History | |
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United States | |
Laid down: | 4 November 1943 |
Launched: | 13 February 1944 |
Commissioned: | 21 April 1944 |
Decommissioned: | 17 January 1946 |
Struck: | 1 October 1970 |
Fate: | Sold for scrap, 12 May 1972 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement: | 1,350/1,745 tons |
Length: | 306 ft (93 m) (oa) |
Beam: | 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) |
Draught: | 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) (max) |
Propulsion: | 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws |
Speed: | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
Range: | 6,000 nmi at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
Complement: | 14 officers, 201 enlisted |
Armament: |
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USS Conklin (DE-439) 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 operating in the Pacific Ocean battle areas, her crew members returned home proudly with three battle stars to their credit.
Conklin (DE-439) was named in honor George Emerson Conklin who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his brave actions on Guadalcanal. She was launched 13 February 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. T. Conklin; and commissioned 21 April 1944, Commander D. C. Brown, USNR, in command.
Conklin reached Pearl Harbor from the U.S. East Coast 30 July 1944, and after training, sailed to Eniwetok 17 August to convoy Kwajalein (CVE-98) back to Pearl Harbor. She put to sea again from Pearl Harbor 9 September for convoy escort duty between Kwajalein and Eniwetok until 3 October, when she arrived at Guam to serve as planeguard. After repairs to her sound gear at Eniwetok, she patrolled on antisubmarine duty off Saipan until 6 November, when she cleared for Ulithi and Leyte, guarding a convoy of reinforcement troops and supplies.