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USS Christopher (DE-100)
Encyclopedia
USS Christopher (DE-100) was a Cannon class destroyer escort
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
and provided escort service against submarine
and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She was named for a Navy Cross
recipient, Harold Jensen Christopher
, who was killed at Pearl Harbor
aboard on 7 December 1941.
She was launched 19 June 1943 by Dravo Corp., Wilmington, Delaware
; sponsored by Mrs. Carl Christopher, mother of Ensign Christopher. D100 commissioned 23 October 1943, Lt. A. W. P. Trench in command.
, 25 December 1943 for duty off Brazil
and to Trinidad
on training exercises in convoys and on screening cruisers during their shakedown
and training periods. Between 16 January and 11 February, she sailed off Montevideo
, screening the British cable ship Cambria as she repaired broken cables.
under lend-lease
. She was renamed Benevente (D-20) in Brazilian service. On 30 June 1953, when the loan ended, she was stricken from the U.S Navy List
and transferred to Brazil under the Mutual Assistance Program
.
She was stricken and scrapped in 1964.
Cannon class destroyer escort
The Cannon class destroyer escorts were built primarily for ocean Anti-Submarine Warfare escort service during World War II. The lead ship, was commissioned on 26 September 1943 at Wilmington, Delaware. The class was also known as the DET type from their Diesel Electric Tandem drive. Of the 116...
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and provided escort service against submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She was named for a 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...
recipient, Harold Jensen Christopher
Harold Jensen Christopher
Born in Dwight, Illinois, 6 November 1919, Harold Jensen Christopher was commissioned ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve 28 May 1941.-Defending Pearl Harbor Against Air Attack:...
, who was killed at Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
aboard on 7 December 1941.
She was launched 19 June 1943 by Dravo Corp., Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
; sponsored by Mrs. Carl Christopher, mother of Ensign Christopher. D100 commissioned 23 October 1943, Lt. A. W. P. Trench in command.
World War II Atlantic Ocean operations
Christopher sailed from Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, 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,...
, 25 December 1943 for duty off Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
on training exercises in convoys and on screening cruisers during their shakedown
Shakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
and training periods. Between 16 January and 11 February, she sailed off Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, screening the British cable ship Cambria as she repaired broken cables.
Transfer of Vessel to Brazil
Similar duty continued until Christopher was decommissioned at Natal, Brazil, 19 December 1944, and loaned to BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
under lend-lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
. She was renamed Benevente (D-20) in Brazilian service. On 30 June 1953, when the loan ended, she was stricken from the U.S Navy List
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....
and transferred to Brazil under the Mutual Assistance Program
Mutual Assistance Program
Mutual Assistance Program is a generic term denoting any form of international - and in the United States inter-states - cooperation projects, treaties or joined-ventures related to a specific issue - both civilian or military - regarding e.g. health, culture, global or local security, emergency...
.
She was stricken and scrapped in 1964.
Awards
| American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
World War II Victory Medal |