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