This article is missing information about the history of the subject. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(May 2012)
The Edsall-class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts built primarily for ocean antisubmarine escort service during World War II. The lead ship, USS Edsall, was commissioned on 10 April 1943 at Orange, Texas. The class was also known as the FMR type from their Fairbanks-Morsereduction-geared diesel drive, with a type of engine used in the submarines of the time. The FMR's substitution for a diesel-electric power plant was the essential difference from the predecessor Cannon ("DET") class.[1] This was the only World War II destroyer escort class in which all the ships originally ordered were completed as United States Navy destroyer escorts.[2]
Destroyer escorts were regular companions escorting the vulnerable cargo ships. Late in the war, plans were made to replace the 3-inch (76 mm) guns with 5-inch (127 mm) guns, but only Camp was refitted (after a collision). In total, all 85 were completed by two shipbuilding companies: Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas (47), and Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas (38). Most were en route to the Pacific Theater when Japan surrendered. One of the ships participated in Operation Dragoon and two were attacked by German guided missiles.
Hull numbers
A total of 85 Edsall-class destroyer escorts were built.
Reclassified DER-251 21 October 1951. Transferred to South Vietnam as Tran Hung Dao 13 February 1971. Struck from Navy List while in South Vietnamese service on 30 December 1975. Escaped to the Philippines and transferred to the Philippine Navy as Rajah Lakandula 5 April 1976
Torpedoed in stern by German U-371 in the Gulf of Bougie on 3 May 1944; stern repaired at Brooklyn Navy Yard using the stern of the damaged Holder and returned to service 26 September 1944. Struck from Navy List 2 January 1971, sold for scrapping 10 April 1972.
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Newell (WDE-422) on 20 July 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 1 June 1954. Reclassified DER-322 1 November 1956. Struck from Navy List 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 15 December 1971
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Pride (WDE-423) on 20 July 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 1 June 1954. Struck from Navy List 2 January 1971, sold for scrap 30 January 1974
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Falgout (WDE-424) on 24 August 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 21 May 1954. Reclassified DER-324 28 October 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 June 1975, sunk as a target off California 12 January 1977
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Lowe (WDE-425) on 20 July 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 1 June 1954. Reclassified DER-325 28 October 1954. Struck from Navy List 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 3 September 1969
Renamed from Gary 1 January 1945 to free the name for Light Cruiser CL-147. Reclassified DER-326 1 November 1956. Struck from Navy List 22 October 1973. Transferred to Tunisia and renamed President Bourgiba on 22 October 1973
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Finch (WDE-428) on 21 August 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 23 April 1954. Reclassified DER-328 21 October 1955. Struck from Navy List 1 February 1974, sold for scrap 27 September 1974
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Koiner (WDE-431) on 20 June 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 14 May 1954. Reclassified DER-328 28 October 1954. Struck from Navy List 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 3 September 1969
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Forster (WDE-434) on 29 June 1951. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 25 May 1954. Reclassified DER-334 21 October 1955. Struck from Navy List 25 September 1971. Transferred to South Vietnam and renamed Tran Khanh Du on 25 September 1971. Captured by North Vietnam and renamed Dai Ky 29 April 1975, retained in Vietnamese service after fall of South Vietnam
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Ramsden (WDE-482) on 1 April 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 28 June 1954. Reclassified DER-382 1 November 1956. Struck from Navy List 1 August 1974, later sunk as a target
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Richey (WDE-485) on 1 April 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 28 June 1954. Struck from Navy List 30 June 1968, sunk as a target off California in July 1969
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Vance (WDE-487) on 9 May 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 16 June 1954. Reclassified DER-387 21 October 1955. Struck from Navy List 1 June 1975, later sunk as a target in 1985
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Lansing (WDE-488) on 15 June 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 29 March 1954. Reclassified DER-388 21 October 1955. Struck from Navy List 1 February 1974, sold for scrap 16 August 1974
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Durant (WDE-489) on 9 May 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 16 June 1954. Reclassified DER-389 7 December 1955. Struck from Navy List 1 April 1974, sold for scrap 16 August 1974
Commissioned into the United States Coast Guard as USCGC Chambers (WDE-491) on 11 June 1952. Decommissioned from the USCG and returned to the US Navy 30 July 1954. Reclassified DER-391 28 October 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 March 1975, sold for scrap 24 September 1975
Torpedoed by German aircraft northeast of Algiers on 11 April 1944. Struck from Navy List 23 September 1944. Stern used to repair Menges. Remainder of ship sold for scrap 19 June 1947
References
^Rivet, Eric; Stenzel, Michael (22 April 2011). "Classes of Destroyer Escorts". History of Destroyer Escorts. Destroyer Escort Historical Museum. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2012. Except for the propulsion, the EDSALL class was nearly identical to the CANNON class in every respect. This fourth class of destroyer escort mounted a direct drive diesel configuration that proved to be extremely reliable.
^U.S. Destroyers, an illustrated design history by Norman Friedman, ISBN1-55750-442-3 Chapter 7