USS John J. Powers (DE-528)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 25 September 1943 |
| Launched: | 2 November 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 29 February 1944 |
| Battle Stars: | Not Indicated |
| Decommissioned: | 16 October 1945 |
| Struck: | 1 November 1945 |
| Fate: | Scrapped at Charleston Navy Yard, 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class: | Evarts class destroyer escort |
| Type: | GMT (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, short hull, 3" guns) |
| Displacement: | 1,140 (std), 1,430 tons (full) |
| Dimensions: | 289' 5" (oa), 283' 6" (wl) x 35' 0" x 11' 0" (max) |
| Range: | 4,150 nm |
| Speed: | 19 knots |
| Complement: | 15 officers / 183 enlisted |
| Armament: | 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 x 1.1"/75 Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 9 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 1 Hedgehog Projector, Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks |
| Propulsion: | 4 GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws |
USS John J. Powers (DE-528) was an Evarts class destroyer escort constructed for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She was sent off into dangerous North Atlantic Ocean waters to protect convoys and other ships from German submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed escort and antisubmarine operations in battle areas before sailing home victorious at the end of the conflict.
She was named in honor of John James Powers, a U.S. Navy Medal of Honor recipient who died during the Battle of the Coral Sea. The USS John J. Powers was laid down 25 September 1943 by Boston Navy Yard; launched 2 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. John J. Powers, mother of Lt. Powers; and commissioned 29 February 1944, Lt. Comdr. E. W. Loew in command.
Contents |
[edit] World War II North Atlantic operations
After shakedown training off Bermuda, John J. Powers returned to Boston, Massachusetts, 19 April for antisubmarine exercises. She then steamed to New York to join a convoy for northern Europe, departing 2 May. The ship returned with another convoy 28 May 1944. With American troops and equipment building up in England for the cross-channel invasion, John J. Powers made a second convoy voyage, arriving Boston 2 August 1944. She then engaged in training followed by a coastal run from New York to Halifax and back.
The escort vessel got underway for Atlantic convoy duty again 19 September 1944, escorting a convoy of tankers and barges to England. Seven days later the alert ship rescued four crewmen from capsized Army tug ST-719. John J. Powers returned to New York 20 November and in December conducted special depth charge tests for the Bureau of Ordnance off New York and in Chesapeake Bay. In the months that followed, the ship made three more escort voyages to Casablanca, departing Mers-el-Kebir 7 May 1945, the day of the German surrender.
[edit] End-of-War Inactivation and Decommissioning
John J. Powers returned to New York 23 May 1945 and, after maneuvers in Casco Bay, Maine, arrived Miami, Florida, 21 July for duty as a training ship. During August she provided tactical training for student officers in the Straits of Florida. The war over, John J. Powers sailed 8 September 1945 for Charleston, South Carolina, where she decommissioned 16 October 1945.
The ship was scrapped by Charleston Navy Yard in February 1946.
[edit] References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive - USS John J. Powers (DE-528)
