War History
USS Edmonds (DE-406)

Arrived Ports Visited by
USS Edmonds		 Departed
1944  
3APR1944 Houston, Texas 5APR1944
5APR1944 San Jacinto, Texas 5APR1944
6APR1944 Galveston, Texas 20APR1944
26APR1944 Bermuda, British West Indies 22MAY1944
24MAY1944 Boston, Massachusetts 3JUN1944
6JUN1944 Norfolk, Virginia 8JUN1944
13JUN1944 Balboa, Canal Zone 14JUN1944
27JUN1944 Pearl Harbor, Territory Hawaii 6JUL1944
14JUL1944 Eniwetok, Marshall Islands 14JUL1944
20JUL1944 Pearl Harbor, Territory Hawaii 28JUL1944
6AUG1944 Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides 10AUG1944
12AUG1944 Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands 13AUG1944
16AUG1944 Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 21AUG1944
21AUG1944 Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands 23AUG1944
23AUG1944 Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 23AUG1944
MOROTAI OPERATION (10SEP-7OCT)
7OCT1944 Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 14OCT1944
LEYTE OPERATION (14OCT-3NOV)
28OCT1944 Dulag, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 28OCT1944
3NOV1944 Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 9NOV1944
19NOV1944 Pearl Harbor, Territory Hawaii 5DEC1944
17DEC1944 Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 26DEC1944
30DEC1944 Kossol Roads, Palau Islands 1JAN1945
1945  
LUZON OPERATION (26DEC1944-23JAN1945)
23JAN1945 Ulithi, Western Caroline Islands 10FEB1945
11FEB1945 Saipan Island, Marianas Islands 16FEB1945
IWO JIMA OPERATION (27MAR-23JUN)
22FEB1945 Iwo Jima, Nampo Shoto 22FEB1945
12MAR1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 27MAR1945
OKINAWA OPERATION (27MAR-23JUN)
15MAY1945 Kerama Retto, Nansei Shoto 16MAY1945
23JUN1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 7JUL1945
10JUL1945 Hollandia, New Guinea 15JUL1945
16JUL1945 Biak, New Guinea 16JUL1945
20JUL1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 23JUL1945
25JUL1945 Hollandia, New Guinea 27JUL1945
27JUL1945 Tanah Marah Bay, New Guinea 27JUL1945
3AUG1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 3AUG1945
4AUG1945 Calicoan, Samar, Philippine Islands 4AUG1945
9AUG1945 Buckner Bay, Okinawa, Nansei Shoto 10AUG1945
15AUG1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 28AUG1945
1SEP1945 Ulithi, Western Caroline Islands 1SEP1945
5SEP1945 Guiuan, Samar, Philippine Islands 9SEP1945
11SEP1945 Manila, Philippine Islands 13SEP1945
19SEP1945 Hagushi Anchorage, Okinawa, Nansei Shoto 21SEP1945
23SEP1945 Manila, Philippine Islands 4OCT1945
5OCT1945 Marivales Harbor, Bataan, Philippine Islands 5OCT1945
5OCT1945 Manila, Philippine Islands 10OCT1945
12OCT1945 San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands 14OCT1945
21OCT1945 Eniwetok, Marshall Islands 21OCT1945
27OCT1945 Pearl Harbor, Territory Hawaii --
-- San Diego, California --

War History of the USS Edmonds (DE-406)

The Edmonds was built by the Brown Shipbuilding Co. in Houston, Texas, and was commissioned there on 3 April 1944 with Lt.Comdr. Christopher S. Barker, Jr., USN, as Commanding Officer. She was assigned to Escort Division 63 which also included the USS Richard S. Bull (DE-402), division flag, USS Richard M. RowellL (DE-403), USS Eversole (DE-404), USS Dennis (DE-405), AND USS Shelton (DE-407). Comdr. James V. Bewick, USN was Commander Escort Division 63.

Training and Passage to the Pacific

After conducting sea trials off Galveston, Texas from 6 to 20 April, the Edmonds proceeded to Bermuda, British West Indies, for shakedown training under Commander Operational Training Command, Atlantic Fleet. Her period of training was completed on 22 May and the Edmonds then reported to the Commandant, Navy Yard Boston, Mass., for repairs and alterations at the Charlestown Yard.

On 3 June, 1944, the Edmonds left Boston enroute Hampton Roads, Va., where she reported as escort for the USS Mt. McKinley (AGC-7), leaving on 8 June for Pearl Harbor via Panama Canal. Both ships passed through the canal on 13 June and reported for duty to Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, the following day. The trip to Pearl Harbor was completed on 27 June.

Peal Harbor

While at Pearl Harbor, the Edmonds at midnight on 4 July, with ten minutes notice, sortied with two other destroyer escorts to search for the submarine S-28 missing in very deep water off Oahu. The Edmonds located an oil slick, searched the area, but found no survivors.

On 6 July, the Edmonds left for Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, escorting the USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) and the USS Aldeberan (AF-10). On the return trip, she escorted the USS Copahee (CVE-12), arriving again at Pearl Harbor on 20 July in time to participate in the reception for President Roosevelt on 25 July.

To the Forward Areas

The Edmonds left Pearl Harbor on 28 July in company with the USS Buchanan (DD-484), escorting a three ship merchant convoy. Stops were made at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides and Guadalcanal where the Edmonds detached and proceeded independently to Manus, Admiralty Islands. Upon arrival she reported for duty to Commander Seventh Fleet on 16 August.

On 31 August, Commander Escort Division 63 shifted his pennant to the Edmonds.

MOROTAI

Escort Division 63 was the first complete division of "five-inch DE's" to report for duty in the Pacific Theater. It was also the first division of DE's assigned to screen an group of CVE's providing direct air support for amphibious operations. At Morotai these DE's proved themselves capable of the task and were selected to operate with the escort carriers throughout the Pacific War.

On the morning of 10 September, 1944, the Edmonds, with ComCortDiv 63 aboard as screen commander, sortied from Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, in the company with the other ships of Escort Division 63, plus the USS John C. Butler (DE-339) and the USS Raymond (DE-341). Their assignment was to provide protection against air, surface, and submarine attack for a direct air support group composed of Carrier Division 22 and two other CVE's.

The Edmonds was underway in this campaign for 28 days. On 3 October the USS SHELTON (DE-407) was torpedoed and sunk. The Edmonds returned on 7 October to Manus, where, on 9 October, Lt.Comdr. John S. Burrows, Jr. USNR, relieved Comdr. Christopher S. Barker, Jr., as Commanding Officer.

LEYTE

One week after returning from Morotai, the Edmonds was underway again to participate in the first invasion of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf. She was again escorting CVE's and ComCortDiv 63 was still aboard as screen commander. During the approach phase, the Edmonds was in the formation escorting General MacArthur's flagship enroute to the landings.

From 24 to 28 October, the Edmonds in company with the USS Oberrender (DE-344) escorted the USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) and the USS Chenango (CVE-28) to Morotai to pick up replacement planes. On 26 October, the Edmonds fueled at sea after dark from the Chenango, nd later the same night made an urgent attack on a submarine contact, with the undetermined results due to necessity of staying with the carriers.

On 28 October, the Edmonds entered Leyte Gulf for fueling, encountering several air attacks. The bodies of many Jap victims of the American offensive were observed in the water. On the same night, the USS Eversole (DE-404) was torpedoed and sunk while proceeding out of the gulf.

The Edmonds returned to Manus on 3 November as one of 40 destroyers and destroyer escorts in a circular screen protecting battleships and carriers after the battle of Surigao and Samar. At the completion of this campaign Lt.Comdr. Burrows was awarded the Legion of Merit, the second time this honor had been conferred on the Commanding Officer of the Edmonds.

Back to Pearl Harbor -- Then Forward Again

On 9 November, the four remaining units of Escort Division 63 left Manus as screen for Carrier Division 22 enroute Pearl Harbor. The ship reported to Commander Destroyers, Pacific Fleet, for repairs and recreation. On 20 November, ComCortDiv63 shifted his pennant from the Edmonds to the USS Dennis (DE-405).

Ordered to return to Manus, the Edmonds and the USS John C. Butler (DE-339) provided screen for the USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) and the USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87), leaving on 5 December. On 11 December, while steaming in the vicinity of Majuro in the Marshall Islands, the Edmonds made sound contact and attacked a submarine which then fired at the formation. The wake of a torpedo passed directly under the bow of the Edmonds without hitting the ship. Search had to be abandoned in order to rejoin the carriers.

LUZON

After "celebrating" Christmas in Manus, the Edmonds left for her third major operation -- Luzon -- on 30 December, passing New Year's Day at Kossol Roads in the Palau Islands. Enroute to the Lingayen Gulf objective, the Edmonds screened air-cover CVE's in company with fire -- support battleships and cruisers in the first force to enter the Jap-Controlled China Sea off Luzon.

During the approach, the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) was sunk in the formation following a Jap suicide hit. On 5 January, the Edmonds shot down her first plane, one of three Jap torpedo bombers approaching the formation low over the water apparently on another suicide mission after launching their torpedoes. Still escorting "jeep" carriers, the Edmonds became part of the Lingayen Protective Force composed of battleships, cruisers, CVE's, destroyers and DE's operating off the Gulf.

On 17 January, the Edmonds left the objective area and proceeded to Ulithi in the Western Caroline's. She arrived on 23 January and reported to Commander Fifth Fleet.

IWO JIMA

From 10 February, when she sortied from Ulithi with another CVE group, until 27 March, the Edmonds was participating in the Iwo Jima operation, stopping for two days at Saipan Island of the Marianas Group enroute to the objective. During this campaign, the Edmonds sank one mine and rescued the pilots and crews of two TBM Avengers on 20 and 26 February.

On the night of 21 February, the USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) was sunk due to explosions caused by a Japanese suicide plane attack. The Edmonds and three other screening vessels were directed to remain in the area and assist in the rescue operations. Despite darkness, heavy seas, and continuing enemy air attacks, the Edmonds succeeded in rescuing 378 survivors, including the Commanding Officer and the Executive Officer. As OTG of the rescue group, the Edmonds directed the search throughout the night and into the following day when all survivors were transferred to transports anchored off Mount Surabachi.

Thirty of the officers and crew of the Edmonds voluntarily entered the water to rescue survivors of the Bismarck Sea. Six of these were awarded decorations by Commander Fifth Fleet.

At the completion of this operation, the Edmonds returned to Leyte Gulf, anchoring in San Pedro Bay on 12 March.

OKINAWA

For the final great offensive campaign of the Pacific War, the Edmonds was again screening CVE's at the outset. Underway from Leyte on 27 March, she remained in the operating zone until 23 June, just short of three months, during which time the ship anchored for only an occasional 24 or 48 hour period at Kerama Retto of Okinawa.

In the first part of this campaign, the Edmonds operated with Carrier Division 22 again, alternating between direct air support off Okinawa and air strikes on the Sakishima Group to the southwest. On 4 May and again on 11 May, the Edmonds sank by gunfire tow mines menacing the path of the carrier formation. She also rescued the crew of a carrier-based torpedo plane.

On 19 May, the Edmonds reported to the Commander of the Transport Screen, joining the famed picket line. On the night of 25 May, while off Hagushi Beach acting as anti-suicide boat picket, a Jap suicide plane passed some 30 feet over the bow of the Edmonds, circled astern and crash-dived the USS O'Neill (DE-188) in the next station.

Again, while in the Hagushi Anchorage, the Edmonds on the night of 18 June assisted in shooting down another Jap plane, one of the few which penetrated the iron ring which had been established by the Combat Air Patrol and the Picket Line.

As a screening ship for amphibious landing forces, the Edmonds also participated at close range in the capture of both Iheya Shima and Aguni Shima in the Okinawa Group from 3 to 10 June. In the first of these operations, the Edmonds worked with the USS Gainard (DD-706) supporting this fighter director ship in a station north of Okinawa and closest to Japan at the time, less than "a stones throw from Tokyo".

Ocean Escort in the Philippine Sea Frontier

Returning from Okinawa, her fifth major campaign, the Edmonds anchored again in San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, and on 2 July was dry-docked for the first time since leaving Boston 13 months before. ON 7 July, she reported to Commander Philippine Sea Frontier for duty as ocean escort.

In the course of the next three months, the Edmonds made numerous escort runs, stopping at Hollandia and Biak in New Guinea, and revisited Ulithi and Okinawa. She was entering Leyte Gulf on the morning of 15 August when victory in the Pacific was announced.

The Edmonds left Guiuan, Samar, on 8 September for Manila, where she made one more trip as ocean escort to Okinawa from 13 to 23 September. Twice while serving in the Philippine Sea Frontier the Edmonds was escort commander.

GOING HOME

On 8 October while standing by at Manila for further orders, word was received that the Edmonds was to proceed to Leyte and there rendezvous with the four remaining ships of Escort Division 63 for return to the United States via Pearl Harbor. It had happened. The Edmonds was going home.

And thanks to the record of the Edmonds, every man and officer who served aboard her my forever hold his head high, knowing that he and his ship served his country well, living up to the highest traditions of the United States Navy.

October 1945.

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Campaign Ribbons and Stars Earned Aboard USS Edmonds

Transcribed by Robert Jones