.gif)
USS Edwin A. Howard (DE-346)
Encyclopedia
USS Edwin A. Howard (DE-346) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort
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 returned home proudly with one battle star to her credit.
Edwin A. Howard (DE-346) was launched 25 January 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Orange, Texas
; sponsored by Mrs. Julia W. Howard, mother of Corporal Howard; and commissioned 25 May 1944, Lieutenant Commander F. Denfield, USNR, in command.
10 November for the South Pacific. From Hollandia
she shepherded a convoy to San Pedro Bay
, Leyte
, arriving 6 January 1945. Edward A. Howard reinforced Destroyer Squadron
49 on antisubmarine patrol in Leyte Gulf
. She took a convoy through from the Palaus to San Pedro Bay, and continued escort service between New Guinea
and Leyte
.
Harbor 30 April 1945, and for the next month escorted convoys to supply troops ashore around Davao Gulf
, on the second such voyage bombarding targets on Samal Island in the gulf, and other points on the shore. On 10 June she sailed from San Pedro Bay with a convoy of landing craft bound for Morotai
, from which she returned to Tawi Tawi escorting an ammunition ship
. She left Tawi Tawi 26 June to escort a squadron of motor torpedo boats and their tender to Balikpapan
, arriving 27 June, 4 days before the invasion. Edwin A. Howard screened minesweepers
operating off the coast, and covered the landings, then escorted reinforcements from Morotai to the beachheads before returning to Leyte 26 July.
The escort vessel remained in the Far East
on occupation duty, escorting convoys from Leyte to Ulithi
, Okinawa, and Japan
.
28 November 1945 for the States and was placed out of commission in reserve 25 September 1946.
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...
acquired by 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...
. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy
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 returned home proudly with one battle star to her credit.
Edwin A. Howard (DE-346) was launched 25 January 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Orange, Texas
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
; sponsored by Mrs. Julia W. Howard, mother of Corporal Howard; and commissioned 25 May 1944, Lieutenant Commander F. Denfield, USNR, in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre operations
After one convoy escort voyage to the Mediterranean in September and October 1944, Edwin A. Howard sailed from 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...
10 November for the South Pacific. From Hollandia
Jayapura
Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
she shepherded a convoy to San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
, 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...
, arriving 6 January 1945. Edward A. Howard reinforced Destroyer Squadron
Destroyer squadron
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...
49 on antisubmarine patrol in Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
. She took a convoy through from the Palaus to San Pedro Bay, and continued escort service between New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
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...
.
Supporting Leyte landings
Edwin A. Howard arrived in PollocPolloc
Polloc Island is an uninhabited island in the province of Romblon in the Philippines. It is part of barangay Yabawon in the municipality of Banton....
Harbor 30 April 1945, and for the next month escorted convoys to supply troops ashore around 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 the second such voyage bombarding targets on Samal Island in the gulf, and other points on the shore. On 10 June she sailed from San Pedro Bay with a convoy of landing craft 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:...
, from which she returned to Tawi Tawi escorting an ammunition ship
Ammunition ship
An ammunition ship is a warship specially configured to carry ammunition, usually for Navy ships and aircraft. Their cargo handling systems, designed with extreme safety in mind, include ammunition hoists with airlocks between decks, and mechanisms for flooding entire compartments with sea water in...
. She left Tawi Tawi 26 June to escort a squadron of motor torpedo boats and their tender to Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
, arriving 27 June, 4 days before the invasion. Edwin A. Howard screened 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:...
operating off the coast, and covered the landings, then escorted reinforcements from Morotai to the beachheads before returning to Leyte 26 July.
The escort vessel remained in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
on occupation duty, escorting convoys from Leyte to 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...
, Okinawa, and 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...
.
Post-war decommissioning
She sailed from SamarSamar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
28 November 1945 for the States and was placed out of commission in reserve 25 September 1946.
See also
- List of United States Navy ships
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
- DestroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
- Destroyer escortDestroyer escortA 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...