The U.S.S. SWANSON DD443 ,
was built
by the Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina. Her keel was laid on 15
November 1939 and she was launched on
2 November 1940. The Swanson was commissioned on 29 May 1941, and
Christened by Mrs Claude A. Swanson, the widow of the late Secretary of the Navy,
Claude a Swanson.
Rear Admiral W.H. Allen
U.S.N., Commandant of the 6th and 7th Naval Districts
read his orders from the Chief of Naval Operations, directing the
commissioning of the ship. the colors were hoisted and the ship was turned
over to her first commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Marvin P. Kingsley,
USN.
At commissioning the
U.S.S. Swanson had a displacement of 1,630 tons, and was 348 feet in length,
35’6” beam and drawing 10’2” of water.
Her horse power was 44,000 and a speed of 36 plus knots. She was equipped with four 5”/ 38 caliber guns and ten 21 inch
(quintupled) torpedo tubes. Port and starboard stern racks carrying six 600
pound depth charges. Later in the
war she would be equipped with 20mm and 40mm guns.
In late 1941 and early
1942 she was equipped with Radar and
Sonar equipment.
From the time of commissioning of the Swanson until 4 November 1941,
the Officers and men were busy equipping , testing, calibrating equipment,
under going sea trials and making a shake down cruise.
During August, September,
and October, the Swanson visited Newport, R.I. , Norfolk, Va., New London,
Conn., Bermuda, B.W.I. Delaware Bay and Casco Bay, Me.. After an abbreviated
training period the Swanson sailed on 29 October 1941 for Argentia,
Newfoundland.
Events were occurring in
the world, which were a prelude to World War II for the United States. On 22 June 1941 Nazi Germany
invaded Russia. Japan had an on
going war with China, and threats towards other Asian Nations. On July 7th, the U.S.
Marines relieve the British Forces in Iceland, and on 24 July the U.S. freezes
Japan’s assets in the U.S. and places an oil embargo on exports to Japan. Later the U.S. embargoes sale of raw
material to Japan.
On 4 September 1941, the U.S.S. Greer steaming 175 miles
south of Iceland , when the German U-652 fired torpedoes at the Greer. She responded by attacking with depth
charges Both missed. President
Roosevelt immediately issued orders
to the U.S. Navy to fire on any ship interfering with American
shipping.
On 16 September the U.S.
Navy began escorting and protecting
British ships along with American ships across the Atlantic ocean to a
point called: “MOMP”, where the Royal Navy would take over. The “Mid Ocean
Meeting Place” was only 500 miles west of England ! Not exactly in the middle
of the ocean.
On 17 October our Destroyer U.S.S. Kearney DD432 was
torpedoed by a German U-Boat attacking convoy SC-48. The Kearney survived and made it back
to Iceland.
On 31 October our
Destroyer Rueben James while escorting Convoy HX156 was torpedoed by German
U-562 and sank quickly due to a magazine exploding. 45 oil soaked and frozen men were rescued but 115
men perished in the explosion or the icy seas. The United States were at peace but
the Atlantic Destroyer Fleet was at war with the German Navy.
FIRST TRIP TO ICELAND
On 4 November 1941, the Swanson sailed from Argentia,
Newfoundland in company with destroyers , USS Buck, Ludlow, Cole, McCormick
and Woolsey, to escort a trans
Atlantic convoy to Point Momp, where the Royal Navy would relieve the U.S.
Destroyers which would then proceed to Iceland. Thus began the real initiation
of the Swanson’s officers and men into World War II, and the “Freezing
Purgatory” of the North Atlantic. This was the first of three trips made by
the Swanson to Iceland and followed by three trans Atlantic escort runs to
Greenock, Scotland.
On 6 November 1941 the USS
Greer joined up with the Swanson and other destroyers of the Screen escorting
convoy HX-158.
On 13 November Convoy
HX-158 and the U.S. Escorts were
in the Momp area and the British naval units arrived to relieve the U.S.
Escorts of the Convoy. The Iceland unit consisting of the : Eulina, Thorshorn
and Cleodora broke off from the main body of the convoy and, escorted by the
USS Swanson, Buck ,Greer, and McCormick proceeded north to Iceland. They
arrived in Hvalfjord Harbor early in the afternoon of November 14,1941.
On the morning of 21
November the Swanson was underway from Reykjavik, Iceland heading to sea to
join with the Greer, Ludlow, McCormick and Buck. They were scheduled to
rendezvous with convoy during the morning of November 22nd. Shortly
afternoon the Convoy was sighted and the destroyers proceeded to their
assigned station in the screen.
By the morning of 23
November the ships were being buffed about by icy winds, an a mountainous sea.
The officers and men of the Swanson had not been issued their foul weather
clothing, which imposed a real hardship on those exposed to the elements, such
as the officers and men standing watches on the bridge. The bridge was
partially enclosed but had no heaters. It was a real “Freezing
Purgatory”! The convoy became
scattered and had to travel at a very reduced speed. It was impossible for the cooks to
prepare any meals. As a ship dropped into a trough between waves, other ships
would be lost from sight. When riding up to the crest you may be able to see some other
ships at times. Station keeping was impossible to maintain. There was a old
sailor’s saying: “One hand for the ship and one hand for yourself!” In this
weather you needed both hands for yourself! This weather continued until mid day
on November 28th. The
convoy was fairly well dispersed.
On November 30th, the Swanson and Buck, proceeded to Boston.
SECOND TRIP TO ICELAND
On 12 December 1941, the
Swanson, in company with destroyers USS McCormick, Herbert, and Jacob Jones
departed Boston enroute to Argentia, Newfoundland. The trip had a auspicious
beginning, as the ships sailed out into a moderate sea. Discrepancies revealed
during the first trip to Iceland had been corrected. The ships arrived in
Plancentia Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland in mid morning of 14 December.
On 16 December 1941, at
dusk, the Swanson in company with USS Buck, McCormick, Herbert and Greer
sailed from Argentia , Newfoundland enroute to a rendezvous at sea with HX-165
to relieve the Canadian Escorts
On 17 December 1941 at 1000 hours , the Swanson , Buck,
McCormick, Herbert and Greer relieved the Canadian Escorts of HX-16, enroute
to Point Momp.
On 24 December the Swanson expended one AA shell to
serve as a warning to a plane which failed to answer recognition Signal and
approached the convoy from the wrong sector and headed towards the
convoy. The plane headed for
Iceland trailing smoke and later we learned that plane made it back to
Iceland.
Lieutenant (jg) Strow evidently had a
sense of humor when he wrote in the Sunday January 11, 1942 log: “Patrolling vigorously at 6
knots.” He must have been
referring to the vertical motion of the Swanson as she pitched up and
down.
There was a strong wind
and mountainous sea swells from the northwest, striking the Swanson on the
starboard quarter, making steering extremely difficult. The Helmsmen did a
remarkable job. Not just anyone would be able to handle the helm in that type
of sea. Publilius Syrus (1 B.C.) was correct when he said: “Anyone can hold
the helm when the sea is calm”.
At 1720 hours Convoy
ONS-51 was dispersed by order of the Chief of Naval Operations. The weather
had already dispersed the Convoy. The Swanson, Buck and McCormick proceeded to
Argentia, Newfoundland. Then the
Swanson proceeded to Casco Bay Harbor to discharge passengers from Iceland. Then on to Boston Navy
Yard. Arriving there on 16 January 1942.
THIRD TRIP TO ICELAND
The Swanson departed
BOSTON on 23 January 1942 January
1942 proceeding independently for Argentia, Newfoundland and the next day at
sea joined by the USS Buck. Both ships arrived at Argentia on 25 January 1942.
On Wednesday 28 January,
the Swanson along with the destroyers USS Buck, Herbert, McCormick and Dupont
were underway as escorts for convoy HX172 heading for point MOMP, in a
moderate sea.
Thursday started off
rather busily, when the Dupont obtained a sonar contact at 0702 hours and the
Swanson moved to assist, however the contact was lost. Shortly afterwards the
Swanson passed through some lumber and trash , which appeared to be wreckage
from a ship. A reminder that German U-Boats were active in the
Atlantic.
Later that morning the
Swanson obtained a sonar contact and for approximately thirty minutes the
contact would be lost and then regained until it was definitely lost at 1057
hours. At that time a Patrol bomber operating out of St. Johns, Newfoundland
informed the Swanson there was a lifeboat to the north of the Swanson
location. Course was changed to the north and the ship went to full speed.
Shortly afterwards the lifeboat was visually sighted bearing 350 degrees true,
approximately 12 miles distance. Of course the unspoken thought occurred to
those on the bridge and certainly it must have run through the mind of the of the late Captain
Kingsley that this could be an ambush. A lurking U-Boat would have a perfect
target set up on a destroyer stopped dead in the water with a lifeboat
alongside. As the Swanson made the approach and could see the men sitting in
open lifeboat, only one man raised a hand to give a slight wave; the rest just
sat there immobile. These were 13 extremely cold and exhausted men and one
dog. Most of the men were suffering from frost bitten hands and feet. Only one
man seemed to be able to move about a little. Swanson sailors quickly jumped
down into the lifeboat to assist the men up the sea ladder which had been
dropped down over the side. Small lines were attached to their life jackets
and the Swanson sailors lifted and hauled these men up to the deck. They were
physically incapable of climbing up the ladder. They were survivors from the
Norwegian ship SS Ringstad, which
was torpedoed by a German U-Boat on 24 January 1942. The temperature was 30
degrees.
The rescue was effected at
Latitude 47-55 North and Longitude 50-53 West, which is 60 miles southeast of
Cape Race. The rescued men were: Captain J.K. Knudstad, O.S. Olsen, L. Meen,
E.C. Streton, E. Oygarden, B. Borresen, T. Eklud, O.A. Eniks, A. Egge, S.
Goodwin, R.Fairey, F.W.J. Bowley, W.J. Hiton, and Prinz (Captain’s Alsatian
dog.)
The Swanson then sank the lifeboat using 5”/38 gunfire.
Captain Knudstad, the
Master of the SS Ringstad submitted the following report to the Commanding
officer of the Swanson:
“After launching
torpedoes, the attacking submarine surfaced, remaining so for approximately
one half hour. Only two men were seen in the conning tower, and the submarine
was believed to be of small or medium size. The submarine number was either
857 or 827. The conning officers in the submarine pointed out the course to
the nearest land before submerging. Two other life boats were launched, one of
which capsized while launching. The other lifeboat has not been seen since the
date of torpedoing.
The following men, among
others, are believed to have been in one of the other two lifeboats: Lt.
Williams, Royal Navy (Special Branch), bomb disposal expert enroute to Ottawa,
Canada; Sub-Lieutenant Jameson, Royal Navy (Special Branch), Canadian: William Laurie, Ordnance Seaman,
(Special Branch), Canadian.”
Captain Knudstad before
leaving the Swanson presented his dog Prinz to Captain Kingsley, who proudly
accepted the gift and upon return to the United States took Prinz to his home.
On Wednesday 4 February
1942 by mid morning the Swanson
was in the MOMP area and approaching the SS Barrister to pick up a wounded man
with shrapnel in his chest. Fredrick Heath, a gunner, was being attended by
Dr.E.P. Larkin, Lt.(jg) USN of the McCormick. He was brought on board the
Swanson as we would be departing for Iceland within the hour where better
medical facilities were available. The HMS Wanderer came alongside and the
Swanson transferred the Convoy papers and was relieved of the
convoy.
By mid morning on Thursday
5 February 1942 the Swanson had arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland and moored
alongside the tanker Rapidan to fuel. Within minutes the Hospital ship Avon
Glen came alongside and the survivors from the SS Ringstad and Fredrick Heath
from the SS Barrister were transferred.
On Tuesday morning 10
February 1942 the Swanson was underway from Reykjavik accompanied by USS Buck,
McCormick and Herbert and by noon
the Swanson was on station ahead of the convoy, enroute to rendezvous with the
British convoy unit at Point MOMP.
Thursday afternoon the
rendezvous with the British was effected and the HMS Kippell turned over the
convoy papers and convoy to the Swanson. The convoy now consisted of 43 ships
and headed for the United States.
During the ensuing days
there were the usual sound contacts and dropping of depth charges by escort
screen ships.
By Wednesday 18 February
1942 there was decreasing visibility and a heavy sea. The weather continued to
deteriorate and by the late evening a full blown winter storm was in progress.
On board the Swanson a depth charge broke loose in a locker. Rossi TM2/c leg
was injured while he was attempting to secure the loose depth charge, as the
Swanson was pitching and rolling heavily.
On Friday 20 February 1942
at some time during the previous night, in the heavy sea, the McCormick DD223
a four stack destroyer built at the end of World War I , lost her foremast,
which snapped off and fell over the side, carrying away with it her Radar and
Radio antennas so she was unable to communicate her plight to other escorts.
At dawn the Swanson began
dispersing the convoy directing them to proceed independently to their
destinations. The weather again caused a convoy to be dispersed.
The Swanson , as guide
formed a scouting line with the Dupont on the port beam and Buck on the
starboard beam to search for the missing McCormick.
Late in the afternoon the
Swanson sighted smoke bearing 234
degrees true, distance 15 miles. The Swanson promptly ordered a course change
to head for the smoke. At 1708 hours the Swanson was in visual contact with
the McCormick and found out by searchlight messages that she had lost her
foremast but this was evident
merely by looking at her! The Swanson took station on the starboard bow and
the Buck on the port bow of the McCormick to escort her to Boston.
On Monday 23 February 1942
the Swanson , Buck and McCormick arrived safely in the Boston Navy Yard for
repairs.
FIRST TRIP TO GREENOCK, SCOTLAND
Early on Saturday morning 14 March 1942, Convoy NA-5
formed up off Halifax, Nova Scotia and along with their destroyer escorts departed enroute to
Greenock, Scotland. A base course of 090 degrees true at 14.5 knots was set,
so this was not a slow convoy.
The officers and men of
the Swanson were pleased to be going to Greenock instead of turning north at
Point MOMP and heading up into
the “Freezing Purgatory”. Iceland was a vital base in defending the North
Atlantic sea lanes and it was to the Allies advantage for the United States to
be occupying that small island in the north Atlantic. Its alright if you live
there but its not a place to visit by destroyer in winter
time!
At 1213 hours on the day
of departure from Halifax the Swanson obtained a sonar contact, however the
contact was lost ten minutes later. Shortly afterwards an overturned life boat
was sighted. a grim reminder that some drama had been played out here, with no
survivors to tell the tale. The
Swanson sank the navigational hazard with gunfire.
At 1323 hours the USS
Nicholson dropped 3 depth charges.
On Sunday 15 March 1942,
the Swanson obtained a sonar
contact and dropped four depth charges.
On Sunday 22 March 1942 at
0444 hours the Swanson entered the Firth of the Clyde Channel astern of the convoy ships. The
Swanson would proceed on to Greenock Harbor, where the destruction of war was
clearly visible. The many sunken ships with masts and stacks protruding above
the water, and the burned out buildings along the shore line, gave testimony
to the fact that there had been massive German Air Raids on Greenock.
The people of Greenock
welcomed the Americans and made efforts with their limited resources to be good hosts. They had
been at war since 1939 and endured such things as food rationing, blackouts
and bombings.
Early in the evening of
Friday 27 March 1942 , the Swanson was underway from Greenock, Scotland,
proceeding out of channel. The Swanson would be a part of a Destroyer screen for a convoy’s westward trip
across the Atlantic .
On Saturday 28 March in
the late afternoon while patrolling astern of the Convoy , the Swanson
passed a floating contact mine,
200 yards to starboard, which may have been a “friendly mine” which had broken
its moorings during a storm.
On Monday 6 April in the
early morning hours the Swanson on the starboard bow of the Rangitiki and the
USS Nicholson on the port bow, with the Banfora astern of the Rangitiki the
convoy was steaming at 12.7 knots in heavy fog. Station keeping was being
maintained by using Radar.
By early evening the
convoy and escorts were safely in Halifax Harbor. The next day the Swanson was underway
and enoute to Boston, Mass. for repairs in the Navy Yard.
On Wednesday 22 April 1942
at 0942 hours the Swanson sighted Cape Hatteras Light. At 1100 hours the USS
Nicholson accompanying the Swanson obtained a sonar contact and dropped depth
charges. At 1120 the Swanson took over and began searching the area covered by
the Nicholson. At 1130 hours the Swanson obtained a sonar contact and dropped
5 depth charges in Latitude 35-33 North and Longitude 75-40 West . No results.
SECOND TRIP TO GREENOCK, SCOTLAND
On Sunday 3 May 1942 at
0700 all destroyers including the Swanson were getting underway to proceed out
of Halifax harbor.
By 1055 hours the Swanson had taken station on the port
quarter of Convoy AT-15 and NAB.
The convoy was on course 110 degrees (T) at 13.7 knots.
Convoy AT-15 was a
troopship convoy and the battleship USS New York with her 14 inch guns was a
part of the convoy, to protect us against any enemy heavy naval units which
may have broken out of the North Sea into the Atlantic.
At 2200 hours on 8 May
1942, inside Point MOMP area, the
Icelandic detachment group consisting of the USS New York, Santa Elena, Mizar, McAndrews
and Delta, escorted by the destroyers USS Mayrant, Rhind , and Rowan left
formation heading for Iceland.
After an uneventful trip
except for the usual number of negative sonar contacts our convoy arrived at
the Firth of Clyde during the early afternoon of Monday 11 May 1942 and
proceeded in column formation up the channel. By late afternoon the Swanson
was moored to #4 buoy in Greenock
Harbor.
At 2000 hours on Monday 18
May 1942, the Swanson got underway and proceeded out of the harbor to join USS
Nicholson and Convoy CT-16, which consisted of : SS Batory and Seatrain.
During the night as the
ships cleared the swept channel, the Swanson took station on the starboard bow
and the Nicholson on the port bow of this fast moving convoy. Course was 268
degrees true and speed set at 17.4 knots.
At 1500 hours on Monday 25
May CT-16 , Swanson and Nicholson arrived safely in Halifax Harbor. This was an uneventful trip from
Halifax to Greenock and return.
From 21 June to 21 August
1942 the Swanson served as escort for convoys to or from: Casco Bay, New York,
Boston, Sidney, C.B. Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
CHANGE OF COMMAND
On Friday 24 July 1942 at
1100 hours Lt.Cdr. Lewis Markham, USN
relieved Lt.Cdr. Marvin P. Kingsley, USN as Commanding officer of the USS Swanson
DD443.
THIRD TRIP TO GREENOCK, SCOTLAND
On Saturday 22 August 1942 at 0612 hours, the Swanson was underway
and proceeding out of Halifax Harbor, to patrol the channel as Troop Ship
Convoy AT-20 departed from the
harbor, and formed up at sea. The Swanson station was eight miles from the
convoy on the port bow.
Task Force 37 consisted of
cruiser USS Philadelphia with the
Commander Task Force ,Rear Admiral L.C. Davidson embarked , battleship USS New
York, destroyer screen USS Swanson, Bristol , Ingraham, Wilkes and Buck with
Screen Commander Captain J.B. Heffernan plus four other destroyers.
Convoy AT-20 was composed
of ten ships. It was an impressive sight as all these ships were moving to
form up.
The forming up of Task
Force and Convoy was handled efficiently and quickly, using Flag Hoist and 12
inch searchlights for visual messages. The base course was set at 130 degrees
true and the speed at 14.5 knots. The sea was moderate and the sky overcast.
At 1850 hours the Swanson
obtained a sonar contact bearing 075 degrees true at 2200 yards. At 1856 the
Swanson dropped a deliberate pattern of 11 depth charges, in Latitude 42-59.3
North and Longitude 61-58 West, in 1200 fathoms of water. At 1900 sonar
contact was regained bearing 075 degrees true at 1500 yards range. At 1906 the
Swanson attacked at 14.5 knots and dropped a deliberate pattern of 10 depth
charges in Latitude 42-59 North and Longitude 61-57.5 West, in 1200 fathoms of
water. At 1942 , sonar contact was regained but unable to hear propeller
noises. To the officers and sonarmen
the contact appeared to be good.
However at 1954 hours the submarine search was cancelled, and the
Swanson went to full speed (25 knots) to overtake the convoy which was now
approximately 45 miles ahead. Visibility was diminished and all ships were
running darken ship.
At 2215 , the Swanson was
arriving back on station in the sound screen, and assumed the course of 110
degrees true.
At 2205 hours the USS Buck
was ordered by the Commander Task Force 37 over the TBS (Talk between ships)
to go close aboard the Letitia and escort her back to her station.
As previously noted at
2215 hours the Swanson had regained her station on the port bow of the convoy.
It was an extremely dark night with diminished, deceptive visibility. Ships
were using radar to keep station.
At 2225 hours as the Buck
was crossing through ships of a column, the Awatea rammed the Buck in the
starboard quarter, almost shearing off the Buck’s fantail. One K-gun depth
charge was knocked loose from its arbor and fell into the water exploding near
the Buck’s stern. The blast mangled the stern and killed seven men. At this
time a bright flash was seen bearing 230 degrees true by the officers and men
on the Swanson bridge, followed by a heavy explosion. This was the first
explosion heard on the Swanson.
By TBS, Commander Task
Force 37 ordered the Ingraham to investigate the Buck-Awatea collision. The
Ingraham steamed directly across the bow of the USS Chemung and the Chemung
struck the Ingraham head on. As the Ingraham rolled over on her side, all her
depth charges exploded, and she sank within minutes.
This was the second explosion heard on board the Swanson.
Out of the 345 officers and men, there were only 10 men and 1 officer saved.
Commander W.M. Haynsworth, the Captain of the Ingraham died with his men.
Immediately after the
explosions, the convoy executed a 45 degree emergency turn to starboard, and
then at 2246 hours the convoy executed a 45 degree emergency turn to port. At
2250 hours, the destroyer screen was realigned and the Swanson proceeded to new
station on the port quarter of the convoy.
Although Convoy AT-20
continued onward, the USS Bristol was detached from Task Force 37 and ordered
to escort the USS Chemung towing the USS Buck, along with the Awatea back to
port.
We mourn the men lost in these tragic accidents.
“How sleep the brave, who sink to rest,
By all their country’s wishes blest !”
William
Collins
1746
On Monday 31 August 1942
during the early morning hours the convoy was entering the Firth of Clyde,
Scotland. At 0503 hours the Swanson was moored to SS Coronda in Greenock
Harbor.
On Saturday 5 September
late in the evening the Swanson was underway from Greenock Harbor and
proceeding to sea.
On Sunday 6 September in
the early morning hours the Swanson was patrolling on the port bow of convoy
TA-20 enroute to New York.
On Tuesday 8 September
shortly after being re-assigned to a new station on the starboard bow of
convoy TA-20 as darkness was falling, the stopper on the port anchor chain
carried away. The sea was becoming rough and there was a strong wind blowing.
The convoy was moving along at 14
knots.
The Swanson was unable to
recover the anchor and chain, and it was necessary to burn through the chain
and abandon the anchor.
When the port anchor
stopper carried away and the anchor and chain ran out freely to the bitter end
of the chain, it made a terrible noise as if the bow was being torn off. The
Chief Petty Officers whose quarters were located in the bow almost directly
between the anchors established a new record in evacuating their
quarters!
On Tuesday 15 September at
0852 hours the Swanson moored to
the USS Wilkes in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. This ended a tragic convoy
run, with the loss of lives and the loss of the USS Ingraham, and heavy damage
to the USS Buck, USS Chemung and
Awatea. The Bristol had to be detached from Task Force 37 to escort the
damaged ships back to port.
On Friday 25 September
1942, the Swanson with Destroyer Squadron 13 , departed from Brooklyn, N.Y.
enroute to Casco Bay, Maine.
On Thursday 1 October
1942, the Swanson with Destroyer Squadron 13 departed from Casco Bay, Maine
and arrived in Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia on Friday 2 October 1942. This was the beginning of training for
an up coming operation and it was obvious that something big was in the works
because of the large number of ships gathering daily, and moving in and out to
the exercise area.
Related
Information
North
Atlantic Escort Duty Map