USS Reynolds

Last updated

USS Reynolds (DE-42) underway at sea on 20 February 1945.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS Reynolds
Builder Puget Sound Navy Yard
Laid down12 January 1943, as BDE-42 for the United Kingdom
Launched1 August 1943
Commissioned1 November 1943
Decommissioned5 December 1945
RenamedUSS Reynolds, 23 June 1943
Stricken19 December 1945
Honors and
awards
8 battle stars (World War II)
FateSold for scrapping, 28 April 1947
General characteristics
Type Evarts-class destroyer escort
Displacement
  • 1,140 long tons (1,158 t) standard
  • 1,430 long tons (1,453 t) full
Length
  • 289 ft 5 in (88.21 m) o/a
  • 283 ft 6 in (86.41 m) w/l
Beam35 ft 2 in (10.72 m)
Draft11 ft (3.4 m) (max)
Propulsion
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range4,150 nmi (7,690 km)
Complement15 officers and 183 enlisted
Armament

USS Reynolds (DE-42) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. She was sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed escort and antisubmarine operations in dangerous battle areas and was awarded eight battle stars, a very high number for a ship of her type.

Contents

She was originally assigned to the United Kingdom and was laid down on 12 January 1943 as BDE-42 by the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington. she was commissioned on 1 November 1943. [1]

Namesake

Dudley Louis Reynolds was born on 20 November 1910 at Blair, Nebraska. He enlisted in the Navy on 4 January 1928. Warranted Machinist from 18 February 1938, he was commissioned Ensign on 23 July 1942. He served briefly on USS Saratoga (February and March 1938), then reported for duty on USS Pensacola. He was killed on board Pensacola during the Battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November 1942.

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Following shakedown off southern California, Reynolds departed the West Coast on 13 January 1944 and steamed to Pearl Harbor. Further training followed and on 27 January she sailed west in the screen of White Plains (CVE-66) then ferrying replacement aircraft to forward areas. Arriving at Majuro on 4 February, she accompanied White Plains to Kwajalein, then back to Majuro, whence they steamed via Makin to Pearl Harbor, arriving on 23 February. Reynolds then operated under Commander, Submarine Training Force, into May and, after conducting an ASW demonstration for Australian observers, she resumed oceanic escort duties with a run to Eniwetok. Arriving 20 June, she joined TG 12.2, a hunter-killer group, and on 28 July assisted Wyman (DE-38) in sinking RO 48.

Detached from hunter-killer duty on 9 August, Reynolds returned to Pearl Harbor. Departing again on 20 August as a unit of TU 31.4.4, the Western Garrison Force for the Palau operation, she arrived at Kossol Passage on 20 September and, until 5 October, remained in the area, patrolling the northern entrance to the passage. Between 5 October and 14 November, she escorted ships between Manus and Purvis Bay, then proceeded to Ulithi where she joined TG 30.8 on the 17th. Operating primarily with that group for the remainder of the war, she screened the auxiliaries as they replenished the task groups of TF 38/58 off the Philippines, Formosa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

End-of-War operations

After the cessation of Pacific hostilities, Reynolds continued to screen the logistic ships. Detached on 4 September she proceeded to Tokyo Bay. There until the 7th, she screened refueling operations for TF 16, then steamed via Ulithi for the United States and inactivation.

Stateside inactivation and decommissioning

Arriving at San Francisco, California, in mid-October, Reynolds decommissioned at Mare Island, California, on 5 December 1945. Struck from the Navy List on 19 December 1945, she was sold and delivered to Mr. John L. Key, San Francisco, on 28 April 1947.

Awards

Combat Action Ribbon.svg Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg American Campaign Medal
Silver-service-star-3d.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with eight service stars)
World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg World War II Victory Medal

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Ramsay</i> Wickes-class destroyer

USS Ramsay (DD-124) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I, reclassified as DM-16 during World War II and again reclassified as AG-98. She was the first ship named for Rear Admiral Francis Ramsay.

USS <i>Owen</i> U.S. Navy Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Owen (DD-536), was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Stafford</i>

USS Stafford (DE-411) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in the United States Navy. She was named after Richard Y. Stafford (1916–1942), a United States Marine Corps Captain who died during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

USS <i>Remey</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Remey (DD-688) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral George C. Remey (1841–1928).

USS <i>Thatcher</i> (DD-514) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Thatcher (DD-514), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Henry K. Thatcher (1806–1880).

USS <i>Moale</i> Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

USS Moale (DD-693) was the second Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Marshall</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Marshall (DD-676) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>McDermut</i> (DD-677) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS McDermut (DD-677) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Lieutenant Commander David A. McDermut.

USS <i>McCall</i> (DD-400) Gridley-class destroyer

The second USS McCall (DD-400) was a Gridley-class destroyer in the United States Navy named after Captain Edward McCall, an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. Launched in 1937, she saw service throughout World War II, including in the Guadalcanal Campaign, Battle of the Philippine Sea, and other battles, earning 9 battle stars for her service. She was struck from the rolls in 1947 scrapped the following year.

USS <i>Russell</i> (DD-414) Sims-class destroyer

USS Russell (DD-414) was a World War II-era Sims-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Rear Admiral John Henry Russell. She was among the most decorated US Naval vessels of World War II.

USS <i>Stack</i> Benham-class destroyer

USS Stack (DD-406) was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Edward Stack.

USS <i>Meade</i> (DD-602) Benson-class destroyer

USS Meade (DD-602) was a Benson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the second ship named for Richard Worsam Meade III and Robert Leamy Meade.

USS <i>Steele</i> Evarts-class destroyer escort

USS Steele (BDE-8/DE-8) was an Evarts-class short-hull destroyer escort in the service of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Wileman</i> Evarts-class destroyer escort

USS Wileman (DE-22) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. It was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. At the end of the war, she returned to the United States proudly displaying four battle stars.

USS <i>Whitman</i> Evarts-class destroyer escort

USS Whitman (DE-24) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. It was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. By the end of the war, when she returned to the United States, she had accumulated four battle stars.

USS <i>Tisdale</i> (DE-33)

The second USS Tisdale (DE-33) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed dangerous work in numerous battle areas, and was awarded four battle stars.

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

USS Wesson (DE-184) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She returned home at war's end with a very respectable seven battle stars to her credit.

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

USS Bangust was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. In 1952, she was sold to Peru, where she served as BAP Castilla (D-61). She was decommissioned and scrapped in 1979.

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

USS Weaver (DE-741) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947. In 1952, she was sold to Peru, where she served as BAP Rodriguez (D-63) until being decommissioned and scrapped in 1979.

USS <i>Straus</i>

USS Straus (DE-408) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947. She was finally sunk as a target in 1973.

References

  1. "Reynolds II (DE-42)". Naval History and Heritage Command. 25 September 2005. Retrieved 3 February 2021.