| Career (US) | |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | Sam Davis Presley |
| Builder: | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas |
| Laid down: | June 6, 1944 |
| Launched: | August 19, 1944 |
| Commissioned: | November 7, 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | June 20, 1946 |
| Struck: | June 30, 1968 |
| Fate: | sold for scrapping April 2, 1970 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | John C. Butler-class destroyer escort |
| Displacement: | 1,350 tons |
| Length: | 306 ft (93 m) |
| Beam: | 36 ft 8 in (11 m) |
| Draft: | 9 ft 5 in (3 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp; 2 propellers |
| Speed: | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,000 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 12 kt |
| Complement: | 14 officers, 201 enlisted |
| Armament: | 2 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns (2×1) • 4 × 40 mm AA guns (2×2) • 10 × 20 mm AA guns (10×1) • 3 × 21 in. torpedo tubes (1×3) • 8 × depth charge projectors • 1 × depth charge projector (hedgehog) • 2 × depth charge tracks |
USS Presley (DE-371) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket.
She was named in honor of Aviation Machinist’s Mate first class Sam Davis Presley who received the Navy Cross for his brave actions during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.
Contents |
Sam Presley enlisted in the Navy November 7, 1939. On September 30, 1942 he became Aviation Machinist’s Mate first class.
As his ship Enterprise (CV-6), came under sustained enemy air attack, he voluntarily abandoned the shelter of his normal battle station. Climbing into a plane parked on the flight deck, he manned the flexible guns in the rear cockpit and commenced an effective fire against the attacking aircraft. As the battle continued, a bomb explosion blew the plane overboard. AMI Presley was listed as “missing in action,” and presumed dead October 27, 1942.
She was laid down by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd., Orange, Texas, June 6, 1944; launched August 19, 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Willie Lynn Presley; and commissioned November 7, 1944, Lt. Comdr. Richard S. Paret, USNR, in command.
After shakedown off Bermuda, Presley transited the Panama Canal January 24, 1945 and proceeded to Pearl Harbor for further training. She arrived at Noumea March 22, and departed May 3 to escort a group of transports to Leyte Gulf. She subsequently touched at Manus, Saipan, and Ulithi before making two trips to Okinawa. The end of the war found her anchored in Ulithi Harbor.
On September 19 Presley proceeded to Guam for duty, making two trips to Truk where she served as harbor patrol and station ship pending the occupation of that enemy post by U.S. forces.
On November 5 the ship was ordered to the United States to be placed in an inactive status. Presley decommissioned June 20, 1946, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet berthed at San Diego, California. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register June 30, 1968. On April 2, 1970 she was sold for scrapping.