USS Sellstrom (DE-255)
Encyclopedia
USS Sellstrom (DE-255) was an built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine
and air attack for Navy vessels and convoy
s.
She was named in honor of Edward Robert Sellstrom
, a Naval aviator, who was awarded the Navy Cross
for his superb marksmanship in shooting down attacking Japanese
planes. She was laid down on 16 March 1943 by the Brown Shipbuilding
Company, Houston, Texas
; launched on 12 May 1943; sponsored by Miss Genevieve Dahl, fiancé of Ensign Sellstrom; and commissioned on 12 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. William L. Maloney, USCG, in command.
, Sellstrom departed Bermuda
on 3 December 1943 for the east coast, arriving at Charleston Navy Yard on the 6th. On 13 December, the escort vessel departed Charleston, South Carolina
, and proceeded to Norfolk, Virginia
, arriving on the 15th.
On 13 January 1944, Sellstrom departed Norfolk as a unit of Task Force 63 bound for Gibraltar
. On 31 January, Task Force
63 stood into the Straits of Gibraltar, turned over the escort of their convoy to British control, and set course to Casablanca
, French Morocco
.
Sellstrom moored at Jetty de Lure, Casablanca Harbor, the next day. She remained in the harbor, doing some patrolling, until 4 February, when she got underway for Gibraltar to pick up another convoy en route to Chesapeake Bay
. Sellstrom was relieved of the convoy in Chesapeake Bay on 22 February and proceeded to New York, mooring at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
the next day.
, Sellstrom engaged in refresher training off Montauk
, Long Island
. On 10 March, Sellstrom departed Long Island and arrived at Norfolk on the 11th. Sellstrom stood out of Chesapeake Bay on 15 March and joined convoy UGS-36 en route to Bizerte
, Tunisia
.
prior to attacking Sellstrom's convoy. Evasive maneuvering and a screen of antiaircraft fire, however, kept the five two-engined bombers' score to one burned merchant ship. The convoy arrived at Bizerte two days after the air attack.
On 11 April, Sellstrom joined convoy GUS-36 for the trip back to the United States. As flagship
of Escort Division 23, Sellstrom guided the New York section of the convoy into the swept channel on 1 May and patrolled the area until all merchant vessels had pilots on board. On 2 May, Sellstrom anchored in Gravesend Bay to unload ammunition prior to going to the Navy Yard for repairs.
Sellstrom departed New York on 13 May en route to Casco Bay
, Maine
. After completing refresher training there on 17 May, the escort vessel proceeded to the Naval Mine Depot at Yorktown, Virginia
. On 23 May, Sellstrom assumed her patrol station and began escort of convoy UGS-43 bound for Tunisia.
Sellstrom turned over the convoy to British escorts and entered Bizerte Harbor on 12 June. On the 20th, Sellstrom picked up GUS-43, delivering her section at New York on 9 July. She docked at the Boston Navy Yard
Annex on 11 July, remaining there until the 23rd. From 24 July to 9 August, Sellstrom engaged in refresher training off the coast of Maine.
After preparations on 10 and 11 August at the Boston Navy Yard, Sellstrom again reported for convoy duty. She successfully escorted sections of convoy TCU-35 into the Clyde
and Loch Ewe
, Scotland
, and into Lough Foyle
, Northern Ireland
, on 21 and 22 August. The destroyer escort then berthed at Derry
from 23 to 26 August. Underway again on the 27th, Sellstrom escorted convoy UCT-35 back to the east coast, arriving on 5 September.
After training off New London, Connecticut
, Sellstrom received fuel and provisions while moored off 33d St., Brooklyn
Pier. Sellstrom departed New York Harbor on 29 September and resumed convoy duty. The destroyer escort accompanied six more Atlantic convoys, delivering merchantmen to the ports of Belfast
, Northern Ireland; Liverpool
, Plymouth
, Southampton
, and Birkenhead
, England; and Le Havre
, France.
After operating in the Caribbean early in June, she set her course for Charleston, South Carolina, arriving on 17 June 1945.
between the 27th and the 29th, and arrived at San Francisco, California
, on 7 July.
On 11 July, Sellstrom departed San Francisco and proceeded to Alaska
n waters, arriving at Adak
on the 19th. From 21 to 27 July, she remained at Dutch Harbor for assigned availability. Sellstrom escorted her first Alaskan convoy, a minesweeper
and eight LCI
's, from Cold Bay at Adak, from 30 July to 1 August. Sellstrom's operations consisted of routine patrols and serving as a guard ship
vessel for flights over the northern Japanese island chain.
; and Pearl Harbor
. From 17 to 20 March, the destroyer escort transited the Panama Canal en route to drydocking in Charleston. In April 1946, Sellstrom was placed out of commission, in reserve.
escort ship. Having been redesignated DER-255, Sellstrom was recommissioned on 1 October 1956 and joined the Atlantic Fleet.
After shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay
and post-shakedown overhaul, Sellstrom began carrying out assignments on the radar picket lines and as an ocean weather station. Sellstrom continued her naval service throughout the 1950s, performing her tasks off Newfoundland
, along the east coast, and in the Caribbean.
on 1 November 1965. In April 1967, she was towed from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to the Peck Iron Metal Works at Portsmouth, Virginia
, for scrapping.
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.
She was named in honor of Edward Robert Sellstrom
Edward Robert Sellstrom
Edward Robert Sellstrom was a Naval aviator who died while in service with the United States Naval Reserve during World War II.-Background:...
, a Naval aviator, who 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...
for his superb marksmanship in shooting down attacking 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...
planes. She was laid down on 16 March 1943 by the 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....
Company, 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 on 12 May 1943; sponsored by Miss Genevieve Dahl, fiancé of Ensign Sellstrom; and commissioned on 12 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. William L. Maloney, USCG, in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
After trial runs and tests, final outfitting, and 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...
, Sellstrom departed 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...
on 3 December 1943 for the east coast, arriving at Charleston Navy Yard on the 6th. On 13 December, the escort vessel departed 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...
, and proceeded to 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....
, arriving on the 15th.
On 13 January 1944, Sellstrom departed Norfolk as a unit of Task Force 63 bound for Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. On 31 January, Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
63 stood into the Straits of Gibraltar, turned over the escort of their convoy to British control, and set course to 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...
, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
.
Sellstrom moored at Jetty de Lure, Casablanca Harbor, the next day. She remained in the harbor, doing some patrolling, until 4 February, when she got underway for Gibraltar to pick up another convoy en route to Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. Sellstrom was relieved of the convoy in Chesapeake Bay on 22 February and proceeded to New York, mooring at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Brooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
the next day.
Refresher training Stateside
After repairs, alterations, and the loading of ammunitionAmmunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, Sellstrom engaged in refresher training off Montauk
Montauk, New York
Montauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. On 10 March, Sellstrom departed Long Island and arrived at Norfolk on the 11th. Sellstrom stood out of Chesapeake Bay on 15 March and joined convoy UGS-36 en route to Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
.
Attacked by enemy aircraft
At 0400 on 1 April, enemy planes dropped parachute flaresFlare (countermeasure)
A flare is an aerial infrared countermeasure to counter an infrared homing surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile. Flares are commonly composed of a pyrotechnic composition based on magnesium or another hot-burning metal, with burning temperature equal to or hotter than engine exhaust...
prior to attacking Sellstrom's convoy. Evasive maneuvering and a screen of antiaircraft fire, however, kept the five two-engined bombers' score to one burned merchant ship. The convoy arrived at Bizerte two days after the air attack.
On 11 April, Sellstrom joined convoy GUS-36 for the trip back to the United States. As flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Escort Division 23, Sellstrom guided the New York section of the convoy into the swept channel on 1 May and patrolled the area until all merchant vessels had pilots on board. On 2 May, Sellstrom anchored in Gravesend Bay to unload ammunition prior to going to the Navy Yard for repairs.
Sellstrom departed New York on 13 May en route to Casco Bay
Casco Bay
Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the southern coast of Maine, New England, United States. Its easternmost approach is Cape Small and its westernmost approach is Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. After completing refresher training there on 17 May, the escort vessel proceeded to the Naval Mine Depot at Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
. On 23 May, Sellstrom assumed her patrol station and began escort of convoy UGS-43 bound for Tunisia.
Sellstrom turned over the convoy to British escorts and entered Bizerte Harbor on 12 June. On the 20th, Sellstrom picked up GUS-43, delivering her section at New York on 9 July. She docked at the 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...
Annex on 11 July, remaining there until the 23rd. From 24 July to 9 August, Sellstrom engaged in refresher training off the coast of Maine.
After preparations on 10 and 11 August at the Boston Navy Yard, Sellstrom again reported for convoy duty. She successfully escorted sections of convoy TCU-35 into the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
and Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and into Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle , is the estuary of the River Foyle in Ulster. It starts where the Foyle leaves Derry. It separates the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.-Transport:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, on 21 and 22 August. The destroyer escort then berthed at Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
from 23 to 26 August. Underway again on the 27th, Sellstrom escorted convoy UCT-35 back to the east coast, arriving on 5 September.
After training off 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....
, Sellstrom received fuel and provisions while moored off 33d St., Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
Pier. Sellstrom departed New York Harbor on 29 September and resumed convoy duty. The destroyer escort accompanied six more Atlantic convoys, delivering merchantmen to the ports of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland; Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, and Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, England; and Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, France.
After operating in the Caribbean early in June, she set her course for Charleston, South Carolina, arriving on 17 June 1945.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
As the war was over in Europe, Sellstrom, loaded supplies at Charleston in preparation for duty in the Pacific. She departed Charleston on 23 June, transited the Panama CanalPanama 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...
between the 27th and the 29th, and arrived 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...
, on 7 July.
On 11 July, Sellstrom departed San Francisco and proceeded to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n waters, arriving at Adak
Adak Island
Adak Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island...
on the 19th. From 21 to 27 July, she remained at Dutch Harbor for assigned availability. Sellstrom escorted her first Alaskan convoy, a minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
and eight LCI
Landing Craft Infantry
The Landing craft, Infantry or LCI were several classes of sea-going amphibious assault ships of the Second World War utilized to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches. They were developed in response to a British request for a vessel capable of carrying and landing substantially...
's, from Cold Bay at Adak, from 30 July to 1 August. Sellstrom's operations consisted of routine patrols and serving as a guard ship
Guard ship
A guard ship is a warship stationed at some port or harbour to act as a guard, and in former times in the Royal Navy to receive the men impressed for service...
vessel for flights over the northern Japanese island chain.
Post-War activity
From December 1945 through February 1946, Sellstrom operated in the postwar Pacific, visiting such ports as Tsingtao, China; Jinsen, KoreaKorea
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 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...
. From 17 to 20 March, the destroyer escort transited the Panama Canal en route to drydocking in Charleston. In April 1946, Sellstrom was placed out of commission, in reserve.
Conversion to radar picket ship
On 1 November 1955, Sellstrom was taken out of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and was brought to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for overhaul and conversion to a radar picketRadar 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...
escort ship. Having been redesignated DER-255, Sellstrom was recommissioned on 1 October 1956 and joined the Atlantic Fleet.
After shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
and post-shakedown overhaul, Sellstrom began carrying out assignments on the radar picket lines and as an ocean weather station. Sellstrom continued her naval service throughout the 1950s, performing her tasks off Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, along the east coast, and in the Caribbean.
Final decommissioning
Sellstrom was decommissioned in June 1960 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She was struck 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....
on 1 November 1965. In April 1967, she was towed from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, 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,...
, to the Peck Iron Metal Works at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, for scrapping.