USS Leopold (DE-319)
USS LEOPOLD (DE-319) LAUNCHING, AT ORANGE, TEXAS, 12 JUNE 1943." photographer unknown.
Photo provided to the Naval Historical Center courtesy of D.M.McPherson in 1975.U.S.Naval Historical Center Photograph -- Released
| Navy | US Navy |
| Type | Destroyer Escort |
| Class | Edsall |
| Pennant | DE 319 |
| Built by | Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd. (Orange, Texas, U.S.A.) |
| Laid down | 24 Mar 1943 |
| Launched | 12 Jun 1943 |
| Commissioned | 18 Oct 1943 |
| Lost | 9 Mar 1944 |
| Loss position | 58.44N, 25.50W |
| History | |
|
On 9 March 1944, the US Coast Guard manned USS Leopold (Cdr. Kenneth C. Phillips, USCG:) was on her second voyage and escorting the convoy CU-16, when she got an acoustic contact about 400 miles south of Iceland and turned to investigate it. But before the destroyer escort reached the U-boat, she was hit at 22.00 hours by a Gnat from U-255 and was abandoned. The vessel remained afloat, but sank early the next morning in position 58.44N, 25.50W Loss of 172 crew KIA through explosion on board by a acoustic torpedo. Only 28 survivors were picked up by the sister ship USS Joyce (DE 317).
Hit by
U-boat |
