Destroyer escort (DE) was the United States Navy mid-20th-century classification for a 20-knot warship designed with the endurance necessary to escort mid-ocean convoys of merchant marine ships. The Royal Navy and Commonwealth forces identified such warships as frigates, and that classification was widely accepted when the United States redesignated destroyer escorts as frigates (FF) in 1975. From circa 1954 until 1975 new-build US Navy ships designated as destroyer escorts (DE) were called ocean escorts. Destroyer escorts and frigates were mass-produced for World War II as a less expensive antisubmarine warfare alternative to fleet destroyers. Similar types of warships in other navies of the time included the 46 diesel-engined Kaibōkan of the Imperial Japanese Navy., 10 Kriegsmarine escort ships of the F-class and the two Amiral Murgescu-class vessels of the Romanian Navy.
USS Admirable (AM-136) was the lead ship of her class of minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. In commission from 1943 to 1945, she was transferred to the Soviet Navy in 1945 and served as T-331 until stricken in 1958.
Aconit was one of the nine Flower-class corvettes lent by the Royal Navy to the Free French Naval Forces. During World War II, she escorted 116 convoys, spending 728 days at sea. She was awarded the Croix de la Libération and the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945, and was cited by the British Admiralty. Following the war she was used as whaling ship for three different companies from 1947 to 1964.
Algérien was a Cannon-class destroyer escort originally named USS Cronin (DE-107) after Cornelius Cronin, a sailor who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War. She was transferred to the Free French Naval Forces in 1944 and became part of the French Navy post-war. She was rated as a frigate in French service. She was renamed Oise in 1962 and scrapped in 1965.
The Cannon class was a class of destroyer escorts built by the United States primarily for antisubmarine warfare and convoy escort service during World War II. The lead ship, USS Cannon, was commissioned on 26 September 1943 at Wilmington, Delaware. Of the 116 ships ordered, 44 were cancelled and six were commissioned directly into the Free French Forces. Destroyer escorts were regular companions escorting vulnerable cargo ships.
USS Bright (DE-747) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. In 1950, she was transferred to France, where she served as Touareg (F721) until 1960. She was scrapped in 1965.
USS Diachenko (APD-123), ex-USS Alex Diachenko, ex-DE-690, later LPR-123, was a Crosley-class high speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1969. She served in the United States Navy during World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
USS Crosley (APD-87) was a Crosley-class high speed transport that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.
USS Francovich (APD-116) was a United States Navy Crosley-class high speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946. She was sold for srap in 1965.
USS Arthur L. Bristol (APD-97), ex-DE-281, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.
USS Earle B. Hall (APD-107), ex-DE-597, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946, 1950 to 1957 and 1961 to 1965.
USS Harry L. Corl (APD-108) was a Crosley-class high speed transport that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. Harry L. Corl was transferred to South Korea in 1966 and served as Ah San until 1984. She was subsequently scrapped.
USS Ruchamkin (APD-89), ex-DE-228, later LPR-89, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946, from 1951 to 1957, and from 1961 to 1969. She subsequently served as ARC Córdoba in the Colombian Navy, until 1980; although scrapped, her hull and superstructure were re-erected in a leisure park near Bogotá.
The Élan class was a class of French minesweeping sloops. Originally designed as minesweepers, they were never used in that role, instead being used mostly as escort vessels. Built between 1936 and 1940, the first came into service just before the outbreak of World War II.
The Chamois class were French minesweeping sloops ordered between 1935 and 1939. They were similar in design to the Elan class, and like them classed as minesweepers, but were actually used as anti-submarine ships, convoy escorts and patrol vessels.
Yser, originally named Sénégalais, was a frigate in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II and the French Navy post-war. The ship was originally built as USS Corbesier (DE-106), an American Cannon-class destroyer escort named for Antoine Joseph Corbesier, for more than 40 years he was the beloved swordmaster of the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen. The name Corbesier (DE-106) was cancelled 24 September 1943 so it could be used for USS Corbesier (DE-438).
Marocain, was a frigate in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II and the French Navy post-war. The ship was originally built as USS Marocain (DE-109), an American Cannon-class destroyer escort.
Hova, was an Escorteur in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II and the French Navy post-war. The ship was originally built as USS Hova (DE-110), an American Cannon-class destroyer escort, and then designated in France as the F704 Escorteur.
Somali, was a frigate in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II and the French Navy post-war. The ship was originally built as USS Somali (DE-111), an American Cannon-class destroyer escort.
United States
Free France
France
