- USS Barber (DE-161)
USS "Barber" (DE-161/APD-57), a "Buckley"-class
destroyer escort of theUnited States Navy , was named in honor of Malcolm, Randolph, and Leroy Barber, all brothers, who were killed in action aboard the USS "Oklahoma" on7 December 1941 ."Barber" was launched
20 May 1943 byNorfolk Navy Yard ; sponsored by Mrs. Peter Barber, mother of the Barber brothers, commissioned10 October 1943 Lieutenant E. T. B. Sullivan in command, and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.Between December 1943 and October
1944 "Barber" escortedconvoy s in theAtlantic , completing three trans-Atlantic crossings toNorth Africa . For a brief, but rewarding, period (24 March -11 May 1944) she served as a unit ofhunter-killer TG 21.15 (Croatan Group). On 26 April "Barber" joined USS "Frost", USS "Huse", and USS "Snowden" to sink the Germansubmarine U-488 in 17°54' N., 38°05' W.On
9 October 1944 "Barber" enteredPhiladelphia Navy Yard for conversion to ahigh speed transport . Her designation was changed to APD-57,23 October 1944. Upon completion of her reconstruction she remained on the east coast for a short period of time and then proceeded to thePacific , arriving atPearl Harbor 26 March 1945 . On30 April she arrived atUlithi ,Caroline Islands , and then departed5 May as a convoy escort to support the invasion of Okinawa. She remained atOkinawa on patrol until4 July .Between July and November 1945 she performed the duties of a convoy escort and patrol vessel throughout the islands of the Western Pacific and
Japan . Departing the Far East21 November , "Barber" steamed to the east coast of theUnited States for pre-inactivation overhaul. She was placed out of commission in reserve atGreen Cove Springs, Florida ,22 May 1946 ."Barber" received three
battle star s for herWorld War II service.References
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/161.htm navsource.org: USS "Barber"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de161.htm hazegray.org: USS "Barber"]
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