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USS Osberg (DE 538)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - T - O - O
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
Osberg (DE 538) Building and Operational Data:
  • 03 November 1943: Keel laid by the Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, Mass.
  • 07 December 1943: Launched
  • 10 December 1945: Christened by Mrs. Robert H. Hawes (sister of Ensign Osberg), Commissioned by Captain A. R. Marron, CO of the Boston Navy Yard, Lcdr. V. S. Mauldin in command
  • 15 May 1947: Decommissioned after 1 year and 5 months of service
  • 26 February 1951: Recommissioned, assigned to NRT, 3rd Naval District, homeported at the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N. Y.
  • 25 February 1958: Decommissioned at the U. S. Naval Supply Depot, Bayonne, N. J. after after 7 years of service; custody transfered to CO, New York Group, U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • 01 August 1972: Struck from the NVR with a total of 8 years and 5 months of service
  • 05 February 1974: Sold for scrapping
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Osberg
    0653801

    Osberg

    Osberg

    		 10k Carl August Osberg was born on 13 April 1920 in Dunbarton, N.H. After attending Cornell University, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Class V-5, as a seaman 2nd class, at the Boston Navy Yard on 10 December 1940. Reporting for elmination flight training at the U.S. Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Boston, on 16 December 1940, Osberg completed his instruction on 16 January 1941, and was transferred to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla., on 13 February. On the 15th he was appointed an aviation cadet, and on the 19th he received a discharge as seaman 2nd class to accept that appointment. He reported to NAS Jacksonville that same day. Detached on 23 July, he transferred to NAS Miami, Fla., "for active duty undergoing training." Appointed a naval aviator (heavier than air) on 12 September, he accepted his appointment that same day as ensign, A-V(N). Reporting to the Advanced Carrier Training Group, Pacific Fleet, on 05 October, he was detached from that duty on 04 November, and reported to Torpedo Squadron (VT) 3, part of the Saratoga (CV 3) Air Group, the next day.

    After the torpedoing of Saratoga on 11 January 1942, and her subsequent departure for repairs at Puget Sound, VT-3 was based ashore, first at NAS Pearl Harbor, at Ford Island, T.H., standing alert duty for island defense, then at NAS Kaneohe Bay, whence the squadron trained and continued to stand alerts. On 30 May 1942, assigned to the air group of Yorktown (CV 5), replacing VT-5, VT-3 flew on board as that carrier sailed to participate in what would become known as the Battle of Midway. On 04 June 1942, Yorktown launched VT-3, and Bombing Squadron 3, covered by fighters from Fighting Squadron 3, to attack the Japanese carrier force in concert with a strike from Enterprise (CV 6) and Hornet (CV 8). Circumstances, however, dictated that only the Yorktown Air Group attacked as a unit, with VT-3 the last of the three torpedo squadrons to execute their brave low-level attacks. Japanese Zero carrier fighters, however, overwhelmed the six-plane VF-3 covering element, and, in concert with heavy antiaircraft fire from the carriers and their screening ships, splashed ten of the twelve of VT-3's Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers. Ens. Osberg and his radio gunner, ARM2c Troy C. Barkley, perished in the attack. Osberg was awarded the Navy Cross (posthumously), for his "self-sacrificing gallantry and fortitude...in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service..."

    USS Osberg (DE 538) (1945-1958) was the first ship to be named in his honor.     (Cropped from U.S. Navy photo #NH 95554 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Osberg  1.) 99k       Osberg  2.) 100k       Osberg  3.) 129k

    1945: Boston, Mass. - A three view series of USS Osberg (DE 538) in Boston Harbor.

    (U.S. Navy photo #'s13858-5591, 13858-5593, 13858-5592 from the National Park Service, Charlestown (Boston) Navy Yard)

    1.) 0653803      2.) 0653804      3.) 0653805    		 Dave Schroeder
          and
    John Chiquoine
    West Chester, Pa.
    Osberg
    0653807    		 198k 14 December 1945: The Atlantic Ocean - USS Osberg (DE 538) off the Boston Navy Yard.

    (U.S. Navy photo #80-G-631229 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    		 Rick E. Davis
    Springfield, Oh.
    Osberg
    0653806    		 219k October 1955: Brooklyn, N.Y. - USS Osberg underway in the area of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Dave Schroeder
          and
    John Chiquoine
    West Chester, Pa.
    Osberg
    0653802    		 46k undated postwar image Jerry Church
    Janssen
    0639606    		 379k October 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - ex-USS Osberg (DE 538) in mothballs at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, U.S. Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia. She is nested with ex-Hilbert (DE 742) to starboard. Ex- Stockdale (DE 399) and ex-Janssen (DE 399) to port.

    (Heilenday photo #II 0204A from the Heilenday Collection)    		 Mark Heilenday
    Virginia Beach, Va.

    Captain, USN (ret.)
    June 1974 - July 2004
    Osberg
    Memorabilia
    Osberg
    Matchbook
    Osberg
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Osberg History
    The USS Osberg (DE 538) DANFS history entry is not available. For some reason, this ship was missed in the program.
    View the official War History of USS Foreman as submitted by the ship at war's end.
    Osberg's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 10 Dec. 1945 - no dateLcdr. Victor Stalworth Mauldin, USN (Comm. CO) (USNA '41) (New London, Conn.)
    3.) no dates Cmdr. Carl Edward Kemmerer, USN
    4.) 1953 - 1955Lcdr. Harry J. Messick, USN (Philadelphia, Pa.)
    5.) 1955 - 07 Sep. 1956Lcdr. Virgil Cecil Tuley, USN (Evansville, Ind.)
    6.) 07 Sep. 1956 - 25 Feb. 1958Lcdr. Gerald Holsman Coster Jr., USN (New York City, N.Y.)
    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.

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    Page Last Updated: 23 August 2024