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USS THOMAS E. FRASER (DD-736 / DM-24 / MMD-24)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NHHS

CLASS - ALLEN M. SUMNER As Built.
Displacement 3218 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 2" (Max)
Armament 6 x 5"/38AA (3x2), 12 x 40mm AA, 11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.5 Knots, Range 3300 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME January 31 1944.
Launched June 10 1944 and commissioned August 22 1944.
Completed as Minelayer DM-24, reclassified MMD-24 January 1 1969.
Decommissioned June 30 1955.
Stricken November 1 1970.
Fate Sold June 12 1974 and broken up for scrap.

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By
Fraser 136kThomas Edward Fraser was born on 6 February 1901 in Stafford Springs, Conn. and was appointed to the United States Naval Academy on 3 September 1920. After graduating on 4 June 1924, he served in Wyoming (BB-32) for nearly a year and studied torpedo warfare at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I., before reporting for duty on board Warden (DD-288) on 17 January 1926. He served in that destroyer until 1 May 1930. Following assignments in Ellis (DD-154) and at the New York Navy Yard, Fraser reported on 1 March 1934 for duties in connection with the fitting out of Tuscaloosa (CA-37). Assignments to the Philadelphia and Portsmouth Navy Yards followed in the late 1930's. During 1940 and 1941, he briefly commanded, in turn, destroyers Yarnall (DD-143), Claxton (DD-140), and Broome (DD-210). On 10 November 1941, he became commanding officer of Walke (DD-416) ; and, on 20 August 1942, he was appointed to the temporary rank of commander. On the night of 14 and 15 November 1942, Walke was a part of Rear Admiral Willis Augustus Lee's Task Force 64, when it encountered a large Japanese force off Savo Island attempting to bring reinforcements to Guadalcanal. Acting as the senior commander of the four destroyers of the task force, CDR. Fraser boldly led them into action against the numerically superior Japanese force. The torpedoes and heavy gunfire of the Japanese vessels took a devastating toll of the American destroyers; and, shortly after midnight, CDR. Fraser gave the order to abandon Walke. He was lost in the ensuing action and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valor and devotion to duty.Bill Gonyo
Fraser109kAs DM-24 undated, location unknown.USS Thomas E Fraser (DM24) Association
Click here to see our Special Feature - Interior Views of Sumner Class Destroyers as Built

USS THOMAS E. FRASER DD-736 / DM-24 / MMD-24 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

CDR Ronald Joseph Woodaman    Aug 22 1944 - Jul 26 1945
CDR Nevett Brooke Atkins    Jul 26 1945 - Jul 1946
CDR Burdick Heinkel Brittin    Dec 1952 - Feb 1954

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Rodney Tourville
Address: 3800 Gourdneck Rd NW, Tullahoma TN 37388
Phone: (931)461-2853
E-mail: rodcartour@charter.net


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
NavSource Minesweeper Pages, USS Thomas E. Fraser (DM-24)
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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