WGT (John C. Butler) class Destroyer Escort (1944)

The WGT (better known as the John C. Butler class from its lead vessel (DE-339) were destroyer escorts of World War II, named after the lead ship USS John C. Butler commissioned on 31 March 1944. The associated “WGT type” came from their Westinghouse geared turbine drive. In appearance they still were a near-repeat of the “long hulls”, but of the modern brand with the Ruderrow (TEV) class, sporting two turreted dual purpose 5-in/38 (127 mm) guns wth a generous light AA, but also three torpedo tubes to keep an anti-ship capability, one Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar and traditional ASW depth charge launchers and racks. In all, 293 were ordered in 1943, but 210 were cancelled and 83 were ultimately completed through four naval yards (three lost in action). They had a short postwar career and only two were exported to Portugal, which kept them until 1970. Most saw action in Korea as well, some completed as picket radar ships.

Most notable in class was Samuel B. Roberts, gaining fame in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where she engaged the massive force of cruisers and battleships in a daring torpedo attack to save Taffy 3 at Samar. She was sunk after taking hits, but during her torpedo runs she achieved 28.7 kn (33.0 mph; 53.2 km/h) for over an hour while her boilers were pushed at 660 psi (46 bar). She would remain in the hall of fame of WW2 as the “the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship”. The other two in class lost that day the same way were USS Shelton and USS Eversole. They fought a battle they were never intended for, but their crews rose to the challenge.

Also notable was USS Tabberer, for which Captain Henry Lee Plage earned the Legion of Merit and the entire crew earned the Navy’s Unit Commendation Ribbon. They rescued many ships after a disastrous storm, still in heavy waves, in a non-stop search for days. In December 1944, she lost herself her mast and radio antennas in Typhoon Cobra. 790 sailors were lost more than the battles of Midway and Coral Sea combined. Taberrer, badly damaged and unable to radio for help was still first on the scene, recovering 55 of only 93 from three destroyers capsizing in heavy seas. There are floating history museums one in Albany, New York for USS Slater, Cannon-class and a, Edsall-class, USS Stewart is in Galveston, but no WGT class was saved unfortunately.

Development

USS John C. Butler underway in 1944

Destroyer escorts were important players in the battle of the Atlantic. Combined with Ultra, new detection systems, new tactics such as hunter-killer groups based on escort carriers, or just out-producing Germany in new cargo ships to replace losses… Destroyer Escort played an important part in the most gigantic battle of attrition in history. In the Pacific, these classes also took they part of the action, in general far from the frrontline apart exceptions like at Battle of Samar for the Buckley class and part of the magnificient but largely forgotten logistic train of TF 38/T58 and others operating across the Pacific. Escort Destroyers shephered and protected essential amphibious groups, assault ships and escort carriers in supporting, vital for the island-hopping campaign, freeing fleet destroyers for more important jobs.

Launch of Samuel B. Roberts, perhaps the most famous of these destroyers

Initially the concept of an “escort destroyer” for the USN was not developed before World War II was ongoing. The Royal Navy in 1940, for its own ASW effort looke dat sloops and sub-chasers just like in WWI but after losses of fleet destroyers at Dunkirk, lacked ships tasked of ASW escort. On the US standpoint in 1939, the lack of ASW escort was not a concern at first and there was in the worst case scenario a wide pool of vintage “four stacker” destroyers of the Clemson and Wickes in inventory or in reserve and mothballs. Back to Britain a program of civilian yard built escorts before the war led to the creation of the Flower class corvettes, as well as converting existing sloops and requisitioning trawlers as additional sub-hunters. But best program asset was to come, into the shape of the the more ambitious River class frigates also from civilian yards, and the BDE program (1941) ordered from military yards. With the war starting by September 1939 treaties became moot, and without no global tonnage limitations Britain and the US could rise their industrial ouput.

The concept of a dedicated destroyer escort defined as less capable than a fleet destroyer and solely designed for escort work became an imperative as the need of ASW warfare urged also better sonar, better depht charge racks and launchers. The quikstarter for the later US destroyer escort program was the British Hunt class. The first US escort destroyers were derived from escort ship design studies that the General Board requested already in 1940. The British sent the Mills-Cochrane mission to require US Yard in short building en masse their Hunt class design, even as the US were still not at war. The restoration into active service of Wickes-Clemsons class provided later a boost of 50 fleet destroyers to the RN but it was just a stopgap. In the US there was a vivid opposition to dedicated ASW destroyers, that were seen by a large faction of the top brass, as a diversion to the current, and already capped destroyer construction programme. The British still wanted US Yard to produce these “light second-rate destroyers” and it was only under the vigorous support of President Roosevelt altering the US escort strategy that things started to change. On June 23, 1941, the British Supply Council in North America requested that the Secretary of the Navy build a hundred escort ships for its own needs, since British Yards were full and that was endorsed by the president.

USS Osberg (DE-538) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort of the US Navy from 1945 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1958. (wikipedia.image) 08.20 (War Art)

Meanwhile, a US design emerged from BuShips, that looked at caring for the US needs first, and wanted to combine a design for both an ASW and AA escort, with only optional A/S capabilities, on a standardized hull that could be built by the hundreds. This stressed a dual-purpose main battery and soon the solution of three 3-in/50 was adopted instead of the preferred two single-purpose 4-in/50 as there was at the time competing needs and bottlenecks in delivery. The admiralty also wanted triple torpedo tubes to deal against German surface raiders, still seen as a real threat in 1940-41. These modifications were far from solving the issue of supplying new built ships fast enough but the US design differed from the Hunt class (The Mark I was a disaster in calculations) and integrated a conn. one level above the helm, but a British type bridge. On August 15, 1941, President Rooselevelt authorized the construction of a first batch of fifty British destroyer escorts (BDE), despite Bureau of Ships’ objection that standard destroyers were still preferrable.

Alreay by July 1941 president Roosevelt also decided to facilitate British access to US shipyards for more private competition for BDE designs, even going overhead of BuShip, calling for more designs. Aside this, was of course the solution of the USN taking a larger part in convoy escort up to the mid-Atlantic on the US side. British ships would fully take over the remainder of the convoy up to the Home islands. The British Mills-Cochrane expedition meanwhile had toured US yards with their own Hunt class design and the latter all had proposals for a US-built escort. Then after a time of “quasi-war” in which US destroyers were sunk or attacked U-Bootes, the Pearl Harbour attack completely changed the mood. the US was now free to embark on a massive program of 1000 escort destroyer, divided into six classes, all testing various engine configurations and marked by corresponding technical acronyms.

The first of these was the GMT class, essentially a British BDE capable of 24 knots with diesels due to steam turbines in high demand. But even for diesels they were production bottleneck notably due to the competing needs of submarines and later landing crafts. The final US design became a larger Hunt class (130 tons heavier, 33 feet longer) that defined a standard hull used for the construction of all the 500 ezscort destroyer eventally built. Many shipyards were contacted to speed up capacity whereas diesels manufacturers were called to create new 1,500 horsepower diesel engines. General Motors alone received an order for more electric motors and gears, and new gearboxes for these destroyer escort, that were larger than usual. These ASW escorts needed to be agile even more than fast and considerable attention was paid on machinery agility.

“USS CHESTER T. O’BRIEN” (DE-421) a John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort – Commissioned: 3 July 1944 – Crew: 15 Officers & 183 Enlisted – Armament: 2 Single 5 Inch (127mm) Guns, 10 Single 20mm AA Guns, 2 Twin 40mm AA Guns, 1 Triple 21 Inch (533mm) Torpedo Tubes, 1 Hedgehog ASW Mortar, 8 Depth Charge Throwers and 2 Depth Charge Racks – Decommissioned: 2 July 1946 & Sold for Scrap: 4 April 1974

After the “short hulls” or “GMTs” (“GM Tandem” diesel) another design was prepared with turbo-electric seen as the ideal drive for its flexibility, the longer hull housing these extra bits of the machinery. This led to the “long hull” with the same horsepower, but more flexibility, still capped at 24 kts. The “long hull” was in the end, the grand standard, testing alternative propulsion options like a geared diesel drive on the FMR (for “reduction geared”, also half-Power), and more diesel-electric systems, the DET and at last geared turbine alternatives but with relatively tiny gears (WGT), see here. All these variants resulted from machinery supply issues. The made the best of what was available along the way.

Construction

The DE Program planned initially 1005 units, with 105 “GMTs,” 54 “TEs,” 252 “TEVs” (“TEs” with 5-in guns), 293 “WGTs, and “116 “DETs” as well as 85 “FMRs.” The US admiralty looked at the delivery of 260 ships in 1943, but with local initiatives of various yards, and streamlined deliveries of engines and armaments meant this was beaten: 300 were delivered in 1943 alone, almost three quarters of the final deliveries. In between the battle Atlantic turned out to be a win for the allies and mass cancellations followed by the autumn of 1943: 305 in September-October, 135 in 1944. Many of the ships too advanced in construction were converted to fast light transports (APD) taking part in the allied amphibious campaign in the pacific mostly. There were also radar picket conversions. The WGT for “Westinghouse, Geared Turbines (drive)” saw the greatest order yet for a Destroyer Escort at 300, later rounded down to 293, and the largest cancellation of any class at the same time, 210, leaving “just” 83 ships completed.

The Yards in charge were the following:

USS John. C. Butler, (DE-339 as commissioned in March 1944.

Consolidated Steel, TX (34)
Brown Shipbuilding, TX (23)
Federal Shipbuilding, NJ (16)
Boston Navy Yard, MA (10)
Planned: 293 (largest destroyer or escort destroyer class in history ever ordered), Completed: 83, Canceled: 210 in 1943-45: In 1943 the DE478-507, 801-904 were cancelled and in 1944 the DE373-381, 425-437, 451-477, 511-515, 543-562. Even in 1946 (DE541 and 542) suspended, were scrapped, not on enough high readiness stage but already launched. DE539 Wagner and DE540 Vandivier were suspended in 1946 and renewed only in 1954, completed as radar-pickets (see balow).

The first, USS John C. Butler, class leading ship, was laid down at Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas on 5 October 1943, launched on 12 November 1943 and commissioned on 31 March 1944. The last in class, USS Vandivier (DE-540) was laid down on 8 November 1943, launched on 27 December 1943, construction suspended as she was completed on a new design, becming DER-540 on 2 September 1954, recommissioned after conversion on the stocks on 11 October 1955. She was a radar picket station ship, a type made obsolete by the advent of better radars from 1960 when she was decommissioned.

Design of the class

USS Corbesier (DE-438) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. She was scrapped in 1973.

Standard armament was two 5-in (127 mm)/38 dual purpose guns, the famous USN standard, completed by four 40 mm and ten 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, plus three 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, two depth charge racks, eight K-gun depth charge projectors, one hedgehog projector. Top speed was still to be 24 kn (28 mph; 44 km/h). This was a pretty rounded armament to deal with ASW, A/S and AA threats.

Hull and general design

Official ONI booklet plans for the “long hull 5-in guns” variant. A fabulous cutout that would have been handy for other classes, but the internal arrangement of the hull was pretty much the same across DEs sharing the same standard “long hull”.

Hull design

The John C. Butler class were caracterized by the marriage of the same “long hull” shared by most DEs, with a new type of low US style bridge, making her silhouette lower, and two turreted main guns fore and aft with the excellent 5-in/38. Being a flush deck vessels, the prow was more than twice as higher than the poop, and the way the decks were arranged saw a three-level accomodation arrangement in the prow, down to the machinery space. Compartment at the end of the lowest deck, like the service fuel room, fuel oil and ballast room, were pretty low and eve the next (going up and forward) storeroom was still quite low for an average sailor. At the level of the main bridge, the enclosed pilot house featuring portholes but no open bridge above to keep stabulity, was on top of four, then five deck levels a bit further forward.

The WGT was indeed lower than British-style bridge escorts of earlier classes. There was still an open bridge, but it was located around and behind the enclosed pilothouse. As usual the prow was heavuly compartimented to buffer a possible collision, and closed by a thick bulkhead. The latter saved many ships during the war, notably after loosing the bow to a torpedo hit. As long as thse bulkheads held firm, the ship could be saved. A similar bulkhead was located at the stern as well, separating the steering gear room from the crew’s berthings close to the aft gun. One advantage of the 5-in/38 guns were they needed little space below, just for a compact handling room, unlike some systems that required two levels below or more.

The John. C. Butler ships displaced 1,350 long tons (1,372 t) standard and 1,745 long tons (1,773 t) at full load. They measured 306 ft (93.3 m) overall, for a beam of 37 ft (11.3 m) and a draft
ranging, when light loaded for trials at 9 ft 4 in (2.8 m) and when heavy, deep loaded, up to 13 ft 4 in (4.1 m). They had a single pole, raked mainmast between the open bridge and funnel, also single, raked, with exhausts coming from its two boilers. For their crew of 15 officers and 183 enlisted men, they were given two whalers suspended under davits close to the bridge, whereas life rafts of the Carlin type were located, ready to drop, eithjer side of the forward 40mm Bofors mount and aft over the deck, close to the aft 40mm Bofors fire control. Others were stored deflated in lockers on deck.

As usual to deal with heavy weather she ships had bulwaked passages either side of the bridge. For the latter, the open bridge behind was completed by two small side wings. The open bruidge was protected from heavy weather by series of windshields but there was no structure to take on a tarpaulin. The low pilot house was barely clearing the roof of the 5-in/38 turret forward. The hedgehog was protected by a rall wave breaker, but there was none in from of the forward turret. Fortunately its configuration made it well protected from heavy weather. All in all, the John C. Butler were seen as the most successful DE design, low, with a more discrete silhouette, better handling and stability, they were also heavily armed for their size and pretty versatile.

Powerplant:

The most distinctive point of the whole 500+ destroyer escort was their powerplant. For the WGT, meaning “Westinghouse, Geared Turbines”, the propulsion consisted in two shafts each driven by a Westinghouse geared turbines, combining a HP and LP stages, fed in turn by two standard boilers, one forward placed in transverse way and one aft in the longitudinal way for a total ouput of 12,000 shp (8,900 kW). This traduced into a top speed of 24.3 knots (28.0 mph; 45.0 km/h) on trials and light load and a service top speed of 24 knots (28 mph; 44 km/h) ungoverned.

Meaning a captain could decided to oveheat its boilers and obtain more output, as shown by the amazing 28.7 knots (33 mph; 53.2 km/h) for over an hour with boilers pushed at 660 psi (46 bar). This is why the Navy preferred steam turbines to diesels. Yes, they were long to start, they consumed a lot, the turbines were loud, but in case of emergency like the battle of Samar they offered a margin of extra power diesels were simply unable to offer. The John. C. Butler class carried 347 tonnes of fuel oil, enough for 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 12 knots.

Protection

Like all other DEs, the WGT or John C. Butmer class ships lacked any significant protection, much like destroyers. An U-Boat deck gun of 8.8 cm would penetrate any part of the hull or structures as well as a 37 mm of 20 mm FLAK. But any surfaced U-Boat would have to deal with the two 5-in/38 turrets that were placed high enough to give the ship a depression suffucient to influct crippling, rapid fire and accurate damage to the same U-Boat if surfaced too close, hoping to escape damage from usually poor depression mounts. Underwater damage control was well served by two main bulkheads fore are aft for the prow and stern as showned above, plus intermediate bulkheads around the machinery space. The remainder was still heavily compartmented as shown by the cutout abobve. They has also double hull and side chambers usable as ballast with oil to absorb extra damage from any blast. Primary weapons were protected only from light shrapnel, like the 5-in/38 trrets, and the 40mm Bofors had flat shields, also standard on the Oerlikon AA weapons.

Armament

USS Richard S. Bull (DE-402) John C. Butler-class destroyer escort passing-by a (unk) USN carrier during WWII, date unk. (wikipedia.image) 05.2021
The WGT were well armed, if not the best armed of all DEs so far, with two 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual purpose guns located fore and aft, two twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (later ships had their Oerlikon removed and some ended the war with a grand total of ten 40 mm guns in a quad mount and three twin mounts). Normal provision for light AA were twin single 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons. They also had a triple 21 inches (533 mm) torpedo tubes bank located aft, later replaced by a quad 40 mm guns. For ASW work they had a suite of eight K-gun depth charge projectors, four either sides, and two Depth charge racks at the poop, plus the Hedgehog ASW mortar forward, just aft of the main bow gun.

5 inch/38 Mark 12 guns

Mark 30 Mod 18 Single Mounting. Power-operated base ring mount. OP-1112, HNSA.org.

Located on deck, forward and aft. CVT fuzes with some changes to ammunition outfits. Like for the Rudderdow classe, the turret had its top rear the bow shield mounting cut off at an angle to allow clearance for the Hedgehog behind it. Like the Rudderdow class, the Buler class used the Mark 30 Mods 61, 69, 71, 75 and 77 for the Bow Mount, and either Mark 30 Mod 65 for the stern Mount.

Quickspecs:

John C. Butler ammunition stowage: 325 rounds
Turret Mark 30 Mod 0: 0.125 in (0.32 cm) armour.
5″/38 (12.7 cm) Mark 30 mount (deck turret)
Muzzle velocity 2,500–2,600 ft/s (760–790 m/s)
Barrel life 4,600 rounds
Depression/Elevation −15 and 85° at 15° per second.
Traverse 150-150° on either side for battery guns (with interruptor gear)
Traverse 80-80 degrees for deck turret, 25°/sec.
Rate of fire as designed 15 rpm
Vertical sliding-wedge with 15 in (38 cm) recoil 190 in (4,800 mm)
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40mm/56 Mk 1.2

Possibly the best AA gun of World War II, at least for the Allies, the heavy puncher was widely used. On the superstructure, a twin mount was positioned aft.
The 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors, which is still in use today and is renowned for its hitting power and dependability, requires no introduction. The manual handling of the gravity-fed, 4-round clips is the only thing limiting this 56-caliber (2.24 m/7.35 ft) gun’s 80–100 effective rate of fire, which is 120 rounds per minute (cyclic). With regard to airplanes, the muzzle velocity is 881 m/s (2,890 ft/s) and the effective range is 5,000 m (5,500 yd). In contrast to the Mark 2 quad mount, the Mk.1 was the Twin mount and was primarily unshielded.
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20 mm/70 Mark 4 Oerlikon

On the GMT class they were distributed on several positions aft of the funnel initially, but the standard by 1944 was to have ten of them.

Barrel Lenght 1,400 mm/2,210 mm (87 in) oa
Barrel/BB weights 68.04 kilograms (150.0 lb)/20.865 kg (46.00 lb)
Fully loaded with 200 rounds 182.0 kg (401.2 lb)
Shell 20 × 110 mm RB. HE 123 g (4.3 oz), HE/T: 116 g (4.1 oz)
Exact caliber 20 mm (0.787inch)
Barrel type A tube with progressive RH parabolic twist, 9 grooves
Action API blowback
Elecation/Traverse -15°/+90° – 360°, manual
Rate of fire Max 450, Practical 250-320, cyclic 900 rpm
Muzzle velocity 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s)
Effective range 914 m (1,000 yd)
Maximum firing range 45° 4,389 m (4,800 yd)
Feed system Cylindrical magazine holding 60 rounds
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Depth Charges

Eight DCT (Depth Charge Thrower or K) guns were standard equipment; four of them faced the aft quadrant and four the broadside. They were positioned aft on either side. Two 10-DC depth charge racks aft finished this, bringing the total number of depth charges to 120–160. This was a huge ship that was larger than any other US ship, indicating their area of expertise. This was their only ASW weapon until the Hedgehog was introduced and replaced the “B” mount.

Mark 7:

Most likely, the finished Mark 7 models were utilized. They weighed 745 pounds (338 kg) and carried a 600-pound (272 kilogram) TNT payload with a sink rate and terminal velocity of 9 feet per second (2.7 mps). They were designed in 1937 and went into service the following year. It was adjustable between 50 and 300 feet (15 and 91 meters).
In the early stages of World War II, it was essentially a modified Mark 4, which was installed as standard on all destroyers, destroyer escorts, and ASW ships. It was redesigned to make building easier. Due to rumors of U-boats that could reach more than 250 meters, Mod 1 raised the depth setting to 600 feet (183 meters) when it arrived in August 1942. With a higher sink rate of 13 frames per second (4 mps), Mod 2’s warhead was increased to 400 pounds (181.4 kg) of TNT.

Mark 8:

This variant, which was designed in 1941 and released in 1943, was a magnetic handgun with an aluminum case to prevent magnetic interference. Compared to earlier preset depth charges, this “proximity” model was significantly more sophisticated and accurate. With a sink rate of 11.5 fps (3.5 mps) and settings ranging from 50 to 500 feet (15-152 m), it was able to carry 270 lbs. (122 kg) of TNT despite weighing “only” 525 lbs. (238 kg). Compared to the Mark 6 or even the subsequent Mark 9, the USN deemed it seven times more deadly. However, when it blew up…

It required a lot of upkeep and was unreliable. So much so that the model was discontinued from service in 1945 and a backup hydrostatic pistol was installed. The magnetic pistol burst when 20–25 feet (6–7.5 m) got close after arming itself when it detected the hull from 35 feet (11 m) to 200 feet (61 m). It was sorted by 150 lbs. (68 kg) of lead weight because it was too light. With 76,000 manufactured, this model was hailed as a USN “secret weapon” that would help win the war in the Atlantic. However, crews immediately found weaknesses in it, and it was quickly withdrawn after the war, with about 57,000 remaining in storage by September 1945.

Mark 9:

This was the standard-issue DC from 1943 to 1945 and well beyond, and it was from the same generation as the Mark 8. Technically, they were essentially the same as the preceding Mark 7, but they had a “teardrop” shape that allowed for a significantly higher sink rate in tests. They also included fins to generate a stabilizing spin, which allowed them to sink much more precisely. The Mod 2 could be set up to 1,000 feet (305 meters), the sink rate could be lowered to 15 (4.5 mps) if necessary by installing spoiler plates on the nose that functioned as brakes, and the warhead TNT was swapped out for Torpex. To enable slower warships (DEs, Frigates, and Sub-Hunters) to avoid the explosion plume, they were supplied as kits.

Mods 0, 1, and 2 had warheads that ranged from 200 lbs. (91 kg) TNT to 190 lbs. (86 kg). They weighed 320 lbs./145 kg, 320 lbs./145 kg, and 340 lbs. (154 kg) accordingly. The sink rate also fluctuated, ranging from 14.5 fps (4.4 mps) to 22.7 fps (6.9 mps).
The settings ranged from 50 to 300 feet (15-91 m) or 600 feet (183 m), which is almost the same as the Mark 7.

K Guns (Mark 6)

In 1941, the Projector Mark 6 was released, firing a single depth charge of the Mark 6, 9, or 14. The distances covered in only 3.4 to 5.1 seconds range from 60 to 150 yards (55 to 137 meters). They were typically positioned three on each side aft on the deck, near the aft deckhouse, on all destroyers equipped. For destroyers, it is four to six, but for destroyer escorts, it can reach eight. They persisted until the 1950s, when their output was so high that lend-lease was also a major source of funding.

The depth charge was put into each K-Gun, which was made up of an arbor (holder) that was placed inside the projector. It was deemed a hazard even though it could not be recovered until a cable was fastened to it after it fell into the sea. They were inexpensive metal parts that could be expanded. These were partially constructed from a 61 cm x 15 cm tube that was closed on one end and ended with a 12 by 31 inch (30.5 x 79 cm) tray on the other end. When shot, it became the primary projectile because it was designed to fit into the projector barrel. They weighed 70 pounds (32 kg) at first, then 65 pounds (29.5 kg) on later models, increasing range.
Black powder was utilized as the K-Gun propellant. The arbor was placed inside a tubular casing that measured 3″ (7.62 cm). The charge changed when the loads fluctuated between the required range of 60, 90, and 150 yards (55, 82, and 137 meters).

The USS Asheville (PF-1) tested the Mark 9’s built-in arbor in 1944, but the technology was too complicated and expensive to justify production in comparison to expandable arbors. Thousands of tons of arbors are thought to have been placed on the Atlantic bottom following World War II, but they most likely rusted away because they were not given any special care.

Sensors

SC Radar

A 1942 set for Air/Surface-search working in VHF band with a PRF of 60 Hz, a beamwidth of 10–25° and pulsewidth of 4–5 μs. Range was between 48 and 120 km (30–75 mi) depeding on the size of the target (ie aircraft formation down to a single aircraft or ship of the sea was uncluttered). Precision was 90–180 m (98–197 yd). Peak Power was 220 kW.

SF Radar

Small ship surface search radar for frigates and corvettes. Final production set in 1943 was highly reliable, capable of working for 375 hours stright without failure. Wavelength was 10 cm and pulse Width 1 microsecond with a PRF of 400 Hz, scan rate of 15 rpm at a peak power of 80 kW for a range of 8 nautical miles (15 km), using a 24″ paraboloid antenna mounted in a radome and a 5 inches A scope for a 5″ PPI. Accuracy was between 75 and 200 yards/2 degrees (70-180 m/2°) for a resolution of 150 yards (140 m).

SL Radar

Late war radar, the SL operated in the S band for surface search and entered service in 1944-45. It had a cut paraboloidal reflector, 20×42 inches fed by a circular waveguide horn, with horizontal polarization. The assembly was generally inside a dome-shaped protective cover. FRQ range 2,915 to 2,967 MHz. Instrumented range 20 nm or 37 k, beamwidth 6°, rotation 18 rpm.

SU Radar

5 inches PPI A type 115V AC search radar. No more info. Replaced bu the SU-1 postwar.

QC SONAR

This sonar was a classic of US destroyers from 1934. 14 sets were produced yearly, and it remained standard until 1944, before gradual replacement by QGA it started to be phased out and installed on escort destroyer. It was not the best in its game, no effective against high-speed submarines and vulnerable to sonar countermeasures. It had a beam 14 degrees wide in the horizontal direction and but so much in vertical it gave no depth information. It operated at 24 kHz, peakl power was 300 watts, maximum range was 3,635 yards (3,324m) under good conditions at just 5 knots. Range fell above 10 knots in average sea conditions.

HF/DF

To detect enemy radar or radio emission and triangulate positions, the mast was topped by the characteristic cross-style antenna of the “Huff-Duff”, a British model built in the US as the FH 4 antenna. It was used as a MF Direction Finding array.

⚙ WGT Destroyer Escort specifications
Displacement	1,350 long tons (1,372 t) standard, 1,745 long tons (1,773 t) full load
Dimensions	306 ft x 37 ft x 13 ft 4 in mean (93.3 x 11.3 x 4.1 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 geared turbine engines, 2 boilers, electric drive, 12,000 shp (8,900 kW)
Speed	24.3 kn (28.0 mph; 45.0 km/h) trial, 24 knots (28 mph; 44 km/h) service
Range	10,800 nm (20,000 km; 12,400 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Armament	2× 5-in/38, 2×2 40mm, 10× 20 mm AA, 1×3 21-in TTs, Hedgehog, 8DCT, 2DCR, 160 DCs
Sensors	SC radar, Type 128D/Type 144 ASDIC, HF/DF FH 4a
Crew	15 officers, 183 ratings

Modernizations

“USS NAIFEH” (DE-352) a (306′) John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort – Commissioned: 4 July 1944 – Crew: 14 Officers, 201 Enlisted – Armament: 2 x 5 Inch (127mm) Guns, 4 x 40mm Bofors AA Guns (2 Twin Mounts) 10 x 20mm Oerlikon AA Guns, 8 x 21 Inch (533mm) Torpedo Tubes, 1 x Hedgehog and 2 x Depth Charge Tracks – Decommissioned: 17 June 1960 – Sunk as a Target off San Clemente Island by Naval Gunfire and Aircraft – July 1966
At the end of the war the standard, aside the two 5-in/38 Mk 30 is two twin 40mm/60 Mk 1, ten 20mm/70 Mk 10 Oerlikon, triple 533mm TT, Hedgehog Mk 10.11, 8 DCT, 2 DCR with 100 depth charges.
DE448 to 450, 510 differed by their triple twin 20mm/70 Mk 24 AA, and ten single 20mm/70 Mk 10. DE537 and 538 had no TT and instead a quad 40mm/60 Mk 2 Bofors, three twin 40mm/60 Mk 1, and ten 20mm/70 Mk 10 Oerlikon AA guns. Postwar, USS Tweedy in 1952 kept two 533mm TT tubes, Hedgehog Mk 11 and six DCT (153 DC at all). USS Lewis in 1954 had two Hedgehog Mk 15 ASWRL, and six twin DCT as well as one DCR (76).

Misc. aspects on the Butler class

Naming

The John C. Butler class were named after recently died USN servicemen, not only to honour their families, and for maintaining esprit the corps. Only those awarded a special decoration posthumously or citation, such as the Navy cross, were considered. The lead ship USS John C. Butler DE339 was named after John Clarence Butler, born on 2 February 1921 in Liberty, Arizona. He enlisted in the USN Reserve as seaman 2nd class on 19 February 1941 at Long Beach. Reporting to the Naval Reserve Aviation there, he was assigned to NAS Pensacola on 27 March.

On 3 April, he was appointed as aviation cadet in the Reserve, trained in Pensacola until 29July 1941, reported to NAS Miami for further instruction, became Naval Aviator on 29 August, Ensign, Naval Reserve on 6 September, sent to the Advanced Training Group from 17 September, assigned to USS Saratoga in San Diego. Piloted a SBD Dauntless dive bomber from VS-3 and VB-3. On 18 April 1942, Doolittle Raid: Butler a SBD-3 Dauntless from USS Enterprise looking for IJN ships that could radio back warning of the raid. Her engaged Japanese patrol boat, attacked in two separate dives, dropped two duds. Hit from enemy fire he claimed the kill and went back on deck. VB-3 was reassigned to USS Yorktown leaving on 30 May to Midway Island. Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942 he took off at 17:30, spotted Hiryū, attacked. Shot down by a A6M Zero, posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

Cold War Use

USS John C. Butler underway 15 August 1955

Again, same example, Butler with the the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 was recommissioned on 27 December and after shakedown, assigned to 11th Naval District to train naval reservists for sea cruises and took part in the training program of Fleet Sonar School in San Diego. Decommissioned on 18 December 1957, sent to the Reserve Fleet in San Diego, sunk as target in December 1971.

Wartime and Cold War Transfer and exports

Transferred:
-DE440 USS McCoy Reynolds, to Portugal 2.1957 as Corte Real.
-DE509 USS Formoe, to Portugal 2.1957 as Diogo Cão.

Appearance

In terms of camouflage, measures consisted in the following:
No sources for a 1943 camouflage but in 1944, they were painted alone the MS 32/11d, MS22, MS32/22D, MS32/2C, MS21, MS31/3D, MS31/14D (Rutherford and others), MS 32/3D, or MS 31/14D (Presley), MS 21 (Shelton, Roberts) and MS 31/26d (Clark). In 1945, MS21 and 22 were common, with some exception like MS 33a/31d for USS Cross and MS 31/3D for USS Brazier.

Measure 32

Medium Pattern System: Ships-2 Supplement 1 March 1943. Vertical surfaces with a pattern of Light Gray 5-L, Ocean Gray 5-O and Black in straight line geometrical style to disrupt hull lines.
Horizontal Surfaces in Deck Blue, 20-B and Ocean Gray 5-O and Canvas covers visible from the outside in Deck Blue.

Measure 21

Dark Blue all over, vertical Surfaces Navy Blue 5-N, horizontal Surfaces in Deck Blue 20-B. Wood decks in Deck Blue. Canvas covers in Deck Blue.

Measure 22

Classic 1945 graded system, Navy Blue 5-N to the height of the main deck edge at its lowest point. Upper edge in Navy Blue horizontal. Haze Gray, 5-H for all remaining vertical surfaces and all masts and small gear. Horizontal surfaces in Deck Blue 20-B. Wood decks in Deck Blue. Canvas covers in Deck Blue.

Career of the Cannon (DET class)

John C. Butler Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas, laid down on 5 October 1943, launched on 12 November 1943 and completed on 31 March 1944. After shakedown training off Bermuda she left Hampton Roads on 5 June 1944 for the Pacific via Panama to Pearl Harbor on 26 June and started convoy escort and training in July. She left Pearl Harbor on 9 August with transports for the Palau invasion via Tulagi. She was with escort carriers from Manus Island for pre-invasion strikes, then the raids on Morotai and Peleliu on 15 September and back to Manus on the 30th, replenishing. She joined RADM Ralph A. Ofstie’s escort carrier group on 12 October. Soon she was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Sibuyan Sea and Surigao Strait and when Kurita’s Center Force still transited San Bernardino Strait on 24–25 October if famously fell on Taffy 3 escorted by USS John C. Butler leading to the legendary stand, the two-hour Battle off Samar.

While escort carriers stopped their support and launched all they had at the approaching Japanese, John C. Butler and sisters laid heavy smoke and use rain squall to start hit and run tactics from 07:30, with gallant torpedo attacks. Johnston, Hoel, Heermann, Samuel B. Roberts zig-zagged under a rain of heavy shells, showered by formidable near miss plumes and shrapnel, while aircraft also continuously attacked. John C. Butler detached in turn from the carrier for its own unique run, launching her remaining torpedoes and exchanged gunfire with a heavy cruiser, dodging its own volleys, but started to run dangerously low on ammunition, and returned to the carrier formation for smoke coverage. At the amazement of RADM Clifton A. F. Sprague, Taffy 3 commander, Kurita retired, a miracle… until a kamikaze unit fell upon Taffy 3, sinking a second escort carrier, damaging many other ships. St. Lo survivors were rescued by John C. Butler and he escorted Taffy 3 via Manus to Pearl Harbor, and returned herself to Manus on 17 December. She joined repaired escort carriers on 31 December for the invasion of Luzon.

Next in the South China Sea she fended off kamikaze attacks. On 8 January 1945 alone she shot down several kamikazes and remained Lingayen Gulf on 9–17 January for more strikes, back to Ulithi on 23 January. She took part in the rehearsals in the Marianas and was at Iwo Jima on 19 February (severe attack on 21 February) remaining until 9 March, sailing for Ulithi, returned for the campaign of Okinawa on 26 March, escorting troopships that stormed ashore on 1 April. She was detached with carriers for the raid on Kerama Retto and rescued downed pilots, ferried men and material. She was in picket duty north of Ie Shima on 20 May, attacked by six kamikazes before sunset, managed to down five and only had her mast and antennas damaged, no casualties. On 27 May she was repaired in the Philippines and back to Okinawa with a convoy on 4 July. After V-day she was at San Pedro, Los Angeles on 23 November, decommissioned on 26 June 1946, Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego. She ended sunk as target 1971.

O’Flaherty was laid down on 4 October 1943, launched on 14 December 1943, commissioned on 8 April 1944. She was named after Ensign Frank Woodrow O’Flaherty, a pilot posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions at Midway, captured and killed by the Japanese. After sea and gunnery trials off Sabine Pass, completed fitting out at Todd Galveston she sailed for Bermuda on 25 April for her shakedown cruise, still assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and had fixes at the Boston Navy Yard. By early June, she sailed to Norfolk to escort the battleship New York and sailed for Panama with USS Jack Miller, then Pearl Harbor via San Diego, arriving on 12 July, she screened USS Rudyerd Bay to Majuro on 20-26 July, continued to Tarawa with the troopship Sea Fiddler to Eniwetok, then Guam in August. O’Flaherty screened USS Santee to Guam, for the retaking of the island, then screened transports to Eniwetok, escorted the repair ship Grapple on 12 August. She escorted tankers to Manus on 28 August and back to Eniwetok on 2 September, then escorted the tender Piedmont and ammunition ship Lassen. On 2/3 October she was sent to rescue survivors of a crashed PBM Mariner. She later escorted ships to Guadalcanal, Manus, Majuro, Eniwetok, beofre being involved in Hunter-killer operations and Lingayen Gulf from 26 October, housing a new combat information center equipment to work with the carrier USS Corregidor for a search between Hawaii and the west coast.

She became flagship of CortDiv 64 and continued operations with the hunter-killer group, picked up the crew of a TBM Avenger from Corregidor on 16 November, and back to Pearl Harbor on 19 November. Later she escorted the escort carrier Makassar Strait for flight training operations, then trained with the submarine S-46 in December and siled for Manus to escort USS Wake Island, joining TU 77.4.3 (RADM Ralph Ofstie) attached to TF 79, Lingayen Attack Force, 7th Fleet. She escorted USS Kitkun Bay and Shamrock Bay and fended off kamikaze raids on 8 January trying to protect Kitkun Bay. She later joined TU 77.4.2 (RADM Felix Stump) for the Lingayen landings on 11 January. She later returned to Ulithi and swapped commander for LT. Paul L. Callan on the 30th then took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima, from 10 February, under RADM Calvin Durgin’s Task Group 52.2, Task Force 52, 5th Fleet from Ulithi. O’Flaherty entered TU 52.2.1 (TAFFY 2) with Natoma Bay, Petrof Bay, Sargent Bay, Steamer Bay, and Wake Island, Ralph Talbot, Richard S. Bull, Richard M. Rowell and Grady, arriving at Saipan on 12 February for final rehearsals. She escorted the shore bombardment force, took station on 15 February and took part in pre-landing strikes. On 19 February she sent 541 main guns shells but failed to destroy a naval mine. She rescued a Wildcat pilot from USS Anzio. She returned to TU 52.2.2 and 52.2.3, then TU 52.2.1 on 23 February but remained off Iwo Jima on 8 March with TU 52.2.3 until it left on 11 March for Ulithi.

On 21 March she departed for Okinawa with the Support Carrier Group and TU 52.1.1, arriving on 25 March for constant strikes before the landings on 1 April. O’Flaherty remained there for a month before being Transferred to TU 52.1.2 on 31 March, for raids on Kerama Retto on 2 April and she splashed an A6M Zero, fending off more kamikaze attacks on 3 April but could not prevent hits on Wake Island, with more attacks on 6 April in Kerama Retto. On 15 April she moved to Sakishima Islands for more strikes and was detached with USS Anzio to TU 52.1.1 on 17 April and back to TU 52.1.2. Near misses prompted investigation about strong vibrations and she sailed for repairs to Guam on 29 April, entering Apra Harbor on 3 May. She had one shaft replaced, drydocked on ARD-26 on 4-8 June and left on 9 June with USS Manila Bay and Shipley Bay to join TF 32, 3rd Fleet (former TF 52) off Okinawa. She lost her forward 5-inch gun after a 14 June collision with USS Block Island while taking on ammunition. She was repaired at Kerama Retto on 20 June. Okinawa campaign ended and she lost no personnel in combat. Long story short she left on 10 July to Guam escorting LSTs, then Ulithi, entered TG 94.17 for ASW patrols in the Marianas–Okinawa convoy lanes, returned to Okinawa, then Saipan and rode out a typhoon en route in August. She was in Ulithi and departed on 14 August for Okinawa, learning en route of the Japanese surrender. From 27 August, she had a turbine repaired. Her final convoy run to Okinawa was on 4 September, back to Ulithi until October, towing a drifting barge to Guam, then Truk, Guam and home via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor in November, later in operations off California before decommission at San Diego in January 1947. Pacific Reserve Fleet at Mare Island until struck on 1 December 1972, sold for BU 27 November 1973.

Raymond was laid down on 3 November 1943, launched on 8 January 1944, commissioned on 15 April. After shakedown off Bermuda, Raymond was a TS for the Norfolk Training Station and on 1 July left for Panama, arrived at Pearl Harbor on the 23rd, and left in a convoy on 12 August for Guadalcanal, then Manus Island on the 28st. She joined an escort carrier group scheduled for the Morotai assault and screened them on 15 September for the attack, then back to Manus, and sailed again on 16 October for the operations at Leyte. On 25 October she was present at the Battle off Samar and making runs, she managed to damage a Japanese cruiser with her main guns. After the battle she rescued men from St. Lo sunk by a kamikaze. Back to Manus and Pearl she left on 29 December for Eniwetok (7 January 1945) and was in escort duty to Saipan and Tinian then joined in Febriary TU 50.8.24 refuelling TF 58 prior to the Iwo Jima assault. She took part in the battle and returned to Guam and Ulithi on 3 March. On the 21st March she sailed for Kerama Retto, Okinawa and took part in Operation Iceberg in screening duties until mid-May 1945, and resumed convoy escort in the Caroline and Ryukyu until V-Day.

Raymond remained in Japanese waters until 6 September but was back home in November and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet, decom. on 24 January 1947 in San Diego but recom. on 27 April 1951 and transited the Panama Canal for Newport, Rhode Island on 11 August and after Ops off New England coast and the Caribbean, Key West, she remained in the western Atlantic until the summer of 1953 followed by a midshipman cruise to Scandinavia. She had a second midshipman cruise in the summer of 1954 but remained on the eastern seaboard-Caribbean until 22 September 1958, decommissioned placed in service, but back on operations into 1959, then in reserve on 31 May 1960, Philadelphia until struck on 1 July 1972. 5 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for Samar. Sunk as target off Florida on 22 January 1974.

Richard W. Suesens was laid down on 1 November 1943, launched on 11 January 1944, commissioned on 26 April 1944. She was named after Richard Wayne Suesens (1915-42) killed in action with Torpedo Squadron 3, USS Saratoga, at the battle of Midway (posth. Navy cross). After shakedown off Bermuda and post-shakedown at Boston, she sailed for Long Island Sound on 29 June when in Buzzard’s Bay, she collided with the minesweeper USS Valor. The latter sank but she picked up survivors to Newport and reported for duty at New York City on 4 July, was artached to CortDiv 69, sailed through Panama and arrived at San Diego on 2 August, sent with TransDiv 10 to Hawaii, trained until mid-September, sent with convoy PD-89-T for Eniwetok, joined TF 33 to Manus. She was attached to TU 77.4.24 sent to the Philippines 14 October and met with TG 78.6 from Hollandia to Leyte. She alternated plane guard and screening with the “jeep” carriers and on 22 October her unit was disbanded and Suesens formed TU 77.4.2 (“Taffy 2”) for patrol duties east of Leyte Gulf. On 25 October at 0645 she intercepted ship plane traffic on VHF, reporting an enemy battleship and cruiser force closing on Taffy 3, and soon the Battle off Samar commenced. Suesens continued screening Taffy 2 and by 0920 the battle developed only 12 miles (19 km) from Taffy 2 but the battle was turning. In the night of 27–28 October Suesens resumed screening and plane guard duties.

Back to Manus on 3 November, she remained 3 weeks in upkeep and maintenance, joined TF 79 for the invasion of Luzon. On 12 January she rescued survivors from USS Gilligan and downed a kamikaze but it exploded very close and this injured 11 of her crew and caused minor damage. Back to Leyte, she screened ships to Nasugbu and covered the assault on Manila. Back to Mindoro on 2 February, she screened resupply runs and on 16 February saw the paratroop landing on Corregidor. She was prepared for Operation Iceberg, on 21 March she was with the Western Islands Attack Force, Kerama Retto on 26 March and later was stationed at Hagushi Beach anchorage. She became a picket ship around the Kerama Retto-Okinawa area, survived nightly air raids and downed four kamikaze assisted in two more. She was back to Ulithi on 26 April and in May was in refit but returned as radar picket ship north of there. On 27 May she was back at Okinawa until 28 June. She was with TG 32.1 and between 1 July and 6 August for the East China Sea operations and on 7 August was back to Okinawa for escort work. Postwar she made a mission to Jinsen, Korea. On 22 September, she sailed for Japan, supported occupation forces at Wakayama-Wakanoura in October, departed for home on 1 November. On 21 November she was inactivated at San Diego, commission and reserve from March 1946, decommissioned on 15 January 1947, berthed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, then to Stockton until struck from the Navy List on 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973.

Abercrombie was laid down on 8 November 1943, launched on 14 January 1944, commissioned on 1 May 1944. She was named after William Warner Abercrombie (1914-42) from Medford, Oregon, an air cadet from NAS Pensacola in 1941 he was killed in his Devastator in VT-8 under John C. Waldron at Midway on 4 June from USS Hornet (Navy Cross/PUC). USS Abecrombie remained in tests and fixes at Galveston, had a shakedown cruise in the British West Indies until May, fixes in Boston in June and left Aruba escorting USS Walter C. Wann, USS Chepachet, and USS Salamonie to Panama. She was in San Diego on 11 August, departed for Pearl Harbor, trained there for three weeks, and on 19 September departed with USS General W. F. Hase to Manus, then joined an escort carrier task group for for the amphibious landings at Leyte, then a convoy off Hollandia anc back to the Philippines, Leyte Gulf on 20 October. On 25 October she was close enough for her crew to watch the Battle off Samar from her TG 77.4. Back to Manus in November she headed for the northern Solomons, Bougainville on 28 November for landing exercises at Cape Torokina on Bougainville and Huon Gulf, then back to Manus, prepped for the invasion of Luzon. She became flagship for TG 79.9, Control Group “Able” under Vice Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson’s TF 79 for the Lingayen Attack. Her guns barked in the final pre-invasion bombardment, covering landing crafts.

Abercrombie later joined the antiaircraft screen for empty transports returning via Lingayen Gulf, then Leyte and Biak, Mindoro and maintenance plus R&R back at Ulithi Atoll, prepped then for the invasion of the Ryukyu Islands. In March 1945 she was with TG 51.1, Western Islands Attack Group securing Kerama Retto. On 1 April she was sent to cover the landing force at Okinawa for five days with supporting ships. She left on 5 April with TU 51.29.4 for the Marianas, stopped at Saipan and with USS Mustin proceeded to Ulithi. She was back on 17 April with TG 55.8 at Okinawa. She started patrolling radar picket stations around Okinawa, firing at Kamikaze at 16 separate occasions, claiming two kills, two assists. On 14 June she left with TU 31.29.8 for the Marianas, Saipan until July and returned to Okinawa, the she joined TF 32, 3rd Fleet raiding Japanese home waters for three weeks. On 31 July she returned to Okinawa, left on 8 August for the Philippines and San Pedro Bay for maintenance a R&R, the crew learning about the end of the war there. She later returned to Okinawa and stayed until 9 September, the moved to Korea with the occupation forces, Jinsen (now Inchon), returned to Okinawa 19-22 September, then sailed for Japan, Wakanoura Wan, Honshū on 24 September for six weeks of support until relieved on 4 November, departing for home via Pearl Harbor, San Pedro on 21 November, inactivated, decommissioned on 15 June 1946, struck 1 May 1967, sunk as target 7 January 1968.

Oberrender was laid down on 8 November 1943, launched on 18 January 1944, commissioned on 11 May 1944. She was named after Lt. Cdr Thomas Olin Oberrender Jr., engineering officer on USS Juneau, which sank with the ship at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal after maintaining the machinery as long as he could. She started service under Lt.Cdr Samuel Spencer. After FO at Orange City Docks, gunnery testing in the Gulf of Mexico and training, final FO at Todd Galveston Dry Docks, degaussed she made her shakedown at Bermuda on 28 May still attached to the Atlantic Fleet. After fixes at Boston Navy Yard until 22 July she sailed for Panama Canal with the oiler and tanker Nantahala and Nemasket. She was Assigned to CortDiv 69, Pacific Fleet, arrived at Pearl Harbor on 16 August and on 30 August departed for Eniwetok escorting a convoy and back to Pearl Harbor on 18 September. Then another convoy with with Samuel B. Roberts and Walter C. Wann to Eniwetok. The she moved to Manus in October, screening RADM Felix Stump’s TU77.4.2 for airstrikes in the central Philippines. She missed the Battle of Leyte Gulf, detached on 24 October with TU 77.4.1 at Morotai then TU 77.4.2 to Manus. On 10 November she was 1,100 yards (1,000 m) from the ammunition ship USS Mount Hood when she exploded, heavily damaged by fragments and exploding ammunition, she was towed to the Lombrum Point Ship Repair Dock, with one sailor missing, one killed, 17 wounded.

Next she moved to Borgen Bay off Cape Gloucester in December and later joined TG 79.4 for gunnery training en route to the Huon Gulf then joining TG 79.2and taking part in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, claiming one Mitsubishi A6M Zero. She screened TF 78 and 79 until 17 January and joined TG 78.6 to Biak, the joined the 3rd Lingayen Reinforcement Group on 1 February, escorting the 41st Infantry Division to Mindoro on 9 February. She returned to Ulithi with TG 78.5 and remained until 2 March, then screened three fleet oilers to the Tarraguna Anchorage, San Pedro Bay on 7 March. She joined TG 51.1 for the invasion of Okinawa (Western Islands Attack Group) which departed on the 21st for the Kerama Islands, before the invasion of Okinawa, with TU 51.1.13, which also included Richard W. Suesens and Abercrombie from CortDiv 69 as well as the destroyers Picking, Sproston, Isherwood, William D. Porter, Charles J. Badger and Kimberly of Destroyer Squadron 49. She was off Kerama Retto on 26 March in ASW patrol. On the night of 29 March she spotted and fired at, but missed a passing by G4M Betty bomber.

From 1 April she was transferred to TG 51.5 (Frederick Moosbrugger) and in patrol, drove off a Zero and D3A Val on 2 April. A day later she was damaged by a bomb; left her patrol station to escort Kenton into Hagushi Bay. She was in Saipan on 5 April, and back to Okinawa via Ulithi on 17 April. She took part in an hunter-killer group and was back for supplies at the Kerama Islands on 30 April and bacl to patrols from Hagushi Beach to Nakagusuku Bay in May. On 9 May she was reported an approaching kamikaze attack at 18:40, picked her up by radar 10 minutes later, spotted it a 18:52, and managed to shoot it down but the Kamikaze still crashed into the starboard 20 mm mount and its bomb penetrated the main deck, exploded in the forward fireroom. Dead in the water she was nearly broke in half, with her starboard hull blasted open for a quarter of her length, having 8 killed, 53 wounded. Men were transferred to PCE(R)-855 and she was towed to Kerama Retto by Tekesta, declared a constructive total loss, decommissioned on 11 July, struck on 25 July 1945, cannibalized and used as a target, sunk on 6 November 1945.

Robert Brazier was laid down on 16 November 1943, launched on 22 January 1944, commissioned on 18 May 1944, named after a gunner in a TBD Devastator shoot down at Midway as part of VT-3 on 4 June 1942 (DFC). The destroyer escort had its shakedown off Bermuda, and fixes at New York on 19 August 1944, then a convoy run to Norfolk, but served as school ship for the Destroyer Training School, tests for the Bureau of Ordnance, and became flagship, CortDiv 76, until the end of the war. From 27 August and 7 September she hunted U-Boats reported off the east coast. She joined TF 69 to escort a fast tanker convoy and transports to Italy.

She was back at New York 23 October, sailed for another on 10 November. She was then sent to the Pacific and arrived via Panama and Pearl at Seeadler Harbor in Manus, then on 26 December sailed for Hollandia escorting tankers to Leyte. She arrived on 6 January 1945. Escort duties brought her to Leyte, Kossol Roads, Hollandia until 19 February, Mindoro (local defense), patrolling Mangarin Bay and lanes to Subic Bay. On 6 March she returned to ocean escort with the 7th Amphibious Force by late April, departed Leyte for Panay, remained at Iloilo until 4 May then back to Leyte for the invasion of Mindanao. She was at Macajalar Bay and in 11-13 May patrolled in the Bay. She left Mindanao for Cebu and otherwise remained anchored in Maeajalar Bay until 9 August. She escorted ships between Subic Bay and Okinawa and was present at Tokyo Bay on 21-22 September, back to Luzon on 27 September and on 28 November was sent home to San Pedro on 17 December. In the 19th Fleet she commenced inactivation, decommissioned on 16 September 1946. In the mothballs. Struck 1 January 1968, sunk as target off California 9 January 1969.

Edwin A. Howard was laid down on 15 November 1943, launched on 25 January 1944, commissioned on 25 May 1944. She honored Edwin Alfred Howard (1922-42) U.S. Marine Corps killed on 3 November 1942 at Guadalcanal (Silver Star). She made a single convoy escort mission to the Mediterranean in September-October and was prepped in New York on 10 November, departing via Panama, San Diego, Pearl harbor to the South Pacific, Hollandia in convoy to San Pedro Bay in Leyte on 6 January 1945. She was assigtned to DesRon 49 on patrols in Leyte Gulf and was with another convoy from the Palaus, then from New Guinea. USS Edwin A. Howard was in Polloc Harbor on 30 April 1945, escorting troopships ashore around Davao Gulf and shelled targets on Samal Island. On 10 June she escorted a convoy from San Pedro Bay to Morotai, and back to Tawi Tawi. She left on 26 June escorting MTBs and tender to Balikpapan. She screened minesweepers, covered the landings, escorted reinforcements to Leyte in July. Postwar she was in occupation duty, Leyte to Ulithi, Okinawa, and Japan. She left Samar on 28 November for home, decommissioned on 25 September 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973.

Jesse Rutherford was laid down on 22 November 1943, launched on 29 January 1944, commissioned on 31 May 1944. Decommissioned on 21 June 1946. Struck 1 January 1968, sunk as target off California 8 December 1968

Key was laid down on 14 December 1943, launched on 12 February 1944, commissioned on 5 June 1944. Decommissioned on 9 July 1946. Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 19 December 1972

Gentry was laid down on 13 December 1943, launched on 15 February 1944, commissioned on 14 June 1944. Decommissioned on 2 July 1946. Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973

Traw was laid down on 19 December 1943, launched on 12 February 1944, commissioned on 20 June 1944. Decommissioned on 7 June 1946. Struck 1 August 1967, sunk as target off California 17 August 1968

Maurice J. Manuel was laid down on 22 December 1943, launched on 19 February 1944, commissioned on 30 June 1944. Decommissioned on 30 October 1957. Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target August 1966

Naifeh was laid down on 29 December 1943, launched on 29 February 1944, commissioned on 4 July 1944. Decommissioned on 17 June 1960. Struck 1 January 1966, sunk as a target 11 July 1966

Doyle C. Barnes was laid down on 11 January 1944, launched on 4 March 1944, commissioned on 13 July 1944. Decommissioned on 15 January 1947. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973

Kenneth M. Willett was laid down on 10 January 1944, launched on 7 March 1944, commissioned on 19 July 1944. Decommissioned on 26 February 1959. Struck 1 July 1972, sunk as target off Puerto Rico 6 March 1974

Jaccard was laid down on 25 January 1944, launched on 18 March 1944, commissioned on 26 July 1944. Decommissioned on 30 September 1946. Struck 1 November 1967, sunk as target 4 October 1968

Lloyd E. Acree was laid down on 24 January 1944, launched on 21 March 1944, commissioned on 1 August 1944. Decommissioned on 10 October 1946. Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973

George E. Davis was laid down on 15 February 1944, launched on 8 April 1944, commissioned on 11 August 1944. Decommissioned on 11 November 1954. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 2 January 1974

Mack was laid down on 14 February 1944, launched on 11 April 1944, commissioned on 16 August 1944. Decommissioned on 11 December 1946. Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973

Woodson was laid down on 7 March 1944, launched on 29 April 1944, commissioned on 24 August 1944. Decommissioned on 11 August 1962. Struck 1 July 1965, sold for scrap 16 August 1966

Johnnie Hutchins was laid down on 6 March 1944, launched on 2 May 1944, commissioned on 28 August 1944. Decommissioned on 25 February 1958. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974

Walton was laid down on 21 March 1944, launched on 20 May 1944, commissioned on 4 September 1944. Decommissioned on 20 September 1968. Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target 7 August 1969

Rolf was laid down on 20 March 1944, launched on 23 May 1944, commissioned on 7 September 1944. 3 June 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 11 September 1973

Pratt was laid down on 11 April 1944, launched on 1 June 1944, commissioned on 18 September 1944. Decommissioned on 14 May 1946. Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973

Rombach was laid down on 10 April 1944, launched on 6 June 1944, commissioned on 20 September 1944. Decommissioned on 9 January 1958. Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 19 December 1972

McGinty was laid down on 3 May 1944, launched on 5 August 1944, commissioned on 25 September 1944. Decommissioned on 23 September 1968. Struck 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 27 October 1969

Alvin C. Cockrell was laid down on 1 May 1944, launched on 8 August 1944, commissioned on 7 October 1944. 17 January 1959 Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target off California 19 September 1969

French was laid down on 1 May 1944, launched on 17 June 1944, commissioned on 9 October 1944. Decommissioned on 29 May 1946. Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973

Cecil J. Doyle was laid down on 12 May 1944, launched on 1 July 1944, commissioned on 16 October 1944. Decommissioned on 2 July 1946. Struck 1 July 1967, sunk as target 2 December 1967

Thaddeus Parker was laid down on 23 May 1944, launched on 26 August 1944, commissioned on 25 October 1944. Decommissioned on 1 September 1967. Struck 1 September 1967, sold for scrap 9 July 1968

John L. Williamson was laid down on 22 May 1944, launched on 29 August 1944, commissioned on 31 October 1944. Decommissioned on 14 June 1946. Struck 15 September 1970, sold for scrap 13 June 1973

Presley was laid down on 6 June 1944, launched on 19 August 1944, commissioned on 7 November 1944. Decommissioned on 20 June 1946. Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap 2 April 1970

Williams was laid down on 5 June 1944, launched on 22 August 1944, commissioned on 11 November 1944. Decommissioned on 4 June 1946. Struck 1 July 1967, sunk as target off California 29 June 1968

Richard S. Bull was laid down on Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas on 18 August 1943, launched on 16 November 1943, commissioned on 26 February 1944. Decommissioned on March 1946. Struck 30 June 1968, sunk as target off California, 24 June 1969

Richard M. Rowell was laid down on 18 August 1943, launched on 17 November 1943, commissioned on 9 March 1944. Decommissioned on 2 July 1946. Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969

Eversole was laid down on 15 September 1943, launched on 3 December 1943, commissioned on 21 March 1944. Eversole left Boston on 20 May 1944 for Pearl Harbor, arrived on 19 June after which she trained training with submarines before a first escort mission to Eniwetok, then to Manus and back to Eniwetok for local patrols until 9 August, and screening escort carriers for Morotai raid followed by the assaults on Leyte Gulf on 20 October. After the Battle she rescued downed pilots, screened. On early 28 October her sonar operator reported a contact and just half a minute later she was hit by a torpedo. Her bulkheads held but her machinery was flooded and she was dead in the water after a second hit. Her skipped ordered to abandon ship. All men were in the water when I-45 surfaced and started to open fire and dived once again. Five minutes later the escort destroyer detonated, showering men with debris. The scene attracted two other escorts which rescued 139 wounded survivors, while others, on the hunt, cornered and sank I-45.

Dennis was laid down on 15 September 1943, launched on 4 December 1943, commissioned on 20 March 1944. Decommissioned on 31 May 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973

Edmonds was laid down on 1 November 1943, launched on 17 December 1943, commissioned on 3 April 1944. April 1965. Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973

Shelton was laid down on 1 November 1943, launched on 18 December 1943, commissioned on 4 April 1944. After fitting out, loading stores, she left Houston on 21 April with Edmonds for Bermuda for shakedown, then post-shakedown availability at Boston between 25 May and 15 June and she left Boston on 16 June for San Diego via New York City, Hampton Roads, Panama. She left San Diego on 9 July for Pearl Harbor and departed on 26 July after training with a convoy for Eniwetok, arriving on 6 August. She was then assigned to TF 57 escorting five carriers to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty, arriving on 13 August. Then she joined the Morotai Attack Force TF 77 and on 3 October she was underway, escorting the carriers Fanshaw Bay and Midway when they were ambushed by RO-41. One spotted got a torpedo wake at 1,500 yd (1,400 m) but as she evaded it, she was hit on starboard by a second torpedo. Flooding was severed but her bulkheads held. Richard M. Rowell came alongside, rescued the remaining crew (30 lost), she was taken under tow but capsized and sank later, stricken on 27 November 1944 with a battle star for her service.

Straus was laid down on 18 November 1943, launched on 30 December 1943, commissioned on 6 April 1944. Decommissioned on 15 January 1947. Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target August 1973

La Prade was laid down on 18 November 1943, launched on 31 December 1943, commissioned on 20 April 1944. Decommissioned on 11 May 1946. Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973

Jack Miller was laid down on 29 November 1943, launched on 10 January 1944, commissioned on 13 April 1944. Decommissioned on 1 June 1946. Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap July 1969

Stafford was laid down on 29 November 1943, launched on 11 January 1944, commissioned on 19 April 1944. Decommissioned on 16 May 1946. Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973

Walter C. Wann was laid down on 6 December 1943, launched on 19 January 1944, commissioned on 2 May 1944. Decommissioned on 31 May 1946. Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969

Samuel B. Roberts was laid down on 6 December 1943, launched on 20 January 1944, commissioned on 28 April 1944. She was named after Coxswain Samuel Booker Roberts Jr., Navy Cross, voluntarily steering a Higgins boat at Guadalcanal to divert fire from evacuation efforts. Her namesake vessel was perhaps the most famous of the entire class. “Sammy B” was indeed immortalized by events and the courage of her skipper, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland, USNR, and crew, defending Taffy 3 under overwhelming odds and paying the ultimate price. After shakedown cruise off Bermuda in May-19 June and fixes at Boston Navy Yard, she departed for Norfolk on 7 July and presumably struck a whale, bending her starboard propeller. Repairs were completed by 11 July at Norfolk and she left on 22 July for Panama Canal (27) and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 10 August. After training exercises she left on the 21st with a convoy for Eniwetok on the 30st, and on 2 September, was back with an empty covoy to Pearl Harbor, joining another on the 10th. On the 21st-30st she escorted a convoy to Eniwetok and was sent to Manus Island to join 77.4.3 (“Taffy 3”). Sent to the Leyte Gulf, eastern Philippines, she commenced operations with the Northern Air Support Group off Samar.

Shortly after dawn on 25 October, Samuel B. Roberts watched over Taffy 3, which aviation was hard at work already protecting the assault. She was off eastern coast of Samar when Kurita’s Center Force appeared on the horizon and started opening fire. Destroyer escorts were not intended for this, but they all rose to the occasion given the cirumstances. Having less than half the firepower of regular destroyers, they still have smoke and could be a “nuisance” to the Japanese, whereas support aviation was recalled, and new waves were prepared to face the onslaught. Taffy 3 would put everything in this fight for survival. USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) soon became the “destroyer escort that fought like a battleship”. She would, in concertation with other escort and dregular destroyer, smoke the carriers and go for torpedo runs to keep the Japanese at bay. This started at 07:40 when Lt. Cdr Robert W. Copeland maneuvered to evade the charging Heermann, and found himself in a textbook position to launch a torpedo attack on an approaching heavy cruiser. On the public-address circuit, he announced his crew “This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.” At full speed he followed Heermann in attack and approached uncover of the smokescreen from the destroyers, escaping detection, repeatedly denying his gun captain permission to open fire albeit his targets were well in range. He wanted ti close as short as 2.5 nmi (2.8 mi; 4.6 km) to launch, almost a suicidal proposition. A shell hit her mast, which fell, jammed the torpedo mount at 08:00. It was quickly removed as we can imaging as at 2.0 nmi (2.3 mi; 3.7 km), Roberts launched her torpedoes at Chōkai and reversed course, disappearing into the smoke, still not fired upon. A lookout reported one torpedo hit, but it never happened.

By 08:10, Roberts was closer to the carrier formation but through smoke and rain, IJN Chikuma appeared, started to fire at at the carriers. Copeland reversed course and made another run, telling his anxious gunnery officer “Mr Burton, you may open fire.” Roberts and Chikuma then duelled, amazingly, Chikuma now had to divide her fire between the carriers and Roberts. With closing range and her slow rate of fire, while Robert’s skipper also told his chief machinist to push his engines red hot, he managed to dodge volleys, whereas his two fast-firing 5(in/38 started to hit, aimiçng rather at the superstructure as the cruiser was designed to withstand 5-in fire. Chief engineer Lt. “Lucky” Trowbridge had to bypass all the engine’s safety mechanisms, obtaining a top speed of 28 kn (32 mph; 52 km/h). He knew full well that a long time at this regime will wreck the engines. Roberts continued to duel with Chikuma for an amazing… 35 minutes, At some points she was as close as 2.6 nmi (3.0 mi; 4.8 km), torpedo range (she had none, but Chikuma’s skipper new nothing about it and that forced her to steer away each time). Her two guns, that fire 30 rounds every minutes together spent the almost entire supply of 5-inch (127 mm) ammunition on board. She was joined by Heermann, a Fletcher class, which had five of these and can land 75 shell every minute also aimed her guns at the cruiser. Meanwhile, Chikuma had been rearmed earlier in this war with 20.3 cm/50 3rd Year Type 2 guns, of four shells a minute per gun, thus 40 shells a minute. But she mostly aimed at the carriers, dealing with the destroyer with her four broadside twin 127 mm (5 in) guns.

However, Chikuma was soon joined by IJN Yamato, Nagato, and Haruna. Copeland ordered his ship at some point full back, making massive saloes miss. He knew he was now an easy target, and at 08:51, despite all efforts, cruiser shells landed. One went through her boiler room and cut half her power. At 17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h), Roberts now took more hits. Eventually it was IJN Kongō that landed the finish blows at 09:00. Her remaining engine was out. Dead in the water, sinking, his skipper ordered an evacuation. Later the valiant DE was included in the Presidential Unit Citation given to Task Unit 77.4.3 “for extraordinary heroism in action.” The ships earned one battle star. Gunner’s Mate Third Class Paul H. Carr in charge of the aft 5 in (127 mm) gun, which fired nearly all its alloted 325 stored rounds in 35 minutes before a round exploded in the breech, almost killing Carr at his station (he died later), was posthumously awarded a Silver Star and his name went to a guided-missile frigate, USS Carr (FFG-52) whereas the frigate USS Copeland (FFG-25) was named after Robert’s cool-blooded skipper.

LeRay Wilson was laid down on 20 December 1943, launched on 28 January 1944, commissioned on 10 May 1944. Decommissioned on 30 January 1959. Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 14 September 1973

Lawrence C. Taylor was laid down on 20 December 1943, launched on 29 January 1944, commissioned on 13 May 1944. Decommissioned on 23 April 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973

Melvin R. Nawman was laid down on 3 January 1944, launched on 7 February 1944, commissioned on 16 May 1944. Decommissioned on 30 August 1960. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 3 October 1973

Oliver Mitchell was laid down on 3 January 1944, launched on 8 February 1944, commissioned on 14 June 1944. Decommissioned on 24 April 1946. Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973

Tabberer was laid down on 12 January 1944, launched on 18 February 1944, commissioned on 23 May 1944. Decommissioned on May 1960. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 3 October 1973

Robert F. Keller was laid down on 12 January 1944, launched on 19 February 1944, commissioned on 17 June 1944. Decommissioned on January 1965. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974

Leland E. Thomas was laid down on 21 January 1944, launched on 28 February 1944, commissioned on 19 June 1944. Decommissioned on 3 May 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 11 September 1973

Chester T. O’Brien was laid down on 21 January 1944, launched on 29 February 1944, commissioned on 3 July 1944. Decommissioned on 25 May 1960. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 4 April 1974

Douglas A. Munro was laid down on 31 January 1944, launched on 8 March 1944, commissioned on 11 July 1944. Decommissioned on 24 June 1960. Struck 1 December 1965, sunk as target January 1966

Dufilho was laid down on 31 January 1944, launched on 9 March 1944, commissioned on 21 July 1944. Decommissioned on 14 May 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, Sold for scrap 12 September 1973

Haas was laid down on 23 February 1944, launched on 20 March 1944, commissioned on 2 August 1944. Decommissioned on 24 January 1958. Struck 1 July 1966, sold for scrap 6 September 1967

Corbesier was laid down on Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey on 4 November 1943, launched on 13 February 1944, commissioned on 31 March 1944. Decommissioned on 2 July 1946. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973

Conklin was laid down on 4 November 1943, launched on 13 February 1944, commissioned on 21 April 1944. Decommissioned on 17 January 1946. Struck 1 October 1970, sold for scrap 12 May 1972

McCoy Reynolds was laid down on 18 November 1943, launched on 22 February 1944, commissioned on 2 May 1944. Decommissioned on 7 February 1957. Struck 1 November 1968, sold to Portugal December 1968, scrapped 1970

William Seiverling was laid down on 2 December 1943, launched on 7 March 1944, commissioned on 1 June 1944. Decommissioned on 27 September 1957. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973

Ulvert M. Moore was laid down on 2 December 1943, launched on 7 March 1944, commissioned on 18 July 1944. Decommissioned on 10 October 1958. Struck 1 December 1965, sunk as target off San Nicholas Isle, California on 13 July 1966

Kendall C. Campbell was laid down on 16 December 1943, launched on 19 March 1944, commissioned on 31 July 1944. Decommissioned on 31 May 1946. Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973

Goss was laid down on 16 December 1943, launched on 19 March 1944, commissioned on 26 August 1944. Decommissioned on 10 October 1958. Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 20 November 1972

Grady was laid down on 3 January 1944, launched on 2 April 1944, commissioned on 11 September 1944. Decommissioned on 18 December 1957. Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969

Charles E. Brannon was laid down on 13 January 1944, launched on 23 April 1944, commissioned on 1 November 1944. She honored Ensign Brannon, Torpedo Squadron 8, USS Hornet, KiA 4 June 1942 at Midway (Navy Cross). Leaving New York on 27 January 1945, she escorted cargo ships via Panama Canal, Galapagos, Society Islands to Manus, arriving on 15 March. From San Pedro Bay she guarded inter-island convoys and by late April, she screened assault forces for Tarakan, Borneo and on 1-8 May she covered the landings, giving call fire support, priased for her effective gunfire. Same in Brunei Bay from 10 June. From July through mid-September 1945 she escorted convoys from the Philippines to Okinawa, China, Hong Kong and was back to San Francisco on 1 February. Decomm. 21 May 1946 at San Diego, TS From August 1946 into 1960, reserve training program on the West coast over weekends or longer. Struck 23 September 1968, sold for BU 27 October 1969.

Albert T. Harris was laid down on 13 January 1944, launched on 16 April 1944, commissioned on 29 November 1944. Decommissioned on 21 September 1968. Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target off the Virginia Capes, 9 April 1969

Cross was laid down on 19 March 1944, launched on 4 July 1944, commissioned on 8 January 1945. Decommissioned on 2 January 1958. Struck 1 July 1966, sold for scrap 5 March 1968

Hanna was laid down on 23 March 1944, launched on 4 July 1944, commissioned on 27 January 1945. Decommissioned on 11 December 1959. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973

Joseph E. Connolly was laid down on 6 April 1944, launched on 6 August 1944, commissioned on 28 February 1945. Decommissioned on 20 June 1946. Struck 1 June 1970, sunk as target on 24 February 1972

Gilligan was laid down on 18 November 1943, launched on 22 February 1944, commissioned on 12 May 1944. Decommissioned on 31 March 1959. Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 20 November 1973

Formoe was laid down on 3 January 1944, launched on 2 April 1944, commissioned on 5 October 1944. Decommissioned on 7 February 1957. Loaned to Portugal 7 February 1957, struck 1 October 1968, scrapped 1970

Heyliger was laid down on 27 April 1944, launched on 6 August 1944, commissioned on 24 March 1945. Decommissioned on 2 January 1958. Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target in 1969

Edward H. Allen was laid down on Boston Naval Shipyard on 31 August 1943, launched on 7 October 1943, commissioned on 16 December 1943. Decommissioned on 9 January 1958. Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974

Tweedy was laid down on 31 August 1943, launched on 7 October 1943, commissioned on 12 February 1944. Decommissioned on 30 June 1969. Struck 30 June 1969, sunk as target off Florida May 1970

Howard F. Clark was laid down on 8 October 1943, launched on 8 November 1943, commissioned on 25 May 1944. Decommissioned on 5 July 1946. Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 6 September 1973

Silverstein was laid down on 8 October 1943, launched on 8 November 1943, commissioned on 14 July 1944. Decommissioned on 30 January 1959. Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973

Lewis was laid down on 3 November 1943, launched on 7 December 1943, commissioned on 5 September 1944. Decommissioned on 27 May 1960. Struck 1 January 1966, sunk as target in 1966

Bivin was laid down on 3 November 1943, launched on 7 December 1943, commissioned on 31 October 1944. Decommissioned on 15 January 1947. Struck 30 June 1968, sunk as target off California on 17 July 1969.

Rizzi was laid down on 3 November 1943, launched on 7 December 1943, commissioned on 26 June 1945. Decommissioned on 28 February 1958. Struck 1 August 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974

Osberg was laid down on 3 November 1943, launched on 7 December 1943, commissioned on 10 December 1945. Decommissioned on 25 February 1958. Struck 1 August 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974

Wagner was laid down on 8 November 1943, launched on 27 December 1943, commissioned on 22 November 1955. Decommissioned on June 1960. Struck 1 November 1974, sunk as target

Vandivier was laid down on 8 November 1943, launched on 27 December 1943, commissioned on 11 October 1955. Decommissioned on 30 June 1960. Struck 1 November 1974, sunk as target off Florida 7 February 1975.

Read More/Src

Books

Friedman, Norman, U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History
Conway’s all the world’s fighting ships 1921-47 p.135
Destroyer Escort Sailors. By Destroyer Escort Sailors Assn. 1997, Turner Pub Co.
Destroyer Escorts in Action By Adcock, Al 1997, Squadron/Signal Publications.
Destroyer Escorts of World War Two By Walkowiak, Thomas F. 1996, DE Sailors Assoc. Orlando. Pictorial Histories Pub. Co., Missoula
The Captain Class Frigates under the White Ensign By Collingwood, Donald 1999, USNI.

Links

history.navy.mil
web.archive.org hazegray.org/
navypedia.org WGT class
web.archive.org plateau.net/ escorts.html
uboat.net allies warships Destroyer+Escort
web.archive.org hazegray.org escorts/
web.archive.org nvr.navy.mil
navsource.net
on the pacific war encyclo
web.archive.org destroyerescort.com/
web.archive.org navsource.org/
web.archive.org history.navy.mil
web.archive.org floatingdrydock.com camo.htm
web.archive.org desausa.org links.htm
web.archive.org/ desausa.org delinks.htm
web.archive.org plateau.net classevar
shipcamouflage.com butler class
Plans sets, butler class
en.wikipedia.org/ Butler-class_destroyer_escort
commons.wikimedia.org Category:Butler class
web.archive.org hazegray.org escorts/
jproc.ca/
usndazzle.com
USN Radars pdf

Model Kits

scalemates.com. Ex Black Cat Models 1:350, Kobo hiryu & Pit-Road 1:700, Southern Cross Models 1:72
britmodeller.com

3D

Turbosquid
Steam John C. Butler 1945

Video