U.S. Coast Guard Cutters and Craft
1946-1990
Robert L. Scheina
Naval Institute Press
Annapolis, Maryland
NAVY EDSALL CLASS
Name Vance Hull Number DE 387, WDE 487
Builder Brown Shipbuilding Corp.
Keel Laid 30 APR 43
Launched 16 JUL 43
Commissioned 1 NOV 43 (USN), 9 MAY 52 (CG)
Disposition Decomm 27 FEB 46 (USN), 3 APR 54 (CG)
Cost $1,539,000
Hull
Displacement (tons) 1,680 max, 1,200 light (1953)
Length 306' oa; 300'bp
Beam 36' 8" max
Draft 10'9" max (1953)
Machinery
Main Engines 4 diesels, direct reversible
BHP 6,250
Propellers 2
Performance
Max Speed 20.4 kts (1952)
Max Sustained 19.5 kts, 7,100-mi radius (1952)
Economic 12.0 kts. 13,000-mi radius (1952)
Design
The Edsall-class destroyer escort was an outgrowth of a WWII need for an
inexpensive destroyer, There was wide variation among the ships of 'this class,
primarily caused by a shortage of power-plant components, During WWII, the CG manned 23 of this class for the USN. (See Scheina, WWII Cutters p 300.)
The advent of the Korean War created a need for a number of new ocean stations in the Pacific. Although most equipment and supplies for the war effort were transported by sea, most troops were carried to the operational area by air To help protect these troops, the CG established new ocean-station positions throughout the Pacific along with air detachments strategically placed. The ocean-station ships provided up-to-date weather information, a radio relay, and an emergency crash site should it be needed.
Of the 12 ships taken into the CG, 9 had been manned by the service during WWII. During reactivation, these ships had weather-balloon shelters added and were fitted to carry a self-bailing motor surfboat. The number 100 was added to each hull number in order to eliminate confusion with the WAVPs.
In order to keep each ocean-station site occupied, eight to nine ships (mostly WDEs) had to be in constant rotation. One typical tour called for three weeks SAR standby at Midway I., three weeks on OS VICTOR, three weeks on SAR standby at Guam, less than one week on R and R in Japan, three weeks on OS SUGAR, and three weeks on SAR standby at Adak and them home.
See Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), for naval service.
VANCE
9-MAY 52-3 APR 53 Stationed at Honolulu, HI; 2-23 AUG 53 served on OS QUEEN; 4-24 OCT 53 served on OS QUEEN.
