USS Frybarger (DE-705)

USS "Frybarger" (DE/DEC-705) was a "Buckley"-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, named for PFC Raymond Frybarger, Jr. (1923–1942), who was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for his heroism during the Battle of Edson's Ridge on Guadalcanal.

"Frybarger" was launched on 25 January 1944 at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, in Bay City, Michigan, sponsored by Miss Carol J. Frybarger, sister of Private First Class Frybarger. The ship was commissioned on 18 May 1944, with Lieutenant Commander G. C. Ewing, USNR, in command.

After two convoy escort voyages to Bizerte made between 25 July 1944 and 18 November, "Frybarger" received new equipment and trained for Pacific duty. She arrived at "Manus" 23 January 1945, and began escort duty to and in the Philippines until 30 August. Ports of call for her during this assignment included the Carolines; Lingayen Gulf, Manila, and Zamboanga in the Philippines; Hollandia; and on one voyage, Okinawa.

"Frybarger" arrived at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, on 3 September 1945 for duty escorting transports carrying troops to occupation duty in Korea and China until sailing for home on 8 November. She arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, on 15 December, and at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on 20 January 1946. There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 30 June 1947.

Equipped with additional communication gear during her reactivation, "Frybarger" was reclassified DEC-705 on 13 September 1950 and recommissioned 6 October 1950 as a control escort vessel. After training in the Caribbean, she arrived at her home port, San Diego, 11 March 1951 which included service as vessel for landing ships and craft in amphibious exercises, and training for students of the Fleet Sonar School, San Diego.

Between 6 March 1952 and 2 October, "Frybarger" made a tour of duty with the 7th Fleet in the Far East, serving on barrier patrol off Okinawa, in amphibious exercises off Japan, training with submarines, and visiting Japanese ports. A second Far Eastern deployment between 1 September 1953 and 5 June 1954 found "Frybarger" concentrating on amphibious exercises with marines on the beaches of Okinawa; Inchon, Korea; Chigasaki, Japan; and in the Bonins. She was de-commissioned for a second time at San Diego on 9 December 1954, and placed in reserve.

"Frybarger" was reclassified back to DE-705 on 27 December 1957. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 December 1972, sold on 27 November 1973, and broken up for scrap.

References

External links

* [http://history.navy.mil/danfs/f5/frybarger.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Frybarger"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/705.htm navsource.org: USS "Frybarger"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de705.txt hazegray.org: USS "Frybarger"]