USS John M. Bermingham

Last updated

USS John M. Bermingham (DE-530) off Boston in 1944.jpg
USS John M. Bermingham (DE-530) in 1944
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS John M. Bermingham (DE-530)
Namesake Lieutenant Commander John Michael Bermingham
Builder Boston Navy Yard
Laid down14 October 1943
Launched17 November 1943
Commissioned4 April 1944
Decommissioned16 October 1945
Stricken1 November 1945
FateSold for scrap, March 1946
General characteristics
Class and type Evarts class destroyer escort
Displacement1,140 (std), 1,430 tons (full)
Length289 ft 5 in (88.21 m) (oa), 283 ft 6 in (86.41 m) (wl)
Beam35 ft 2 in (10.72 m)
Draft11 ft 0 in (3.35 m) (max)
Propulsion4 GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed19 knots
Range4,150 nm
Complement15 officers / 183 enlisted
Armament

USS John M. Bermingham (DE-530) was an Evarts class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was sent off into North Atlantic Ocean waters to protect convoys and other ships from German submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed escort and antisubmarine operations in battle areas before being retired and subsequently scrapped.

Contents

Namesake

John Michael Bermingham was born on 5 July 1905 in New York City. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1929. During the 1930s he served in many ships, including USS Wyoming, USS Utah and USS Augusta, and at various shore stations. In 1940 he was assigned as Executive Officer of the destroyer USS Stewart and at the outbreak of the war in the Pacific his tour of duty on Stewart was finished. On 10 Dec 1941, Lt Bermingham was in Manila awaiting transport back to the United States witnessed the attack on the US Naval Base, Cavite. During the first Japanese attack on Cavite 10 December, Peary's commanding officer was wounded and the executive officer was killed. Lt Martin M. Kiovisto assumed command. Lt. Bermingham (was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on 06 Jan 1942 by ALNAV 4) received orders from the Commander in Chief (CINC) Asiatic Fleet dated 11 Dec 1941 to assume command of the Peary. The ship was assigned to offshore patrol and came under heavy air attack many times in the days to come. Only brilliant seamanship during bombing and torpedo attacks 26 and 27 December saved her from destruction. Despite the Japanese air superiority, Bermingham succeeded in bringing his ship to Darwin, Australia, to operate with Allied forces attempting to hold Malay Barrier. Peary operated with the cruiser USS Houston in February, and was anchored at Darwin when the Japanese attacked with bombers on 19 February 1942. Bermingham got his ship underway and attempted to maneuver in the restricted waters; but, despite antiaircraft fire, his ship was hit with five bombs. Bermingham and about 80 of his crew went down with the ship. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

Construction and commissioning

The ship was laid down by Boston Navy Yard on 14 October 1943; launched on 17 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. J. M. Bermingham, widow of Lieutenant Commander Bermingham; and commissioned 8 April 1944.

Service history

World War II

The new destroyer escort conducted shakedown off Bermuda and arrived Charleston, South Carolina, on 9 June to begin her vital convoy escort duty. Departing on 14 June, she escorted the ships to the English Channel; and, after steaming to Belfast on 23 July, she returned to Boston, Massachusetts on 2 August 1944. She then underwent further training in Casco Bay before arriving New York on 28 August to join an unusual convoy.

Bermingham sailed on 19 September with other escort vessels to convoy a large group of Army tugs and barges for use in the important captured ports of northern France. During the arduous crossing, rough weather claimed several tugs and many of the vitally-needed harbor barges. Only a heroic effort on the part of escorting ships brought the remainder of the convoy to safety at Plymouth on 20 October. After a week of searching for straggling barges, the ship joined a return convoy and arrived New York on 21 November.

After training, Bermingham was assigned to regular convoy runs between American ports and Oran, Algeria, in support of the giant land offensive underway in Europe. She made three voyages to Oran in the months that followed, arriving New York on 29 May 1945. Her mission in Europe completed with the fall of the Axis, the ship arrived on Miami, Florida, 20 July for duty as a school ship at the Naval Training Center.

Bermingham sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, after V-J Day, arrived on 9 September, and decommissioned on 12 October. She was scrapped in March 1946.

Related Research Articles

USS Dallas (DD-199) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second ship named for Captain Alexander J. Dallas, and was later renamed Alexander Dallas.

USS <i>Alden</i> Clemson-class destroyer

USS Alden (DD-211) was a Clemson-class destroyer of the United States Navy (USN). Serving during World War II, Alden is the only ship of the US Navy to have been named for Rear Admiral James Alden, Jr. (1810–1877).

USS <i>Parrott</i> Clemson-class destroyer

USS Parrott (DD-218) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II and was the second ship named for George Fountain Parrott.

USS <i>Peary</i> Clemson-class destroyer

USS Peary (DD-226) was a Clemson-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was commissioned in 1920 and sunk by Japanese aircraft at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on 19 February 1942.

USS <i>Livermore</i> (DD-429) Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Livermore (DD-429), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the 1st ship of the United States Navy to be named for Samuel Livermore, the first naval chaplain to be honored with a ship in his name.

USS <i>Eberle</i> Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Eberle (DD-430) was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Rear Admiral Edward Walter Eberle, who commanded the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and was Chief of Naval Operations from 1923 to 1927. The destroyer entered service in 1940 and spent the majority of her career in the Atlantic Ocean. Placed in reserve following the war, the ship was transferred to the Hellenic Navy in 1951. Renamed Niki, the destroyer remained in service until 1972 when she was scrapped.

USS <i>Nelson</i> Gleaves-class destroyer

USS Nelson (DD-623), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Charles P. Nelson, who served during the Spanish–American War and World War I.

USS <i>Benson</i> Benson-class destroyer

USS Benson (DD-421) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Admiral William S. Benson (1855–1932).

USS <i>Weeden</i> Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Weeden (DE-797) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1958. She was scrapped in 1969.

USS <i>Solar</i> Buckley-class destroyer escort (US Navy)

USS Solar (DE-221), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Boatswain's Mate First Class Adolfo Solar (1900–1941), who was killed in action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

USS <i>Nields</i> Benson-class destroyer

USS Nields (DD-616) was a Benson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II.

USS <i>Mason</i> (DE-529)

USS Mason (DE-529), an Evarts-class destroyer escort, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named Mason, though DE-529 was the only one specifically named for Ensign Newton Henry Mason. USS Mason was one of two US Navy ships with largely African-American crews in World War II. The other was USS PC-1264, a submarine chaser. These two ships were manned by African Americans as the result of a letter sent to President Roosevelt by the NAACP in mid-December 1941. Entering service in 1944, the vessel was used for convoy duty in the Battle of the Atlantic for the remainder of the war. Following the war, Mason was sold for scrap and broken up in 1947.

USS <i>Tatum</i> Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS Tatum (DE-789/APD-81) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1960.

USS <i>Staff</i> Minesweeper of the United States Navy

USS Staff (AM-114) was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

USS <i>John J. Powers</i>

USS John J. Powers (DE-528) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She was sent off into dangerous North Atlantic Ocean waters to protect convoys and other ships from German submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed escort and anti-submarine operations in battle areas before sailing home victorious at the end of the conflict.

USS <i>Booth</i> Cannon-class destroyer escort

USS Booth (DE-170) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and then the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.

USS <i>Tomich</i>

USS Tomich (DE-242) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1974.

USS <i>Joyce</i> WWII US naval vessel

USS Joyce (DE-317) was originally commissioned as a US Coast Guard Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. During its World War II service, on two different engagements with enemy submarines, the Joyce rescued survivors of the tanker SS Pan- Pennsylvania and its sister ship USS Leopold. Joyce received one battle star for its service during World War II.

USS <i>Rhodes</i> Edsall-class destroyer escort of the US Navy

USS Rhodes (DE-384) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1955 to 1963. She was scrapped in 1975.

USS <i>Register</i> (APD-92)

USS Register (APD-92), ex-DE-233, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.