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Jack Hill Camp was born to Robert Burr and Olive (Hill) Camp in Jennings, La. on 27 August 1916. The family later moved to Port Arthur, Texas where Jack grew up. Jack
Camp graduated from Port Arthur High School in 1934. He then attended the University of Texas where he graduated with a law degree. Jack enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve Flight
Training V-5 program as a Seaman 2/c (NSN:407-48-15) on 20 January 1941 in Dallas, Tex. He reported to the U.S. Naval Reserve Aviation Base (NRAB), Atlanta, Ga. on 20 March 1941 for
his elimination phase training. He successfully completed this training and was discharged to home to await further orders.
He received a letter from the Secretary of the Navy in May 1941 offering entry into the Flight Training Program with corresponding orders to active duty for flight training if he accepted.
He accepted the orders and was transferred to the Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Fla. on 21 May 1941. He was discharged from enlisted status on 11 Jun 1941 to accept appointment as
an Aviation Cadet on 12 June 1941. That appointment, according to Navy records, was effective on 02 June 1941. He was awarded his naval aviator wings about November 1941, and he was
commissioned an Ensign, USNR, on 29 December 1941. After some additional operational training, Ensign Camp was assigned to Patrol Squadron (PATRON) Forty-Four (VP-44).
Patrol Squadron Forty-Four (VP-44) departed from the Naval Air Station, Alameda, Cal. for Pearl Harbor, T.H., in two divisions of six planes each. The first of these left the United States
on 26 March 1942. The second, because of unfavorable weather, delayed its departure until 12 April. Ordered to Midway for extended operations, PATRON 44 arrived at Eastern Island on the 22nd
of May and began long range reconnaissance flights on 27 May in anticipation of a Japanese attempt to capture Midway Island. During the first few days of June 1942, the VP-23 and VP-44 PBYs
based at Midway flew long patrols over the trackless ocean, searching for signs of enemy shipping. Then on 03 June came the first surface contact reports from the VP-23 PBY searchers. The
following day, 04 June 1942, pilot Lt. (j.g.) Robert S. Whitman and his PBY-5A Catalina from VP-44 were airborne again when he reported contact at 0925 with enemy ships (probably the Japanese
Occupation Force), antiaircraft fire, and that his aircraft was being "opposed by two enemy observation planes." Japanese Mitsubishi F1M2 Type 0 float planes from the seaplane carrier
Chitose had attacked Lt.(jg) Whitman's Catalina about 340 miles west of Midway. (CONTINUED....)
USS Camp (DE 251) (1943-1971) was the first ship to be named in his honor.
(Photo posted by Patti Johnson to the Find-A-Grave) |
Gerry Lawton
Commander, USN (ret.)
Saluda, N.C. |
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02 April 1944: New York, N.Y. - USS Camp (DE 251) off the New York Navy Yard on Sunday, 02 April.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 91557 and NH 91558, Courtesy of A.D. Baker III, from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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06 April 1945: Boston, Mass. - USS Everett F. Larson (DD 830) being commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard. USS Camp (DE 251) is in the
adjacent slip, having her bow replaced and her main battery upgraded to 5"/38. Odd case, still camo in April 1945 and unique to come through Boston since her home yard was New York. At 0520 on
18 November 1944 Camp collided with the American freighter SS Santa Cecelia and had her bow sheared off at frame 23. A British minesweeper towed her to Wales Dock,
Swansea, Wales. On 28 November 1944, she was moved to Hill's Drydock, Cardiff, Wales where constuction on a temporary bow commenced. She remained there until 02 February 1945, when she joined
Convoy UC55A returning to the United States. Encountering several severe storms Camp had to drop out of the convoy and was escorted to Boston by USS Wingfield (DE 194),
arriving on 14 February 1945.
(U.S. Navy photo #NA 80-G-267664 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
|
John Chiquoine
West Chester, Pa.
and
Rick E. Davis
Springfield, Oh. |
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25 April 1945: Boston, Mass. - USS Camp (DE 251) off the Boston Navy Yard on Wednesday, 25 April 1945, following rearming with 5"/38 guns. She was
the only FMR class DE to get these guns.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 91560 and NH 91559, Courtesy of A.D. Baker III, from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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25 April 1945: Boston, Mass. - USS Camp (DE 251) off the Boston Navy Yard, following rearming with 5"/38 guns. She was the only FMR class DE to get these guns.
(U.S. Navy photo #NH 91559 from the collection of A.D. Baker III, Naval History and Heritage Command)
| Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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31 July 1956, Recommissioning ceremony |
Gary Bee EN3 |
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As DER 251, undated |
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floating dry-dock, undated |
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July 1964: Boston Harbor
(These five photos © Richard Leonhardt) |
Richard Leonhardt
Bethlehem, Pa. |
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28 July 1965: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - USS Kretchmer (DER 329),
Camp, and USS Hissem (DER 400) mooring at Pearl Harbor Naval Station. All three
ships left Newport, R.I. on Wednesday 07 July 1965 headed for Operation Market Time in South Vietnam.
(U.S. Navy Photo by Robert L. Ziesler PH3) |
Allan M. Wilson
USS Kretchmer (DER329)
1964 - 1968 |
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1968: location unknown - USS Camp (DER 251) underway.
(Official U.S. Navy photo by Lt T. S. Storek) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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Off the coast of Oahu about 1970 |
Dennis Clark |
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In the South Vietnamese Navy as Tran Hung Dao (HQ-1), undated |
William Toohey |
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ex-USS Camp as HQVN Tran Hung Dao (HQ-1), undated |
Bang Le |
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Republic of Vietnam Navy HQ-1 Tran Hung Dao, undated |
Thanh Duong |
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In the Philippine Navy as the BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-4), undated |
Joe Radigan
Mine Warfare,
Patrol Vessel
Archives Manager, Navsource |
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20 April 1990: The ex-BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-4) awaiting her scrapping. |
Edison Sy |
