_underway_on_13_April_1944_(80-G-229758).JPG) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USSEugene E. Elmore |
| Namesake | Eugene E. Elmore |
| Builder | Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard |
| Laid down | 27 November 1943 |
| Launched | 23 December 1943 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Marie Link Elmore, widow of Lieutenant Commander Elmore |
| Commissioned | 4 February 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 31 May 1946 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 1969 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Rudderow |
| Type | Destroyer escort |
| Displacement | 1,450 tons |
| Length | 306 feet |
| Beam | 36 feet, 10 inches |
| Draft | 9 feet 8 inches |
| Speed | 24 knots |
| Complement | 186 |
| Armament |
|
USSEugene E. Elmore (DE-686) was aRudderow-classdestroyer escort in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II.
Eugene Evans Elmore was born on 30 June 1900 inAmericus, Georgia. He graduated from theUnited States Naval Academy in 1922, and served on a number of ships as well as ashore before reporting 25 October 1940 toUSS Quincy.Lieutenant Commander Elmore was killed in action whenQuincy was sunk 9 August 1942 in theBattle of Savo Island.
Eugene E. Elmore was launched 23 December 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co.,Quincy, Massachusetts, sponsored by Mrs. Marie Link Elmore, widow of the ship's namesake and commissioned 4 February 1944.
On 22 April 1944 atNorfolk, Virginia,Eugene E. Elmore joined ahunter-killer group formed around theBogue-classescort carrier,USS Block Island (CVE-21) and sailed forCasablanca to provide cover forAtlantic convoys. On 29 May, during the return passage,Block Island and one of her escortsUSS Barr (DE-576) weretorpedoed byU-549.[1]
USS Ahrens (DE-575) who was rescuing survivors, made a submarine contact and directedEugene E. Elmore toward the target.Eugene E. Elmore sankU-549 in position31°13′N23°03′W / 31.217°N 23.050°W /31.217; -23.050 using herhedgehog spigot mortar system anddepth charges, all of the boats 57 crew were lost.[2]Eugene E. Elmore then assistedBarr and took her in tow for Casablanca, being relieved on 2 June, a day before reaching port.
Eugene E. Elmore returned toNew York City 13 June 1944, and during the next 4½ months made two voyages escorting convoys to theMediterranean. On 3 November she got underway from New York for the South Pacific, arriving atHollandia 11 December to join the7th Fleet. She cleared Hollandia 30 December and atBiak, joined the convoy escort for operations aroundLingayen Gulf. Arriving on 12 January 1945,Eugene E. Elmore joined the ships providing antiaircraft fire to protect the assault shipping for 2 days then sailed toSan Pedro Bay to prepare for the landings atSubic Bay 29 January.
The escort vessel continued to operate out of San Pedro Bay, supporting the battles of thePhilippines by escorting convoys from Biak, thePalaus,Ulithi andNew Guinea. Between 13 July 1945 and 22 August, she twice escorted convoys from the Philippines toOkinawa and on 3 September arrived off Okinawa for occupation duty. In October she escorted transports carrying men toJinsen, Korea and on 15 October, sailed from Okinawa forSan Diego, arriving 5 November. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 31 May 1946.
Eugene E. Elmore received four battle stars for World War II service.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
