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USS Inch (DE-146)
Encyclopedia
USS Inch (DE-146) was named after Rear Admiral Richard Inch
, who served with distinction during the American Civil War
and the Spanish-American War
.
USS Inch (DE-146) was laid down 19 January 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp, Orange, Texas
; launched 4 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Philip L. Inch, daughter-in-law of Admiral Inch; and commissioned 8 September 1943, Lt. Comdr. C. W. Frey in command.
, Inch began convoy
escort operations from New York
to Norfolk
. Early in 1945 she joined a special hunter-killer group in the Atlantic, built around escort carrier . The ships sailed 24 March for the convoy
lanes to search for German U-boat
s. During the months that followed, Inch took part in many attacks on submarine
s.
. Suspect-a ruse, Inch and her companions opened fire and destroyed German type-17 U-490
. The entire crew of 60 German sailors was rescued by the escorts.
, the escort vessels, operating as usual in concert with aircraft from Croatan, detected another submarine. They attacked 3 July and scored another kill, this time on German submarine U-154. Inch remained on this vital duty, so important in stopping the German submarine menace, until reaching New York
14 May 1945.
23 July. She touched at San Diego, California
, and Pearl Harbor
, and remained in Hawaii
an waters for exercises designed to train her for the planned invasion of Japan
. Soon after her arrival 12 August, however, the capitulation was announced.
, via the Panama Canal
, and arrived 28 September 1945. She decommissioned 17 May 1946, entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, and is now berthed at Norfolk
.
Richard Inch
Richard Inch was a rear admiral of the United States Navy.-Biography:Inch was born 29 June 1843 at Washington, D.C., and was warranted Third Assistant Engineer on 13 September 1863....
, who served with distinction during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
USS Inch (DE-146) was laid down 19 January 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp, 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...
; launched 4 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Philip L. Inch, daughter-in-law of Admiral Inch; and commissioned 8 September 1943, Lt. Comdr. C. W. Frey in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Following shakedown off BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Inch began 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...
escort operations from New York
New 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...
to Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. Early in 1945 she joined a special hunter-killer group in the Atlantic, built around escort carrier . The ships sailed 24 March for the 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...
lanes to search for German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s. During the months that followed, Inch took part in many attacks on 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...
s.
Sinking of the German Submarine U-490
On the evening of 11 June the ship, in company with and , made a contact and proceeded to attack. After over 40 depth charges, the submarine surfaced, signaling SOSSOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
. Suspect-a ruse, Inch and her companions opened fire and destroyed German type-17 U-490
German submarine U-490
German submarine U-490 was a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat of the of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.Her keel was laid down on 21 February 1942, by Germaniawerft of Kiel...
. The entire crew of 60 German sailors was rescued by the escorts.
Sinking of the German Submarine U-154
Soon after the attack on U-490German submarine U-490
German submarine U-490 was a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat of the of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.Her keel was laid down on 21 February 1942, by Germaniawerft of Kiel...
, the escort vessels, operating as usual in concert with aircraft from Croatan, detected another submarine. They attacked 3 July and scored another kill, this time on German submarine U-154. Inch remained on this vital duty, so important in stopping the German submarine menace, until reaching New York
New 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...
14 May 1945.
Assigned to Pacific Theatre operations
She had had only brief in-port periods the preceding year, and after repairs conducted her second shakedown out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. With the submarine war in the Atlantic won, Inch sailed to the Pacific, departing the Canal ZonePanama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
23 July. She touched 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...
, and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, and remained in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an waters for exercises designed to train her for the planned invasion of 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...
. Soon after her arrival 12 August, however, the capitulation was announced.
Decommissioning
After completing training and readiness exercises, Inch sailed 5 September for Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, 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....
, via 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...
, and arrived 28 September 1945. She decommissioned 17 May 1946, entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, and is now berthed at Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.