Destroyer Escort George E. Davis DE-357
The U.S.S. George E. Davis, a Destroyer Escort
hull number DE-357 was commissioned in August 1944.
Bound for the Pacific, she served her country honorably and well. This website is dedicated to the gallant men that served aboard her so that their sacrifice for our nation shall always be remembered.
The website is constructed around a series of “collections” of material provided by various crew members, and as such contains a wealth of information not only about the George E. Davis and her magnificent crew, but also about the times. Her time was the waning years of World War II. Your time is now. It must always be remembered without the maximum effort of the men and women of those times, our time might very well not exist.
GEORGE E. DAVIS (DE-357)…The official version…
GEORGE E. DAVIS (DE-357) was laid down 15 February 1944 by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.; launched 8 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. George E. Davis, Jr., widow; and commissioned 11 August 1944, Lt. Comdr. Frederick L. Lincoln in command.
After shakedown off Bermuda, GEORGE E. DAVIS departed Norfolk for the Pacific 21 October 1944 and arrived Hollandia, New Guinea, 28 November. As a convoy escort, she sailed 7 December for the Philippines where she arrived San Pedro Bay, Leyte, 12
December. Assigned to the Philippine Sea Frontier, during the remaining months of fighting in the Pacific, she served in the Southwest Pacific on convoy escort and antisubmarine patrols. On January 1, 1945 the Davis was underway for Hollandia, New Guinea with a convoy. The Davis encountered a torpedo plane and shot down same.
Until March 1945, GEORGE E. DAVIS operated out of San Pedro Bay, Leyte, escorting troop and supply convoys to and from New Guinea, the Admiralties, and the Palaus. On 23 March, she departed Leyte for the western Philippines, and, steaming via Mindoro, she arrived Subic Bay, Luzon, the 30th. During the next 2 months, she patrolled the convoy lanes west of Mindoro and Luzon, sweeping the South China Sea in search of Japanese submarines. Between 3 and 7 June, she steamed from Subic Bay to Ulithi, Western Carolines, returning to Subic Bay the 12th as escort for a convoy.
Departing 16 June, she returned to Ulithi the 20th; and between 27 and 30 June, she escorted a supply convoy to
Leyte Gulf.
During July, GEORGE E. DAVIS escorted convoys between the Philippines and Okinawa. On July 21, 1945, until July 23, the Davis performed anti-submarine duty patrolling the harbor at Okinawa where 32 ships were sunk and 400 damaged during the summer by Kamikaze fighter planes. After the Japanese capitulation 15 August, she continued escort and patrol duties in the
Philippines and in the East China Sea. In September, she guarded convoys carrying occupation troops from the Philippines to Japan.
Early in December, she sailed from the Philippines to the coast of China where she supported American and Chinese Nationalist troops during reoccupation operations along the coast of northern China.
During January and February 1946, she operated along the coast of Japan before returning to Tsingtao, China, 20
February. She patrolled the East China and Yellow Seas off mainland China until 16 April when she departed for the
United States. She arrived San Pedro, Calif. 11 May, decommissioned at San Diego 26 August, and entered the
Pacific Reserve Fleet.
GEORGE E. DAVIS recommissioned at San Diego 11 July 1951, and departed San Diego 11 October. She steamed via the Panama Canal to the East Coast, where she arrived Newport, R.I., 27 October. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, during the next 3 years she operated out of Newport providing valuable service as a training ship for Naval Reserves. This unheralded but important duty carried her along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean and she continued this service until June 1954. She decommissioned 11 November 1954 at Green Cove Springs, Fla., and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. At present she is berthed with the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Orange, Tex.
[Stricken from the Navy Register on 1 December 1972, GEORGE E. DAVIS was sold on 2 January 1974.
K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.236]
Transcribed by Michael Hansen
Please note that this document has been added to and improved on by RD2 Stanley Cohen who was part of the nucleus crew.
DE- 357 USS GEORGE E. DAVIS
CLASS – John C. Butler
Displacement 1,350 Tons, Dimensions, 306′ (oa) x 36′ 8″ x 13′ 4″ (Max)
Armament 2 x 5″/38, 4x 40mmAA, 10x 20mm AA, 3 x 21″ TT, 1 Hedgehog, 8 DCT’s 2 DC racks.
Machinery, 12,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 24 Knots, Range 6000 NM @ 12Knots, Crew 186.
Operational and Building Data:
Laid down by Consolidated Steel, Orange TX. on February 15 1944.
Launched April 8 1944.
Commissioned August 11 1944.
Decommissioned August 26 1946.
Recommissioned July 11 1951.
Decommissioned November 11 1954.
Stricken December 1 1972.
Fate Sold January 2 1974 and broken up.
Credit to NavSource Online
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