USS Day (DE-225)
Encyclopedia
USS Day (DE-225) was a Rudderow-class
destroyer escort
in the United States Navy
during World War II
Day was launched 14 October 1943 by Philadelphia Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss G. Day, sister of Chief Water Tender Day; and commissioned 10 June 1944, Commander K. E. Read in command.
Departing New York City
14 October 1944 Day sailed to Hollandia, New Guinea, arriving on 21 November. She escorted a convoy to Finschhafen
and Morotai
between 9 and 20 December, and on 26 December departed Hollandia to screen convoys passing between Sansapor and Leyte
.
Detached from this duty at Leyte 4 January 1946, she escorted a convoy of 56 tugs and tows to Lingayen Gulf
, fighting off three attacks by Japan
ese planes before her arrival at the newly invaded beaches on 14 January. Returning to Leyte 18 January, Day sailed a week later for the invasion of the San Antonio-San Felipe area of Luzon
which had already been taken by Philippine guerrilla forces.
During February 1945 Day operated locally out of San Pedro Bay
, on patrol and convoy duty. She was assigned to screen a group of minesweepers
clearing Manila Bay
, then returned to Subic Bay
to escort a merchant convoy into the newly swept harbor at Manila. She supported the landings at the port of Legaspi on 1 April, returning with reinforcements 4 April. The next, day she got underway to serve as command ship for a minesweeping unit clearing the channels around Balabac Island
and opening the southern approaches from the Sulu
to South China Sea
s. She returned to Leyte 3 May and 4 days later joined a task unit bound for Morotai
. She participated in the invasion of Borneo
from 7 to 12 June, returning with reinforcements 21 to 30 June.
From 22 July to 22 August 1945 Day escorted convoys between Ulithi
and Leyte.
She remained in the Philippines after the war until 18 December when she departed for San Diego, arriving 9 January 1946. She was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego 16 May 1946.
Day received two battle stars for World War II service.
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...
Day was launched 14 October 1943 by Philadelphia Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss G. Day, sister of Chief Water Tender Day; and commissioned 10 June 1944, Commander K. E. Read in command.
Departing 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...
14 October 1944 Day sailed to Hollandia, New Guinea, arriving on 21 November. She escorted a convoy to Finschhafen
Finschhafen
Finschhafen is a district on the northeast coast of the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the port of the same name.The port was discovered in 1884 by the German researcher Otto Finsch. In 1885 the German colony of German New Guinea created a town on the site and named it...
and Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
between 9 and 20 December, and on 26 December departed Hollandia to screen convoys passing between Sansapor and Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
.
Detached from this duty at Leyte 4 January 1946, she escorted a convoy of 56 tugs and tows to Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
, fighting off three attacks by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese planes before her arrival at the newly invaded beaches on 14 January. Returning to Leyte 18 January, Day sailed a week later for the invasion of the San Antonio-San Felipe area of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
which had already been taken by Philippine guerrilla forces.
During February 1945 Day operated locally out of San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay may refer to:* San Pedro Bay , a small bay on Leyte* San Pedro Bay , an inlet on the Pacific coast of the United States* San Pedro Bay , a swamp and wildlife management area in north central Florida...
, on patrol and convoy duty. She was assigned to screen a group of minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
clearing Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
, then returned to Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
to escort a merchant convoy into the newly swept harbor at Manila. She supported the landings at the port of Legaspi on 1 April, returning with reinforcements 4 April. The next, day she got underway to serve as command ship for a minesweeping unit clearing the channels around Balabac Island
Balabac Island
Balabac Island is the southern-most island of the Palawan province in the Philippines, only about north from Sabah, Malaysia, across the Balabac Strait.Administratively, the island forms the main part of Balabac Municipality and is divided into 14 barangays:...
and opening the southern approaches from the Sulu
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
to South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
s. She returned to Leyte 3 May and 4 days later joined a task unit bound for Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
. She participated in the invasion of 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....
from 7 to 12 June, returning with reinforcements 21 to 30 June.
From 22 July to 22 August 1945 Day escorted convoys between Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
and Leyte.
She remained in the Philippines after the war until 18 December when she departed for San Diego, arriving 9 January 1946. She was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego 16 May 1946.
Day received two battle stars for World War II service.