USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686)
Encyclopedia
USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686) was a Rudderow-class
destroyer escort
in the United States Navy
during World War II
.
Eugene E. Elmore was launched 23 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Eugene E. Elmore, widow of Lieutenant Commander Elmore; and commissioned 4 February 1944, Lieutenant Commander G. L. Conkey in command.
On 22 April 1944 at Norfolk, Virginia
, Eugene E. Elmore joined the antisubmarine group formed around , and sailed for Casablanca
to provide cover for convoys moving across the mid-Atlantic. During the return passage, on 29 May, Block Island was torpedoed, as was the escort . , dead in the water rescuing Block Island survivors, made a submarine contact, and directed Eugene E. Elmore to the target, U-549. Eugene E. Elmore sank the German
submarine in 31" 13' N., 23°03' W., then stood by Barr throughout the night, next day taking off her wounded and many of her crew members. She took Barr in tow for Casablanca, and was relieved of her tow one day before reaching port 2 June.
Eugene E. Elmore returned to New York City
13 June 1944, and during the next 4½ months made two voyages escorting convoys to the Mediterranean Sea
. On 3 November she got underway from New York for the South Pacific, arriving at Hollandia
11 December to join the 7th Fleet. She cleared Hollandia 30 December, and at Biak
joined the escort of a convoy bound with reinforcements and supplies for newly invaded Lingayen Gulf
. Arriving 12 January 1945, Eugene E. Elmore joined the ships providing antiaircraft fire to protect the assault shipping for 2 days, then sailed to San Pedro Bay
to prepare for the landings at Subic Bay
29 January.
The escort vessel continued to operate out of San Pedro Bay, supporting the continuing battles of the Philippines
by escorting convoys from Biak, the Palau
s, Ulithi
, and New Guinea
. Between 13 July 1945 and 22 August, she twice escorted convoys from the Philippines to Okinawa, and on 3 September arrived off Okinawa once more for occupation duty. In October she escorted transports carrying men to Jinsen, Korea, and on 15 October, sailed from Okinawa for San Diego, arriving 5 November. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 31 May 1946.
Eugene E. Elmore received four battle stars for World War II service.
Rudderow class destroyer escort
The Rudderow class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943 to 1945. Of this class, 22 were completed as destroyer escorts, and 50 were completed as Crosley-class high speed transport and were re-classified as High speed transport APDs. One ship was converted...
destroyer escort
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...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
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...
.
Eugene E. Elmore was launched 23 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Eugene E. Elmore, widow of Lieutenant Commander Elmore; and commissioned 4 February 1944, Lieutenant Commander G. L. Conkey in command.
On 22 April 1944 at 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....
, Eugene E. Elmore joined the antisubmarine group formed around , and sailed for 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...
to provide cover for convoys moving across the mid-Atlantic. During the return passage, on 29 May, Block Island was torpedoed, as was the escort . , dead in the water rescuing Block Island survivors, made a submarine contact, and directed Eugene E. Elmore to the target, U-549. Eugene E. Elmore sank the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
submarine in 31" 13' N., 23°03' W., then stood by Barr throughout the night, next day taking off her wounded and many of her crew members. She took Barr in tow for Casablanca, and was relieved of her tow one day before reaching port 2 June.
Eugene E. Elmore returned to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
13 June 1944, and during the next 4½ months made two voyages escorting convoys to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. On 3 November she got underway from New York for the South Pacific, arriving at Hollandia
Jayapura
Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
11 December to join the 7th Fleet. She cleared Hollandia 30 December, and at Biak
Biak
Biak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
joined the escort of a convoy bound with reinforcements and supplies for newly invaded Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
. Arriving 12 January 1945, Eugene E. Elmore joined the ships providing antiaircraft fire to protect the assault shipping for 2 days, then sailed to San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay may refer to:* San Pedro Bay , a small bay on Leyte* San Pedro Bay , an inlet on the Pacific coast of the United States* San Pedro Bay , a swamp and wildlife management area in north central Florida...
to prepare for the landings at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
29 January.
The escort vessel continued to operate out of San Pedro Bay, supporting the continuing battles of 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...
by escorting convoys from Biak, the Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
s, 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...
, and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. Between 13 July 1945 and 22 August, she twice escorted convoys from the Philippines to Okinawa, and on 3 September arrived off Okinawa once more for occupation duty. In October she escorted transports carrying men to Jinsen, Korea, and on 15 October, sailed from Okinawa for San Diego, arriving 5 November. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 31 May 1946.
Eugene E. Elmore received four battle stars for World War II service.