USS BRONSTEIN DE 189 In the Atlantic Late 1944 - Early 1945
Bronstein reported to Norfolk and was assigned to TG 21.16, a hunter-killer group. On 16 February 1944 the Task Group left Norfolk on an
anti-submarine sweep of the North Atlantic. On the night of 29 February numerous attacks were made by the group on a pack of German submarines. Early in the morning of 1 March
Bronstein attacked U-709 on the surface with gun fire and, after it submerged, with depth charges. Bronstein was assisted by Thomas (DE-102) and Bostwick (DE-103) and the attack resulted in the
sinking of U-709 in 49°10' N., 26°00' W. Later in the day Bronstein sank U-603 in 48°55' N., 26°10' W. ........
Read the Presidential Unit Citation
Named for Surgeon Lieutenant (jg)
Richard Bronstein, b. 14 April 1915, Manchester, NH; KIA 28 February 1942
aboard JACOB JONES (DD-130), torpedoed off Cape May, NJ, by U-578; British
planes sank U-578 in Bay of Biscay 08/10/42
Type: DET
Builder: FED
Keel laid 08/26/43
Launched 11/14/43
Commissioned 12/13/43
First CO: Lt S. H. Kinney
Decommissioned 11/05/45
4 battle stars
To Uruguay as ARTIGAS 05/03/52
Stricken (US) 05/14/52
Scrapped 1988
Unit of CortDiv 48
PUC
First DE to sink more than one U-boat in one day
Update January 2005 Noted DE
Commander Sails His Final Sea Rear Admiral (Ret.) Sheldon Hoard Kinney
of Annapolis, Maryland, died December 11, 2004 at age 86.
Kinney served aboard USS STURTEVANT DE 239 and took command of USS EDSALL DE 129 in 1943, becoming the youngest Commanding Officer of a
destroyer-type ship. He then commissioned and took command of USS BRONSTEIN DE 189. BRONSTEIN was credited with sinking three German U-boats in one night (U-603, U-709, U-801) and putting
U-441 out of action. Lt. Kinney was awarded the Navy Cross for this extended action and USS BRONSTEIN received a
Presidential Unit Citation. Admiral Robert Carney, Chief of Naval Operations (1953-55), described BRONSTEIN’s fight that night as “the most concentrated and successful antisubmarine action
by a U.S. Navy ship during World War II.” For the complete obituary and to leave a bulletin board message,
view this webpage.
USN National Archives Photo
Courtesy of Roy L. Simmons, WWII crewmember
Navsource web site
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