- USS Fowler (DE-222)
USS "Fowler" (DE-222), a "Buckley" class
destroyer escort of theUnited States Navy , was named in honor ofLieutenant (junior grade) Robert L. Fowler (1919-1942), who was killed in action, while serving aboard thedestroyer USS "Duncan", during theBattle of Cape Esperance on the night of11 October -12 October 1942 . He was posthumously awarded theNavy Cross ."Fowler" was launched
3 July 1943 byPhiladelphia Navy Yard ; sponsored by Mrs. Robert L. Fowler, III, widow of Lieutenant (junior grade) Fowler; and commissioned15 March 1944 ,Lieutenant Commander G. S. Forde,United States Naval Reserve , in command.Between
22 May 1944 and15 May 1945 , "Fowler" made six voyages to escortconvoy s fromNew York , Norfolk, andBoston to ports in northernAfrica , guarding men and supplies destined for the operations inItaly and southernFrance . The fifth such voyage, between1 February 1945 and16 March , was marked by the presence ofsubmarine s both outward and homeward bound. On17 February , west ofGibraltar , two of the merchantmen were torpedoed, but both were brought safely into Gibraltar, one after "Fowler" had stood by to screen while a tug came out to help. Two days out ofOran homeward bound28 February , "Fowler" picked up a sound contact, and made an urgent attack which brought debris to the surface. A second attack, made in coordination with a French escort, was believed to have sunk U—869, however, as this submarine was subsequently found off the coast of New Jersey, what, if anything, was attacked remains unknown.In June 1945, "Fowler" began serving as a target and escort to submarines training out of
New London, Connecticut , then in September, arrived atMiami, Florida , to serve as schoolship for the Naval Training Center. Her final duty, in November, was as plane guard for the escort carrier USS "Charger" inChesapeake Bay . "Fowler" arrived atGreen Cove Springs, Florida 10 January 1946 , and there was decommissioned and placed in reserve28 June 1946 ."Fowler" received one battle star for
World War II service.References
External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f4/fowler.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Fowler"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/222.htm navsource.org: USS "Fowler"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de222.txt hazegray.org: USS "Fowler"]
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