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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive
Ship's patch courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Formoe (DE 509)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - K - T - G
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 2 stars
Second Row: World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - 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
Formoe (DE 509) Building and Operational Data:
  • 03 January 1944: Keel laid at the Federal Shipbuilding Corp., Port Newark NJ
  • 02 April 1944: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. A. L. Bolshazy of Greenbelt, Maryland, National President of the Navy Wives Clubs of America
  • 05 October 1944: Commissioned at the New York Navy Yard by Radm. Kelly Monroe, Lcdr. J. C. Spencer in command
  • 27 May 1946: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 1 year and 7⅔ months of service having steamed 63,876 miles
  • 27 June 1951: Recommissioned at San Diego, Cal.
  • 05 October 1951: Departed San Diego for Newport, R.I., her new home port
  • 13 September 1954: Departed Newport, R.I. for San Diego, her new home port
  • 07 February 1957: Decommissioned at San Francisco, Cal. after 5 years and 4 months of service
  • Transferred on loan the same day to Portugal under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, renamed NRP Diogo Cao (F-333)
  • 01 October 1968: Struck from the NVR with 6 total years and 11⅔ months of service
  • December 1968: Sold to Portugal
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Formoe 48k undated wartime image Jerry Church
    Formoe 73k undated postwar image Richard Miller
    BMCS, USNR (ret.)
    Formoe 92k circa 1949: Formoe underway at speed. Standard layout for this class, but note whip aerial fitted aft, and Hedgehog clearly visible, just aft of 5"/38 mounting. Canvas awning is rigged over conning position.

    (Photo coutesy Real Photographs, from the book "U.S. Destroyer Escorts of World War 2", by Peter Elliott).    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Formoe 219k June 1951: just prior to recommissioning William E. Kidd, Jr.
    Formoe 236k
    Formoe 221k circa 1956: Formoe moored at an unknown location.

    (U.S. Navy photo; from U.S. National Archives, San Bruno Branch)    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Formoe 300k undated ship portrait Navsource
    Formoe 60k circa 1961: NRP Diogo Cao (F-333, ex-USS Formoe DE 509) underway, location unknown.

    (Official Portuguese Navy photo; from "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1961-62")    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Formoe 42k as NRP Diogo Cao (F-333), circa 1966
    Formoe 136k Undated starboard bow view of the Portuguese anti-submarine fast frigate, NRP Diogo Cão ( F-333) underway. Formerly the USS Formoe (DE 509), the ship was decommissioned on 07 February 1957 after a total of 5 years and 4 months of service and transferred on loan the same day to Portugal under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, renamed NRP Diogo Cão (F-333). In December 1968 the ship was officially sold to Portugal. Mike Green
    Port Angeles, Wash.
    Formoe Memorabilia
    Launch Button
    Formoe
    Courtesy of
    Tom Kermen    		 Ship's Lighter
    Formoe
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Formoe History
    View the USS Formoe (DE 509) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View the official War History of USS Formoe as submitted by the ship at war's end.
    Formoe's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 15 Oct. 1944 – 27 May 1946Lcdr. John Curtis Spencer, USN (USNA ‘39) (Richmond, Va.)
    2.) 27 Jun. 1951 – Lcdr. Herbert Hamilton Ries, USN (USNA ‘42) (Iowa City, Ia.)
    4.) .. Mar. 1955 – .. .... 1957Lcdr. John William O’Neill (Newport, R.I.)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Contact Name: Julia Loughran
    Address: 2009 Cantata Court
    City/State: Vienna VA 22182-3313
    Phone: (703) 281-5694 fax: (703) 319-8196
    E-mail: loughran@thoughtlink.com
    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.

    Additional Resources
    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Formoe
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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 10 April 2020