USS Joseph E. Connolly (DE-450)
Encyclopedia
USS Joseph E. Connolly (DE-450) 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 proudly returned home with one battle star to her credit.
Joseph E. Connolly (DE-450) was named in honor of Joseph Edward Connolly
who was killed in the Guadalcanal campaign
and was awarded the Navy Cross
.
She was laid down 6 April 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey
; launched 6 August 1944; sponsored by Miss Cecilia C. Connolly, sister of Corporal Connolly; and commissioned 28 February 1945, Lt. Comdr. M. C. Walley in command.
training in the Caribbean
Joseph E. Connolly departed Norfolk, Virginia
, 10 May 1945 for assignment to the Pacific Fleet. She transited the Panama Canal
and steamed by way of San Diego, California
, to Pearl Harbor
, where she arrived 6 June for additional intensive training. The ship then steamed to Eniwetok in early July to act as an escort ship during the final days of the Pacific war. Joseph E. Connolly served as screen ship to logistic-support units of the U.S. 3rd Fleet during the final strikes on the Japanese
mainland.
after war's end, arriving 31 August, and joined the screening unit for logistic support ships. She arrived Tokyo Bay
13 September and steamed to Jinsen, Korea
, 22 September to assist in the occupation of Korea
and North China
, then the subject of critical contention between Communist and Nationalist factions in China. Joseph E. Connolly spent 27 to 31 October at Shanghai
in support of the U.S. Marines ashore, after which she joined a service squadron in supplying fuel and supplies to various Pacific island bases.
in December, the ship sailed for the United States
4 January 1946, arriving Boston, Massachusetts, 17 February via San Diego and the Panama Canal Zone
. She later steamed to Green Cove Springs, Florida
, where she decommissioned 20 June 1946 and entered the Reserve Fleet
. Joseph E. Connolly was struck from the Navy list
on 1 June 1970 and, on 24 February 1972, she was sunk as a target.
service.
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 proudly returned home with one battle star to her credit.
Joseph E. Connolly (DE-450) was named in honor of Joseph Edward Connolly
Joseph Edward Connolly
-Navy and Marine Corps career:He served in the United States Navy 1927 to 1930 before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps March 9, 1936. Connolly attained the grade of Corporal by 1942 and took part in the assault on Guadalcanal, first American amphibious operation of the war.-Awarded the...
who was killed in the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
and 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...
.
She was laid down 6 April 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
; launched 6 August 1944; sponsored by Miss Cecilia C. Connolly, sister of Corporal Connolly; and commissioned 28 February 1945, Lt. Comdr. M. C. Walley in command.
World War II Pacific Theatre 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 in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
Joseph E. Connolly departed 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....
, 10 May 1945 for assignment to the Pacific Fleet. She transited 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 steamed by way of 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...
, to 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...
, where she arrived 6 June for additional intensive training. The ship then steamed to Eniwetok in early July to act as an escort ship during the final days of the Pacific war. Joseph E. Connolly served as screen ship to logistic-support units of the U.S. 3rd Fleet during the final strikes on the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
mainland.
End-of-war operations
The escort vessel returned to UlithiUlithi
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...
after war's end, arriving 31 August, and joined the screening unit for logistic support ships. She arrived Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
13 September and steamed to Jinsen, 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...
, 22 September to assist in the occupation of 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...
and North China
China
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...
, then the subject of critical contention between Communist and Nationalist factions in China. Joseph E. Connolly spent 27 to 31 October at Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in support of the U.S. Marines ashore, after which she joined a service squadron in supplying fuel and supplies to various Pacific island bases.
Post-war decommissioning
After patrol off SaipanSaipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
in December, the ship sailed for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
4 January 1946, arriving Boston, Massachusetts, 17 February via San Diego and the Panama Canal Zone
Panama 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...
. She later steamed to Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green Cove Springs is a city in Clay County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,378 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,908. It is the county seat of Clay County....
, where she decommissioned 20 June 1946 and entered the Reserve Fleet
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
. Joseph E. Connolly was struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on 1 June 1970 and, on 24 February 1972, she was sunk as a target.
Military awards
Joseph E. Connolly received one battle star for World War IIWorld 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...
service.
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...