![]() USS Cates (DE-763) New York Harbor - Taken off the New York Navy Yard, 28 November 1944. | |
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | USS Cates (DE-763) |
Namesake | William Finnic Cates |
Builder | Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Florida |
Laid down | 1 March 1943 |
Launched | 19 October 1943 |
Commissioned | 15 December 1943 |
Decommissioned | 28 March 1947 |
Stricken | 20 December 1950 |
Fate | Transferred to France, 11 November 1950 |
![]() French frigate Soudanais (F-722, ex-USS Cates DE 763) underway. | |
History | |
![]() | |
Name | Soudanais (F722) |
Namesake | Sudanese people |
Acquired | 11 November 1950 |
Stricken | 1959 |
Fate | Scrapped, 1959 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Cannon-classdestroyer escort |
Displacement |
|
Length | |
Beam | 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) |
Draft | 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m) |
Propulsion | 4 × GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW), 2 screws |
Speed | 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) |
Range | 10,800 nmi (20,000 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Complement | 15 officers and 201 enlisted |
Armament |
|
USS Cates (DE-763) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
William Finnic Cates was born on 30 April 1916 in Drummonds, Tennessee. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 21 January 1942. While serving as Seaman Second Class on the USS San Francisco he was killed in action on 12 November 1942 when a Japanese torpedo plane, which he kept under fire while refusing to leave his station, crashed into the ship. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
Cates was launched 10 October 1943 by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Tampa, Florida; sponsored by Mrs. P. Dyer; commissioned 15 December 1943 and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.
Between 27 February and 1 May 1944, Cates guarded two convoys carrying American troops to ports in Ireland and Wales in the lengthy preparations for the invasion of Normandy. Overcoming the threat of submarine attack and the ever-present hazards of vicious North Atlantic weather, she aided in the completely safe passage of critically needed men.
After a brief period training with submarines from New London, Connecticut, Cates completed 1944 with five convoy voyages from New York to ports in Ireland, Great Britain, and France escorting tankers, carrying critical petroleum products to support the push of the Allies across Europe. Cates opened 1945 with a brief training period in Casco Bay, Maine, then a return to tanker convoy duty from Boston, Massachusetts, to Scotland, returning to New York 18 February. Two weeks later she sailed in the escort of another convoy, but had to break off and return to Earle, New Jersey, for repairs, followed by refresher training in Casco Bay. This training became most realistic when Cates took part in a 2-week anti-submarine sweep along the northeast coast. She returned to New York 20 April, and sailed 4 days later escorting tankers to Liverpool.
Returning to New York with empty tankers 23 May 1945, Cates sailed on to training in Cuban waters, passed through the Panama Canal, and arrived at Pearl Harbor 31 July for training and overhaul. Arriving at Eniwetok 30 August, she began six months of convoy escort supporting the redeployment of troops in the Far East, calling at ports in the Philippines, Japan, and Okinawa until 18 February 1946.
She then cleared for San Pedro, California, Norfolk, Virginia, and Green Cove Springs, Florida. She arrived at the latter port 22 April for duty training reservists until 28 March 1947, when she was decommissioned there. Cates was transferred to France under the Military Assistance Program on 11 November 1950. She served in the French Navy as Soudanais (F.722) until stricken and scrapped in 1959.
USS Du Pont (DD–152) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II, later reclassified as AG-80. She was the second ship named for Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont.
USS Finch (DE-328) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in the service of the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 and from 1956 to 1969. From 1951 to 1954, she was loaned to the United States Coast Guard where she served as USCGC Finch (WDE-428). She was scrapped in 1974.
USS Hissem (DE-400/DER-400) was an Edsall class destroyer escort of the United States Navy. Hissem was constructed in 1943 as DE-400. In 1955, the vessel was equipped with modern radars, and the designation was changed to DER-400. The special purpose of DER ships was the detection of aircraft. Their chief role was to extend the DEW line out into the N. Atlantic and the N. Pacific oceans.
USS Jouett (DD-396) was a Somers-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Rear Admiral James Edward Jouett.
USS Reeves (DE-156/APD-52) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was transferred to Ecuador for use as an electric generator plant in 1960. Her final fate is unknown.
USS Ahrens (DE-575), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Private Edward H. Ahrens (1919–1942), who was killed during the Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo on 8 August 1942. He was posthumously awarded a Navy Cross.
USS Stewart (DE–238) is an Edsall-class destroyer escort, the third United States Navy ship so named. This ship was named for Rear Admiral Charles Stewart, who commanded USS Constitution during the War of 1812. Stewart is one of only two preserved destroyer escorts in the U.S. and is the only Edsall-class vessel to be preserved. She is on display in Galveston TX as a museum ship and is open to the public.
USS Andres (DE-45) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Sent off to the dangerous waters of the North Atlantic Ocean during the Battle of the Atlantic to protect convoys and other ships from Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine U-boats and fighter aircraft, Andres performed escort and anti-submarine operations.
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 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.
USS Burrows (DE-105) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
USS Gustafson (DE-182) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. In 1950, she was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy where she served as Hr.Ms. Van Ewijck (F808) until 1967. She was scrapped in 1968.
USS Wingfield (DE-194) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
USS Rinehart (DE-196) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. The ship entered the reserves after the end of the war, and in 1950 was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy, where she served under the name De Bitter until 1967. She was sold for scrap in 1968.
USS Earl K. Olsen (DE-765) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1958. She was sold for scrapping in 1973.
USS Jacob Jones (DE-130) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided destroyer escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
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 Kirkpatrick (DE-318) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Post-war, she was converted to a radar picket ship to support the DEW Line.
USS Ramsden (DE-382) was an 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. Post-war, she performed other tasks with the U.S. Coast Guard and with the U.S. Navy as a radar picket ship.
USS Cockrill (DE-398) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. After spending decades in reserve, she was sunk as a target in November 1974.