Difference between revisions of "USS Falgout (DE-324)"

Latest revision as of 20:57, 2 July 2010

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Career (US)
Name:	USS Falgout
Namesake:	George Irvin Falgout (1922-1942), Navy Cross recipient
Builder:	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Laid down:	24 May 1943
Launched:	24 July 1943
Commissioned:	15 November 1943
Decommissioned:	10 October 1969
Reclassified:	DER-324, 28 October 1954
Struck:	1 June 1975
Fate:	Sunk as target off California on 12 January 1977
Career (USCG)
Name:	USCGC Falgout (WDE-424)
Commissioned:	24 August 1951
Decommissioned:	21 May 1954
Fate:	Returned to USN, 21 May 1954
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 FM 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:	3 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 guns (3 × 1) 2 × 40 mm AA guns (1 × 2) 8 × 20 mm AA guns (8 × 1) 3 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes (1 × 3) 8 × depth charge projectors 1 × depth charge projector (hedgehog) 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Falgout (DE-324) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. Post-war, she was borrowed by the U.S. Coast Guard and also served as a radar picket ship on the Distant Early Warning Line.

She was named in honor of Seaman Second Class George Irvin Falgout, who was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously. During the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal 12 November 1942 he remained at his gun, blazing away at a Japanese aircraft until it crashed his station, killing him.

Falgout (DE-324) was launched 24 July 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp, Ltd., Orange, Texas; sponsored by Mrs. H. J. Guidry, sister of Seaman Second Class Falgout; and commissioned 15 November 1943, Lieutenant Commander H. A. Meyer, USCG, in command. She was reclassified DER-324 on 28 October 1954.

World War II North Atlantic operations

While bound for shakedown at Bermuda, on 4 December 1943 Falgout rescued eleven survivors of the torpedoed tanker SS Touchet from a lifeboat. Completing her shakedown, she began Atlantic convoy escort duty out of Norfolk, Virginia, and New York to North African ports, making eight such voyages between 3 February 1944 and 2 June 1945.

Under Attack by Luftwaffe Aircraft

On 20 April 1944, in the Mediterranean, her convoy came under heavy attack by German aircraft. Before the concentrated antiaircraft fire of Falgout and the other escorts could drive them off, they blew up an ammunition ship, sank a destroyer, and damaged several of the merchantmen. With the other escorts picking up survivors or escorting the damaged ships into the nearest port, Algiers, Falgout screened the convoy on to its original destination, Bizerte.

Under Attack by Submarines

The homeward bound passage of this same voyage was also a difficult one; on 3 May, one of the escorts was torpedoed and had to put into Algiers for repairs. Two of the other escorts sank the submarine which had crippled their sister, but on 5 May, another of the escort was torpedoed, and sank. Falgout and the remaining escorts brought the convoy safely home, not a merchantman lost. On her third convoy voyage, while Gibraltar-bound in the Mediterranean, Falgout took prisoner from the sea four downed German aviators.

End-of-War Activity

Falgout arrived at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone, 25 June 1945, where she remained until 13 December, making good will visits to Nicaragua and Costa Rica, joining in defense problems, and training submarines. She returned to Charleston, South Carolina, 18 December, and on 9 February 1946 arrived at Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she was placed in commission in reserve 9 May 1946, and out of commission in reserve 18 April 1947.

On Loan to the Coast Guard

Falgout was on loan to the U.S. Coast Guard between 24 August 1951 and 21 May 1954, in commission, as WDE 424, and commanded by CDR G. L. Rollins, USCG for duty as an ocean station vessel out of Tacoma, Washington.

Conversion to Radar Picket Ship

Upon her return to the Navy, she was converted to a radar picket escort vessel, and was recommissioned 30 June 1955, Lieutenant Commander Walter P. Smiley in command. After shakedown, she arrived at Seattle, Washington, 20 November for duty with the Continental Air Defense Command. Her primary mission was to serve as radar picket in the Early Warning System, and from Seattle, she served regular cycles of duty at sea on picket station under the helmsmanship of Robert J. Lydon. This vital mission was interrupted only for necessary overhauls and refresher training following them.

Final Decommissioning

From 19 March 1959 through 1966, Falgout was based at Pearl Harbor, continuing her protection of the United States through service on the Pacific Barrier. She was decommissioned at Mare Island, Vallejo, California on 10/10/1969 and struck from the Navy List on 1 June 1975. On 12 January 1977 she was sunk as target off California.

Awards

Falgout received one battle star for World War II service.

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

See also

• List of United States Navy ships
• World War II
• Destroyer escort

External links

• NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive - USS Falgout (DE 324)