USS Melvin R. Nawman (DE-416)
Encyclopedia
USS Melvin R. Nawman (DE-416) 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, her crew returned home proudly with four battle stars to their credit.
She was named in honor of Melvin Rollie Nawman who died attempting to stop the “Tokyo Express
” from landing additional reinforcements on Guadalcanal
. The gallantry of this volunteer mission was recognized through a posthumously awarded Air Medal
.
Melvin R. Nawman was laid down 3 January 1944 by Brown Shipbuilding
Co., Houston, Texas
; launched 16 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. R. B. Nawman, mother of the late 2d Lt. Melvin R. Nawman; and commissioned 16 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. F. W. Kinsley in command.
exercises off Bermuda
the DE-416 steamed forth from Boston Navy Yard
22 July 1944 for the Pacific theater. A two month training period with an antisubmarine hunter killer group interrupted her westward progress at Pearl Harbor
. In October convoy
missions commenced to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands
, and Ulithi
, western Caroline
group highlighted by a submarine
contact on 18 November and an encounter with a severe tropical storm a month later.
The year 1945 brought action off the invasion beaches with the U.S. 5th Fleet. Melvin R. Nawman screened USS Anzio (CVE-57)
as its planes bombed Japanese positions on Iwo Jima
16 February (D day minus 3) until 3 March. With victory imminent the group retired to Leyte
for redeployment off the beaches of Okinawa. In the intense action that followed its guns shot down their first two planes near Kerama Retto
2 April earning the Bronze Star Medal
for two members of the crew. After a month on station the ship returned to escort duty centered around Guam
. In the final stages of the war in the Pacific 47 consecutive days were spent at sea screening carrier task forces operating off the east coast of Japan
before retiring to Guam
.
In the next 4 months Melvin R. Nawman steamed first to Korea
and then made three escort trips to the China
coast as the United States
and Nationalist China tried to redistribute their forces to stabilize the postwar Far East
. On 22 December, pressed into “Operation Magic Carpet” duty, this doughty destroyer escort happily pointed its bow toward home. She arrived San Francisco, California
, 15 January 1946 and 23 April decommissioned at San Diego, California
, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
restored DE-416 to a commissioned status 28 March 1951, Lt. Comdr. P. H. Teeter in command. Following shakedown she departed San Diego 22 June to assume new duties with Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, arriving Melville, Rhode Island
, 11 July.
, and commencing in 1954 annual visits to Caribbean
island ports. These areas provided the most intensive antisubmarine warfare training and at times permitted this destroyer escort to assist in the training of students from the Fleet Sonar
School, Key West. Three midshipmen cruises also brought visits to Norway
, Denmark
, and Quebec, Canada. Her busiest sailing year 1957, climaxed in October with a 49 day voyage which traversed the length of the Mediterranean Sea
.
The next year assigned to a Reserve Escort Squadron she undertook her first Naval Reserve cruise 16 June. Emerging from overhaul in February 1959 she was designated a Selected Reserve Training Ship berthed first at Davisville, Rhode Island
, and after 12 December at Providence, Rhode Island
. Her Reserve crew completed one cruise to Puerto Rico
in the spring of 1960 but on her last voyage DE-416 was towed into the New York Navy Yard 1 June for inactivation.
. She was sold for scrapping 3 October 1973.
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, her crew returned home proudly with four battle stars to their credit.
She was named in honor of Melvin Rollie Nawman who died attempting to stop the “Tokyo Express
Tokyo Express
The Tokyo Express was the name given by Allied forces to the use of Imperial Japanese Navy ships at night to deliver personnel, supplies, and equipment to Japanese forces operating in and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during the Pacific campaign of World War II...
” from landing additional reinforcements on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. The gallantry of this volunteer mission was recognized through a posthumously awarded Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
.
Melvin R. Nawman was laid down 3 January 1944 by Brown Shipbuilding
Brown Shipbuilding
The Brown Shipbuilding Company was founded in Houston, Texas in 1942 as a subsidiary of Brown and Root by brothers Herman and George R. Brown to build ships for the US Navy during World War II....
Co., Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
; launched 16 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. R. B. Nawman, mother of the late 2d Lt. Melvin R. Nawman; and commissioned 16 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. F. W. Kinsley in command.
World War II
Following completion of 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...
exercises 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...
the DE-416 steamed forth from Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
22 July 1944 for the Pacific theater. A two month training period with an antisubmarine hunter killer group interrupted her westward progress at 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...
. In October 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...
missions commenced to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, and Ulithi
Ulithi
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...
, western Caroline
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
group highlighted by a 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...
contact on 18 November and an encounter with a severe tropical storm a month later.
The year 1945 brought action off the invasion beaches with the U.S. 5th Fleet. Melvin R. Nawman screened USS Anzio (CVE-57)
USS Anzio (CVE-57)
USS Anzio , was an Casablanca class escort carrier of the United States Navy.Originally classified as auxiliary aircraft carrier ACV-57, was laid down on 12 December 1942 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract ; named Alikula Bay on 22 January...
as its planes bombed Japanese positions on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
16 February (D day minus 3) until 3 March. With victory imminent the group retired 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...
for redeployment off the beaches of Okinawa. In the intense action that followed its guns shot down their first two planes near Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
2 April earning the Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for two members of the crew. After a month on station the ship returned to escort duty centered around 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...
. In the final stages of the war in the Pacific 47 consecutive days were spent at sea screening carrier task forces operating off the east coast 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...
before retiring to 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...
.
In the next 4 months Melvin R. Nawman steamed first to 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 then made three escort trips to the 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...
coast as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Nationalist China tried to redistribute their forces to stabilize the postwar Far East
Far 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,...
. On 22 December, pressed into “Operation Magic Carpet” duty, this doughty destroyer escort happily pointed its bow toward home. She arrived San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, 15 January 1946 and 23 April decommissioned 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 joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
Korean War
The expansion of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
restored DE-416 to a commissioned status 28 March 1951, Lt. Comdr. P. H. Teeter in command. Following shakedown she departed San Diego 22 June to assume new duties with Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, arriving Melville, Rhode Island
Melville, Rhode Island
Melville is a village in the town of Portsmouth in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The village is also the basis of a census-designated place , which extends south along the shore of Narragansett Bay into the town of Middletown to encompass the village of Lawtons and the port...
, 11 July.
Training assignments
Beside local operations Melvin R. Nawman made voyages each year to Key West, FloridaKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, and commencing in 1954 annual visits to 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...
island ports. These areas provided the most intensive antisubmarine warfare training and at times permitted this destroyer escort to assist in the training of students from the Fleet Sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
School, Key West. Three midshipmen cruises also brought visits to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and Quebec, Canada. Her busiest sailing year 1957, climaxed in October with a 49 day voyage which traversed the length of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
The next year assigned to a Reserve Escort Squadron she undertook her first Naval Reserve cruise 16 June. Emerging from overhaul in February 1959 she was designated a Selected Reserve Training Ship berthed first at Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island
Davisville, Rhode Island was the former home of the U.S. Navy SeaBees. It was located at Quonset Point on Narragansett Bay, an area now included in the town of North Kingstown. The Navy acquired the property in 1939 and built Naval Air Station Quonset Point...
, and after 12 December at Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. Her Reserve crew completed one cruise to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in the spring of 1960 but on her last voyage DE-416 was towed into the New York Navy Yard 1 June for inactivation.
Fate
She decommissioned 30 August 1960 and struck 1 July 1972 from the Navy ListNavy 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....
. She was sold for scrapping 3 October 1973.
Awards
Melvin R. Nawman received four battle stars for service in the Pacific theater during World War II.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...