.gif)
USS Jaccard (DE-355)
Encyclopedia
USS Jaccard (DE-355) 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.
She was named in honor of Richard Alonzo Jaccard
, who was awarded the Navy Cross
medal for his actions during the Battle of Midway
. She was launched by Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Orange, Texas
, 18 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. C. R. Jaccard, mother of Ensign Jaccard; and commissioned 26 July 1944, Lt. Comdr. C. R. Hamilton in command.
training out of Bermuda
, the new destroyer escort sailed to Boston, Massachusetts, for the installation of new electronic equipment. She departed 29 September for Norfolk, Virginia
, to join her escort division and after a battle problem off the Virginia Capes
escorted a convoy
back into Hampton Roads
.
, and touched at many of the Navy's south Pacific bases before arriving Hollandia
28 November 1944. After several days of antisubmarine training, she steamed to Leyte
, arriving 21 December, and there underwent her first air attack. In the months that followed the destroyer escort operated as a convoy escort from Hollandia, Manus
, and the Palaus to Leyte
as Allied forces pressed forward in the conquest of the Philippines
. Jaccard remained on this duty, escorting a total of eleven convoys of vitally needed supplies, until joining a hunter-killer group 18 March 1945, west of the Philippines. During the next 2 months she also escorted American submarines to and from Subic Bay
.
In May Jaccard returned to escort duty out of Leyte Gulf
, but steamed back to the waters off Manila
22 June to patrol and escort submarines. She remained on this duty until after the end of organized fighting, and then began escort duty between Manila and Okinawa 30 August 1945.
and Korea
in support of American troops remaining in these strategic countries to preserve stability. She sailed 26 April 1946 for the United States
, and arrived 17 May.
, where she remains.
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.
She was named in honor of Richard Alonzo Jaccard
Richard Alonzo Jaccard
Richard Alonzo Jaccard was born in Troy, Missouri and lived in Manhattan, Kansas.-Navy career:Jaccard enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve October 29, 1940. He later underwent flight training and upon graduation was commissioned Ensign September 27, 1941. Reporting to famed carrier in April 1942, Ens...
, who was awarded the 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...
medal for his actions during the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
. She was launched 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...
, 18 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. C. R. Jaccard, mother of Ensign Jaccard; and commissioned 26 July 1944, Lt. Comdr. C. R. Hamilton in command.
World War II Atlantic Ocean operations
Following shakedownShakedown (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...
training out of Bermuda
Bermuda
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...
, the new destroyer escort sailed to Boston, Massachusetts, for the installation of new electronic equipment. She departed 29 September for 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....
, to join her escort division and after a battle problem 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....
escorted a 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...
back into Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
.
Transfer to the Pacific Ocean
Jaccard then sailed 21 October, transited the Panama CanalPanama 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 touched at many of the Navy's south Pacific bases before arriving 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....
28 November 1944. After several days of antisubmarine training, she steamed to 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 21 December, and there underwent her first air attack. In the months that followed the destroyer escort operated as a convoy escort from Hollandia, Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, and the Palaus to 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...
as Allied forces pressed forward in the conquest of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Jaccard remained on this duty, escorting a total of eleven convoys of vitally needed supplies, until joining a hunter-killer group 18 March 1945, west of the Philippines. During the next 2 months she also escorted American submarines to and from 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...
.
In May Jaccard returned to escort duty out of 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...
, but steamed back to the waters off Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
22 June to patrol and escort submarines. She remained on this duty until after the end of organized fighting, and then began escort duty between Manila and Okinawa 30 August 1945.
Post-war operations
Early in 1946 the veteran ship began operating as escort and mail ship between the Philippines and ports in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in support of American troops remaining in these strategic countries to preserve stability. She sailed 26 April 1946 for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and arrived 17 May.
Post-war decommissioning
After a period of training operations off the U.S. West Coast, Jaccard decommissioned at Puget Sound Navy Yard 30 September 1946, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, WashingtonBremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, where she remains.
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...