She was originally intended for transfer to the United Kingdom as BDE-44, was launched on 1 August 1943 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. J. J. Donaldson, mother of Lieutenant (junior grade) Donaldson; retained by the Navy; and commissioned on 1 December 1943.
Trose Emmett Donaldson was born on 19 June 1914 in Tacoma, Washington. he was appointed a lieutenant (junior grade) in the U.S. Naval Reserve from the Merchant Marine on 25 November 1940. He served on the oiler Sepulga(AO-20) and on the repair ship Otus(AS-20) from 25 March 1941. On 13 December 1941 Donaldson was given command of the requisitioned tug Trabajador at Manila with the Navy's Inshore Patrol.[1] On 25 February 1942 he was transferred to command the British salvage tug Henry Keswick, requisitioned by the U.S. Army during the continuing siege of Manila.[2]
He was killed in action while commanding Henry Keswick on 9 April 1942, when the tug was set on fire by Japanese artillery and beached off Corregidor. Donaldson safely evacuated his crew to the shore and in the last boat, rowing for shore, he was killed instantly by an enemy shell.[3]
Donaldson arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 February 1944 and five days later got underway for the invasion of the Marshall Islands. She screened a convoy to Roi Namur and gave local escort service there and at Eniwetok until returning to Pearl Harbor 25 March. From 23 April to 4 June she trained with submarines, most of the period serving as flagship for Commander, Escort Division 49.
Donaldson departed Pearl Harbor on 12 June 1944 to escort a convoy to Kwajalein, then sailed to Eniwetok where she joined a hunter-killer group with Hoggatt Bay(CVE-75) and three other escorts for operations between the Marshalls and Marianas from 5 July to 9 August. Donaldson returned to Pearl Harbor on 15 August and five days later got underway to escort the Western Garrison Force for the assault and occupation of the Palaus, patrolling off Peleliu and Angaur from 20 to 22 September. She escorted unladen transports to Hollandia, New Guinea, then arrived at Manus on 26 September. That evening she and Crowley(DE-303) assisted in bringing the fires on the merchantman SS Don Marquis under control. Returning to Palau on 2 October, Donaldson made anti-submarine patrols and two escort voyages to the Russell Islands until 21 November.
Damaged after surviving a typhoon
Arriving at Ulithi on 21 November 1944 Donaldson reported to the 3rd Fleet for duty as escort for the logistics group supporting the fast carrier task force. By able ship handling she survived the typhoon of 18 December, but lost three men overboard and suffered damage which was repaired at Ulithi from 24 December 1944 to 12 January 1945.
Supporting the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions
She returned to duty with the 3rd Fleet fueling group operating in support of the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the final strikes on the Japanese homeland and on 31 August she was detached to join a logistics unit in the Yellow Sea for the occupation of Jinsen, Korea.
Post-War decommissioning
Donaldson sailed from Okinawa on 16 September 1945 for Saipan, Pearl Harbor and San Francisco arriving on 8 October. Donaldson was decommissioned on 5 December 1945, and sold on 2 July 1946.
^"Trabajador". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
^"United States Asiatic Fleet, order of battle, December, 1941". Asiaticfleet.com. p. footnote 18. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
^Gordon, John (2017). Fighting for MacArthur: the Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines. Naval Institute Press. pp. 218, 221. ISBN9781612510620.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Donaldson (DE-44).
Photo gallery of USS Donaldson (DE-44) at NavSource Naval History
January 20, 2023
donaldson, evarts, class, destroyer, escort, united, states, navy, during, world, sent, into, pacific, ocean, protect, convoys, other, ships, from, japanese, submarines, fighter, aircraft, performed, escort, anti, submarine, operations, dangerous, battle, area. USS Donaldson DE 44 was an Evarts class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II She was sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft She performed escort and anti submarine operations in dangerous battle areas and was awarded seven battle stars a very high number for a ship of her type HistoryUnited StatesNameUSS DonaldsonNamesakeLt jg Trose Emmett DonaldsonBuilderPuget Sound Navy YardLaid down12 January 1943Launched1 August 1943Commissioned1 December 1943Decommissioned5 December 1945Stricken19 December 1945Honors andawards7 battle stars World War II FateSold for scrapping 2 July 1946General characteristicsTypeEvarts class destroyer escortDisplacement1 140 long tons 1 158 t standard 1 430 long tons 1 453 t fullLength289 ft 5 in 88 21 m o a 283 ft 6 in 86 41 m w lBeam35 ft 2 in 10 72 m Draft11 ft 3 4 m max Propulsion4 General Motors Model 16 278A diesel engines with electric drive 6 000 shp 4 474 kW 2 screwsSpeed19 knots 35 km h 22 mph Range4 150 nmi 7 690 km Complement15 officers and 183 enlistedArmament3 single 3 50 Mk 22 dual purpose guns 1 quad 1 1 75 Mk 2 AA gun 9 20 mm Mk 4 AA guns 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk 10 144 rounds 8 Mk 6 depth charge projectors 2 Mk 9 depth charge tracksShe was originally intended for transfer to the United Kingdom as BDE 44 was launched on 1 August 1943 by Puget Sound Navy Yard sponsored by Mrs J J Donaldson mother of Lieutenant junior grade Donaldson retained by the Navy and commissioned on 1 December 1943 Contents 1 Namesake 2 World War II Pacific Theatre operations 3 Damaged after surviving a typhoon 4 Supporting the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions 5 Post War decommissioning 6 Awards 7 References 8 External linksNamesake EditTrose Emmett Donaldson was born on 19 June 1914 in Tacoma Washington he was appointed a lieutenant junior grade in the U S Naval Reserve from the Merchant Marine on 25 November 1940 He served on the oiler Sepulga AO 20 and on the repair ship Otus AS 20 from 25 March 1941 On 13 December 1941 Donaldson was given command of the requisitioned tug Trabajador at Manila with the Navy s Inshore Patrol 1 On 25 February 1942 he was transferred to command the British salvage tug Henry Keswick requisitioned by the U S Army during the continuing siege of Manila 2 He was killed in action while commanding Henry Keswick on 9 April 1942 when the tug was set on fire by Japanese artillery and beached off Corregidor Donaldson safely evacuated his crew to the shore and in the last boat rowing for shore he was killed instantly by an enemy shell 3 Donaldson was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in December 1941 at Cavite Philippine Islands when he worked to evacuate ships and wounded and to fight fires during Japanese air raids He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross World War II Pacific Theatre operations EditDonaldson arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 February 1944 and five days later got underway for the invasion of the Marshall Islands She screened a convoy to Roi Namur and gave local escort service there and at Eniwetok until returning to Pearl Harbor 25 March From 23 April to 4 June she trained with submarines most of the period serving as flagship for Commander Escort Division 49 Donaldson departed Pearl Harbor on 12 June 1944 to escort a convoy to Kwajalein then sailed to Eniwetok where she joined a hunter killer group with Hoggatt Bay CVE 75 and three other escorts for operations between the Marshalls and Marianas from 5 July to 9 August Donaldson returned to Pearl Harbor on 15 August and five days later got underway to escort the Western Garrison Force for the assault and occupation of the Palaus patrolling off Peleliu and Angaur from 20 to 22 September She escorted unladen transports to Hollandia New Guinea then arrived at Manus on 26 September That evening she and Crowley DE 303 assisted in bringing the fires on the merchantman SS Don Marquis under control Returning to Palau on 2 October Donaldson made anti submarine patrols and two escort voyages to the Russell Islands until 21 November Damaged after surviving a typhoon EditArriving at Ulithi on 21 November 1944 Donaldson reported to the 3rd Fleet for duty as escort for the logistics group supporting the fast carrier task force By able ship handling she survived the typhoon of 18 December but lost three men overboard and suffered damage which was repaired at Ulithi from 24 December 1944 to 12 January 1945 Supporting the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions EditShe returned to duty with the 3rd Fleet fueling group operating in support of the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the final strikes on the Japanese homeland and on 31 August she was detached to join a logistics unit in the Yellow Sea for the occupation of Jinsen Korea Post War decommissioning EditDonaldson sailed from Okinawa on 16 September 1945 for Saipan Pearl Harbor and San Francisco arriving on 8 October Donaldson was decommissioned on 5 December 1945 and sold on 2 July 1946 Awards Edit American Campaign Medal Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with seven service stars World War II Victory MedalReferences EditThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Trabajador Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships United States Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Retrieved 10 July 2019 United States Asiatic Fleet order of battle December 1941 Asiaticfleet com p footnote 18 Retrieved 10 July 2019 Gordon John 2017 Fighting for MacArthur the Navy and Marine Corps Desperate Defense of the Philippines Naval Institute Press pp 218 221 ISBN 9781612510620 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Donaldson DE 44 Photo gallery of USS Donaldson DE 44 at NavSource Naval History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Donaldson amp oldid 1053991944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
