

kO

1_

__j^

g__

'[^g^

[3g3g Ifi^^^^6 ,4

192

\u25a0\u25a0mtimmjm

19it2

_
January February

VESSELS

OR EUROPEAN ALLIED

BRITISH EMPIRE

_ __.
10 3J
-_

SUNK

B I

U. S. NAVY U. S. ARMY U. S. COAST GUARD COLLISION MINE UNKNOTO OR MARINE AIR VESSEL AIR CASUALTY AIR VESSEL AIR

TOTAL G

<J I

GRAND TOTAL

2G 21
1J 2G
i

>

_
2Gj *
10 10 10 10

2Q

;
I_J
1

3 2

2|U

I March
|
(April

31

6__

I 1G 20 II 31 31 1J

May
June

10 1J

__
_J_

,
1 2

LJ 2J

July August September

__ __

10 U

30 10 1J

10

1J

h\ j
II

3^

____ ___

6__
6
lg

31 2 1 ,

11 3 1 j

JUT
t

10

9iU|3
10 11

16

Ifi
3G 21 31 $2

10 10 II in 10

October

I November
'December

.
6g_
31_

-_

IJJ
13 3.1

______
12 17

1J 10 3J 1J

i
5

|
1

5 h

U. k

13
126

ITOTAL 19U2
|191i3

__L _9

3.

8g 221?

| {

'January
!

20 31 1J 31 3G $0

_5

'

10

20 I

'February

March
April
i

70

_O_

_ _ _
1J 10 LJ

_
1O 10 10 U 20 20
j

.
,

10
1Q

"I

_______________
)

ll_
10

"Si

10

19j 3 1

60
_60

1J _1I II $Q

1 10 1O

J 151
15

23
16

illay
June
July August
September

160

33"
3J

11

n
sto

~~Eg 71
3G
_5

35cf

JO 21.
80_

IJ_

2l_ J_3

11_
3

__________
20

17

3J. 150 If ~5o"

U

25"

17
60 10

II 7G 1J

55"

2J_
1J

"To"

1J 7G

_3
20

__7 __i3_
20

\~ 25 1 2
26 1

k9
28

_i _2

October ffovember December

JL_O_
I_|_
86

2J __0

20 1O 10

IS

IJ_
31

TOTAL 19U31 78

v 53

_J

____________ __________
27
3
22

12

10

J23' Z 23.

285

193

BPN X BRITISH EMPIRE U. S. MATT U. S.ARMY OR EUROPEAN ALLIED AIR VESSEL AIR AIR VBSJBLS

B V GRAND TOTAL

U. S. COAST GUARD" COLLISION IHNB DNKNOWK TOTAL

VESSEL

19Ut
JanuaiT
Febroary

50 325
2J Ua TO 30 70 1J 10 70 30 30
x

I I

UG 30
30 30 120
lgQ

2J

20
2Q I|Q

10

_
'
_j

AIR

PR^MARINE CASUALTY
20

G I J
IS 10 2G U
lj

'
_2Q 10 1J
10 U

lg
20

3 8 2 6
i

18
28 27 27

gj

March
April May

33 gJ 35~~ 8j
6j

2J

20
2Q

lfl_ 2s_
10 10 21 22

20

IJune
July

"35"
3J
30 1 30

20

s
|
!

10 10

8 j

25
Ifl 3 10 1 20 10

ID I

30

3g

80
6

gJ

I
!
;

?0
9

23

j
i

29

August September
[October

U
2G

I
i
,

3k
23 _2 12 h
12
i

3U
2g
16
I

ijG $Q
3_
I

2J

30

50
30 W

10_

iHovember
Decembor
:

'
,
j

h
81 Uo
100 90 120 10

'

U $J

.
U

|
j
lit
30 10
|

LJ_
1 12

10 1

_ i 8_7_

1$
12

TOTAL 19hU

66
,
10,

56
io 3J

j22
35
2J

j j

I
2

30
10

13 i2iiO >6

296 15
30

|I?US
i

jjanoary i I
\u25a0March
April

iFebruary

T3

- 1J
10 3G
I

ha
10

6j

1&
10 I

12 P

3 8 2 8 1 3 3

I|O

2j ,10

I
j

120

55 5J
10

25
LJ U

lso
170

Ig
2J

B
30 10 3J

'

j22

2Q

,57
28

36 65
29
3 3 1 182

May
June
July August

2ltO

10

Uj LJ
U LJ 2J

j
19U51 36

1 2
|

rOTAL

30

IHI 31*

IU

10

1153

29 1

[OTAL
mains CTALIAM JAPANESE

RE CAPITULATIO M

258
58
7

221 12

36
2 90

77
1

61 2

ifl

52
2

29

3U
8

781 85 130

_18_

I 323

233

I 130

196

63

TOTAL

-
- 12 191 - 56 19U2 - 126 19U3 - 285 19U* - 296 19U5 -
I
BY YEARS

1939

191)0

1 11
194

|
9

5 59

it

5>
U7

|33

996

182 996

JH^^^SX

UNCLASSIFIED

ft
\u25a0

&\u25a0

APPENDIX B
IMOtP

SEA

U. S. MERCHANT VESSELS (1000 GROSS TONS OR OVER) TBAR MONTH

U. S. TONNAGE MERCHANT VESSELS 00N70IED LOST AT TIME (3000 GROSS TONS OF LOSS OR OVER)

PER GENT OF U. S. ENBMT LOST VESSELS MERCHANT VESSELS SUBMARINES BEING CONVOYED LOST SUNK (3000 GROSS TONS OVER) OR

(GROSS TONS)

(GROSS TONS)
83,390

(GBQSS.

XVat>)

(PER CENT)

(NUMBER)
16 23 30

(NUMBER)

l?Ul
191*2

December
January

6,720,01*2 6,562,387 6,679,510. 6,627,382 6,1*62,201* 6,599,851* 6,626,261* 6,531*,965 6,386,375 6,833,855 7,211,128 7,792,803 7,998,81*5 8,357,590 8,982,158 9,521*,223 30,103,71*6 10,73U,772 31,653,386 12,599,31*7 13,360,521* 3J*,316,163 3!*,651,203 Ui,71*7,658 15,702,1*81*

3i*
9 2 9

117,61*2 166,578 193,987

203,303

February

March
April
May

11,533

30

38
23,528 U9,919 125,91*6 52,681 65,035 1*3,998 36,71*9
30 17

k
6 6

233,U16 289,790 21*7,350 136,552 160,366 165,232 183,362 1*3,211 312,721* 135,931 233,866 85,171* 71,569 88,631 311,03J*
37,009

I*l*

Jane

55
I*2
18 29

Ju2?
August

50 I*l* I*o
26 20

15
16 12 17 17 13
31

September

October
November December

25 25
10 19 21

191*3

January

59,267
109,723

52
80

FebiHiary
March

23 16 17

172,81*8 56,703 36,578

12,727 31,826

78
66

36
12 11 13 16 6 10 9
V22V

April
May

50

U7
20

June
July
August September

31*
28

k9
28

21,612
27,726

57
l0 $h
,

69,613 1*6,55U 35,387 96,676

3J*
27 22
11

October November

25,598

5
1,685
2 36

December

195

UNCLASSIFIED

LIBRARY COMBINED ARMS RESEARCH KS LEAVENWORTH

FORT

UNCLASSIFIED
ngRP HRA

3 1695

00429 2892
U. S. LOST TONNAGE CONVOIBD
FBR CENT OF

*ftiai
U. S. ENEMY MERCHANT VESSELS SUBMARINES lOST SUHK (1000 GROSS TONS OVER) OR

U. S. MERCHANT VESSELS

MERCRAKT VESSELS

(1000 GROSS TONS

OR OVER)

(1000 GROSS TONS OR OVER) (GROSS TONS)

LOST VESSELS AT TIME BEING CONVOYED OF LOSS

(GROSS (FBR CENT)

TEAR MONTH

(GROSS TONS)

(NUMBER)
11 7 10 8 1

(NUMBER)

TONS)

19kh

January February

16,612,799 17,265,093 17,782,125 18,701,370 19,319,396 19,853,365 20,621*, 890

21,199,262

78,981 51,357 61,510 55,26U

7,176

1*3,096

55
U?
26 $$

18 28 27

23,533 17,5U2 31,580

March

April
May

27
30

June
July August

2U,989 182,120
25,677

h
29

35
29

k
1 1 3 12 3 8 9 7 1 1 1 0

3U 25
16

September

21,U6U,022
21,U62,U00 21,U62,U00

7,U+3
7,176

October
November December

22,321,600 22,965,375 22,8U5,515 23,665,715 21i,395,91*2 21i,779,882 25,353,072 25,389,505 25,878,200 26,Ui6,500

2U,550 70,263 15,7U5 50,570 95,288 52,655 5,353 7,176 7,19U

25
12

19U5

January

IS
30

Februaiy

March
April
May

36 65 29
3 3 1

June
July August

UNCLASSIFIED

mm

UNCLASSIFIED
APPHJDH C
U. S. COAST GUARD'S PART IN THE HULA PROGRAM

The Hula Program *as a U. a* lavy project to

transfer by lend-lease to the Soviet Government 180
vessels and craft of the following types t
PF's, AM's, TMS's, LCI(L)s, SC's and IR's at Cold Bay, Alaska. The project covered other types of smaller craft which were to be transferred at Seattle, Wash ington, but no Coast Guard personnel were involved in the Seattle part.
During the latter part of February, the Coast Guard was requested to furnish one officer of the rank of Lieut. Commander who was familiar with PF type vessels. This officer was to be assigned to the Hula Project for temporary duty of approximately nine months. At this time Comdr. J. J. Hutson, Jr., USCG, had completed a tour of duty on PF type vessels and was available for transfer. Therefore, this officer was assigned to CNO for the duty requested. On 7 March, 1316, Comdr. Hutson reported to Chief Naval Operations and was briefed on the Hula Project which was then very highly classified. On 12 March, the first group of officers, including Comdr. Hutson, were flown from Washington to Cold Bay, Alaska, on a C-2 priority. Speed was most essential in starting this program. Upon arrival at Cold Bay, Captain W, S. Maxwell, USN, who had been assigned as Commanding Officer, placed the base in commission and started organizing a training staff and his entire base organization. The problem at Cold Bay was to receive, house and feed, approximately
U. S. staff of around

Twenty-eight frigates (see following list) were transferred in this program. The CO "a of each ship were required to select a nucleus crew of not to ex ceed 5 officers and Uk enlisted men and train the Soviet Naval personnel during the allowed shakedown period. The training programs as outlined by the base training staff were closely followed as a guide, but the burden of training rested on the type training officer, the commanding officer, and his nucleus crew. The fact that $ officers and hk men could instruct a full complement of Russian officers and men, and show them how to operate their ship in a mini imim of time, speaks well for the ability of these Coast Guard officers and men. The training and transfer program was carried out with no serious casualties or breakdowns* This was due to the cooperation of the Russians and Americans, and the training system
that was followed.

Stoppage of lend-lease came before 2 of the

allotted frigates had arrived
at the point of
transfer; therefore, only 28 of the 30 frigates
were transferred.

other base personnel had been furnished by the Com mandant, 17th Naval District, and did an excellent
job of rehabilitating an old army fort. The training staff was furnished by CNO, and consisted of officers who were familiar with all type vessels being trans ferred. The problems confronting the training staff were to organize a shore base training curriculum and a shakedown training program in order to sufficiently train Soviet personnel to take U. S. Naval vessels and learn to operate them with a of casual ties. Commander Hutson, being the senior type train ing officer, was assigned .the over-all job of super vising and organizing the training program. Im mediate request was made for more officers familiar with PF type vessels in order to adequately- train such large groups as were anticipated. Immediate task that was started was to hold joint conferences with the Soviet training staff and arrive at a curri culum that facilities the senior course for

2500 Soviet Naval personnel, and the 00. The CB Detachment plus

\u25a0Hl^iMHMHbssels

satisfied the Soviet desires and limited available. Each type officer working with training officer compiled a training his particular type of ship. These courses were agreed to by the Soviet staff and were promptly put into effect. The training consisted of 12 days shore base Instruction, plus 2 to 3 weeks of shake down training aboard ship* Prior to the arrival of the first group of frigates, Coast Guard Headquarters assigned Liut. Comdr. G. V. Stepanoff, USCG, and Lieut. Gregory P. Chockluk (MJH) USCGE, to the Hula Program. Lieut. Comdr. Stepanoff, who had language qualifications and could speak Russian fluently,was assigned as PF type training officer under Comdr. Hutson. Lieut. Chockluk, who was a qualified steam engineer, was assigned as assistant PF training offi cer, and these two officers were given the direct responsibility of carrying out the shakedown training

197

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Name & No. of Shli

Dateofstart of shakedown

Date Completed
Shakedoim

Date of
Transfer

Name and Rank of Co"*r""ng Office] Officer B. D. SHOEMAKER, Jr., Lt. Comdr. USCG U! W. H. STAFFORD, Lt, Comdr. DSCG 0. D. ROHLFS, Jr,, Lieut. USCGR A. SIMKO, Lt. Comdr. USCO H. L. SUTHERLAND, Lt. Comdr. USCGR E. H. BURT, Jr., Lieut. DSCQ K. C.THARP, Lt. Comdr, DSCG K. Q. CARDWBLL, Lt. Comdr. USCGR H. C.HANNA, Jr. Lieut. DSCGR B. M.CHISHBLL, Lieut. DSCGR A. B. NORMAN, Lieut. DSCOR P. B. TRIMBLE, Lt. Comdr. DSCGR C. SKINNER, Lt. Comdr. USCGR 0. L. LAVBSON, Lieut. DBCG R. C. SHEET, Lieut. DSCGR B. S. BROUf, Lieut. D3CG J. C.JERNIGAN, Lieut. USCGR
T, B.

USS CHARLOTTESVILLB (PF-25) USS LONG BEACH (PP-3U) USS BELFAST (PF-35) USS GLENDALE (PF-36) USS SAN PEDRO (FF-37) USS CORONADO (PF-38) USS OQDEN (PF-39) USS ALLENTOIN (PF-52) USS MACHIAS (PF-53) USS SANDUSKT (PF-lt) USS TACOMA (PF-3)

6-264*5

7-84*5

7-124i5 7-12-16

6-26-4*5
6-264*5 6-26-4*5 6-264*5 6-264*5 6-264*5 6-264*5 6-264*5 6-264*5

7-8-^5
7-84*5 7-84*5 7-84

7-12-I*s
7-124)5

7-124*5 7-124*5 7-124i5 7-124*5 7-124*5 7-124i5 8-164*5 8-164*5 8-164*5

8-164)5

7-84 7-84*5 7-84*5

7-845

8r54*5
8-545 8-54 8-54*5

7-84*5 8-U4*s
8-134*5
8-334j5

uss

sausalito

(pp4*)

USS HOQUIAM (PF-5) USS PASCO (PF-6) USS ALBUQUBRQUE (PF-7) USS EVERETT (PP-8) USS BISBEE (PF4*6) USS CARSON

8-134*5 8-134i5 8-134*5 8-234*5 8-234*5 8-234*5 8-234*5 8-234*5

8r545
8-54*5 8-154*5 8-154*5

8-164*5 8-164*5 8-264i5 8-264*5 8-264*5 8-264*5 8-264*5 8-264i5 9-2-kS 9-24*5 94*4i5 94*4*5* 94*4*5

cm

(PF-50)

TAYLOR, Lieut. USCOH

USS IBTSKOGSS (PF4*9) USS SOCKfORD (PF4*B) USS GALLUP (PF4i7) W$L BURLINGTON (Pr-51) USS BAIQWB (PF-21) USS POUGHKEEPSIB (PF-26) USS WSWPORT (PF-87) USS BVANSTILLI (PF-70) USS BATH (PF-55) OSS GMTCB3TBR (W-22) USS ANNAPOLIS (PF-15) USS BANOQR (PF-16)
On

8-154*5
8-154*5 8-164*5 8-154*5 8-284*5

X. CIfcOUIRE, Lieut. DSCGR B. V. CARLSON, Cotoir. DSOQ R. L. BARHKE, Lieut, DSCGR B. W. COOK, Lieut. DSCG E, E, COUSTOCK, Coadr. OSCG C. B.PERKINS,

8-234*5
8-314*5
8-314(5

8-264*5 ?4i4i5 94*4*5 94*4i5 94i4*5

Lt. Comdr. DSCGR

9-104*5 9-104*5 9-104*5

0. I.93LT, Coadr. D3OT 0. T, APPLBGATE, Coadr. USCG C. B.7ADTRAII, Jr, Lieut. USCG
J,

9-45

9-J*4*s

C. DICKINSON, Lieut. DSC

(Reported too late for program) (Reported too late for program)

H. F. GARFIBLD, Comdr* USCG W. B. CODS, Lieut. USCGR

9/?AS having

been transferred on J* September

1945.

198

UNCLASSiHtD