USS Robert F. Keller (DE-419)
Encyclopedia
USS Robert F. Keller (DE-419) 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
.
Robert F. Keller (DE-419) was named in honor of Robert Franklin Keller, who was awarded the Air Medal
as second pilot of a patrol plane in action against enemy Japanese
forces during the Aleutian Islands Campaign
10 June to 20 June 1942.
Robert F. Keller (DE 419) was laid down by Brown Shipbuilding
Co., Houston, Texas
, 12 January 1944; launched 1 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Peter S. Keller; and commissioned 17 June 1944, Lt. Comdr. R. J. Toner, USNR, in command.
off Bermuda
, Robert F. Keller escorted Currituck (AV-7)
to the Panama Canal Zone
, then transited the canal 7 September 1944. She picked up a convoy
of four Pearl Harbor
-bound merchantmen at San Francisco, California
, and escorted them safely to their destination. Arriving on 1 October, Keller joined Escort Division 72, assigned to screen carrier Coral Sea (CVA-43). With the U.S. 3rd Fleet, the group sailed to the Western Carolines arriving 1 November. This became Keller's advance base for operations until February 1945. During this time her task group, designated 30.7, conducted antisubmarine sweeps as a hunter-killer group in the Philippine Sea
and adjacent waters. On 22 December 1944 Keller rescued four survivors of capsized destroyer Hull (DD-350)
, victim of a typhoon.
On 28 January 1945 all ships of task group TG 30.7 were assigned to the U.S. 5th Fleet and proceeded on 2 February to cover a group of transports in their voyage from Eniwetok to Saipan
. At this newly annexed Pacific island, Keller was attached to Air Support Unit 2 and was with that division as it participated in the Iwo Jima
campaign of February 1945. While acting as carrier screen, on the night of 21 February, her crew witnessed the sinking of escort carrier Bismarck Sea (CVE-95)
during a kamikaze
attack. She remained in the Iwo area until 7 March and then retired to Leyte
Island in the Philippines
for upkeep and repair in preparation for the Okinawa operation.
Keller was ready for the operation by 21 March 1945 and proceeded to Okinawa, destroying three floating mines en route. Her duties were identical to those she had known in the Iwo campaign, acting as air defense and antisubmarine screen for the carriers involved in covering the invasion from the air. The ship left the area on 27 April escorting the carrier Anzio (CVE-57)
(ex-Coral Sea) to Ulithi
. She was back in the war on 10 May escorting the cruiser
San Francisco (CA-38)
to the Okinawa battleline and then guarded the convoy lanes around the beleaguered island fortress. She returned to Leyte for availability 17 June.
Task Group 30.6 set out again on 6 July on what was to be Keller's last combat operation of the war, antisubmarine sweeps east of Tokyo
. Ten days later Keller assisted in a kill when Lawrence C. Taylor (DE-415)
caught Japanese submarine I-13
on the surface and raked her with gunfire until she sank. When the end of hostilities was announced, Keller proceeded to Guam
.
After escorting transports loaded with occupation troops to Jinsen, Korea
, on 8 September, Keller returned to Okinawa on 22 September. She remained in the Far East
for the rest of the year, calling at several Chinese
ports.
. In September 1946 she was placed "in service" and assigned to the 13th Naval District at Puget Sound
, Washington, to lend her assistance in the Navy's Reserve training program. In January 1950, she sailed to the east coast via the Panama Canal
and was placed "in commission in reserve" on 31 March 1950, assigned as Naval Reserve Training Ship at Washington, D.C.
, under Commandant, Potomac River
Naval Command. On 18 November 1950, she was again placed on "active status in commission" and trained reserves while maintaining war readiness. Through 1955 she made 39 cruises and assisted in the training of over 3,500 reserve officers and enlisted men and visited most major ports in eastern Canada
, the West Indies, and the United States
. She continued this duty until 1959, sometimes crossing the Atlantic to visit Europe
an ports.
and was manned by reserves, steaming in the Atlantic and Caribbean
during the rest of the year. She again decommissioned and was placed "in service" as a Naval Reserve training ship of the 5th Naval District, 1 August 1962.
, in January 1965, where she remained until 1972. After survey, in the spring of 1972, Robert F. Keller was found to be unfit for further service and was stricken from the Navy list
1 July 1972.
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...
.
Robert F. Keller (DE-419) was named in honor of Robert Franklin Keller, who was awarded the 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:...
as second pilot of a patrol plane in action against enemy 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...
forces during the Aleutian Islands Campaign
Battle of the Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands Campaign was a struggle over the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska, in the Pacific campaign of World War II starting on 3 June 1942. A small Japanese force occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska, but the remoteness of the islands and the difficulties of weather and terrain meant...
10 June to 20 June 1942.
Robert F. Keller (DE 419) was laid down 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 ...
, 12 January 1944; launched 1 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Peter S. Keller; and commissioned 17 June 1944, Lt. Comdr. R. J. Toner, USNR, in command.
World War II
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...
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...
, Robert F. Keller escorted Currituck (AV-7)
USS Currituck (AV-7)
USS Currituck was the first of four Currituck class seaplane tenders, and was nicknamed the Wild Goose. She was built during World War II and served during the Cold War....
to 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...
, then transited the canal 7 September 1944. She picked up 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...
of four 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...
-bound merchantmen at 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...
, and escorted them safely to their destination. Arriving on 1 October, Keller joined Escort Division 72, assigned to screen carrier Coral Sea (CVA-43). With the U.S. 3rd Fleet, the group sailed to the Western Carolines arriving 1 November. This became Keller's advance base for operations until February 1945. During this time her task group, designated 30.7, conducted antisubmarine sweeps as a hunter-killer group in the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...
and adjacent waters. On 22 December 1944 Keller rescued four survivors of capsized destroyer Hull (DD-350)
USS Hull (DD-350)
The third USS Hull was a Farragut-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Isaac Hull....
, victim of a typhoon.
On 28 January 1945 all ships of task group TG 30.7 were assigned to the U.S. 5th Fleet and proceeded on 2 February to cover a group of transports in their voyage from Eniwetok to Saipan
Saipan
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...
. At this newly annexed Pacific island, Keller was attached to Air Support Unit 2 and was with that division as it participated in the 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...
campaign of February 1945. While acting as carrier screen, on the night of 21 February, her crew witnessed the sinking of escort carrier Bismarck Sea (CVE-95)
USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95)
USS Bismarck Sea was a Casablanca class escort carrier of the United States Navy. She was launched on 17 April 1944 by Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract as Alikula Bay; sponsored by Mrs. M. C...
during a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
attack. She remained in the Iwo area until 7 March and then 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...
Island in 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...
for upkeep and repair in preparation for the Okinawa operation.
Keller was ready for the operation by 21 March 1945 and proceeded to Okinawa, destroying three floating mines en route. Her duties were identical to those she had known in the Iwo campaign, acting as air defense and antisubmarine screen for the carriers involved in covering the invasion from the air. The ship left the area on 27 April escorting the carrier 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...
(ex-Coral Sea) to 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...
. She was back in the war on 10 May escorting the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
San Francisco (CA-38)
USS San Francisco (CA-38)
USS San Francisco , a New Orleans-class heavy cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of San Francisco, California. She saw extensive action during World War II....
to the Okinawa battleline and then guarded the convoy lanes around the beleaguered island fortress. She returned to Leyte for availability 17 June.
Task Group 30.6 set out again on 6 July on what was to be Keller's last combat operation of the war, antisubmarine sweeps east of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Ten days later Keller assisted in a kill when Lawrence C. Taylor (DE-415)
USS Lawrence C. Taylor (DE-415)
USS Lawrence C. Taylor 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...
caught Japanese submarine I-13
Japanese submarine I-13
Japanese submarine I-13 was an AM type submarine. The submarine was built at the Kawasaki shipyard in Kobe....
on the surface and raked her with gunfire until she sank. When the end of hostilities was announced, Keller proceeded 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...
.
After escorting transports loaded with occupation troops 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...
, on 8 September, Keller returned to Okinawa on 22 September. She remained in the 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,...
for the rest of the year, calling at several Chinese
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...
ports.
Naval Reserve duty
Robert F. Keller decommissioned 24 April 1946 at San Diego, CaliforniaSan 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...
. In September 1946 she was placed "in service" and assigned to the 13th Naval District at Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, Washington, to lend her assistance in the Navy's Reserve training program. In January 1950, she sailed to the east coast via 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 was placed "in commission in reserve" on 31 March 1950, assigned as Naval Reserve Training Ship at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, under Commandant, Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
Naval Command. On 18 November 1950, she was again placed on "active status in commission" and trained reserves while maintaining war readiness. Through 1955 she made 39 cruises and assisted in the training of over 3,500 reserve officers and enlisted men and visited most major ports in eastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the West Indies, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She continued this duty until 1959, sometimes crossing the Atlantic to visit Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an ports.
Berlin crisis
On 21 September 1959 Robert F. Keller decommissioned and was placed "in service" assigned to Naval Reserve training in Baltimore, Maryland, under the Commandant, 5th Naval District. She recommissioned 2 October 1961 incident to the Berlin CrisisBerlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...
and was manned by reserves, steaming in the Atlantic and 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...
during the rest of the year. She again decommissioned and was placed "in service" as a Naval Reserve training ship of the 5th Naval District, 1 August 1962.
Fate
She was placed out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, in January 1965, where she remained until 1972. After survey, in the spring of 1972, Robert F. Keller was found to be unfit for further service and was stricken 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 1972.
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...