USS Raby (DE-698)

USS "Raby" (DE/DEC-698) was a , ) in waters north of the Bismarck Archipelago.

"Raby" resumed convoy escort missions at the end of June, remaining in the Solomons until 26 October when she got underway for Manus for similar duty in the Admiralties. In December, she shifted to Ulithi, and with the new year, 1945, to Guam where she served as escort and patrol ship into June. Between 22 June and 31 August, she completed two slow tows to Okinawa, and on 13 September, she steamed for Pearl Harbor and the United States.

Remaining in California waters through the winter, she reported to the 7th Fleet for duty in the Far East on 6 April 1946, rescuing on the same day the crew of a downed B-29 bomber. She subsequently put into Hong Kong, Kiirun, Shanghai, and Tsingtao, reaching Okinawa on 26 June. She operated out of Okinawa, China, and Japan until returning to San Diego on 9 April 1947. She was assigned to Task Force 15 and made two runs from the west coast to Pearl Harbor before getting underway on 7 December for Eniwetok, Kwajalein, and Bikini where she arrived on 1 May 1948. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 27 May and to San Diego on 28 January 1949. She conducted local operations on the west coast, making two trips to Pearl Harbor during the rest of the year.

Reclassified as control escort ship DEC-698 on 2 November 1949, "Raby" transited the Panama Canal on 25 January 1950, and arrived at Norfolk on 1 February. During the next 3½ years, she operated alternately in the Norfolk area and in the Caribbean. She was at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, from June to September 1953 for de-activation, and she arrived in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet berthing area at St. James River , Florida, on 24 September. "Raby" decommissioned on 22 December 1953. She was re-designated back to DE-698 on 27 December 1957. She was transferred to the Orange, Texas, berthing area in 1960. "Raby" was struck from the Navy List on 1 June 1968, and subsequently sold for scrap.

"Raby" earned three battle stars for World War II service.

References

External links

* [http://history.navy.mil/danfs/r1/raby-ii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Raby"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/698.htm navsource.org: USS "Raby"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de698.htm hazegray.org: USS "Raby"]