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USS Jesse Rutherford (DE-347)
Encyclopedia
USS Jesse Rutherford (DE-347) was a 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.
Jesse Rutherford was laid down by Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas
, 22 November 1943; launched 29 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Mary Rutherford, mother of Private Rutherford; and commissioned 31 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. B. M. Henry in command.
, 7 July for shakedown
training in waters off Bermuda
, after which she arrived Boston, Massachusetts, 13 August to prepare for arduous Atlantic convoy duty. She engaged in more underway training off the U.S. East Coast, however, before sailing from Norfolk, Virginia
, 20 September with her first convoy. The transports arrived Naples, Italy, 4 October, and Jesse Rutherford returned to New York
24 October.
, the Galápagos Islands
, and eventually the Society Islands
. Jesse Rutherford arrived Bora Bora
5 December and departed the next day for the great American staging base on Manus Island
. From there the ship was assigned to escort convoys from Hollandia
to Leyte Gulf
in support of the Allied campaign to recapture the Philippines
.
, and in March 1945 she steamed to Lingayen Gulf
as well. Arriving Biak
after another escort voyage 30 May, she formed a group of LST's into a convoy and departed for Manila
. Off Mindoro
, however, the destroyer escort encountered a merchantman in distress and drifting onto the beach. Displaying skillful seamanship
, Jesse Rutherford took the freighter
in tow and held her off the beach until a tug
could relieve her next day. She arrived Subic Bay
8 June.
on 12 July with amphibious craft to reinforce the allied landing at Balikpapan
, Borneo
, remaining there until 22 July. The ship then sailed back to Leyte in convoy, and patrolled San Bernardino Strait
until war's end. Jesse Rutherford escorted a group of LCTs to Okinawa, arriving 15 September, after which she returned to the Philippines for patrol duty.
28 November and sailed that afternoon for San Diego, California
, where she decommissioned 21 June 1946. Jesse Rutherford was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington
, where she remained until she was struck in January 1968 and sunk as target off California
8 December 1968.
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.
Jesse Rutherford was laid down 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...
, 22 November 1943; launched 29 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Mary Rutherford, mother of Private Rutherford; and commissioned 31 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. B. M. Henry in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Jesse Rutherford, departed Galveston, TexasGalveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, 7 July for shakedown
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
training in waters off 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...
, after which she arrived Boston, Massachusetts, 13 August to prepare for arduous Atlantic convoy duty. She engaged in more underway training off the U.S. East Coast, however, before sailing from 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....
, 20 September with her first convoy. The transports arrived Naples, Italy, 4 October, and Jesse Rutherford returned to 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...
24 October.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
At New York the destroyer escort received the newest in equipment and armament in preparation for the Pacific war, then about to enter its final stages. She sailed 10 November with Escort Division 76, bound for 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...
, the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
, and eventually the Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
. Jesse Rutherford arrived Bora Bora
Bora Bora
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef, 29.3 km² in total, and of the atoll of Tupai , located north of Bora Bora...
5 December and departed the next day for the great American staging base on Manus Island
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...
. From there the ship was assigned to escort convoys 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....
to 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...
in support of the Allied campaign to recapture 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...
.
Supporting the Philippine invasion
In the months that followed Jesse Rutherford made nine voyages to LeyteLeyte
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...
, and in March 1945 she steamed 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...
as well. Arriving Biak
Biak
Biak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
after another escort voyage 30 May, she formed a group of LST's into a convoy and departed for 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,...
. Off Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
, however, the destroyer escort encountered a merchantman in distress and drifting onto the beach. Displaying skillful seamanship
Seamanship
Seamanship is the art of operating a ship or boat.It involves a knowledge of a variety of topics and development of specialised skills including: navigation and international maritime law; weather, meteorology and forecasting; watchstanding; ship-handling and small boat handling; operation of deck...
, Jesse Rutherford took the freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
in tow and held her off the beach until a tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
could relieve her next day. She arrived 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...
8 June.
End-of-war operations
Additional convoy duty in the Philippines occupied Jesse Rutherford until July. She departed MorotaiMorotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
on 12 July with amphibious craft to reinforce the allied landing at 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...
, 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....
, remaining there until 22 July. The ship then sailed back to Leyte in convoy, and patrolled San Bernardino Strait
San Bernardino Strait
The San Bernardino Strait is a strait in the Philippines. It separates the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon island from the island of Samar in the south.-Filipinos and San Bernardino Strait:...
until war's end. Jesse Rutherford escorted a group of LCTs to Okinawa, arriving 15 September, after which she returned to the Philippines for patrol duty.
Post-war decommissioning
The veteran destroyer escort embarked returning veterans at 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 and sailed that afternoon for 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...
, where she decommissioned 21 June 1946. Jesse Rutherford was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, 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 remained until she was struck in January 1968 and sunk as target off California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
8 December 1968.