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USS Robert E. Peary (DE-132)
Encyclopedia
USS Robert E. Peary (DE-132) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort
built for the U.S. Navy during World War II
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
She was named after Robert E. Peary, the famous Arctic
explorer and laid down 30 June 1942 by the Consolidated Steel Co., Orange, Texas
; launched 3 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Robert Edwin Peary; and commissioned 31 May 1943, Lt. Comdr. Kerfoot B. Smith in command.
, Robert E. Peary made her first run as a convoy
escort to North Africa
, arriving at Casablanca
13 August. By the end of the year, she had made two more runs to Casablanca, and was returning to New York
with her third westbound convoy
.
Early in 1944, Robert E. Peary crossed the Atlantic with a "hunter-killer" group, and upon returning to the United States
shifted to the northern sealanes. Between 28 March 1944 and 7 June 1945, she escorted 10 convoys to the United Kingdom
and, after June 1944, to France
.
run on 7 June 1945, Robert E. Peary underwent overhaul and was en route to the Pacific when the war with Japan
ended. Redirected to New London, Connecticut
, for duty with the Medical Research Department, she conducted binocular experiments, then, proceeded to Green Cove Springs, Florida
.
on 11 January 1946 and decommissioned 13 June 1947. Transferred to the Norfolk, Virginia
, berthing area in 1959, she remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until struck from the Navy list
1 July 1966. She was sold to Lipsett, Inc., New York, New York, 6 September 1967.
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...
built for 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...
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
She was named after Robert E. Peary, the famous Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
explorer and laid down 30 June 1942 by the Consolidated Steel Co., 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 3 January 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Robert Edwin Peary; and commissioned 31 May 1943, Lt. Comdr. Kerfoot B. Smith in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Following shakedown off BermudaBermuda
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...
, Robert E. Peary made her first run as 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...
escort to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, arriving at Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
13 August. By the end of the year, she had made two more runs to Casablanca, and was returning 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...
with her third westbound 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...
.
Early in 1944, Robert E. Peary crossed the Atlantic with a "hunter-killer" group, and upon returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
shifted to the northern sealanes. Between 28 March 1944 and 7 June 1945, she escorted 10 convoys to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and, after June 1944, to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Rescuing Survivors in the Water
While returning to New York on 2 March 1945, Robert E. Peary and were diverted to aid two merchant ships which had collided. After the destroyer escorts rescued survivors, Hammann stood by , while Robert E. Peary escorted to New York, arriving on the 6th.End-of-War Activity
Ordered to the U.S. Pacific Fleet on completion of her last Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
run on 7 June 1945, Robert E. Peary underwent overhaul and was en route to the Pacific when the war with 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...
ended. Redirected to New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, for duty with the Medical Research Department, she conducted binocular experiments, then, proceeded 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....
.
Post-War Decommissioning
She arrived in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on 11 January 1946 and decommissioned 13 June 1947. Transferred to the 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....
, berthing area in 1959, she remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until 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....
1 July 1966. She was sold to Lipsett, Inc., New York, New York, 6 September 1967.