# John C. Butler-class destroyer escort

The John C. Butler class were destroyer escorts that originated during World War II. The lead ship was USS John C. Butler, commissioned on 31 March 1944. The class was also known as the WGT type from their Westinghouse geared turbine drive. Of the 293 ships originally planned, 206 were canceled in 1944 and a further four after being laid down; three were not completed until after the end of World War II.

## History

The standard armament for the class was two 5 in (127 mm) dual purpose guns, four 40 mm and ten 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, and three 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. It also carried two depth charge racks, eight K-gun depth charge projectors and one hedgehog projector as secondary weapons. The ships had a maximum speed of 24 kn (28 mph; 44 km/h).
The most notable ship of this class was Samuel B. Roberts, which gained fame during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where she, along with several other ships, engaged a number of cruisers and battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy in a torpedo attack, where she was sunk after taking several hits. During this action, Samuel B. Roberts achieved a speed of 28.7 kn (33.0 mph; 53.2 km/h) for over an hour by running her engines at 660 psi (46 bar). She is known in naval lore as "the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship". The other two ships of this class lost were USS Shelton and USS Eversole.
Also notable was Tabberer for which Captain Henry Lee Plage earned the Legion of Merit, while the entire crew earned the Navy's Unit Commendation Ribbon for taking the initiative to rescue other ships after a disastrous storm. In December 1944, the ship lost her mast and radio antennas riding out Typhoon Cobra, which killed 790 sailors (more than were lost at the battles of Midway and Coral Sea combined). Although damaged and unable to radio for help, she was first on the scene to recover 55 of only 93 total rescued from three destroyers which capsized in the heavy seas.
A floating history museum of the destroyer escorts resides in Albany, New York. USS Slater (a related Cannon-class destroyer escort) is docked during temperate months on the Hudson River in Albany, New York. An Edsall-class destroyer escort, USS Stewart, is also on display as a museum ship in Galveston, Texas.

## Ships in class

Construction data :
| Ship Name | Hull no. | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comm. | Decomm. | Fate |
| John C. Butler | DE-339 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 5 October 1943 | 12 November 1943 | 31 March 1944 | 18 December 1957 | Struck 1 June 1970, sunk as target 1971 |
| O'Flaherty | DE-340 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 4 October 1943 | 14 December 1943 | 8 April 1944 | January 1947 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 27 November 1973 |
| Raymond | DE-341 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 3 November 1943 | 8 January 1944 | 15 April 1944 | 22 September 1958 | Struck 1 July 1972, sunk as target off Florida on 22 January 1974 |
| Richard W. Suesens | DE-342 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 1 November 1943 | 11 January 1944 | 26 April 1944 | 15 January 1947 | Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973 |
| Abercrombie | DE-343 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 8 November 1943 | 14 January 1944 | 1 May 1944 | 15 June 1946 | Struck 1 May 1967, sunk as target 7 January 1968 |
| Oberrender | DE-344 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 8 November 1943 | 18 January 1944 | 11 May 1944 | 11 July 1945 | Struck 25 July 1945, sunk as a target 6 November 1945 |
| Robert Brazier | DE-345 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 16 November 1943 | 22 January 1944 | 18 May 1944 | 16 September 1946 | Struck 1 January 1968, sunk as target off California 9 January 1969 |
| Edwin A. Howard | DE-346 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 15 November 1943 | 25 January 1944 | 25 May 1944 | 25 September 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973 |
| Jesse Rutherford | DE-347 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 22 November 1943 | 29 January 1944 | 31 May 1944 | 21 June 1946 | Struck 1 January 1968, sunk as target off California 8 December 1968 |
| Key | DE-348 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 14 December 1943 | 12 February 1944 | 5 June 1944 | 9 July 1946 | Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 19 December 1972 |
| Gentry | DE-349 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 13 December 1943 | 15 February 1944 | 14 June 1944 | 2 July 1946 | Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973 |
| Traw | DE-350 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 19 December 1943 | 12 February 1944 | 20 June 1944 | 7 June 1946 | Struck 1 August 1967, sunk as target off California 17 August 1968 |
| Maurice J. Manuel | DE-351 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 22 December 1943 | 19 February 1944 | 30 June 1944 | 30 October 1957 | Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target August 1966 |
| Naifeh | DE-352 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 29 December 1943 | 29 February 1944 | 4 July 1944 | 17 June 1960 | Struck 1 January 1966, sunk as a target 11 July 1966 |
| Doyle C. Barnes | DE-353 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 11 January 1944 | 4 March 1944 | 13 July 1944 | 15 January 1947 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973 |
| Kenneth M. Willett | DE-354 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 10 January 1944 | 7 March 1944 | 19 July 1944 | 26 February 1959 | Struck 1 July 1972, sunk as target off Puerto Rico 6 March 1974 |
| Jaccard | DE-355 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 25 January 1944 | 18 March 1944 | 26 July 1944 | 30 September 1946 | Struck 1 November 1967, sunk as target 4 October 1968 |
| Lloyd E. Acree | DE-356 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 24 January 1944 | 21 March 1944 | 1 August 1944 | 10 October 1946 | Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973 |
| George E. Davis | DE-357 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 15 February 1944 | 8 April 1944 | 11 August 1944 | 11 November 1954 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 2 January 1974 |
| Mack | DE-358 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 14 February 1944 | 11 April 1944 | 16 August 1944 | 11 December 1946 | Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973 |
| Woodson | DE-359 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 7 March 1944 | 29 April 1944 | 24 August 1944 | 11 August 1962 | Struck 1 July 1965, sold for scrap 16 August 1966 |
| Johnnie Hutchins | DE-360 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 6 March 1944 | 2 May 1944 | 28 August 1944 | 25 February 1958 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974 |
| Walton | DE-361 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 21 March 1944 | 20 May 1944 | 4 September 1944 | 20 September 1968 | Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target 7 August 1969 |
| Rolf | DE-362 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 20 March 1944 | 23 May 1944 | 7 September 1944 | 3 June 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 11 September 1973 |
| Pratt | DE-363 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 11 April 1944 | 1 June 1944 | 18 September 1944 | 14 May 1946 | Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973 |
| Rombach | DE-364 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 10 April 1944 | 6 June 1944 | 20 September 1944 | 9 January 1958 | Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 19 December 1972 |
| McGinty | DE-365 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 3 May 1944 | 5 August 1944 | 25 September 1944 | 23 September 1968 | Struck 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 27 October 1969 |
| Alvin C. Cockrell | DE-366 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 1 May 1944 | 8 August 1944 | 7 October 1944 | 17 January 1959 | Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target off California 19 September 1969 |
| French | DE-367 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 1 May 1944 | 17 June 1944 | 9 October 1944 | 29 May 1946 | Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973 |
| Cecil J. Doyle | DE-368 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 12 May 1944 | 1 July 1944 | 16 October 1944 | 2 July 1946 | Struck 1 July 1967, sunk as target 2 December 1967 |
| Thaddeus Parker | DE-369 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 23 May 1944 | 26 August 1944 | 25 October 1944 | 1 September 1967 | Struck 1 September 1967, sold for scrap 9 July 1968 |
| John L. Williamson | DE-370 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 22 May 1944 | 29 August 1944 | 31 October 1944 | 14 June 1946 | Struck 15 September 1970, sold for scrap 13 June 1973 |
| Presley | DE-371 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 6 June 1944 | 19 August 1944 | 7 November 1944 | 20 June 1946 | Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap 2 April 1970 |
| Williams | DE-372 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 5 June 1944 | 22 August 1944 | 11 November 1944 | 4 June 1946 | Struck 1 July 1967, sunk as target off California 29 June 1968 |
| Richard S. Bull | DE-402 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 18 August 1943 | 16 November 1943 | 26 February 1944 | March 1946 | Struck 30 June 1968, sunk as target off California, 24 June 1969 |
| Richard M. Rowell | DE-403 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 18 August 1943 | 17 November 1943 | 9 March 1944 | 2 July 1946 | Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969 |
| Eversole | DE-404 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 15 September 1943 | 3 December 1943 | 21 March 1944 | — | Sunk by Japanese Submarine I-45 off Leyte 28 October 1944 |
| Dennis | DE-405 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 15 September 1943 | 4 December 1943 | 20 March 1944 | 31 May 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973 |
| Edmonds | DE-406 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 1 November 1943 | 17 December 1943 | 3 April 1944 | April 1965 | Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973 |
| Shelton | DE-407 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 1 November 1943 | 18 December 1943 | 4 April 1944 | — | Sunk by Japanese submarine Ro-41 off Morotai 3 October 1944 |
| Straus | DE-408 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 18 November 1943 | 30 December 1943 | 6 April 1944 | 15 January 1947 | Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target August 1973 |
| La Prade | DE-409 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 18 November 1943 | 31 December 1943 | 20 April 1944 | 11 May 1946 | Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973 |
| Jack Miller | DE-410 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 29 November 1943 | 10 January 1944 | 13 April 1944 | 1 June 1946 | Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap July 1969 |
| Stafford | DE-411 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 29 November 1943 | 11 January 1944 | 19 April 1944 | 16 May 1946 | Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 13 June 1973 |
| Walter C. Wann | DE-412 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 6 December 1943 | 19 January 1944 | 2 May 1944 | 31 May 1946 | Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969 |
| Samuel B. Roberts | DE-413 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 6 December 1943 | 20 January 1944 | 28 April 1944 | — | Sunk during the Battle off Samar 25 October 1944 |
| LeRay Wilson | DE-414 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 20 December 1943 | 28 January 1944 | 10 May 1944 | 30 January 1959 | Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 14 September 1973 |
| Lawrence C. Taylor | DE-415 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 20 December 1943 | 29 January 1944 | 13 May 1944 | 23 April 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 12 September 1973 |
| Melvin R. Nawman | DE-416 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 3 January 1944 | 7 February 1944 | 16 May 1944 | 30 August 1960 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 3 October 1973 |
| Oliver Mitchell | DE-417 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 3 January 1944 | 8 February 1944 | 14 June 1944 | 24 April 1946 | Struck 15 March 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973 |
| Tabberer | DE-418 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 12 January 1944 | 18 February 1944 | 23 May 1944 | May 1960 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 3 October 1973 |
| Robert F. Keller | DE-419 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 12 January 1944 | 19 February 1944 | 17 June 1944 | January 1965 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974 |
| Leland E. Thomas | DE-420 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 21 January 1944 | 28 February 1944 | 19 June 1944 | 3 May 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 11 September 1973 |
| Chester T. O'Brien | DE-421 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 21 January 1944 | 29 February 1944 | 3 July 1944 | 25 May 1960 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 4 April 1974 |
| Douglas A. Munro | DE-422 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 31 January 1944 | 8 March 1944 | 11 July 1944 | 24 June 1960 | Struck 1 December 1965, sunk as target January 1966 |
| Dufilho | DE-423 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 31 January 1944 | 9 March 1944 | 21 July 1944 | 14 May 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, Sold for scrap 12 September 1973 |
| Haas | DE-424 | Brown Shipbuilding, Houston, Texas | 23 February 1944 | 20 March 1944 | 2 August 1944 | 24 January 1958 | Struck 1 July 1966, sold for scrap 6 September 1967 |
| Corbesier | DE-438 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 4 November 1943 | 13 February 1944 | 31 March 1944 | 2 July 1946 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973 |
| Conklin | DE-439 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 4 November 1943 | 13 February 1944 | 21 April 1944 | 17 January 1946 | Struck 1 October 1970, sold for scrap 12 May 1972 |
| McCoy Reynolds | DE-440 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 18 November 1943 | 22 February 1944 | 2 May 1944 | 7 February 1957 | Struck 1 November 1968, sold to Portugal December 1968, scrapped 1970 |
| William Seiverling | DE-441 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 2 December 1943 | 7 March 1944 | 1 June 1944 | 27 September 1957 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 20 September 1973 |
| Ulvert M. Moore | DE-442 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 2 December 1943 | 7 March 1944 | 18 July 1944 | 10 October 1958 | Struck 1 December 1965, sunk as target off San Nicholas Isle, California on 13 July 1966 |
| Kendall C. Campbell | DE-443 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 16 December 1943 | 19 March 1944 | 31 July 1944 | 31 May 1946 | Struck 15 January 1972, sold for scrap 15 January 1973 |
| Goss | DE-444 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 16 December 1943 | 19 March 1944 | 26 August 1944 | 10 October 1958 | Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 20 November 1972 |
| Grady | DE-445 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 3 January 1944 | 2 April 1944 | 11 September 1944 | 18 December 1957 | Struck 30 June 1968, sold for scrap June 1969 |
| Charles E. Brannon | DE-446 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 13 January 1944 | 23 April 1944 | 1 November 1944 | 23 September 1968 | Struck 23 September 1968, sold for scrap 27 October 1969 |
| Albert T. Harris | DE-447 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 13 January 1944 | 16 April 1944 | 29 November 1944 | 21 September 1968 | Struck 23 September 1968, sunk as target off the Virginia Capes, 9 April 1969 |
| Cross | DE-448 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 19 March 1944 | 4 July 1944 | 8 January 1945 | 2 January 1958 | Struck 1 July 1966, sold for scrap 5 March 1968 |
| Hanna | DE-449 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 23 March 1944 | 4 July 1944 | 27 January 1945 | 11 December 1959 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973 |
| Joseph E. Connolly | DE-450 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 6 April 1944 | 6 August 1944 | 28 February 1945 | 20 June 1946 | Struck 1 June 1970, sunk as target on 24 February 1972 |
| Gilligan | DE-508 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 18 November 1943 | 22 February 1944 | 12 May 1944 | 31 March 1959 | Struck 1 March 1972, sold for scrap 20 November 1973 |
| Formoe | DE-509 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 3 January 1944 | 2 April 1944 | 5 October 1944 | 7 February 1957 | Loaned to Portugal 7 February 1957, struck 1 October 1968, scrapped 1970 |
| Heyliger | DE-510 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 27 April 1944 | 6 August 1944 | 24 March 1945 | 2 January 1958 | Struck 1 May 1966, sunk as target in 1969 |
| Edward H. Allen | DE-531 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 31 August 1943 | 7 October 1943 | 16 December 1943 | 9 January 1958 | Struck 1 July 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974 |
| Tweedy | DE-532 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 31 August 1943 | 7 October 1943 | 12 February 1944 | 30 June 1969 | Struck 30 June 1969, sunk as target off Florida May 1970 |
| Howard F. Clark | DE-533 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 8 October 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 25 May 1944 | 5 July 1946 | Struck 15 May 1972, sold for scrap 6 September 1973 |
| Silverstein | DE-534 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 8 October 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 14 July 1944 | 30 January 1959 | Struck 1 December 1972, sold for scrap 3 December 1973 |
| Lewis | DE-535 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 3 November 1943 | 7 December 1943 | 5 September 1944 | 27 May 1960 | Struck 1 January 1966, sunk as target in 1966 |
| Bivin | DE-536 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 3 November 1943 | 7 December 1943 | 31 October 1944 | 15 January 1947 | Struck 30 June 1968, sunk as target off California on 17 July 1969 |
| Rizzi | DE-537 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 3 November 1943 | 7 December 1943 | 26 June 1945 | 28 February 1958 | Struck 1 August 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974 |
| Osberg | DE-538 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 3 November 1943 | 7 December 1943 | 10 December 1945 | 25 February 1958 | Struck 1 August 1972, sold for scrap 5 February 1974 |
| Wagner | DE-539 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 8 November 1943 | 27 December 1943 | 22 November 1955 | June 1960 | Struck 1 November 1974, sunk as target |
| Vandivier | DE-540 | Boston Naval Shipyard | 8 November 1943 | 27 December 1943 | 11 October 1955 | 30 June 1960 | Struck 1 November 1974, sunk as target off Florida 7 February 1975 |