USS Coates (DE-685)
Encyclopedia
USS Coates (DE-685) was a Rudderow-class
destroyer escort
in the United States Navy
during World War II
and later in the 1950s and 1960s.
Coates was launched 12 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Company
, Quincy, Massachusetts
; sponsored by Mrs. A. M. Bledsoe, wife of Captain Bledsoe; commissioned 24 January 1944, Lieutenant W. S. Wills, USNR, in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet
.
Coates served as a school ship for student officers and nucleus crews at Miami between 8 April 1944 and 15 September 1945, when she reported at Charleston, South Carolina
for inactivation. Coates was placed out of commission in reserve 16 April 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida
.
Coates was recommissioned 7 February 1951, and reported to her homeport, Norfolk, Virginia
on 18 March. After coastwise operations and training, she sailed 9 July from Norfolk to Liverpool, Nova Scotia
, on hunter-killer exercises, returning 27 July. Training in Cuba
n waters and local operations preceded assignment as training ship for Fleet Sonar School
, Key West
in the spring of 1952.
Coates sailed 26 August 1952 to join in North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operation Mainbrace
, visiting the Firths of Clyde and Forth and Arendal, Norway
, before returning home 11 October. Coates resumed local operations, training exercises off the Virginia Capes
and at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
, and took part in a midshipman
cruise to Brazil
in summer 1953. NATO exercises took her to Scotland
and France
from 12 July to 3 September 1954. She served as school ship at Key West early in 1957, and on 21 November 1957 was assigned to the 3rd Naval District
as a Naval Reserve Training vessel, operating from New York City
. Through 1963 Coates has conducted training cruises of various lengths in Long Island Sound, and to ports in the West Indies and along the east coast. Her base was changed from New York to New Haven, Connecticut
on 19 Sept. I960.
She was decommissioned on 30 January 1970 and struck from the Navy list the same day. On 19 September 1971, she was sunk as a target.
Rudderow class destroyer escort
The Rudderow class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943 to 1945. Of this class, 22 were completed as destroyer escorts, and 50 were completed as Crosley-class high speed transport and were re-classified as High speed transport APDs. One ship was converted...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
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...
and later in the 1950s and 1960s.
Coates was launched 12 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Company
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
, Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
; sponsored by Mrs. A. M. Bledsoe, wife of Captain Bledsoe; commissioned 24 January 1944, Lieutenant W. S. Wills, USNR, in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
.
Coates served as a school ship for student officers and nucleus crews at Miami between 8 April 1944 and 15 September 1945, when she reported at Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
for inactivation. Coates was placed out of commission in reserve 16 April 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
.
Coates was recommissioned 7 February 1951, and reported to her homeport, Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
on 18 March. After coastwise operations and training, she sailed 9 July from Norfolk to Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all of Queens County, Nova Scotia...
, on hunter-killer exercises, returning 27 July. Training in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n waters and local operations preceded assignment as training ship for Fleet Sonar School
Fleet Sonar School
The Fleet Sonar School was a United States Navy facility in Key West, Florida for the training of Service personnel in Sonar techniques and equipment, and Anti-submarine warfare....
, Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
in the spring of 1952.
Coates sailed 26 August 1952 to join in North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operation Mainbrace
Operation Mainbrace
Exercise Mainbrace was the first large-scale naval exercise undertaken by the newly established Allied Command Atlantic , one of the two principal military commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It was part of a series of NATO exerciseS jointly commanded by Supreme Allied Commander...
, visiting the Firths of Clyde and Forth and Arendal, Norway
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
, before returning home 11 October. Coates resumed local operations, training exercises 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....
and at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and took part in a 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...
cruise to 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...
in summer 1953. NATO exercises took her to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 12 July to 3 September 1954. She served as school ship at Key West early in 1957, and on 21 November 1957 was assigned to the 3rd Naval District
United States Naval Districts
The naval district is a military and administrative command ashore, established for the purpose of decentralizing the U.S. Navy Department's functions with respect to the control of the coastwise sea communications and the shore activities outside the department proper, and for the further purpose...
as a Naval Reserve Training vessel, operating from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Through 1963 Coates has conducted training cruises of various lengths in Long Island Sound, and to ports in the West Indies and along the east coast. Her base was changed from New York to New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
on 19 Sept. I960.
She was decommissioned on 30 January 1970 and struck from the Navy list the same day. On 19 September 1971, she was sunk as a target.