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USS Koiner (DE-331)
Encyclopedia
USS Koiner (DE-331) was an built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine
and air attack for Navy vessels and convoy
s. Post-war, she was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard, and also reclassified as a radar picket
ship.
She was named in honor of Lieutenant (j.g.) James Duval Koiner who was killed in action 13 November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal. She was laid down 26 July 1943, by Consolidated Steel Corporation
, Orange, Texas
; launched 5 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Mae H. Koiner, the mother of Lt. (j.g.) Koiner; and commissioned 27 December 1943, Lt. Cmdr. C. S. Judson, Jr., in command.
off Bermuda
, Koiner cleared Charleston, South Carolina
, 28 February 1944, to join a convoy at Willemstad, Curaçao, N.W.I.
, and escort tankers to Mediterranean ports. For the next six months, she remained on convoy-escort duty in the Atlantic, making four round trip cruises from Curaçao
to North Africa and Naples, Italy. Completing her final Mediterranean cruise 31 August, Koiner commenced escort duty for United Kingdom-bound ships. From 20 September 1944 to 1 May 1945, the destroyer escort sailed with five convoys to British ports. On February 11, 1945, Koiner likely helped sink U-869. Upon cessation of hostilities in Europe she began preparations for Pacific duty.
25 June, commencing training operations with and exercises with submarines. Departing Pearl Harbor 4 August, she was en route to Leyte
when President Harry S. Truman
announced the end of hostilities with Japan.
as part of the occupation forces on escort and patrol duty until 1 April 1946. Clearing Hong Kong
, she sailed by way of the Indian Ocean
and Mediterranean, and arrived Charleston, South Carolina, 30 May. Koiner was decommissioned and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet 4 October 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida
.
commissioned as WDE-431. She served as an ocean station vessel out of Seattle, Washington
until her return to the Navy in 1954.
coast to provide early warning in the event of enemy air attack.
for her new home port, Guam
, arriving 28 July after a stopover at Pearl Harbor. On 6 August, she left for the first of three Operation Market Time
patrols ending in December. The experience Koiner had gained during her patrols off the West Coast enabled the radar picket escort ship to contributed greatly to the surveillance tactics necessary to prevent the flow of supplies by sea to the Viet Cong.
During 1966, Koiner was again deployed for further "Market Time" operations off Vietnam
. A seven-month WestPac cruise began late in February. Between patrols, the ship visited Hong Kong; Bangkok
; Manila
; and Kaoshiung, Formosa
.
In late January 1967, Koiner participated in a gunfire mission after a brief in-port period in Japan. She then resumed her regular duties.
23 September 1968 and sold for scrapping 3 September 1969.
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...
and air attack for Navy vessels and 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...
s. Post-war, she was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard, and also reclassified as a 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...
ship.
She was named in honor of Lieutenant (j.g.) James Duval Koiner who was killed in action 13 November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal. She was laid down 26 July 1943, by Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation
Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Consolidated built ships during World War II in two locations: Wilmington, California and Orange, Texas...
, 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 5 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Mae H. Koiner, the mother of Lt. (j.g.) Koiner; and commissioned 27 December 1943, Lt. Cmdr. C. S. Judson, Jr., in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
After shakedownSea 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...
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...
, Koiner cleared Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, 28 February 1944, to join a convoy at Willemstad, Curaçao, N.W.I.
Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles
Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formerly the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to its dissolution in 2010, it has an estimated population of 140,000. The historic centre of...
, and escort tankers to Mediterranean ports. For the next six months, she remained on convoy-escort duty in the Atlantic, making four round trip cruises from Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
to North Africa and Naples, Italy. Completing her final Mediterranean cruise 31 August, Koiner commenced escort duty for United Kingdom-bound ships. From 20 September 1944 to 1 May 1945, the destroyer escort sailed with five convoys to British ports. On February 11, 1945, Koiner likely helped sink U-869. Upon cessation of hostilities in Europe she began preparations for Pacific duty.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
Koiner arrived Pearl HarborPearl 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...
25 June, commencing training operations with and exercises with submarines. Departing Pearl Harbor 4 August, she was en route 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...
when President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
announced the end of hostilities with Japan.
End-of-war activity
The destroyer escort remained in the Far EastFar 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,...
as part of the occupation forces on escort and patrol duty until 1 April 1946. Clearing Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, she sailed by way of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and Mediterranean, and arrived Charleston, South Carolina, 30 May. Koiner was decommissioned and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet 4 October 1946 at 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....
.
On loan to the Coast Guard
From 20 June 1951 to 14 May 1954, Koiner was on loan to the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
commissioned as WDE-431. She served as an ocean station vessel out of Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
until her return to the Navy in 1954.
Conversion to radar picket ship
She was converted to a radar picket escort vessel and reclassified DER-331 on 28 September 1954. Recommissioned 26 August 1955, Lt. Cmdr. V. W. Tracy in command, Koiner joined the Continental Air Defense System in the Pacific Barrier. From 1956 into 1965, Koiner operated on picket stations off the Washington and CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
coast to provide early warning in the event of enemy air attack.
Vietnam Crisis operations
On 1 July 1965, Koiner departed Alameda, CaliforniaAlameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
for her new home port, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, arriving 28 July after a stopover at Pearl Harbor. On 6 August, she left for the first of three Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
patrols ending in December. The experience Koiner had gained during her patrols off the West Coast enabled the radar picket escort ship to contributed greatly to the surveillance tactics necessary to prevent the flow of supplies by sea to the Viet Cong.
During 1966, Koiner was again deployed for further "Market Time" operations off Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. A seven-month WestPac cruise began late in February. Between patrols, the ship visited Hong Kong; Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
; 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,...
; and Kaoshiung, Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
In late January 1967, Koiner participated in a gunfire mission after a brief in-port period in Japan. She then resumed her regular duties.
Final decommissioning
Koiner was decommissioned at an unknown date in 1968. She was struck from the Navy ListNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
23 September 1968 and sold for scrapping 3 September 1969.