USS Presley
Ship's History

14 November 1945

The U.S.S. PRESLEY (DE-371) was commissioned at Orange, Texas on 7 November 1944, by Commander H.G. CHALKLEY, USNR, representing the Commandant, Eighth Naval District, Lt. Comdr. R.S. PARET, USNR, assumed command of the ship upon commissioning.

The U.S.S. PRESLEY was named in honor of Sam Davis Presley, AMM1c, U.S. Navy, who was born at Carthage, Mississippi on 17 December 1918, and died in action in the Battle of Santa Cruz on 26 October 1942. The vessel was built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Ltd.,. of Orange, Texas, and was launched in the building ways on 19 August 1944, and was sponsored by Mrs. Willie Lynn Presley, the mother of the man for whom the ship was named.

The PRESLEY fitted out at Orange and Galveston, Texas and on 22 November 1944 proceeded to Bermuda for shakedown. upon completion of shakedown, she reported to Boston Navy Yard for overhaul and repairs, and on 15 January 1945 reported to COMINCH for duty, and proceeded to the Canal Zone.

After transiting the Panama Canal on 24 January 1945, the PRESLEY reported to CINCPAC for duty and proceeded to Pearl Harbor via San Diego.

At Pearl Harbor the ship reported to ComDesPac for duty and began further training exercises in the Hawaiian area.

On 6 March 1945 the PRESLEY in company with the U.S.S. WILLIAMS (DE-372) was ordered to ComSoPac at Noumea, New Caledonia, and arrived there after stopping at Guadalcanal and Purvis Bay, on the 22nd of March. The WILLIAMS was detached shortly after leaving Pearl Harbor and the PRESLEY proceeded alone.

On 25 March 1945, Commander W.C.P. BELLINGER, Jr., USN, ComCortDiv 87 hoisted his pennant in the PRESLEY and assumed command of CortDiv 87. CortDiv 87 at this time consisted of the PRESLEY and the WILLIAMS only, and as it turned out, the other ships scheduled for this division were not completed and the division was never filled up.

The PRESLEY remained at Noumea under the command of ComSoPac with no activity until 3 May 1945 when she departed to escort a group of transports from Noumea to Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. Although she was ordered to return to ComSoPac, the PRESLEY was retained at Manus Island and later reported to Commander Task Unit 94.7.2 at Saipan, Marianas Islands. At this time the PRESLEY was released from the command of ComSoPac and ordered to ComMarianas. On 14 July 1945 the ship was ordered to Ulithi to report to Commander Task unit 94.6.2 for duty. On 8 September 1945 Commander W.C.P. BELLINGER, Jr., USN, ComCortDiv 87 was detached without relief, and the PRESLEY hauled down his pennant. From this time on, officers and men were being detached almost daily in accordance with the demobilization plan for the Navy.

On 19 September 1945 the PRESLEY was ordered to Guam for duty. While attached there she made two trips to Truk in the Carolines, acting as harbor patrol and station ship pending the occupation of that enemy post by U.S. forces.

On 5 November the ship was ordered to the United States to be placed in an inactive statue, and on 14 November 1945 the PRESLEY reported to ComDesPac at Pearl Harbor for routing to the mainland.

As the ship concluded her tour of active duty in the forward areas, her log showed that she had never engaged the enemy, nor took part in an action, nor encountered any of the disasters of the sea, but, on the other hand, the Commanding Officer noted with pride that the PRESLEY was invariably ready for any assignment given her and never failed to carry out such assignment with credit.

R.S. PARET,
Commander, U.S.N.R.,
Commanding Officer, USS PRESLEY (DE-371).

Distr:

Orig. to SecNav
cc: CincPac, Pearl (12)