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USS Wesson (DE 184)

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - F - F - S

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/ 7 stars - World War II Victory Medal

Specifications:
Class: Cannon
Type: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1240 tons (light), 1620 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 201

Wesson (DE 184) Building and Operational Data:

29 July 1943: Keel laid by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., Port Newark, N.J.

17 October 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Eleanor Wesson

11 November 1943: Commissioned, Cmdr. H. Reich in command

25 July 1946: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla. after 2 years and 8½ months of service

26 March 1951: Struck from the NVR

10 January 1951: Transferred to Italy, renamed Andromeda (F.592) (stricken and broken up, 1970)

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
162k 130k 191k 17 October 1943: Port Newark, N.J. - Three views of *Wesson's launch and christening. The left photo shows the christening party posing for a pre-ceremony portrait. The center photo shows Mrs. Eleanor Wesson, mother of Lt.(jg) Morgan Wesson, preparing to break the traditional champagne bottle over the ship's bow, and the third photo shows the future Wesson* sliding down the building way into the Upper Newark Bay. (U.S. Navy photos #'s 19-N-99849, 19-N-99851, and 19-N-99852 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.; courtesy of Chris Wright) 0618407 - 0618408 - 0618409			Tim Rizzuto Ship's Superintendent DE Historical Museum USS Slater at Albany, N.Y. and Chris Wright Ocean City, N.J.
199k 161k 197k 158k 05 January 1944: Brooklyn, N.Y. - Four views of USS *Wesson* at the New York Navy Yard. After a commissioning shakedown cruise to Bermuda for crew training, she returned to New York for a post-shakedown cruise yard availability period. She was in the yard from 28 December 1943 to 09 January 1944 to repair desrepancies that were found on shake-down. When finished, she departed for the Panama Canal and duty in the Pacific. (U.S. Navy photos #'s 19-N-99849, 19-N-99851, 19-N-99852, and 19-N-99852 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.; courtesy of Chris Wright) 0618410 - 0618411 - 0618412 - 0618413
0618402	178k	26 June 1945: Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. - Forward plan view of USS *Wesson* (DE 184) at Mare Island. She was in overhaul at the yard from 16 May to 01 July 1945. USS *Blessman* (APD 48) inboard of *Wesson* and USS *Hazelwood* (DD 531) is on the opposite side of the pier. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-184-4842-45)	Darryl Baker PNCM, USNR (ret.) Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
0618403	192k	26 June 1945: Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. - Aft plan view of *Wesson* at Mare Island. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-184-4843-45)
0618404	78k	01 July 1945: Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. - Bow on view of *Wesson* at Mare Island. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-184-4897-45)
0618405	91k	01 July 1945: Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. - Stern view of *Wesson* at Mare Island. (U.S. Navy photo #DE-184-5001-45)
0618414	189k	01 July 1945: San Francisco, Cal. - USS *Wesson* in San Francisco Bay after departing Mare Island Navy Yard. (U.S. Navy photos #19-N-85965, and 19-N-85967 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.; courtesy of Chris Wright)	Tim Rizzuto Ship's Superintendent DE Historical Museum USS Slater at Albany, N.Y. and Chris Wright Ocean City, N.J.
0618415	188k
0618406	20k	undated wartime image	Jerry Church
0618416	273k	The Italian Navy frigate Andromeda (F 592, Ex-USS Wesson) underway at speed during a NATO Mediterranean exercise in 1972. Note new pentad mast, with new and heavier aerial arrays. There is also a strongback plate added to the hull below the hawse pipe. (Italian Navy Official Photo; scanned from American Destroyer Escorts of World War 2, by Peter Elliott)	Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom

Wesson History
View the USS Wesson (DE 184) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

Wesson's Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

Dates of Command	Commanding Officers
1.) 11 Nov. 1943 - 13 May 1944	Lcdr. Charles F. Havenmeyer, USNR (Comm. CO)
2.) 13 May 1944 - 02 Jul. 1945	Lcdr. Henry Sears, USNR
3.) 02 Jul. 1945 - 06 Dec. 1945	Lcdr. George O. Scarfe, Jr., USNR (Nevada City, Cal.)
4.) 06 Dec. 1945 - 29 Dec. 1945	Lt. John D. Calderwood, USNR
5.) 29 Dec. 1945 - 06 Jan. 1946	Lt. Michael N. Chetkovich, USNR (Decomm. CO) (Angels Cama, Cal.) (diary ends)

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
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation
Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Wesson

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