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04 February 1952: Mare Island Naval Shipyard - Aft plan view of Forster (WDE 434), inboard, and
Newell (WDE 422) at Mare Island. Both were in overhaul at the yard from 10 September 1951 to 05 February 1952.
(U.S. Navy photo #DE 344 11701-52) |
Darryl Baker
PNCM, USNR (ret.)
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum |
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04 February 1952: Mare Island Naval Shipyard - Forward plan view of Forster (WDE 434), inboard, and Newell (WDE 422).
(U.S. Navy photo #DE 344 11698-52) |
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Undated Post-Conversion Image |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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circa 1957: USS Forster underway.
(Official U.S. Navy Photo; From "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1958-59") |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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1960: Oahu, Hawaii - USS Forster (DER 334) underway in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with her crew at quarters. The 3" gunshields forward and aft stand out
clearly. All the DERs appear to have carried the black funnel cowl. There is a Hedgehog forward of the bridge.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 55886 from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Yu Chu
Brunei Darussalam
South East Asia |
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1961: Hong Kong - A special assignment was given to Forster in late fall of 1960 when she was relieved of Pacific Barrier Patrol duty and assigned
to WestPac. Loaded with a large number of extra depth charges, she systematically dropped them on a great circle track from 9 deg. north of the Equator to a point east of Japan (along the
then Russian missile testing track). Sonar buoys and various other sound detection devices in the Pacific then picked up and triangulated the sounds of the explodong depth charges to simulate
the splash location of future Russian test warheads. Upon reaching Japan, Forster was assigned to Formosa Patrol duty, 6 weeks as Station Ship Hong Kong, and made a good-will
tour of the Philippine Islands (San Carlos, Negro; Surigao, Mindinao; Ormoc City, Leyte; and Kalibo, Panay). She returned to Pearl Harbor in the summer of 1961. |
William C. Krommenhoek
Lieutenant, USNR
July 1958 - June 1961
San Diego, Cal. |
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19 September 1962: location unknown - Commander Gordon R. Nagler and Admiral John H. Sides examine the the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy plaque, during ceremonies in which
Forster received the award. Established in 1962 in honor of former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN, this award plaque's sculptor was H. de Bellis.
In 1971 this trophy was transferred to the collections of the Curator of the Department of the Navy.
(USNHC Photo #NH55887 and National Archives Photo #1061190) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal.
Assoc. Researcher
Navsource |
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Jan. - Feb. 1963: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - USS Forster (DER 334) moored at the South Elizabeth Street Pier on a port visit during an Operation Deep Freeze.
Forster and other DER's served as ocean navigation sites for aircraft flyinh to Antarctica. She received the Antarctica Service Medal for the period of 21 January to 04 March 1963. |
Yu Chu
Brunei Darussalam
South East Asia |
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RD2 Phil Burton had this photo scanned and printed from a cruise book photo, circa 1964 |
Dick Hallowell
RD1 ('64-'66) |
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20 February 1966: the South China Sea - 82-footers of Coast Guard Division 13, refueling from the Navy escort USS Forster (DE 334) en route to Vietnam from
Subic Bay.
(U.S. Coast Guard Photo CPI-022066-09 by PHC F. Borzage, USCG, from the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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as above.
(U.S. Coast Guard Photo by PHC F. Borzage, USCG from the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office) |
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March 1966: the South China Sea - Unidentified crewman from USS Forster (DER 334) checks a sampan for contraband cargo during "Operation Maket Time". The chain in
the bottom right corner of the photo will be passed under the sampan's hull to detect cargo that might be hidden below the waterline. "Operation Maket Time" commenced in late 1965 to stop the
flow of arms, men, and material from North to South Vietnam.
(U.S. Navy photo #USN 1142219 by JOC R. D. Moeser, from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Yu Chu
Brunei Darussalam
South East Asia |
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15 April 1966: the South China Sea - USS Forster (DER 334) crewmen conducted searches of Vietnamese junks during "Operation Market Time".
Forster znd her sister DER's provided long-term presence at sea offshore to guard against trawler infiltration. Originally built for WWII convoy duty, and then modified
for distant early warning ("DEW") duty in the North Atlantic, the DER's sea keeping capability made them ideal for long-term presence offshore where they provided support for SWIFT boats,
pilot rescue and sampan inspections.
1.) Forster lays among Vietnamese trawlers as the destroyer escort conducts visit-and-search operations off Vietnam.
2.) Signalman Harold E. McCachren of Johnstown, Pa., attached to Forster rides a motor whaleboat toward a Vietnamese junk off the coast of South Vietnam.
3.) Ensign Peter L. Caldwell of Houlton, Maine, stands guard in a motor whaleboat with a .45 caliber submachine gun M1928AL off the coast of South Vietnam.
(U.S. Navy photos #NH 55886, NH 55886 and NH 55886 by JOC Robert D. Moeser, from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
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May 1966: Kaohsiung, Taiwan - a nice shot of Forster's Hedgehog launcher |
Larry Backus |
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January 1969: Pearl Harbor - Forster makes her approach to moor alongside USS
Charles Berry (DE 1035) and USS Vance (DER 387).
(Photo © Richard Leonhardt) |
Richard Leonhardt
Bethlehem, Pa. |
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passing the USS Renville (APA 227) |
Lt. Richard Dawson
USS Renville (APA 227) |
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1968: location unknown - The escort ship USS Forster (DE 334) underway.
(U.S. Navy photo by PHCM L. P. Bodine) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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December 1968: Pearl Harbor Hawaii - Vance tied up outboard of
Charles Berry (DE 1035) and Forster (DER 334).
(Photo © Richard Leonhardt) |
Richard Leonhardt
Bethlehem, Pa. |
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circa prior to May 1970: USS Frontier (AD 25) moored pierside at Pearl Harbor, with, from outboard to inboard;
USS Forster (DER 334), an unidentified DER,
USS Fletcher (DD 445),
USS Walker (DD 517 and
USS Taylor (DD 468). |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive |
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undated: ex-USS Forster as HQVN Tran Khanh Du (HQ-4) |
Bang Le |
