e Destroyer Escort Photo Index DE- 341 USS RAYMOND

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Ship's Patch courtesy
of Mike Smolinski

USS Raymond (DE 341)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - H - E - M

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 5 stars - WWII Victory Medal
Third Row: National Defense Service Medal - Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation (retroactive) - Philippine Liberation Ribbon


Specifications:
Class: John C. Butler
Type: WGT (geared-turbine drive, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1350 tons (light), 1745 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 "D" Express boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 kts
Range: 6,000 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 2 - 5"/38 cal. DP guns (2x1), 4 - 40mm AA (2x2), 10 - 20mm AA, 3 - 21" TT, 1 Mk10 Hedgehog, 8 Mk6 Depth Charge Projectors, 2 Mk9 Depth Charge Stern Racks
Complement: 14 / 201
Raymond (DE 341) Building and Operational Data:
  • 03 November 1943: Keel laid at the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.
  • 08 January 1944: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Helen Raymond, Lcdr. Raymond's mother
  • 15 April 1944: Commissioned at the City Dock, Orange, Tex., Lcdr. A. F. Beyer, Jr.,USNR, in command
  • 25 October 1944: Participated in the Battle off Samar, during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, as a unit of Taffy 3 (TU 77.4.3), for which she was later awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
  • 24 January 1947: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 2 years and 9⅓ months of service having steamed 90,243 miles
  • 31 January 1947: Inactivation completed at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • 27 April 1951: Recommissioned at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Destroyer Force, Atlantic, at Newport, R.I. as a unit of Escort Squadron 10
  • 22 September 1958: Decommissioned, placed "in service, in commission", Lt. James F. Newman, USN (OinC) in command, assigned as NRT ship, 1st Naval District, at the Boston Naval Shipyard as a unit of Reserve Escort Squadron 2
  • 23 May 1960: Placed "out of service, in reserve" at the South Annex, Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Mass. after 9 years and 1 month of service
  • 01 July 1972: Struck from the NVR with a total of 11 years and 10⅓ months of service
  • 22 January 1974: Assigned as a target vessel, ex-Raymond was sunk by aircraft from the carrier USS Forrestal (CVA 59) off northeast Florida



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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Raymond
    0634101

    Fleming
    73k Reginald Marbury Raymond was born in Sewanee, Tenn. on 20 May 1912. In 1924 his family moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where in 1928 he graduated from Byrd High School. He attended Centenary College before being appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy, from which he graduated and was commissioned as ensign on 01 June 1933. He reported to USS Chester (CA 27) for duty. In June 1935 he was ordered to the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut. He rounded out his tour at submarine school by marrying Marjorie Woodcock, of New London, on 05 October 1935. His first tour in submarines began in February 1936 on board the USS Canopus (AS 9) with Submarine Squadron 5. He was soon detached and ordered to the S-38 in March of the same year. He remained on board the S-38 until August 1938 when he was ordered to Groton, Connecticut for fitting out USS Saury (SS 189) under construction by the Electric Boat Company. Saury went into commission early in 1939 and Raymond stayed with her until October 1941. He was then chosen to observe the British prosecution of their submarine war in the Mediterranean and via a roundabout route he reported to Cairo, Egypt, as Naval Observer at the American Legation there. During this tour in Egypt he worked with several British submarines and made several patrols on them in the Mediterranean.

    In June 1942 he was ordered to the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire for duty in connection with the fitting-out of USS Scorpion (SS 278). After commissioning on 01 October 1942 and his simultaneous promotion to lieutenant commander, Scorpion proceeded to the Pacific and her first war patrol. Departing Pearl Harbor on 05 April 1943, she was assigned the mission of laying mines on the eastern side of Honshu. After laying her mines near Nakaminato and sinking 2 ships and 3 sampans, Scorpion received orders home on 28 April. Enroute. on 29 April, she sighted and engaged a 100 ton patrol vessel, which she left burning to the waterline. On the morning of 30 April she stalked, fired on, and finally torpedoed and sank the 600 ton patrol ship Ebisu Maru No.5. Unfortunately, during the 105-minute fight, Scorpion received her first casualty. Lt. Cmdr. R. M. Raymond, executive officer and prospective commanding officer, was hit and killed by gunfire during the 105-minute fight. As his body was being prepared for a burial at sea, Scorpion was attacked by an unseen low-flying Japanese plane, and Lt. Cmdr. Raymond's body was lost from the gun platform in the crash-dive. For his participation and heroism in the gun battle he was awarded the Silver Star. Lieutenant Commander Reginald M. Raymond is memorialized in Court One, Courts of the Missing, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Hawaii.

    USS Raymond (DE 341) (1944-1960) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

    (Photo from the U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook; The Lucky Bag, Class of 1933.)
    (U.S. Navy photo from the web site On Eternal Patrol)
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Raymond
    0634111
    213k 08 January 1944: Orange, Tex. - The future USS Raymond (DE 341) leaves the building ways at the Consolidated Steel Corp. shipyard.

    (U.S. Navy Photo Catalog No. 80-G-268315 from the United States National Archives)
    Mike Green
    Port Angeles, Wash.
    Raymond
    0634102
    235k 15 October 1944: USS Raymond (DE 341) approaching the USS Sangamon (CVE 26) to refuel. The rest of Carrier Division 22 is following astern.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #80-G-295001 from the United States National Archives)
    Raymond
    0634109
    398k June 1950: San Diego, Cal. - A photo of the San Diego Mothball Fleet shows the USS Nicholas, (DDE 449), USS O'Bannon (DDE 450), USS Walker (DDE 517) and USS Sproston (DDE 577), returned to mothballs after being converted to the DDE ASW configuration. All four of these DDE's were armed with of 2-5"/38cal, 5 Torpedo Tubes, Mk-15 ASW Projector, and provisions for 4x2-20mm guns. Also, seen is the USS Killen (DD 593) and several DE's, including USS Raymond (DE 341), USS Dennis (DD 405), and an APD.

    (Cropped from USN Photo #80-G-428265 from the NARA photo files.)
    Rick E. Davis
    Springfield, Oh.
    Raymond
    0634110
    270k Undated Postwar Image Nick Tiberio
    Shelton, Conn.
    Raymond
    0634103
    25k Undated Postwar Image John Hummel
    Raymond
    0634104
    192k Undated Postwar Image

    (original photo replaced by higher resolution copy)
    Robert Hurst /
    David Buell
    Raymond
    0634112
    328k 07 August 1952: Key West, Fla. - USS Raymond (DE 341) in the Key West operating area.

    (U.S. Navy photo #80-G-445116 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Rick E. Davis
    Springfield, Oh.
    Raymond
    0634106
    214k Summer 1953: Copenhagen, Denmark - Four destroyer escorts make a Scandinavian port visit during a North Atlantic Midshipman Cruise. From left to right: USS Raymond (DE 341), USS Melvin R. Nawman (DE 416), and USS Chester T. O'Brien (DE 421), with a fourth unidentified DE aft. This photo is part of the CT-DESA exhibit which is displayed at our CT-DESA chapter events.

    (Photo from the Nick Palermo Collection)
    John N. Adriani, Sr.
    Shelton, Conn.
    Raymond
    0634113
    247k 22 September 1953: the Atlantic Ocean - USS Raymond (DE 341) in the Newport operating area.

    (U.S. Navy photo #80-G-628505 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Rick E. Davis
    Springfield, Oh.
    Raymond
    0634107
    62k circa 1956

    (Official U.S. Navy Photo; From "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1958 - 59")
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Raymond
    0634105
    75k 1959: South Boston Naval Annex Raymond berthed at the Boston NSY.

    (Photo © Richard Leonhardt)
    Richard Leonhardt
    Bethlehem, Pa.
    Coffman
    0619105
    287k Winter 1972 - Spring 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - A closer view of the Inactive Ship Basin taken from the corner of Intrepid Ave. and S. 16th St. Again we see Oswald (DE 767), Melvin R. Nawman (DE 416), Tabberer (DE 418), and Coffman. In this view we also see an unidentified decommissioned AGSS and Raymond (DE 341). Jim Cunliffe
    Frederica, Del.
    Raymond
    0634108
    269k Winter 1972 - Spring 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - A closeup view of the starboard side of Raymond's bridge.
    Neunzer
    0619107
    234k 25 May 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - A mothballed auxiliary submarine and destroyer escorts at the Inactive Ship Facility of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. From left to right; Angler (IXSS 240), Raymond (DE 341), Oswald (DE 767), Melvin R. Nawman (DE 416), Tabberer (DE 418), and Coffman (DE 191).

    Note from Rick Davis: "Back in May 1973, Martin Holbrook (INRO Photo Collection), invited me for a tour of Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Mothball Fleet. Martin had been making trips to Philly and other mothball sites for years and was one of the “old-timers” that had been taking photos of USN ships since before WWII in the New York City area. Anyway, when he picked me up in his van, there were two other gents. One was Ted Stone (I thought the other one was Paul Silverstone, but when I had a chance to ask him a few years ago if it was, he said he didn’t recall a photo trip to PhilNSY). Martin had enough “pull” that we were provided with an Admiral’s Gig! I had my brand-new Nikon F2 35-mm camera. Martin and Ted had larger format cameras. I felt like a rank amateur and a kid in a candy store. I have seen some of the same photos of subjects that we all took photos from the same boat, show-up elsewhere. We were all excited that USS Sigsbee (DD 502) was on the outside of a nest this trip. Martin had been trying to get good views of her for years. Ex-USS Gherardi (DD 637) ... built at PhilNY ... was outside the reserve basin ready to be towed away for scrapping. We got photos of her as well".
    Rick E. Davis
    Springfield, Oh.

    Raymond History
    View the USS Raymond (DE 341) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View the official War History of USS Raymond as submitted by the ship at war's end.
    View the Adm. Clifton Sprague and Task Unit 77.4.3 Memorial
    This monument is dedicated to the memory of Vice Admiral Clifton A. F. Sprague and the 13 ships and 7,300 men of Task Unit 77.4.3,
    also known as "Taffy 3," which were under his command during the Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944 during the Battle for Leyte Gulf.

    Raymond's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler
    Dates of CommandCommanding Officers
    1.)  15 Apr. 1944 – 27 Dec. 1944Lcdr. Aaron Frederick Beyer Jr., USNR (Comm. CO) (USNA ‘33) (Tyrone, Pa.)
    2.)  27 Dec. 1944 – 01 Dec. 1945Lcdr. John R. O’Meara, USNR (Wildwood, N.J.)
    3.)  01 Dec. 1945 – 27 May 1946Lt. George N. Epstein, USNR
    4.)  27 Apr. 1951 – 15 Feb. 1952Lcdr. Walter Frederick Toy, USN
    5.)  15 Feb. 1952 – 05 Jul. 1953Lcdr. Richard Norman Moss, USN
    6.)  05 July 1953 – 29 Jul. 1955Lcdr. Lawrence Davidson Caney, USN (USNA ‘43) (Gardiner, Me.)
    7.)  29 Jul. 1955 – 09 Mar. 1957Lcdr. Earl Joseph Alt, USN
    8.)  09 Mar. 1957 – 19 May 1958Lcdr. Raymond M. Chester, USN
    9.)  19 May 1958 – 22 Sep. 1958Lcdr. Ralph Leonard Volk Jr., USN (USNA ‘45) (Pittsfield, Mass.)
    10.) 22 Sep. 1958 – 18 Dec. 1959Lt. James Franklin Newman, USN (OinC)
    11.) 18 Dec. 1959 – 23 May 1960Lt. Douglas Warren Bel, USN (OinC) (Decomm. CO) (Springfield, Mo.)

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    Contact Name: James S. Toth
    Address: PO Box 219
    City/State: Loretto PA 15940
    Phone: (814) 472-6381
    E-mail: James Toth
    Note About Contacts

    Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
    made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
    a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
    Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.


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    Page Last Updated: 30 May 2024