USS Fechteler (DE-157)

USS Fechteler (DE-157) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy. It was named in honor of Augustus Fechteler, a Rear Admiral who served in the United States Navy during World War I.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Fechteler.

History
United States
Name: USS Fechteler
Namesake: Rear Admiral Augustus Fechteler
Ordered: 1942
Builder: Norfolk Navy Yard
Laid down: 7 February 1943
Launched: 22 April 1943
Commissioned: 1 July 1943
Decommissioned: 5 May 1944
Honors and
awards:		 1 battle star (World War II)
Fate: Torpedoed and sunk by U-967 in the Western Mediterranean, 5 May 1944
General characteristics
Class and type: Buckley-class destroyer escort
Displacement:
  • 1,400 long tons (1,422 t) light
  • 1,673 long tons (1,700 t) standard
Length: 306 ft (93 m)
Beam: 37 ft (11 m)
Draft: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × boilers
  • General Electric turbo-electric drive
  • 12,000 shp (8.9 MW)
  • 2 × solid manganese-bronze 3,600 lb (1,600 kg) 3-bladed propellers, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) diameter, 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) pitch
  • 2 × rudders
  • 359 tons fuel oil
Speed: 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Complement: 15 officers, 198 men
Armament:

Fechteler was launched on 22 April 1943 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard; sponsored by Miss Joan S. Fechteler, granddaughter of Rear Admiral Fechteler and niece of Lieutenant Frank Casper Fechteler; and commissioned 1 July 1943, Lieutenant Commander C. R. Simmers in command.

Service history

Between 8 September 1943 and 31 December, Fechteler made two voyages on the key convoy route New York - Netherlands West Indies - North Africa, escorting vulnerable tankers carrying fuel and other oil products essential to modern warfare. After overhaul at New York City, she took part in experimental antisubmarine exercises in Narragansett Bay, from which she sailed on 28 February 1944 for the Azores and Derry, Northern Ireland. Arriving on 6 March 1944, she joined the escort of a New York-bound convoy, reaching the United States on 22 March.

On 1 April 1944, Fechteler sailed from New York for Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she joined a convoy for Bizerte, arriving on 22 April after coming under heavy enemy air attack two days before. Homeward-bound, Fechteler was torpedoed by German submarine U-967 commanded by Albrecht Brandi on 5 May in the Western Mediterranean. As the ship began to break in two and sink, it was abandoned. Twenty-nine of the crew were killed and 26 wounded. USS Laning and other ships of the convoy rescued 186 survivors.

Awards

Fechteler received one battle star for World War II service.

References

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