Difference between revisions of "USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136)"
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|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}} | |Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}} | ||
|Ship name= | |Ship name= | ||
| − | |Ship namesake= | + | |Ship namesake= Frederick Curtice Davis |
|Ship ordered= | |Ship ordered= | ||
| − | |Ship builder= | + | |Ship builder=Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas |
|Ship laid down=9 November 1942 | |Ship laid down=9 November 1942 | ||
|Ship launched=24 January 1943 | |Ship launched=24 January 1943 | ||
| Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
|Ship beam=36.58 feet (11.15 m) | |Ship beam=36.58 feet (11.15 m) | ||
|Ship draft=10.42 full load feet (3.18 m) | |Ship draft=10.42 full load feet (3.18 m) | ||
| − | |Ship propulsion=4 | + | |Ship propulsion=4 Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, <br/>4 diesel-generators, <br/>6,000 shp (4.5 MW), <br/>2 screws |
|Ship speed=21 [[knot (speed)|knot]]s (39 km/h) | |Ship speed=21 [[knot (speed)|knot]]s (39 km/h) | ||
|Ship range=9,100 [[nautical mile|nmi.]] at 12 knots<br/>(17,000 km at 22 km/h) | |Ship range=9,100 [[nautical mile|nmi.]] at 12 knots<br/>(17,000 km at 22 km/h) | ||
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}} | }} | ||
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| − | The '''USS ''Frederick C. Davis'' (DE-136)''' was an [[USS Edsall (DE-129)|''Edsall''-class]] [[destroyer escort]] built for the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. Named for Ensign | + | The '''USS ''Frederick C. Davis'' (DE-136)''' was an [[USS Edsall (DE-129)|''Edsall''-class]] [[destroyer escort]] built for the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. Named for Ensign Frederick Curtice Davis (a naval aviator who was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), she was the first U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. |
| − | ''Frederick C. Davis'' was laid down 9 November 1942 by the Consolidated Steel Company of | + | ''Frederick C. Davis'' was laid down 9 November 1942 by the Consolidated Steel Company of Orange, Texas; launched 24 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy H. Robins; and commissioned 14 July 1943 with Lieutenant Commander O. W. Goepner, USNR, in command. ''Frederick C. Davis'' sailed from Norfolk 7 October 1943 to escort a convoy to Algiers. She was assigned to escort duty between North African ports and Naples, and on 6 November first came under enemy air attack. A wave of [[torpedo]] and medium [[bomber]]s damaged three ships in her convoy but were driven off by the escort's [[antiaircraft]] fire before further damage could be done. Again under air attack on 26 November, ''Frederick C. Davis'' splashed at least two of the enemy aircraft. |
==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | Continuing her escort duty in the western | + | Continuing her escort duty in the western Mediterranean, ''Frederick C. Davis'' took part in an attack on 16 December 1943 which resulted in the sinking of [[German submarine U-73 (1940)|''U-73'']] by two of her group. On 21 January 1944 the escort sortied from Naples for the Anzio landings, during which her superlative and courageous performance was to win her a Navy Unit Commendation. After providing protection from [[submarine]]s and aircraft to ships giving fire support to the assault on the 22d, ''Frederick C. Davis'' maintained a patrol off the besieged beachhead for the next 6 months, leaving only for brief periods of replenishment at Naples. Equipped with special equipment to jam the control frequency of the enemy's rocket-propelled, radio-directed glider bombs, ''Frederick C. Davis'' fought off innumerable enemy air attacks, protecting shipping in the anchorage and the men enduring the drawnout fighting ashore. Particularly during the earlier stages of this bitter operation, ''Frederick C. Davis'' came under shellfire from shore batteries. Shrapnel caused slight damage to the ship, but only one man was wounded during this lengthy service. |
| − | After a return to escort duty in the Mediterranean in June and July 1944, ''Frederick C. Davis'' cleared Naples 9 August for | + | After a return to escort duty in the Mediterranean in June and July 1944, ''Frederick C. Davis'' cleared Naples 9 August for Corsica, her staging point for the assault on southern France. Here again she provided her special jamming services to protect the headquarters ship for the operation, the [[USS Catoctin (AGC-5)|USS ''Catoctin'' (AGC-5)]]. She remained off the assault area on [[antisubmarine]] patrol and controlling shipping until 19 September, then returned to New York Navy Yard for overhaul. Returning to duty in the western Atlantic early in 1945, ''Frederick C. Davis'' served on coastal convoy escort and antisubmarine patrol service and in mid-April joined a special surface barrier force, formed to protect the Atlantic coast from the threat of close penetration by [[Submarine snorkel|snorkel]]-equipped German submarines during Operation Teardrop. It was one of these, [[German submarine U-546|''U-546'']], which was contacted 24 April by ''Frederick C. Davis''. Within minutes, as the destroyer escort prepared to attack, the submarine torpedoed her, hitting on the port side, forward. Five minutes later, she broke in two, and efforts to preserve the buoyancy of the stern, where the damage was less and the majority of survivors were located, failed. Her survivors abandoned the ship, with a loss of 115 men. They were taken from the water within 3 hours, and other escorts sank her attacker the same day. |
| − | In addition to her [[Navy Unit Commendation]], ''Frederick C. Davis'' received four | + | In addition to her [[Navy Unit Commendation]], ''Frederick C. Davis'' received four battle stars for her[World War II service. |
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| − | * See [[List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II]] for other Navy ships lost in WWII. | + | <!--* See [[List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II]] for other Navy ships lost in WWII.--> |
* [[USS Davis]] for ships with a similar name. | * [[USS Davis]] for ships with a similar name. | ||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick C. Davis}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick C. Davis}} | ||
[[Category:Edsall class destroyer escorts]] | [[Category:Edsall class destroyer escorts]] | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:World War II frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States]] | [[Category:World War II frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States]] | ||
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]] | [[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | [[ | + | [[Category:2Fix]] |
Latest revision as of 21:07, 2 July 2010
| USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) at sea USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) at sea | |
| Career (US) |  |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | Frederick Curtice Davis |
| Builder: | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas |
| Laid down: | 9 November 1942 |
| Launched: | 24 January 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 14 July 1943 |
| Fate: | Sunk by U-546, 24 April 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Edsall-class destroyer escort |
| Displacement: |
1,253 tons standard 1,590 tons full load |
| Length: | 306 feet (93.27 m) |
| Beam: | 36.58 feet (11.15 m) |
| Draft: | 10.42 full load feet (3.18 m) |
| Propulsion: |
4 Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, 4 diesel-generators, 6,000 shp (4.5 MW), 2 screws |
| Speed: | 21 knots (39 km/h) |
| Range: |
9,100 nmi. at 12 knots (17,000 km at 22 km/h) |
| Complement: | 8 officers, 201 enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
The USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Ensign Frederick Curtice Davis (a naval aviator who was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), she was the first U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
Frederick C. Davis was laid down 9 November 1942 by the Consolidated Steel Company of Orange, Texas; launched 24 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy H. Robins; and commissioned 14 July 1943 with Lieutenant Commander O. W. Goepner, USNR, in command. Frederick C. Davis sailed from Norfolk 7 October 1943 to escort a convoy to Algiers. She was assigned to escort duty between North African ports and Naples, and on 6 November first came under enemy air attack. A wave of torpedo and medium bombers damaged three ships in her convoy but were driven off by the escort's antiaircraft fire before further damage could be done. Again under air attack on 26 November, Frederick C. Davis splashed at least two of the enemy aircraft.
Contents
History
Continuing her escort duty in the western Mediterranean, Frederick C. Davis took part in an attack on 16 December 1943 which resulted in the sinking of U-73 by two of her group. On 21 January 1944 the escort sortied from Naples for the Anzio landings, during which her superlative and courageous performance was to win her a Navy Unit Commendation. After providing protection from submarines and aircraft to ships giving fire support to the assault on the 22d, Frederick C. Davis maintained a patrol off the besieged beachhead for the next 6 months, leaving only for brief periods of replenishment at Naples. Equipped with special equipment to jam the control frequency of the enemy's rocket-propelled, radio-directed glider bombs, Frederick C. Davis fought off innumerable enemy air attacks, protecting shipping in the anchorage and the men enduring the drawnout fighting ashore. Particularly during the earlier stages of this bitter operation, Frederick C. Davis came under shellfire from shore batteries. Shrapnel caused slight damage to the ship, but only one man was wounded during this lengthy service.
After a return to escort duty in the Mediterranean in June and July 1944, Frederick C. Davis cleared Naples 9 August for Corsica, her staging point for the assault on southern France. Here again she provided her special jamming services to protect the headquarters ship for the operation, the USS Catoctin (AGC-5). She remained off the assault area on antisubmarine patrol and controlling shipping until 19 September, then returned to New York Navy Yard for overhaul. Returning to duty in the western Atlantic early in 1945, Frederick C. Davis served on coastal convoy escort and antisubmarine patrol service and in mid-April joined a special surface barrier force, formed to protect the Atlantic coast from the threat of close penetration by snorkel-equipped German submarines during Operation Teardrop. It was one of these, U-546, which was contacted 24 April by Frederick C. Davis. Within minutes, as the destroyer escort prepared to attack, the submarine torpedoed her, hitting on the port side, forward. Five minutes later, she broke in two, and efforts to preserve the buoyancy of the stern, where the damage was less and the majority of survivors were located, failed. Her survivors abandoned the ship, with a loss of 115 men. They were taken from the water within 3 hours, and other escorts sank her attacker the same day.
In addition to her Navy Unit Commendation, Frederick C. Davis received four battle stars for her[World War II service.
See also
- USS Davis for ships with a similar name.
References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- "Frederick C. Davis". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
- "DE-136 USS Frederick C. Davis". Destroyer Escort Photo Archive. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
