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U.S.S. Dempsey (DE-26)
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, CA
U.S.S. Dempsey (DE-26), Ship's History
The Dempsey was built and fitted out at the Navy Yard, Mare Island, CA. It was commissioned 24 July 1943; Commanding Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Harry A. Barnard, USN. After a vigorous three weeks shakedown cruise at San Diego and a short post-shakedown availability, the Dempsey reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet, and left for Pearl Harbor for the first time on September 23, 1943.
She made one trip back to the U.S. leaving for the last time on October 19, 1943, again for Pearl Harbor. On 27 October she departed Pearl Harbor screening USS Tangier AV-8
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USS Tangier, AV-8 |
USS Tangier, AV-8 |
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to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, making initial crossing of the equator on 31 October 1943. From Santo to Nandi Bay, Fiji Islands, from which point she took departure for the Gilberts Islands operation as an escort for the Fleet Oilers, U.S.S. Platte, U.S.S. Guadalupe, and U.S.S. Cimarron, as part of Task Unit 16.10.1 from 18 November to 2 December 1943. Had no contact with the enemy during this operation.
 While in Nandi Bay, the Dempsey received word of the torpedoing of the S.S. Cape San Juan, a U.S. merchant ship carrying troops to Australia, several hundred miles southeast of FiJi, with orders to proceed to its assistance. Though she arrived 28 hours after the attack, the Dempsey was able to rescue a number of men from the water. Most of the survivors had been picked up by a YMS (USS YMS-241) and a Destroyer (USS McCalla, DD-488 URL 1 and URL 2) the former transferring a large group to the Dempsey for medical care. The survivors were taken to Suva. The Dempsey received a letter of deep appreciation from the Commanding General of that area with a commendation endorsement by Admiral Halsey, then Commander South Pacific Force.
The period, 2 December 1943 to 24 January 1944, was spent in the Hawaiian area--Navy Yard availability and various training exercises with transport and carrier groups, and anti- submarine training. On 13 December 1943, Lt. Alban Weber, USNR, relieved Lt. Cmdr. Barnard, USN, as Commanding Officer. Departed Pearl 25 January 1944 as one of the escorts for a group of transports carrying the garrison force for the occupation of Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands Operation. Arrived Majuro 3 February 1944.  She escorted USS White Plains (CVE-66) to Kwajalein Atoll, and was anchored off of Roi Island at the time of the attack by Japanese bombers during the very early morning of 12 February 1944. All ships in the lagoon held fire.
The Dempsey returned to Pearl Harbor on 24 February 1944 and in less than twenty-four hours was on her way to New Caledonia to report for "temporary" duty with Admiral Halsey's South Pacific Force.
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USS Maryland, BB-46 |
USS Hopewell, DD-681 |
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Note from Ship's History of the USS Hopewell, DD-681: " 17 February, almost out of provisions leaving for Pearl Harbor with USS Maryland, BB-46 (URL 1 and URL 2) and USS Dempsey. Feb 19th crossed 180th meridian for second time. 23 February Arrived Pearl Harbor today..." Information provided by Noel Nichols, MM3, USS Hopewill (1962-64).
This duty consisted of seven months of busy escort and patrol work in the Solomon Islands, with brief pauses at Purvis Bay, Florida Island for fuel, provisions, mail and shells for necklaces. She escorted the fourth echelon of occupying forces to Emirau Island, St. Matthias, arriving 4 April 1944. On 6 April 1944 a keen-eyed lookout enabled the Dempsey to rescue four survivors of a U.S.M.C. B-25 bomber, who had been adrift on a raft for five days. The next day, 7 April 1944, she rescued 3 unharmed crewmen of a U.S.N. TBF which crashed in the water within sight of the ship.
From this time until the end of September 1944, the ship was busy escorting throughout the Solomons Area. Lunga Point, the Russels, Munda, Treasury Island, Green Island, Torokina Bay, as well as Emirau were "second homes" for the Dempsey. Several trips were made to Espiritu Santo. On 15 June 1944, the Dempsey was transferred to the operational control of Commander South Solomons Sub-Area.
The first anniversary of the Dempsey, on 24 July 1944, was celebrated by all hands with a thoroughly enjoyed steak barbecue and beer bust on the shores of Purvis Bay. On 22 September 1944, the Dempsey took permanent departure from the Solomons area, having been ordered, together with the other ships of Escort Division Twenty-Six, to proceed to Manus Island and report for duty with the Third Fleet.
Enroute to Manus, the Dempsey, with the U.S.S. Stadtfeld and the U.S.S. Emery, was diverted to respond to an urgent distress message from the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship USS Samaritan, which had sustained underwater damage northeast of Bougainville Island, while returning with a load of battle casualties. Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that sufficient help was on hand and the three DE's resumed their original course.
On 27 September 1944, arrived at Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island and reported for duty with the Third Fleet. On 7 October 1944, the Dempsey arrived off Peleliu Island, Palau Group, after an escort trip to Ulithi Atoll, and reported for duty to CTF-32. Ship assigned duty in screen around unloading area off of Peleliu and Anguar Islands. The valiant and successful efforts of the U.S. Marines to rout the Japs from Bloody Nose Ridge and surrounding areas by bomb, flamethrower, grenade, etc., was under our constant scrutiny. From 11 October 1944, until 23 October 1944, the Dempsey was anchored at the Eastern opening of Kossol Passage--just north of Jap-held Babelthuap Island, Palau--acting as the harbor control ship for this anchorage. Several air raid alerts during this time but no actual attacks. Resumed duties in screen off Peleliu on 24 October 1944. Early in the morning of 28 October 1944, the Dempsey engaged in battle with a Japanese PT boat and sank same, with the help of the U.S.S. LCI-406. One Jap was taken from the water by the Dempsey, three other Japs who tried to swim away from rescuers in the motor-whale boat were killed by rifle fire. Damage to the Dempsey was a total of 20 thirty-caliber holes along the starboard side. Miraculously not a man aboard was injured, though a number had very close shaves.
On 7 November 1944, the Dempsey made a trip to Kossol Passage for fuel and provisions, and on return the same day encountered the edge of a typhoon, the main part of which was moving toward the Philippines. A rough time, but no damage. On the night of 9 November 1944, Dempsey made a dramatic prearranged rescue of a Marine fighter pilot who had damaged his landing gear on take-off. Guided by a verticle beam from one 24-inch light, the pilot bailed out over the ship (which had proceeded outside of the screen) and his chute was picked up by the other 24-inch light, which kept him in the beam all the way down. Pilot was in the alert Dempsey motor whaleboat twelve seconds after he hit the water.
On 16 November 1944, Dempsey was detached from duties at Palau, and on 20 November 1944, reported in at Apra Harbor, Guam for patrol and escort duties in that area. From this date until 5 February 1945, Dempsey served with Guam Patrol and Escort Unit, making trips to Ulithi, Eniwetok and the Philippines (Leyte), as well as escorting fleet submarines to and from their patrol zones. On 30 December 1944, Dempsey went to the assistance of U.S.S. YMS-267 which had holed her bottom on an underwater obstruction off the south coast of Guam, and was in sinking condition. Dempsey took the YMS alongside and fast work by the Dempsey damage control party reduced the flooding and pumped out most of the water. Shortly thereafter, the ARS-15 (USS Extractor) took over the YMS and towed it back to Apra Harbor, while Dempsey returned to screening duties.
On 9 February 1945, the Dempsey reported for duty to Commander Marshall-Gilberts Patrol and Escort Group at Eniwetok Atoll. On 11 February 1945, Lt. William C. Harris, USNR, relieved Lt. Cmdr Alban Weber, USNR, as Commanding Officer. Duty for the Dempsey from this time until 4 July 1945, consisted of various patrol and escort duties, based from Eniwetok, including trips to Ulithi, Guam and Kwajalein, plus one week on a hunter-killer search.  On 22 April 1945, the Dempsey effected rendezvous with distressed subchaser U.S.S. SC-1273, (USS SC-1297 same class as the USS SC-1273) which had run low on fuel in very heavy seas and high winds. Dempsey took the SC in tow, fueled her, and then escorted her back to Eniwetok. For the efficient work of the Dempsey and the excellent seamanship displayed on this occasion, the Commanding Officer received letters of commendation from the Commander Marshall-Gilberts Area, Rear Admiral Harrill, and from Commander Destroyers Pacific.
On 5 July 1945, Dempsey departed Eniwetok for Pearl Harbor with orders to report to ComDesPac for assignment to overhaul. Arrived Pearl 11 July 1945, and received orders to depart the next day for San Francisco for yard overhaul in that area. Passed under the Golden Gate Bridge on 18 July 1945, at 10 hours 18 minutes and 20 seconds, and proceeded to Navy Yard, Mare Island for scheduled overhaul availability. The Japanese surrender occurred in the middle of Dempsey overhaul, and on 21 August 1945, a stop-work order was received. The ship was then put in a habitable condition and the crew moved back aboard, pending further word on expected decommissioning of the ship. The Dempsey and other DE's were towed to the Dock at Sperry Flour Mills, Vallejo, California, and later to a buoy at the anchorage off Tiburon, California.
The beginning of October 1945 found the Dempsey, it's mission completed, at the end of its career. Destiny--decommissioning and scrapping. It should be noted, in closing, that in two years of duty in the Pacific the Dempsey escorted and screened countless vessels of every description; battleships, and subchasers, carriers and landing craft, troop transports and merchant tankers--with a record of 100% success in carrying out the duty assigned--protection of convoys and ship areas.
The U.S.S Dempsey is a good ship and she served her country in such a manner as to deserve "Well Done", may she hereafter rest in peace.
W. C. Harris, Jr.
Lt. Cmdr, USNR
Commanding Officer
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Ship's History is from Dad's personal collection. I have recently discovered that Dad wrote to the Dept of the Navy, Office of Naval Records and History, Ship's Histories Branch for the above transcript. It was type written and yellowed; however, it was still neat and I was able to transcribe it for this page.
Transcribed by: Steve Carlson
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