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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS James E. Craig (DE 201)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - F - C - Q
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 4 stars - WWII Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Ribbon
Specifications:
Class: Buckley
Type: TE (turbine-electric drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1400 tons (light), 1740 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 9" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 "D" Express boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 kts
Range: 6,000 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 / 198
James E. Craig (DE 201) Building and Operational Data:
  • 15 April 1943: Keel laid by the Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • 22 July 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Craig, widow of Lieutenant Commander Craig
  • 01 November 1943: Commissioned, Lcdr. Hampton M. Ericson in command
  • 02 July 1946: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 2 years and 8 months of service, having steamed 108,00 miles
  • 27 June 1946: Inactivation completed at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • 30 June 1968: Struck from the NVR
  • February 1969: Sunk as target off San Clemente Island, California
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    J.E. Craig
    0620101    		 47k James Edwin Craig was born in Jacksonville, Fla. on 29 October 1901. He was appointed to the Naval Academy 03 July 1918. After graduation in 1922, he saw almost continuous sea duty until early 1929 when he received aviation training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. As an aviator, he served at Coco Solo, C.Z., and on board Wright, Arizona, and Yorktown. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1937 and commanded Torpedo Squadron 5 in 1938. In March 1939 he assumed command of USS Conyngham (DD 371). Two years later he became Damage Control Officer and First Lieutenant aboard Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Commander Craig was killed in action during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 December 1941.

    USS James E. Craig (DE 201) (1943-1946) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

    (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Naval Academy, from the U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook; The Lucky Bag, Class of 1922.)    		 Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    J.E. Craig
    0620102    		 123k 22 July 1943: Charleston, S.C. - USS James E. Craig in the process of being launched Tom Lane
    J.E. Craig
    0620103    		 17k undated wartime image Paul Emery Richardson
    James E. Craig
    Memorabilia
    Launch Program
    Cover
    J.E. Craig
    Courtesy of
    Jon Burdett    		 Postal Cover,
    Launch
    J.E. Craig
    Courtesy of
    Jon Burdett
    James E. Craig History
    View the USS James E. Craig (DE 201) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    James E. Craig's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 01 Nov. 1943 - 09 May 1944Lcdr. Hampton Maturin Ericsson, USN (Comm. CO) (USNA '24) (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.)
    2.) 09 May 1944 - 05 Nov. 1945Lcdr. Edward Fiske Andrews, USNR (New Haven, Conn.)
              Diary Gap
    3.) 07 Jan. 1946 - 03 Apr. 1946Lcdr. George Amnon Peek Jr., USNR (Portsmouth, Va.)
    4.) 01 May 1946 - 02 Jul. 1946(unsigned muster)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Contact Name: Mrs. Wanda M. Easton
    Address: Diamond IL 60416
    City/State: Diamond IL 60416
    Phone: (815) 634-0844
    E-mail: Mrs. W. Easton
    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
    To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page
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    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 10 November 2023