USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447)
Encyclopedia
USS Albert T. Harris (DE-447) was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy
, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket
. Post-war she proudly returned home with two battle stars to her credit.
Albert T. Harris (DE-447) was named in honor of Albert T. Harris
who was awarded the Navy Cross
for his brave actions in the Guadalcanal campaign
.
She was laid down on 13 January 1944 at Newark, New Jersey
, by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
.; launched on 16 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. D. Harris, the mother of Lt. (jg.) Harris; and was commissioned on 29 November 1944 at the New York Navy Yard, Lt. Comdr. Sidney King in command.
outfitting before embarking on her shakedown cruise
to the British West Indies
late in December. She returned to the United States briefly at the end of January 1945 but soon got underway again, bound for duty in the Pacific. The warship
transited the Panama Canal
in mid-February and continued, via the Galápagos and Society Islands
, to Manus
in the Admiralties
. There, she became an element of Escort Division (CortDiv 77), and for the next five months, served on convoy escort duty and screened three amphibious
operations.
during the occupation of the Zamboanga
Peninsula of Mindanao
between 17 and 23 April and participated in the surface force that covered the landings at Santa Cruz
on the Davao Gulf
on 3 and 4 May. In June, she provided support for the seizure of Brunei Bay
, Borneo
.
Reassigned to the Philippine Sea Frontier
in July, Albert T. Harris spent the remainder of the war escorting ships between islands of the Philippines, protecting them from Japanese
submarines. Though she logged several attacks on suspected enemy submersibles, the destroyer escort scored no successes.
and Hong Kong
in China, Haiphong
and Hongay in French Indochina
, Korea
, and the island of Formosa
. She returned to the United States at San Diego, California
, on 12 February 1946 and was decommissioned there on 26 July 1946.
n invasion of South Korea
late in June 1950 triggered an expansion in the Navy's active fleet. Accordingly, Albert T. Harris was recommissioned at San Diego, California, on 27 April 1951, Lt. Comdr. W. M. Robinson in command. While she saw no combat service, her reactivation released other Atlantic Fleet warships for duty off Korea. She served with the U.S. Pacific Fleet along the West Coast until September. At that time, the destroyer escort transited the Panama Canal and joined the Atlantic Fleet as an element of Escort Squadron 12 based at Newport, Rhode Island
.
School and made midshipman
summer training cruises.
Reassigned to naval reserve training duty in September 1957, under the operational control of the Commandant, 3rd Naval District, the ship spent the remaining 11 years of her Navy career, operating out of New York helping reservists to sharpen their skills as sailors. It served as part of the blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis of the fall of 1962.
was declared excess to the needs of the Navy. On 19 September 1968, she reported to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to begin inactivation. Decommissioned at Philadelphia on 21 September 1968, Albert T. Harris was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 23 September 1968. The former warship was sunk as a target off the Virginia Capes
on 9 April 1969.
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket
Radar picket
A radar picket is a radar-equipped ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a force to protect it from surprise attack. Often several detached radar units encircle a force to provide increased cover in all directions.-World War II:Radar picket ships...
. Post-war she proudly returned home with two battle stars to her credit.
Albert T. Harris (DE-447) was named in honor of Albert T. Harris
Albert T. Harris
Albert Thomas Harris was a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve who served during World War II. Lt. Harris was a posthumous recipient of the Navy Cross.-Early Life and Military Training:...
who was awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for his brave actions in the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
.
She was laid down on 13 January 1944 at Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
The Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was a United States shipyard, active from 1917 to 1949. During World War II, it built ships as part of the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Operated by a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, the shipyard was located at...
.; launched on 16 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. D. Harris, the mother of Lt. (jg.) Harris; and was commissioned on 29 November 1944 at the New York Navy Yard, Lt. Comdr. Sidney King in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
The destroyer escort spent three weeks at New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
outfitting before embarking on her shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Shakedown cruises are also used to familiarize the ship's crew with operation of the craft....
to the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
late in December. She returned to the United States briefly at the end of January 1945 but soon got underway again, bound for duty in the Pacific. The warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in mid-February and continued, via the Galápagos and Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
, to Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
in the Admiralties
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
. There, she became an element of Escort Division (CortDiv 77), and for the next five months, served on convoy escort duty and screened three amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
operations.
End-of-war operations
Albert T. Harris served as part of a demonstration group making a feint at MorotaiMorotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
during the occupation of the Zamboanga
Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
Peninsula of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
between 17 and 23 April and participated in the surface force that covered the landings at Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur
Santa Cruz is a 1st class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. It has a population of 100,017 people in 21,856 households.The Municipality of Santa Cruz is now a part of Metropolitan Davao.Region XI : Davao del Sur- Geography :...
on the Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf is a gulf found in Mindanao in the Philippines. It has an area of 308,000 hectares. Davao Gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from Celebes Sea. It is surrounded by all four provinces in the Davao Region. The largest island in the gulf is Samal Island. Davao City, on the gulf's west...
on 3 and 4 May. In June, she provided support for the seizure of Brunei Bay
Brunei Bay
Brunei Bay is the gateway to Brunei and Borneo. It is located 4°45'-5°02'N, 114°58'-115°10'E; east of Bandar Seri Begawan. The Brunei portion of the bay is in two sections separated by a finger of Sarawak about 6km wide at the coast...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
Reassigned to the Philippine Sea Frontier
Philippine Sea Frontier
The Philippine Sea Frontier was a United States Navy Sea Frontier active in 1941, and reformed in 1944.On 8 December 1941 it was part of the 16th Naval District, a component of the United States Asiatic Fleet....
in July, Albert T. Harris spent the remainder of the war escorting ships between islands of the Philippines, protecting them from Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
submarines. Though she logged several attacks on suspected enemy submersibles, the destroyer escort scored no successes.
Post-war activity
Following Japan's capitulation, the warship joined the South China Force to assist in the occupation of territory still held by Japanese forces, a mission that took her to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in China, Haiphong
Haiphong
, also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong...
and Hongay in French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and the island of Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. She returned to the United States at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, on 12 February 1946 and was decommissioned there on 26 July 1946.
Reactivated during Korean War
The destroyer escort remained in reserve with the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, for almost five years. The North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n invasion of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
late in June 1950 triggered an expansion in the Navy's active fleet. Accordingly, Albert T. Harris was recommissioned at San Diego, California, on 27 April 1951, Lt. Comdr. W. M. Robinson in command. While she saw no combat service, her reactivation released other Atlantic Fleet warships for duty off Korea. She served with the U.S. Pacific Fleet along the West Coast until September. At that time, the destroyer escort transited the Panama Canal and joined the Atlantic Fleet as an element of Escort Squadron 12 based at Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
.
East Coast training exercises
During the ensuing six years, Albert T. Harris operated along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. In addition to the normal training evolutions, independent ship's exercises, type training, and the annual Operation Springboard fleet problem - she also provided services to the Fleet SonarSonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
School and made midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
summer training cruises.
Reassigned to naval reserve training duty in September 1957, under the operational control of the Commandant, 3rd Naval District, the ship spent the remaining 11 years of her Navy career, operating out of New York helping reservists to sharpen their skills as sailors. It served as part of the blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis of the fall of 1962.
Final decommissioning and scrapping
In August 1968, Albert T. HarrisAlbert T. Harris
Albert Thomas Harris was a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve who served during World War II. Lt. Harris was a posthumous recipient of the Navy Cross.-Early Life and Military Training:...
was declared excess to the needs of the Navy. On 19 September 1968, she reported to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, to begin inactivation. Decommissioned at Philadelphia on 21 September 1968, Albert T. Harris was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 23 September 1968. The former warship was sunk as a target off the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
on 9 April 1969.