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USS Tomich (DE-242)
Encyclopedia
USS Tomich (DE-242) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort
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 convoys.
She was named in honor of United States Navy
Chief Watertender and Croatian
Peter Tomich
who received the Medal of Honor
posthumously for his brave actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
. She was laid down on 15 September 1942 at Houston, Texas
, by the Brown Shipbuilding
Co.; launched on 28 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. O. L. Hammonds; and commissioned on 27 July 1943, Lt. Comdr. H. A. Hull in command.
, on 12 August and reached New Orleans, Louisiana
, on the following day. The destroyer escort departed Louisiana
waters on the 19th, bound for Bermuda
and four weeks of shakedown
training. On 23 September, Tomich, in company with USS Farquhar (DE-139)
, departed Bermuda and escorted USS Merrimack (AO-37) to Norfolk, Virginia
, before sailing for Charleston, South Carolina, and availability.
on 9 October and further training in Caribbean
waters, reaching Guantánamo Bay on the 12th. Five days later, the escort vessel rendezvoused with Army transport USAT George Washington and escorted her to Kingston, Jamaica
. Tomich immediately returned to Cuba
. Upon her arrival back at Guantánamo Bay later the same day, 17 October, she received orders to search for USS Dorado (SS-248)
which had sailed from New London, Connecticut
, on 6 October and had been expected to arrive at the Panama Canal Zone
on the 14th. Tomich hunted for the missing submarine
until the 22d but failed to locate any trace of it.
Six days later, the destroyer escort set course for Hampton Roads
to screen USS Pike (SS-173)
to Norfolk. Released from this duty on the 30th, she returned to Guantanamo Bay before heading north again and making port at Norfolk on 5 November.
Nine days later, Tomich joined the screen of Convoy UGS-24, bound for French Morocco
. On 2 December, after her charges had all made port, she dropped anchor off Casablanca
. Arriving in New York
on Christmas
morning, 1943. after escorting Convoy GUS-24, Tomich secured alongside pier "K" of the New York Navy Yard for availability which lasted into 1944.
On 5 January 1944, Tomich departed the yard and proceeded to Block Island Sound
for gunnery and antisubmarine warfare training off Montauk Point, Long Island
. Five days later, the ship steamed for Norfolk, Virginia
, in company with other units of Escort Division (CortDiv) 7, to join other ships of Task Force
63 in escorting Convoy UGS-30 to Casablanca
. After a brief independent run to Gibraltar
, where she moored alongside famed British battleship
HMS Warspite, Tomich departed the British base on 4 February and rendezvoused with Convoy GUS-29 the next day.
, where she met SS Phoenis Banning and SS Abraham Baldwin. Rejoining GUS-29 with her two charges, Tomich continued ocean escort duties through the 17th. On the following day, the destroyer escort again received orders for independent duty and escorted USS Mattaponi (AO-41)
and SS Sangara to Bermuda
before returning north to the New York Navy Yard for availability commencing on 22 February.
Tomich got underway on 5 March 1944 for Bayonne, New Jersey
, where she underwent deperming before proceeding to Montauk Point for refresher training. The destroyer escort sailed for Hampton Roads
and arrived at Norfolk on the 11th. Two days later, she sailed for Tunisia
as an escort for Convoy UGS-36.
. During the evening watch of the 31st, Tomich homed in on a sonar
contact and went to general quarters
, proceeding to track down the echo. Dropping two 13-charge patterns, Tomich remained at general quarters throughout the night and instituted an antisubmarine patrol in company with HMS Black Swan. About 0401, as Tomich rejoined the screen, her lookouts spotted enemy aircraft
off her port bow. Zigzagging independently on the port bow of the convoy, the destroyer escort opened fire with her entire antiaircraft battery at 0410. During the 20-minute attack, the enemy aircraft, twin-motored Ju. 88's
, came in low and fast; but the heavy antiaircraft fire of the escorts drove off their attackers with no loss to themselves.
After all of her charges had reached port safely, Tomich was assigned to homeward-bound Convoy GUS-36 but detached on 13 April to proceed to Oran
, Algeria
, for inspection of her starboard shaft
. After investigation revealed that all was in order, the ship rejoined her convoy on the 14th. She subsequently arrived at New York on 2 May and underwent availability at the navy yard before she proceeded to Casco Bay
for refresher training.
Returning to Norfolk on the 20th, Tomich sailed as part of task force TF 64, escorting Convoy UGS-43 bound for Bizerte
. After reaching North Africa
, Tomich was detached from convoying long enough to escort USS Carib (AT-82)
, which was towing USS Menges (DE-320)
to the Azores
. When she arrived at Horta
, Tomich rejoined homeward-bound Convoy GUS-43.
, Maine
, before the ship returned to Norfolk on 1 August to begin another round-trip escort mission with UGS-50 and GUS-50. Following another yard availability, she made a coastal convoy run from New York to Boston, Massachusetts. Then, training in Casco Bay occupied the ship into October. On the 10th, Tomich arrived at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, for special radar
and antisubmarine warfare tests and exercises with USS Barracuda (SS-163)
and shore-based planes from Quonset Point Naval Air Station. On the 13th, Tomich departed the area and returned to Casco Bay on the 14th for further training exercises before arriving at Norfolk on 4 November.
On 7 November, in company with the rest of CortDiv 7 and USS Core (CVE-13)
, Tomich got underway from the Naval Operating Base at Hampton Roads
for Bermuda and antisubmarine "hunter-killer" group training. Arriving on 10 November, the group engaged in intensive exercises for the remainder of the month before returning to New York on 6 December. Tomich operated along the east coast of the United States on antisubmarine operations in the western Atlantic for the remainder of the year 1944 and into the spring of 1945.
in May and June, the ship steamed to the Caribbean
. Departing Guantánamo Bay on 16 July 1945, she transited the Panama Canal
on the 18th and arrived at San Diego, California
, on the 26th. Standing out of that port on the 31st, she conducted exercises while en route to Hawaii
and reached Pearl Harbor
on 7 August as the war in the Pacific drew to its climax. The inexorable advance of American air and naval forces—topped by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki -- compelled Japan to surrender unconditionally. Meanwhile, Tomich continued training exercises in Hawaiian waters, prior to departing Pearl Harbor on 20 August, bound for the western Pacific.
on the 29th of August before proceeding independently to the Bonins on 1 September. The destroyer escort relieved USS Helm (DD-388)
on air-sea rescue station on 5 September for a five-day stint before heading for Iwo Jima
and replenishment. She operated in waters between Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Saipan
for the remainder of the year 1945 and into 1946 before heading for China
. She made port at Tsingtao on 13 January 1946. She remained on duty in Chinese waters until 10 April when she departed Shanghai
for Hawaii
. Arriving at Pearl Harbor
on 21 April, she proceeded via the west coast to the Panama Canal
.
, from May through late August. Tomich then proceeded to Mayport, Florida, and arrived on 4 September. Following further inactivation procedures there, Tomich was placed out of commission, in reserve, at Green Cove Springs, Florida
, on 20 September 1946. She remained there until her name was struck from the Navy list
on 1 November 1972, and she was scrapped.
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...
built for the U.S. Navy 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...
. She served in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine
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 convoys.
She was named in honor of 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...
Chief Watertender and Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
Peter Tomich
Peter Tomich
Petar Herceg 'Tonić was a United States Navy sailor who received the United States military's highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
who received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
posthumously for his brave actions during the Japanese attack on 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...
. She was laid down on 15 September 1942 at 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 ...
, 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.; launched on 28 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. O. L. Hammonds; and commissioned on 27 July 1943, Lt. Comdr. H. A. Hull in command.
World War II North Atlantic operations
Following commissioning, Tomich got underway from 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 12 August and reached 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...
, on the following day. The destroyer escort departed Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
waters on the 19th, bound for 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...
and four weeks of shakedown
Shakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
training. On 23 September, Tomich, in company with USS Farquhar (DE-139)
USS Farquhar (DE-139)
USS Farquhar was an built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys....
, departed Bermuda and escorted USS Merrimack (AO-37) 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....
, before sailing for Charleston, South Carolina, and availability.
Searching for Missing American Submarine
Tomich sailed for CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
on 9 October and further training in Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
waters, reaching Guantánamo Bay on the 12th. Five days later, the escort vessel rendezvoused with Army transport USAT George Washington and escorted her to Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. Tomich immediately returned to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Upon her arrival back at Guantánamo Bay later the same day, 17 October, she received orders to search for USS Dorado (SS-248)
USS Dorado (SS-248)
USS Dorado , a Gato-class submarine, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the dorado, also known as the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi....
which had sailed from 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....
, on 6 October and had been expected to arrive at the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
on the 14th. Tomich hunted for the missing submarine
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...
until the 22d but failed to locate any trace of it.
Six days later, the destroyer escort set course for Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
to screen USS Pike (SS-173)
USS Pike (SS-173)
USS Pike was laid down on 20 December 1933 by Portsmouth Navy Yard, in Kittery, Maine; launched on 12 September 1935; sponsored by Miss Jane Logan Snyder; and commissioned on 2 December 1935, Lieutenant Heber H. "Tex" McLean in command. Pike was the first all-welded submarine...
to Norfolk. Released from this duty on the 30th, she returned to Guantanamo Bay before heading north again and making port at Norfolk on 5 November.
Nine days later, Tomich joined the screen of Convoy UGS-24, bound for 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...
. On 2 December, after her charges had all made port, she dropped anchor off 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...
. Arriving in 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...
on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
morning, 1943. after escorting Convoy GUS-24, Tomich secured alongside pier "K" of the New York Navy Yard for availability which lasted into 1944.
On 5 January 1944, Tomich departed the yard and proceeded to Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island in the United States...
for gunnery and antisubmarine warfare training off Montauk Point, 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...
. Five days later, the ship steamed 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....
, in company with other units of Escort Division (CortDiv) 7, to join other ships of 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 in escorting Convoy UGS-30 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...
. After a brief independent run to 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...
, where she moored alongside famed British battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
HMS Warspite, Tomich departed the British base on 4 February and rendezvoused with Convoy GUS-29 the next day.
Assigned Independent Duty
Detached from the convoy screen on the 8th, she proceeded to the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, where she met SS Phoenis Banning and SS Abraham Baldwin. Rejoining GUS-29 with her two charges, Tomich continued ocean escort duties through the 17th. On the following day, the destroyer escort again received orders for independent duty and escorted USS Mattaponi (AO-41)
USS Mattaponi (AO-41)
USS Mattaponi was a which served in the United States Navy during World War II, periodically during the 1950s, and in the Vietnam War. She was the only U.S. Navy ship named for the Mattaponi River in eastern Virginia.-1942–1945:...
and SS Sangara 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...
before returning north to the New York Navy Yard for availability commencing on 22 February.
Tomich got underway on 5 March 1944 for Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, where she underwent deperming before proceeding to Montauk Point for refresher training. The destroyer escort sailed for Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
and arrived at Norfolk on the 11th. Two days later, she sailed for 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...
as an escort for Convoy UGS-36.
Under Attack by German Aircraft
On 30 March, the convoy passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, bound for BizerteBizerte
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:...
. During the evening watch of the 31st, Tomich homed in on a sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
contact and went to general quarters
General quarters
General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage....
, proceeding to track down the echo. Dropping two 13-charge patterns, Tomich remained at general quarters throughout the night and instituted an antisubmarine patrol in company with HMS Black Swan. About 0401, as Tomich rejoined the screen, her lookouts spotted enemy aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
off her port bow. Zigzagging independently on the port bow of the convoy, the destroyer escort opened fire with her entire antiaircraft battery at 0410. During the 20-minute attack, the enemy aircraft, twin-motored Ju. 88's
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...
, came in low and fast; but the heavy antiaircraft fire of the escorts drove off their attackers with no loss to themselves.
After all of her charges had reached port safely, Tomich was assigned to homeward-bound Convoy GUS-36 but detached on 13 April to proceed to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, 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...
, for inspection of her starboard shaft
Driveshaft
A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drive train that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement...
. After investigation revealed that all was in order, the ship rejoined her convoy on the 14th. She subsequently arrived at New York on 2 May and underwent availability at the navy yard before she proceeded 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...
for refresher training.
Returning to Norfolk on the 20th, Tomich sailed as part of task force TF 64, escorting Convoy UGS-43 bound for 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:...
. After reaching North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Tomich was detached from convoying long enough to escort USS Carib (AT-82)
USS Carib (AT-82)
USS Carib was a constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Her purpose was to aid ships, usually by towing, on the high seas or in combat or post-combat areas, plus "other duties as assigned." She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.The second U.S...
, which was towing USS Menges (DE-320)
USS Menges (DE-320)
The USS Menges was an Edsall-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Ensign Herbert Hugo Menges , she was the first U.S...
to the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. When she arrived at Horta
Horta (Azores)
Horta is a single municipality and city in the western part of the Archipealgo of the Azores, encompassing the island of Faial. Horta has a population of about approximately 15,038 people and an area of 173.1 square kilometers. The population density is about 88 persons per square kilometer...
, Tomich rejoined homeward-bound Convoy GUS-43.
Stateside Repairs and Upkeep
Availability at the New York Navy Yard in early July preceded further training exercises in Casco BayCasco 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...
, before the ship returned to Norfolk on 1 August to begin another round-trip escort mission with UGS-50 and GUS-50. Following another yard availability, she made a coastal convoy run from New York to Boston, Massachusetts. Then, training in Casco Bay occupied the ship into October. On the 10th, Tomich arrived at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, for special radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and antisubmarine warfare tests and exercises with USS Barracuda (SS-163)
USS Barracuda (SS-163)
USS Barracuda , lead ship of her class and first of the "V-boats," was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the barracuda .- Construction :...
and shore-based planes from Quonset Point Naval Air Station. On the 13th, Tomich departed the area and returned to Casco Bay on the 14th for further training exercises before arriving at Norfolk on 4 November.
On 7 November, in company with the rest of CortDiv 7 and USS Core (CVE-13)
USS Core (CVE-13)
USS Core was originally classified AVG-13, but was reclassified ACV-13, 20 August 1942; CVE-13, 15 July 1943; CVHE-13, 12 June 1955; CVU-13, 1 July 1958; and T-AKV-41, 7 May 1959. She was launched 15 May 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington, under a Maritime Commission...
, Tomich got underway from the Naval Operating Base at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
for Bermuda and antisubmarine "hunter-killer" group training. Arriving on 10 November, the group engaged in intensive exercises for the remainder of the month before returning to New York on 6 December. Tomich operated along the east coast of the United States on antisubmarine operations in the western Atlantic for the remainder of the year 1944 and into the spring of 1945.
Transfer to the Pacific Fleet
Following an overhaul at the Boston Navy YardBoston 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...
in May and June, the ship steamed to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Departing Guantánamo Bay on 16 July 1945, she transited 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...
on the 18th and 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 26th. Standing out of that port on the 31st, she conducted exercises while en route to 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...
and reached 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 7 August as the war in the Pacific drew to its climax. The inexorable advance of American air and naval forces—topped by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and Nagasaki -- compelled Japan to surrender unconditionally. Meanwhile, Tomich continued training exercises in Hawaiian waters, prior to departing Pearl Harbor on 20 August, bound for the western Pacific.
End-of-War Activity
Tomich made port at SaipanSaipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
on the 29th of August before proceeding independently to the Bonins on 1 September. The destroyer escort relieved USS Helm (DD-388)
USS Helm (DD-388)
USS Helm was a Bagley-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Rear Admiral James Meredith Helm. Helm received 11 battle stars for her World War II service in the Pacific.-Pre-war:...
on air-sea rescue station on 5 September for a five-day stint before heading for Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
and replenishment. She operated in waters between Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
for the remainder of the year 1945 and into 1946 before heading for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She made port at Tsingtao on 13 January 1946. She remained on duty in Chinese waters until 10 April when she departed Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
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...
. Arriving 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 21 April, she proceeded via the west coast to 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
Following her arrival on the east coast, the ship underwent inactivation preparations at 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...
, from May through late August. Tomich then proceeded to Mayport, Florida, and arrived on 4 September. Following further inactivation procedures there, Tomich was placed out of commission, in reserve, at Green Cove Springs, Florida
Green 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....
, on 20 September 1946. She remained there until her name was struck from the Navy list
Navy 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 1972, and she was scrapped.