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Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Ship History |
Newsletter USS FRAMENT DE 677/APD 77 History USS Frament was launched 6/28/1943 by Bethlehem Steele Co., at Quincy, Mass and commissioned 8/15/43. She was reclassified APD on 12/15/1944, at Boston, Mass. Buckley Class DE. In the Atlantic we operated in Division 17 with the following ships: USS SCOTT DE 214 Shakedown - Bermuda 7/21/1943 to 10/18/1943 USS Frament began Atlantic convoy duty on 10/30/1943. She escorted six convoys to Londonderry, Northern Ireland and back to
New York: 9/4/44 to 9/30/44 escorted convoy to Cherbourg, France, to Portsmouth, England. 10/20/44 to 12/3/44 Portsmouth, England to Gibraltar, Fayel, Azores where we took in tow a Italian submarine to tow back to New York. But, on the second night out, in a bad storm, the sub got in front of us and we hit and sank it. From 12/15/44 to 2/20/45 conversion to APD high speed transport. Converting the ship to an APD to support an underwater demolition team (UDT) entailed many alterations. Her (3) 3"/50 main armament was replaced by a single 5"/38 housed gun; the torpedo tubes were removed; and heavy duty davits were installed port and starboard to handle the four high speed landing craft used by the UDT. New spaces were created to provide living quarters, storage and support spaces for a 50% increase in personnel (the UDT). On the fantail they put a boom to lift a tank or truck. A UDT consisted of 80 men and 15 officers who were trained at Fort Pierce, FL. This is also where we were trained to coxwain the LCVPs. After training on both coasts, arrived at Pearl Harbor 4/3/1945. 4/3/45 to 4/22/45 Pearl Harbor to Maui, training with UDT, landing with LCPs. Convoy duty took her to Eniwetok, Ulithi 4/24/45 to 5/4/45. Had my feet on the ground for the first time since we left New York, for R7R, beer party and ball game, all on Mog Mog Island. But, as we started the ball game sniper fire came in and we headed for the ship. 5/16/45 Ulithi and Leyte, Yap Island patrol. In Leyte we trained the Frog Men for Okinawa. 5/24/45 left Leyte and arrived in Okinawa on 5/29/45. We joined the outer patrol screen guarding the great number of ships off the island. Assigned to rescue duty in June, on the 10th, with the help of our small craft (I was the coxwain on boat #1 which was my boat all the time) we saved every man off the William D. Porter DD 579 after she was sunk by a Jap suicide plane (Kamikaze). The next day, out in the middle of the sea, we picked up six Japs trying to get off of Okinawa in a dug out log. On the same day we blew up six floating mines. 6/8/45 left Okinawa and arrived Saipan 5/12/45. 6/13/45 left Saipan and arrived in Leyte 6/17/45 for training for the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands. 7/31/45 to 8/1/45 - Leyte, Legaspi. Saw Mt. Mayon 7943 ft. 8/17/45 Legaspi - Leyte. Left Leyte 8/28/45. 9/1/45 took ship in tow - A.L.G. Buttonwood C.G. and arrived in Okinawa 9/4/45 to 9/8/45 to oversee minesweeping at Parker Island. 9/10/45 took three Jap ships under control On 9/23/45 arrived Shanghai, China. 10/11/45 put to sea to look for ship who needed help, didn't find it. 10/20/45 arrived Haiphong, French Indo China. Took over control of 24 Jap minesweepers and crews. 11/1/45 moved to Hainan Island and Haiphong to oversee minesweeping. 12/19/45 entered dry dock, Shanghai, China. Had Christmas dinner in a Chinese Army Barracks. Left dry dock 12/27/45. 1/1/46 left Shanghai for USA and arrived Guam 1/6/46. 2/1/46 left San Diego, arrived Panama Canal at sundown 2/8/46 and laid overnight at west end of the canal. 2/9/46 entered Panama Canal, completed trip at 2100 hrs and left canal 1530 hrs. 2/22/46 arrived in the morning hours at Boston Navy Yard. On May 30, 1946, Frament was placed out of commission in reserve at Green Cove Springs, FL and later sold for scrap. Frament received one battle star for World War II service.
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