- USS Francis M. Robinson (DE-220)
USS "Francis M. Robinson" (DE-220), a "Buckley" class
destroyer escort of theUnited States Navy , was named in honor ofCommander Francis M. Robinson (1883 -1942 ), who was a recipient of theNavy Cross ."Francis M. Robinson" was launched
1 May 1943 byPhiladelphia Navy Yard ; sponsored by Mrs. Francis M. Robinson, widow of Commander Robinson; and commissioned15 January 1944 ,Lieutenant J. E. Johansen,United States Naval Reserve , in command.After a period of service as escort along the east coast, "Francis M. Robinson" arrived at
Norfolk, Virginia 2 May 1944 to join the USS "Bogue" hunter-killer group, an outstandingly successfulanti-submarine force in whose Presidential Unit Citation "Francis M. Robinson" was to share. Patrolling off theCape Verde Islands on13 May , she made a sound contact, and mounted a deliberate attack withdepth charge s and hedgehogs which sank theJapanese submarine RO-501 , the former GermanU-boat U-1224. Upon the return of the "Bogue" group toNew York 4 July , "Francis M. Robinson" was detached. She served briefly to aidsubmarine s in training out ofNew London, Connecticut , and on2 August sailed from New York on the first of fiveconvoy escort voyages to north African ports. During the fourth such voyage, on17 February as the convoy formed up to pass eastward through theStraits of Gibraltar , two of the merchantmen were torpedoed. "Francis M. Robinson" saw one sail off to port under her own power, and remained with the other, sending a damage control party on board to assist in stopping flooding, until a tug came out ofGibraltar .Completing her convoy duty
15 May 1945 , "Francis M. Robinson" aided submarines training out of New London, and was school ship at the Naval Training Center atMiami , and from November through February1946 served as plane guard for carriers training inChesapeake Bay . She first arrived atKey West , her base for the remainder of her naval career,6 February 1947 , and from that time conducted development operations in anti-submarine warfare. Her activities took her on cruises along the east coast and throughout theCaribbean andGulf of Mexico , and were varied with participation in exercises of many types. "Francis M. Robinson" was placed out of commission in reserve atPhiladelphia 20 June 1960 .In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation, "Francis M. Robinson" received one
battle star forWorld War II service.References
External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f4/francis_m_robinson.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Francis M. Robinson"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/220.htm navsource.org: USS "Francis M. Robinson"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de220.txt hazegray.org: USS "Francis M. Robinson"]
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