USS Leland E. Thomas (DE-420)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | Leland E. Thomas |
| Laid down: | 21 January 1944 |
| Launched: | 28 February 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 19 June 1944 |
| Decommissioned: | 3 May 1946 |
| Struck: | 1 December 1972 |
| Fate: | sold for scrapping 11 September 1973 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | John C. Butler-class destroyer escort |
| Displacement: | 1,350/1,745 tons |
| Length: | 306 ft (93 m) (oa) |
| Beam: | 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) |
| Draft: | 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) (max) |
| Propulsion: | 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp (8,900 kW), 2 screws |
| Speed: | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement: | 14 officers, 201 enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
USS Leland E. Thomas (DE-420) 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. Post-war, after her service in the Pacific Ocean war zone, her crew members returned home proudly with one battle star to their credit.
Leland E. Thomas (DE-420) was named in honor of Leland Evan Thomas who contributed to the sinking of a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Leland E. Thomas's keel was laid down on 21 January 1944 by Brown Shipbuilding Co. at their yard in Houston, Texas. The vessel was launched on 28 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Benjamin E. Thomas, mother of Lieutenant Thomas; and commissioned on 19 June 1944, Lt. Comdr. Leslie E. Rosenberg in command.
Following fitting out and tests at Galveston, Texas, and shakedown off Bermuda, Leland E. Thomas got underway for Massachusetts on 11 August, arriving at Boston on 13 August. After completing availability at the Boston Navy Yard, the destroyer escort headed for Norfolk, Virginia, arriving 25 August. Two days later she began hunter-killer operations along the U.S. East Coast until she headed for Maine 5 September, arriving at Casco Bay on 6 September. She operated along the Atlantic coast until she sailed for Italy on 20 September, escorting a convoy into Naples, Italy on 4 October.
...
Wikipedia