USS DeLong underway | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS DeLong (DE-684) |
Namesake | Weldon Fader DeLong |
Awarded | 29 October 1942 |
Builder | Bethlehem Steel Company |
Laid down | 19 October 1943 |
Launched | 23 November 1943 |
Acquired | 31 December 1943 |
Commissioned | 31 December 1943 |
Decommissioned | 1 August 1962 (Final) |
Out of service | 8 August 1969 |
Stricken | 8 August 1969 |
Fate | Sunk as target 19 February 1970 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Rudderow-class destroyer escort |
Displacement | 1,450 tons |
Length | 306 ft (93 m) |
Beam | 37 ft (11 m) |
Draft | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
Propulsion | 2 CE boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws |
Speed | 24 knots |
Range | 5,050 nm, at 12 knots |
Complement | 186 |
Armament | 2 x 5 in (130 mm)/38 guns, 3 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 8 x K-gun depth charge projectors, 1 x depth charge projector (Hedgehog type), 2 x depth charge tracks |
Aircraft carried | none |
USS DeLong (DE-684) was a Rudderow-class destroyer escort during World War II and the Cold War.
Weldon Fader DeLong was born on 18 September 1916 in Baras Corner, Nova Scotia, Canada. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 20 September 1940. He was killed in action at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal on 3 November 1942. Corporal DeLong was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. [1] [2]
She was built at Quincy, Massachusetts, launched on 23 November 1943 and commissioned on 31 December 1943.
During World War II DeLong served primarily as a training ship for officers and men that were about to embark on ships assigned to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) duties. In early 1946 DeLong was decommissioned and assigned to the Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs, Florida. Following the outbreak of the Korean War, DeLong was reactivated and on 7 February 1951 was again commissioned.
After a short training period DeLong was assigned to Escort Squadron Eight, Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. During this period of service DeLong participated in several Fleet Exercises and Midshipmen Cruises. In addition to routine fleet support missions, DeLong often served as a training ship for the Fleet Sonar School, Key West, Florida. On 3 January 1958, DeLong was assigned Group II status, joining the newly formed Reserve ASW Program in the 3d Naval District.
During the Berlin Crisis of 1960–1961, DeLong was assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet as part of Escort Squadron 18 and homeported in Newport, Rhode Island. During this period DeLong operated extensively in the Caribbean area. On 1 August 1961, DeLong resumed her Group II status, operating under Commander, Naval Reserve Destroyer Division, 3d Naval District. Stationed at Fort Schuyler Naval Reserve base located in the Bronx, New York, 10465.
DeLong was decommissioned and struck from naval records in the late 1960s and was sunk as a target on 19 February 1970.
Navy Expeditionary Medal | |
American Campaign Medal | |
World War II Victory Medal | |
National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze service star) |
A 1/300 scale plastic model kit of the USS Delong was made by the Lindberg scale model company.
USS Parsons (DD-949/DDG-33) began her career as a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named in honor of Rear Admiral William S. Parsons (1901–1953), who worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II.
USS Claxton (DD-140), named for Thomas Claxton, was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Entering service in 1919, the destroyer saw intermittent use during the interwar period. During World War II, Claxton was transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Salisbury. The ship saw service in the Battle of the Atlantic before sold for scrapping in 1944.
USS Fox (DD-234/AG-85) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth ship named for Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War.
USS Nicholson (DD-442), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Nicholson family, which was prominent in the early history of the Navy. The destroyer saw service during World War II in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific theaters. Following the war, the ship was placed in reserve and used as a training ship. In 1951, the destroyer was transferred to Italy and renamed Aviere. In service with the Marina Militare until 1975, Aviere was sunk as a target ship in 1975.
USS Willard Keith (DD-775), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is currently the only completed ship of the United States Navy ever named for Willard Keith, a United States Marine Corps captain who died in combat during the campaign for Guadalcanal. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.
USS Lester (DE-1022) (1957–1973) was a United States Navy Dealey-class destroyer escort, named after Fred Faulkner Lester, a Navy Corpsman who was killed in action while assigned to the United States Marine Corps during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions on 8 June 1945.
USS Bauer (DE-1025) was a Dealey-class destroyer escort in the United States Navy. She was named for Lieutenant Colonel Harold William Bauer, naval aviator and recipient of the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous courage as Commander of Marine Fighting Squadron 212 in the South Pacific between 10 May and 14 November 1942.
USS Henderson (DD-785) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship of that name, and the first named for United States Marine Corps Major Lofton R. Henderson. The previous Henderson was named for Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson.
USS New (DD/DDE-818) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for United States Marine Corps Private First Class John D. New (1924–1944), who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "selfless conduct" in the Battle of Peleliu.
USS McCloy (FF-1038) was the second and final Bronstein-class frigate. Commissioned as a destroyer escort, McCloy was redesignated as frigate on 30 June 1975. Decommissioned on 14 December 1990, and stricken from the Navy list on 4 October 1991, McCloy was transferred to Mexico on 12 November 1993, where she was recommissioned as Nicolas Bravo. Named for LCDR John C. McCloy, recipient of two Medals of Honor.
USS Huse (DE-145) was a U.S. Navy destroyer escort launched by Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas on 23 March 1943, during World War II. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. L. M. Humrichouse, daughter of Admiral Harry McLaren Pinckney Huse, whom the ship was named after and commissioned on 30 August 1943.
USS Lyman (DE-302) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Theatre, escorting convoys and other ships. She received a total of five battle stars for her service during the war, but was decommissioned and sold for scrap within 18 months of the war's end.
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 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 Alvin C. Cockrell (DE-366) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1968. She was finally sunk as a target in 1969.
USS Maurice J. Manuel (DE-351) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket.
USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket. Post-war she returned home with two battle stars to her credit.
USS Tweedy (DE-532) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1952 to 1969. She was sunk as a target in 1970.
USS Wiseman (DE-667) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy for several periods between 1944 and 1973. She was scrapped in 1974.
USS Jack W. Wilke (DE-800) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy.