USS O’Toole (DE-527)

John Albert O'Toole, born in Boston, 16 May 1916, entered the Naval Reserve as Ensign 7 May 1942. Assigned to Joesph Hewes (AP-50) following instruction at the Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School in Chicago, he commanded a boat wave from that transport during the assault on Fedhala, Morocco, 8 November 1942. Killed while withdrawing from the beach, Ensign O'Toole was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for "his great personal valor and relentless fighting spirit..." as he led his wave to the beach and calmly directed the offloading of men and materiel, despite heavy artillery fire from the enemy.

DE–274 was laid down as O’Toole, 20 May 1943, at the Boston Navy Yard. Transferred to the United Kingdom, 28 September 1943, she served the Royal Navy as HMS Gardiner (K–478) until she was returned to the US Navy, at Boston, 12 February 1946. She was subsequently sold 10 December 1946 to Atlas Steel & Supply Co. Resold to Kulky Steel and Equip. Co., Alliance, Ohio, in 1947 she was scrapped in June.

DE-327 was laid down as O'Toole, 14 June 1943, at the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex., but was renamed Brister (q.v.) when DE-527 was named O-Toole, 23 July 1943.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (O'Toole (DE-527)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.