United States Navy — Destroyer escort
USS Melvin R. Nawman — service history
This is the full service history. For the vessel's particulars, photograph and specifications, see the entry.
In the words of the US Navy. The account below is reproduced verbatim from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command — a work of the United States Government, in the public domain, and the only text on this site not written here.
Before commissioning
(DE‑416: dp. 1350; l. 306'; b. 36'8"; dr. 9'5"; s. 24 k.; cpl. 186; a. 2 5", 4 40mm., 10 20mm., 3 21" tt., 2 dct.. 8 dcp., 1 dcp. (hh.); cl. John C. Butler )
Born 10 September in Aurora, Ill., Melvin Rollie Nawman attended the University of Utah prior to his enlistment 7 July 1941 in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Shortly there after he qualified for flight training and 27 July 1942 earned his wings and commission as a second lieutenant. Attached to a Scout‑Bombing Squadron VMSB‑32, he arrived at Henderson Field 30 October in the midst of the bitterly contested struggle for Guadalcanal Island. Three days later he died attempting to stop the "Tokyo Express" from landing additional reinforcements. The gallantry of this volunteer mission was recognized through a posthumously awarded Air Medal.
Second World War 1939–1945
1944
Melvin R. Nawman (DE‑416) was laid down 3 January 1944 by Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Tex.; launched 16 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. R. B. Nawman mother of the late 2d Lt. Melvin R. Nawman; and commissioned 16 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. F. W. Kinsley in command.
Following completion of shakedown exercises off Bermuda the DE‑416 steamed forth from Boston Navy Yard 22 July 1944 for the Pacific theater. A 2-month training period with an antisubmarine hunter‑killer group interrupted her westward progress at Pearl Harbor. In October convoy missions commenced to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, and Ulithi, western Caroline group highlighted by a submarine contact on 18 November and an encounter with a severe tropical storm a month later.
The year 1945 brought action off the invasion beaches with the 5th Fleet. Melvin R. Nawman screened Anzio (CVE‑57) as its planes bombed Japanese positions on Iwo Jima 16 February (D‑day minus 3) until 3 March. With victory imminent the group retired to Leyte for redeployment off the beaches of Okinawa. In the intense action that followed its guns shot down their first two planes near Kerama Retto 2 April earning the Bronze Star Medal for two members of the crew. After a month on station the ship returned to escort duty centered around Guam. In the final stages of the war in the Pacific 47 consecutive days were spent at sea screening carrier task forces operating off the east coast of Japan before retiring to Guam.
Post-war 1946–1949
1946
In the next 4 months Melvin R. Nawman steamed first to Korea and then made three escort trips to the China coast as the United States and Nationalist China tried to redistribute their forces to stabilize the postwar Far East. On 22 December, pressed into "Magic Carpet" duty, this doughty destroyer‑escort happily pointed its bow toward home. She arrived San Francisco 15 January 1946 and 23 April decommissioned at San Diego and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
Korean War period 1950–1953
1951
The expansion of the U.S. Armed Forces during the Korean conflict restored DE‑416 to a commissioned status 28 March 1951, Lt. Comdr. P. H. Teeter in command. Following shakedown she departed San Diego 22 June to assume new duties with Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, arriving Melville, R.I., 11 July.
Beside local operations Melvin R. Nawman made voyages each year to Key West, Fla., and commencing in 1954 annual visits to Caribbean island ports. These areas provided the most intensive antisubmarine warfare training and at times permitted this destroyer‑escort to assist in the training of students from the Fleet Sonar School, Key West. Three midshipmen cruises also brought visits to Norway, Denmark, and Quebec, Canada. Her busiest sailing year 1957, climaxed in October with a 49‑day voyage which traversed the length of the Mediterranean Sea.
Cold War 1954–1963
1959
The next year assigned to a Reserve Escort Squadron she undertook her first Naval Reserve cruise 16 June. Emerging from overhaul in February 1959 she was designated a Selected Reserve Training Ship berthed first at Davisville, R.I., and after 12 December at Providence. Her Reserve crew completed one cruise to Puerto Rico in the spring of 1960 but on her last voyage DE‑416 was towed into the New York Navy Yard 1 June for inactivation. She decommissioned 30 August 1960 and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
Other photographs
Held for this vessel, and not tied to any part of the account above.
References
Every work this entry draws on. There are no numbered markers in the text above: what we hold is the provenance of the page — this history, this article, these photographs.
- History Melvin R. Nawman (DE-416) Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History and Heritage Command. A work of the United States Government, in the public domain — the only text on this site reproduced verbatim.
- Facts USS Melvin R. Nawman Structured facts only — dates, dimensions, armament and fate. No wording is taken from it. Harvested 1 August 2026.
- Photograph USS Melvin R. Nawman (DE-416) underway at sea, circa in 1944 U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo [1] from Navsource.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
- Photograph USS Alexander J. Luke (DE-577) laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, in May 1970 (NH 79812) Unknown author — U.S. Navy photo NH 79812 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
- Photograph USS Raymond (DE-341), USS Oswald (DE-767), USS Melvin R. Nawman (DE-416), USS Tabberer (DE-418) and USS Coffman (DE-191) laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania (USA), circa i U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo [1] from Navsource.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons