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USS Swasey (DE-248)
Encyclopedia
USS Swasey (DE-248) 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 Charles Swasey
who was wounded during an engagement with Confederate
forces near Donaldsville, Louisiana, on 4 October 1862 and died the same day.
Swasey (DE-248) was laid down on 30 December 1942 by the Brown Shipbuilding
Co., Houston, Texas
; launched on 18 March 1943; sponsored by Miss Catherine Stokes; and commissioned on 31 August 1943, Lt. H. M. Godsey, USNR, in command.
, on 4 September and, after provisioning on the 12th, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana
, the next day. She stood out of New Orleans on 14 September en route to Bermuda
for her shakedown cruise
which lasted until 23 October when she put into the Charleston Navy Yard for availability. On 3 November the escort was underway for Norfolk, Virginia
, and additional yard work. Two weeks later she made a round trip to New York
and returned on 21 November.
was lowered with a fire and rescue party to board Turner if possible. Swasey managed to close within 20 yards (18.3 m) of Turner, and all fire hoses were brought to bear on Turner's flames, but the water was ineffective on the roaring inferno. Swasey continued to direct small boats until 0750 when, after a large explosion, Turner capsized and sank.
After an availability period from 4 to 13 January, Swasey held training off Casco Bay
, Maine
, and sailed for Norfolk on 21 January. She sailed on the 24th for North Africa as an escort of Convoy UGS-31 and arrived at Gibraltar
on 13 February. She departed there three days later with GUS-30 and arrived at New York on 8 March.
Swasey joined task force TF 65 at Norfolk and sailed on 24 March in the escort screen of convoy UGS-37 en route to Bizerte
. The convoy consisted of 60 merchant ships and six LSTs. The crossing was uneventful until the convoy had passed the Straits of Gibraltar and was off the coast of Algeria
. In the evening of 11 April, an enemy aircraft was reported in the area.
and Junkers 88s
attacked the convoy. A smoke screen was laid to cover the convoy; and, as a result, the escorts were attacked. At 2345 hours, Swasey's guns opened fire on a torpedo
plane approaching on the port bow. The plane dropped its torpedo which passed down the port side only 15 feet (4.6 m) from the ship. At 2355 the gunners splashed an enemy bomber which passed over the fantail at a height of 50 feet (15.2 m). At 0004 on 12 April an enemy plane passed from port to starboard, 200 yards (182.9 m) off the bow. A torpedo track was sighted approaching the bow at 0012. The ship had to maneuver radically to avoid it. No merchant ships of the convoy were damaged in the engagement, but was torpedoed on the port side. Bizerte was reached on the 13th. Swasey, with task force TF 65, returned to New York on 11 May with convoy GUS-37.
on 26 June. The task group sortied from Casablanca on 30 June and, after searching the North Atlantic again, arrived at New York on 22 July. After a short overhaul period there and refresher training at Casco Bay, the destroyer escort proceeded to Norfolk to rejoin TG 22.5. The hunter-killer group departed Norfolk on 21 August for training at Bermuda and then to search for enemy submarines. On 9 September, the group was ordered east of Bermuda to avoid a hurricane. Six days later, Swasey and were ordered to search for survivors of which was sunk by the storm. At 0940 hours on 15 September, , which had been standing by Warrington, was sighted. Swasey lowered her whaleboat and began searching for survivors. She rescued two and retrieved the bodies of 30 casualties which were buried at sea. The DE rejoined her group and continued antisubmarine patrols until 20 October when she sailed into New York Harbor for a yard period.
Swasey returned to Norfolk on 11 October and sailed for Bermuda three days later for refresher training. She returned to Norfolk six weeks later and departed for Guantanamo Bay
on 26 December for additional training with the "hunter-killer" group. Returning to Norfolk on 30 December, the group moved to Baltimore, Maryland, from 2 to 5 January 1945 for rest and recreation. Swasey and TG 22.5 returned to Bermuda on 10 January for more training and antisubmarine patrols. The patrols were uneventful and the group arrived at New York on 4 February.
, and an overhaul. During the period in the yard, from 1 June to 1 July, her antiaircraft batteries were doubled in preparation for duty in the Pacific.
. Swasey transited the canal on 11 August, and she arrived at San Diego, California
, on the 14th. The escort got underway for Hawaii
on 26 August and arrived at Pearl Harbor
on 2 September. She was ordered to return to the East Coast of the United States and left Hawaii three days later with 100 passengers to be returned to San Diego. Swasey arrived at San Diego on 11 September and departed the next day for Norfolk, Virginia, via the Panama Canal
.
. She arrived there on 27 October and was attached to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in a caretaker status. Swasey was decommissioned on 15 January 1946 and remained with the Reserve Fleet until 1 November 1972 when she was struck from the Navy List
and scrapped on 30 January 1974.
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 Charles Swasey
Charles Swasey
Charles H. Swasey was an officer in the United States Navy who was killed in action during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
who was wounded during an engagement with Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces near Donaldsville, Louisiana, on 4 October 1862 and died the same day.
Swasey (DE-248) was laid down on 30 December 1942 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....
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 on 18 March 1943; sponsored by Miss Catherine Stokes; and commissioned on 31 August 1943, Lt. H. M. Godsey, USNR, in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Swasey departed for Galveston, TexasGalveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, on 4 September and, after provisioning on the 12th, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, the next day. She stood out of New Orleans on 14 September en route to 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...
for her shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Shakedown cruises are also used to familiarize the ship's crew with operation of the craft....
which lasted until 23 October when she put into the Charleston Navy Yard for availability. On 3 November the escort was underway for 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....
, and additional yard work. Two weeks later she made a round trip 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...
and returned on 21 November.
Sinking of destroyer escort Turner
Swasey was attached to Task Force (TF) 64 to escort convoy UGS-25 to North Africa. The convoy arrived safely on 10 December, and Swasey joined GUS-24 the next week for the return voyage to the United States. After an uneventful crossing, the escort was waiting to enter New York Harbor on 3 January 1944 when an explosion rocked 3000 yards (2,743.2 m) away. Swasey proceeded at best speed to aid the stricken ship but could not go alongside as small craft were nearing Turner at the time. The motor whaleboatWhaleboat
A whaleboat is a type of open boat that is relatively narrow and pointed at both ends, enabling it to move either forwards or backwards equally well. It was originally developed for whaling, and later became popular for work along beaches, since it does not need to be turned around for beaching or...
was lowered with a fire and rescue party to board Turner if possible. Swasey managed to close within 20 yards (18.3 m) of Turner, and all fire hoses were brought to bear on Turner's flames, but the water was ineffective on the roaring inferno. Swasey continued to direct small boats until 0750 when, after a large explosion, Turner capsized and sank.
After an availability period from 4 to 13 January, Swasey held training off 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...
, and sailed for Norfolk on 21 January. She sailed on the 24th for North Africa as an escort of Convoy UGS-31 and arrived at 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 13 February. She departed there three days later with GUS-30 and arrived at New York on 8 March.
Swasey joined task force TF 65 at Norfolk and sailed on 24 March in the escort screen of convoy UGS-37 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:...
. The convoy consisted of 60 merchant ships and six LSTs. The crossing was uneventful until the convoy had passed the Straits of Gibraltar and was off the coast of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. In the evening of 11 April, an enemy aircraft was reported in the area.
Attacked by Luftwaffe aircraft
Just before midnight a force of approximately two dozen German Dornier 217sDornier Do 217
The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by German Luftwaffe during World War II as a more powerful version of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift . Designed in 1937 and 1938 as a heavy bomber, its design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940...
and Junkers 88s
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
attacked the convoy. A smoke screen was laid to cover the convoy; and, as a result, the escorts were attacked. At 2345 hours, Swasey's guns opened fire on a torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
plane approaching on the port bow. The plane dropped its torpedo which passed down the port side only 15 feet (4.6 m) from the ship. At 2355 the gunners splashed an enemy bomber which passed over the fantail at a height of 50 feet (15.2 m). At 0004 on 12 April an enemy plane passed from port to starboard, 200 yards (182.9 m) off the bow. A torpedo track was sighted approaching the bow at 0012. The ship had to maneuver radically to avoid it. No merchant ships of the convoy were damaged in the engagement, but was torpedoed on the port side. Bizerte was reached on the 13th. Swasey, with task force TF 65, returned to New York on 11 May with convoy GUS-37.
Searching for survivors at sea
Swasey joined Task Group (TG) 22.5 composed of and ships of Escort Division 13 at Norfolk and sailed for the North Atlantic on 4 June. The force operated as a "hunter-killer" group in the Atlantic and put into CasablancaCasablanca
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...
on 26 June. The task group sortied from Casablanca on 30 June and, after searching the North Atlantic again, arrived at New York on 22 July. After a short overhaul period there and refresher training at Casco Bay, the destroyer escort proceeded to Norfolk to rejoin TG 22.5. The hunter-killer group departed Norfolk on 21 August for training at Bermuda and then to search for enemy submarines. On 9 September, the group was ordered east of Bermuda to avoid a hurricane. Six days later, Swasey and were ordered to search for survivors of which was sunk by the storm. At 0940 hours on 15 September, , which had been standing by Warrington, was sighted. Swasey lowered her whaleboat and began searching for survivors. She rescued two and retrieved the bodies of 30 casualties which were buried at sea. The DE rejoined her group and continued antisubmarine patrols until 20 October when she sailed into New York Harbor for a yard period.
Swasey returned to Norfolk on 11 October and sailed for Bermuda three days later for refresher training. She returned to Norfolk six weeks later and departed for 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...
on 26 December for additional training with the "hunter-killer" group. Returning to Norfolk on 30 December, the group moved to Baltimore, Maryland, from 2 to 5 January 1945 for rest and recreation. Swasey and TG 22.5 returned to Bermuda on 10 January for more training and antisubmarine patrols. The patrols were uneventful and the group arrived at New York on 4 February.
Sinking German Submarines U-1235 and U-880
Swasey and the "hunter-killer" group went to sea again on 25 March to search the central North Atlantic for a reported concentration of German submarines. Various contacts were made but it was not until 15 and 16 April that sure kills were made by units of the task group. and Frost sank U-1235 on the 15th and U-880 on the morning of the 16th. Swasey joined the search for U-880, but credit went to Stanton and Frost. The ships put into Argentia, Newfoundland, from 25 to 28 April for refueling and provisioning and then continued on patrol. They were operating in the Atlantic when the war in Europe ended. Swasey arrived at New York on 14 May and remained there until the 29th when she departed for Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, 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 an overhaul. During the period in the yard, from 1 June to 1 July, her antiaircraft batteries were doubled in preparation for duty in the Pacific.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
Swasey held refresher training at Guantanamo Bay from 4 July to 7 August when she sailed for PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Swasey transited the canal on 11 August, and she arrived 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...
, on the 14th. The escort got underway for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on 26 August and arrived 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...
on 2 September. She was ordered to return to the East Coast of the United States and left Hawaii three days later with 100 passengers to be returned to San Diego. Swasey arrived at San Diego on 11 September and departed the next day for Norfolk, Virginia, 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...
.
Post-War deactivation and decommissioning
When the ship arrived at Norfolk on the 28th, she received orders to be inactivated. Swasey spent a month in the yard there in preparation for decommissioning and then sailed to Green Cove Springs, FloridaGreen 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....
. She arrived there on 27 October and was attached to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in a caretaker status. Swasey was decommissioned on 15 January 1946 and remained with the Reserve Fleet until 1 November 1972 when she was struck from the Navy List
Naval 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...
and scrapped on 30 January 1974.