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USS Duffy (DE 27)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - X - D - B
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 2 stars - WWII Victory Medal
Specifications:
Class: Evarts
Type: GMT (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, short hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,140 tons (light), 1,430 tons (full)
Length: 283' 6" (wl), 289' 5" (oa)
Beam: 35' 0" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 19 kts
Range: 4,150 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 - 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 - 1.1"/75 cal. Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 9 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 183
Duffy (DE 27) Building and Operational Data:
  • 29 October 1942: Keel laid by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal.
  • 16 April 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Vice; retained by the U.S. Navy
  • 05 August 1943: Commissioned, Cmdr. G. A. Parkinson, USNR, in command
  • 09 November 1945: Decommissioned at San Francisco, Cal. (Hunters Point Navy Yard) after 2 years and 3 months of service
  • 28 November 1945: Struck from the NVR
  • 21 July 1947: Sold for scrapping to the National Metal & Steel Corp., Terminal Island, Los Angeles, Cal.
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Duffy
    0602701

    Duffy    		 293k Charles John Duffy, born 31 December 1919 in New York City, enlisted in the Naval Reserve on 25 April 1941 and was appointed an aviation cadet 13 November 1941. At 07:50 on 08 November 1942, French fighters rose from French Morocco to intercept a force of bombers from U.S. carriers Ranger and Suwanee. The French fighters were engaged by fighters from Ranger in a dogfight that felled seven French and four or five American planes. Bombs started falling on Casablanca Harbor at 0804. Flying a carrier aircraft, Ensign Duffy was killed in action while participating in the Naval Battle of Casablanca, French Morocco, during the landings in North Africa.

    His citation reads: The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Ensign Charles John Duffy, United States Navy, for gallantry in action during the occupation of French Morocco, 08 to 11 November 1942. Participating in a hazardous dive-bombing mission over Casablanca Harbor, Ensign Duffy, with superb flying skill, scored a direct hit on a hostile cruiser with a 500-pound bomb. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.

    USS Duffy (DE 27) (1943-1945) was the first ship to be named in his honor.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.
    Duffy
    0602707    		 155k 16 April 1943: Mrs. Thomas Vice, the ship's sponsor, prior to the launching of the future USS Duffy (DE 27) at Mare Island Navy Yard.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-27-2663-4-43)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Duffy
    0602702    		 100k 16 April 1943: Mrs. Clarence Huston (Matron of Honor), left, and Mrs. Thomas Vice (Sponsor) are shown just prior to the launching of USS Duffy (DE 27) at Mare Island Navy Yard.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-27-2662-4-43)
    Duffy
    0602704    		 100k 16 April 1943: Mrs. Thomas Vice christens the USS Duffy at Mare Island Navy Yard. Radm W. L. Friedell, Shipyard Commandant, to the left of Mrs. Vice assists her in the christening.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-27-2675-4-43)
    Duffy
    0602703    		 130k 16 April 1943: Vallejo, Cal. - The destroyer escort USS Duffy (DE 27), at her launching, at the Mare Island Navy Yard. At the time, she was still intended for transfer to the British and was designated BDE-27, with no name assigned.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #NH 78688 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Duffy
    0602705    		 83k 16 April 1943: Broadside view of the USS Duffy (DE 27) immediately after launching at Mare Island Navy Yard.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-27-2676-43)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    ***Wintle***
    0602504    		 152k 07 July 1943: Bow view of the USS Dempsey (DE 26) (inboard) and USS Duffy (DE 27) (outboard) pictured at Mare Island Navy Yard outfitting pier. USS Wintle (DE 25) is aft of Dempsey and Duffy.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-25-4547-43)
    ***Dempsey***
    0602603    		 205k 07 July 1943: Stern view of the USS Dempsey (DE 26) (inboard) and USS Duffy (DE 27) (outboard) pictured at Mare Island Navy Yard outfitting pier.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-26-4546-43)
    Duffy
    0602706    		 83k undated photo of Duffy crewmembers Americo J. Ross
    Duffy History
    View the USS Duffy (DE 27) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View a short article on the design and development of the Evarts Class DE submitted by Bob Sables.
    Duffy's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 05 Aug. 1943 - 15 Dec. 1943Cdr. George Ambrose Parkinson, USNR (Comm. CO)
    2.) 15 Dec. 1943 - 18 Mar. 1945Lcdr. Francis Patrick Lyons, USNR
    3.) 18 Mar. 1945 - 19 Sep. 1945Lcdr. William Dan Moody, USNR (Houston, Tex.)
    4.) 19 Sep. 1945 - 09 Nov. 1945Lt. Robert Alfred Bush, USNR (Decomm. CO)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    None
    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
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    The Destroyer History Foundation
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    Page Last Updated: 11 May 2018