the British Government under the terms of the Lend Lease Act of 1940. Also to be remembered is that a large percentage Built at Portland, Oregon, as a member of the large wartime "Victory" ship program, she remained in the merchant vessel registry until 1952, when she was taken out of reserve and transferred to the Navy. The ships United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 93 (1009). LCDR Trainer and WO Crapeau - one of my Dad's favorite stories of his Navy days. She was built at the Oregon Shipbuilding yards in just 59 days, under the Emergency Shipbuilding program for World War II. Commander Destroyers, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Casco Bay, Portland, See the website NAVSOURCE for more details. Victory ships were designed to last longer and serve the US Navy after the war. and on September 1, 1940 she joined company with Destroyer Division Image: NH-86699-KN: "Sinking of the Reuben James," October 31, 1941. During World War II, it served as a major naval base in the North Atlantic. Victory ships were designed to replace the earlier Liberty Ships. Going Ashoreare the collected posts from George Stewart, retired Navy Captain and NHF blog volunteer). All rights reserved. Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo, USN, as Commander Destroyers, U.S. USS Yosemite (AD 19) It was one of sixty Eagle Boats built under a plan initiated by Henry Ford in a shipyard on the River Rouge near Detroit, Michigan in 1918-1919. The series of articles/blogs by Capt. It is located in close proximity to the city of Portland, which offered good logistics and support facilities. 5 days later. USS Cuttyhunk CRUISERS A total of twenty-twocruisers appear in the database. Finally, in 1967, it was declared surplus and sold. No division The events in Casco Bay formed an integral part of the Battle of the Atlantic. She carried 14 officers and 203 enlisted. During his 30 year naval career, he held two ship commands and served a total of 8 years on naval material inspection boards, during which he conducted trials and inspections aboard over 200 naval vessels. The basic subjects that these posts cover include: To summarize the role that Casco Bay played during the war, it is necessary to look at the overall events that occurred between 1939 and 1945. Click to read Parts I, II, and III of George Stewarts blog series about Casco Bay during WWII. Stewart are great. along the Atlantic Seaboard, and for convoys to Newfoundland and The SS Clarksdale Victory was the 80th Victory ship built during World War II. This is Part I of the series. I was born in 1936, a year before you, and was in Sub-Primary (Kindergarten) when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Also, I am currently writing a book of the military installations of Casco Bay. Its keel was laid on 2 May 1944. USS Alcor (AG 34) - DESLANT flagship in 1944-1945. The ship now serves as a museum ship in Galveston, Texas. var d = new Date() USS Denebola (AF-56) was a Denebola-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy. Re-supply, including refueling at the Long Island Fuel Annex. SS Navajo Victory was a cargo ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. BATTLESHIPS A total of 15 battleships appear on the database. When putting together my Casco Bay database of ship visits I found one record of a vessel that met the description. I was up on Peaks Island in August along with my family. On February 14, 1946, the Denebola departed for San Francisco. This series of blog posts will provide an overall picture of the naval events that occurred in Casco Bay, Maine, during World War II. Im not sure the exact name of the ship, but I thought it was something along the lines of USS Forester, USS Forest, etc. Commission for disposal. You might enjoy reading a fuller version of his life aboard the Denebola. Of course on the island there were a lot of Army personnel and we couldnt go to the back of the island because of the guns. Rear Admiral Bristol was also responsible for training and readiness of East Coast built destroyers that were scheduled for immediate transfer to the Pacific Fleet. The SS Pierre Victory was a Victory ship built during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding program. This was abbreviated "MM/3." By this gracious reply (45 years later! Any information would be appreciated. For more on this, you can read the official US Navy description of Enlisted Rates. Denebola was decommissioned in April 1976 and struck from the Naval Register, 30 April 1976. $3.50. The Denebola guarded President Dwight D. Eisenhower's plane on a return trip from a Paris NATO conference in 1957, and in the Mediterranean she supplied ships . She remained on active service until 1985. The basic scenario of the Battle of the Atlantic is shown in the following illustration: In order to fulfill its new responsibilities in the North Atlantic, it was necessary to establish an inner and outer North Atlantic bases. Artwork Griffiths Bailey Cole. USS Iowa BB-61 Battleship. My dad was on USS Farquhar (DE 139) which means Destroyer Escort. DIVE! Regina Elina. U.S.S. That means, weve got a mystery U-boat on our hands. Its keel was laid on 2 May 1944. Before Pearl Harbor USS Yosemite (AD 19) was a Dixie Class destroyer tender built in Tampa, Florida. Casco Bay continued to provide ships for support of the invasions of Europe and operations in the Pacific right up until the end of hostilities on V-J-Day. The major functions of the naval base can be summarized as follows: The year 1939 was marked by events that would eventually lead up to World War II. Compared to Liberty ships, Victory ships were faster, longer, wider, taller, and had a thinner stack which was set further forward on the superstructure. She arrived in San Diego on November 26, 1945. A. Bush; transferred to the Navy 1 May 1952; converted at New York Naval Shipyard; and commissioned 20 January 1954. The second Denebola (AF-56) was launched 10 June 1944 as Hibbing Victory by Oregon Shipbuilding Co., Portland, Oreg. The USS Denebola (AD-12) was a destroyer tender in the US Navy and served in World War Two, sailing across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. USS Greer (DD-145) was attacked on September 4, 1941, by German U-boat, U-652, while she was tracking the submarine southeast of Iceland. The first action between the U.S. and German navies occured on April 10, 1941, when USS Niblack (DD-424) neared the Icelandic coast to pick-up three boatloads of survivors from the Dutch freighter Saleier, which was sunk the previous day. Yosemite was to remain in active service as a destroyer tender on the East Coast and in the Mediterranean until decommissioned in 1994 after fifty years of continuous service. See also, similar role:- Empire ship, Fort ship, Park ship, Ocean ship. in the Denebola worked harder. The Sea Frontier commanders were responsible for coastal defense in their respective areas. Nay photos you would allow me to use I would appreciate. USS Power DD-839 most of the time with a short time on USS Daly DD-519. The Victory ship differed from a Liberty ship in that they were: faster, longer and wider, taller, had a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure and had a long raised forecastle. AD. Pre-War 1919 She was built as a merchant cargo ship in Seattle, Washington by the Skinner and Eddy Corporation and was christened the S.S. Edgemont. Here is a chronological summary of her career. Keep up the blogs. I was wondering if you could help me track down some historical info around Casco Bay in the days immediately after V-E day in WWII. At the bottom of every email sent by HullNumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link. There are 223 ships on the list that visited the bay between 1944 and 1945. First are the events leading up to the war, which include the Neutrality Patrol that operated off the East Coast between 1939 and 1941. Only a few samples pictures are on this page. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 113th ship built. Atlantic Fleet. Still looking for any information on the USS Capronia C-21336 Guardship off of Portland Maine 1944-45. The second ship to be named Denebola by the Navy, AF-56 was launched 10 June 1944 as Hibbing Victory by Oregon Shipbuilding Co., Portland, Oregon; sponsored by Miss J. What you see is what you get. to Commander Destroyers, Atlantic Squadron, U.S. Fleet and became The ship entered service in 1943. During her service, U-552 sank 30 Allied vessels. Rear Admiral Arthur Bristol, Commander Support Force, established his headquarters there. Its keel was laid on 2 May 1944. . I made a ONE time contribution several years ago in honor of a family member who died. It was built and launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on May 12, 1944 and completed on May 31, 1944. The Victory ship differed from a Liberty ship in that they were: faster, longer and wider, taller, a thinner stack set farther toward the superstructure and had a long raised forecastle. For the extraordinary operations they participated in, the crew of the ship received multiple awards and honors, such as the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He had the responsibility of organizing the actual convoy escort groups. My father, Milton W. Sherman, served on her in World War Two, including cruises across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While on Neutrality Patrolnear the Equator, USS Omaha (CL-4) and USS Somer (DD-381) intercepted the German blockade runner Odenwald on November 4, 1941, disguised as U.S. freighter and boarded her after the German crew abandoned the ship. Allied Escorts later mistakenly sank the submarine off Norway in 1942. She served as plane guard for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's plane and on his return from the NATO conference at Paris, in 1957, and during her 1958 Mediterranean tour she replenished ships patrolling off Beirut in the aftermath of the Lebanon crisis. Reuben James was the first U.S. Navy ship lost to enemy action during World War II. The majority of these ships served in the Atlantic on convoy escort, ASW patrols, and as members of hunter-killer groups. After they went off, up came a German U-Boat which they captured. [3][4][5][6], From the completion of her shakedown through June 1960 Denebola alternated eight tours of duty with the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean with local operations out of Norfolk, Virginia. But heres the amazing detail which proves there is some truth to it. Attended Navy Signal School for 7 weeks in Casco Bay. I have a picnic photo of you and me. This database contains U.S. Navy muster rolls and associated reports of changes for U.S. Navy enlisted personnel who served on U.S. Navy ships or in other naval activities between 31 January 1938 and 31 December 1949. The original purpose of the yard was to build thirty Ocean Class freighters for the British. The ship's US Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number116 (V-116). SS Swarthmore Victory (MCV-737) was a type VC2-S-AP2 Victory-class cargo ship built for the United States during World WarII. Read the whole story. Access to naval support activities in Portland was all by watercraft with trips up to approximately three to six miles. She In my Dad's correspondence is a hand-written letter from Mr. Trainer, dated 1990, in which he wrote, "Dear Mr. Sherman, I was most impressed, and I must say, touched, to have heard from you after 45 years. Iceland. The ship was Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation's 20th victory ship. She operated in the Atlantic until November 21, 1921 when she document.write(d.getFullYear()) Between 1941 and 1945 as the New England Shipbuilding Company the East and West Yards would employ more than 30,000 people and build 266 Liberty Ships. She was among the ships deployed during the Cuban Missile Crises. The drawing showing the locations of the anti-submarine nets and defences is blurry, even when I copy and try to study. On the map it shows a line from Long Island to Little Chebeague but nothing from Crow Island (part of long island) to Chebeague where there was a submarine net. Also transferred was Lt j.g. The USS Forrest (DD 461) is on record as having been in Casco Bay in 1943. Free shipping for many products! the public relations effort by the ComDesLantFlt Band and Orchestra. The Bucknell Victory was a type VC2-S-AP2 victory ship built by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard 2, of Richmond, California. many international ships were being serviced in Bermuda. USS Denebola (AF 56) Crew List The table below contains the names of sailors who served aboard the USS Denebola (AF 56). Iowa saw active service in the Atlantic from 1984-1990. Of these, forty-seven 47 were Four Pipers (also referred to as Flush Deckers) of the Wickes and Clemson classes. USS Denebola is a name used more than once by the U.S. Navy : USS Denebola (AD-12), was built in 1919 as Edgewood by Skinner and Eddy, Seattle, Washington and commissioned 28 November 1921. Thanks. AC. The Maritime Administration cargo ship was the 113th ship built. The ships United States Maritime Commission designation was VC2-S-AP3, hull number 80. He left behind a wealth of pictures and stories about the "Denny" and places like Hawaii, Maine's Casco Bay, Naples, Pompeii, etc.. It visited Casco Bay in 1941 as part of the Neutrality Patrol. My mother and myself as an infant were also there (somewhere). During that period, the ship ran aground when passing through Hussey Sound between Peaks and Long Island. I have no further interest in your Museum or your Foundation. The largest single group was the destroyers built between 1934 and 1942, with 116 ships encompassing ten different classes on the list. I will look further into this and see if I can come up with any more information concerning this subject. SC 534. possible. USN Commanding. We rented a cottage for a week. USS Iowa (BB 61) visited Casco Bay for operational training in 1943. Your email address will not be published. By 1940, it became apparent that a major conflict would come sooner or later. He was responsible for providing ships to the Commanders of the Support Force in Argentia, Eastern and Caribbean Sea Frontiers, and various other task group commanders as required by CINCLANTFLT. She was The maps of Casco Bay in both presentations have been updated to make them more clearly readable. Ste. Some historically significant vessels on the list include: The USS Eagle (PE 56) was a World War I-built patrol vessel. She became All access to the bay from the ocean was by way of gates through anti-submarine nets. He shifted his flag to the Denebola Those ships represented five different ship classes. The base at Casco Baywas not established until the latter part of the Neutrality Patrol. Im only finding this out now about my dad who was there from 8/1944-8/1946. Hi Peter. var d = new Date() There were naval shore side facilities in Portland, but waterfront facilities for mooring ships were very limited due to lack of space. In 1962, it was placed in a caretaker status. COAST GUARD During World War II, the Coast Guard served as an integral part of the Navy. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. Her first port of call was Mers-el-Kebir, the chance to meet for the first time in almost 50 years. Downtown Portland also served as a liberty port for sailors whose ships were moored or anchored in the bay. But at the beginning of 1939, the bulk of U.S. naval strength was in the Pacific. A Sailor's Everyday life on the Denny in WW2 - originally a letter that my Dad wrote to the daughter of a deceased shipmate who wanted to know what those days were like. NHF has decommissioned and is no longer accepting new members or donations. In 1950 she was put back in service for Korean War and was chartered to American Foreign SS Co. SS Hibbing Victory served as merchant marine naval supplying goods for the Korean War. I did a lot of research when I was putting together my presentation including books and web sites but I never came across this incident. Wichita, U.S.S. In 1946, the Navy directed the Long Island Fuel Annex to be utilized for emergency refueling only. She made The USS Denebola AF-56 was a Denebola-class stores ship. The USS Denebola (AD-12) was a destroyer tender in the US Navy. Me to use I would appreciate information on the list include: the USS Denebola ( AF-56 ) a... Got a mystery U-boat on our hands 461 ) is on record as having been in Casco in... Up to approximately three to six miles and III of George Stewarts blog series Casco. Lease Act of 1940 1934 and 1942, with 116 ships encompassing ten different classes on the list visited... Destroyers built between 1934 and 1942, with 116 ships encompassing ten different classes the... 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