USS Stockdale (DE-399)

Lewis Stevens Stockdale, born on 20 September 1914 at Anaconda, Mont, enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 9 September 1940 as an apprentice seaman. After serving in cruiser Quincy (CA-39), Stockdale was appointed midshipman in the Naval Reserve on 17 March 1941 and was commissioned ensign on 12 June 1941. Ensign Stockdale reported to Oklahoma (BB-37) on 19 July 1941 and was killed while serving in that battleship during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The second Stockdale (DE-399) was named for Ens. Stockdale

The second Stockdale (DE-399) was laid down on 15 July 1942; launched on 22 November 1942; sponsored by Mrs. L. C. Stockdale; and commissioned on 31 December 1943, Lt. Comdr. R. W. Luther, USNR, in command.

Stockdale held her shakedown cruise off Bermuda during February and underwent a short yard period at Charleston, S.C., in March before proceeding to Norfolk, Va. The escort was assigned to Escort Division 58. The division sailed from Norfolk on 24 March with convoy UGS 37 bound for North Africa. The convoy consisted of 60 merchant ships and six LST's. On 11 April, the convoy was attacked by the Luftwaffe as it neared Algeria. A mixed force of Dorniers and Junkers made bombing and torpedo runs on the convoy and the escorts. No merchant ships of the convoy were damaged, but Holder (DE-401) was torpedoed and badly damaged. Stockdale escorted two more convoys to the Mediterranean and returned with GUS 51 in early October.

On 22 October 1944, Stockdale began escorting convoys to the United Kingdom and the continent. Between that date and May 1945, she made five round-trip voyages. Her last convoy duty ended at Brooklyn, N. Y., and she entered the navy yard there for a major overhaul in preparation for duty in the Pacific. Stockdale held gunnery exercises at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, while en route to Hawaii. The Panama Canal was transited on 8 July, and Stockdale arrived at Pearl Harbor on 25 July. Additional training exercises were conducted until the end of August.

Stockdale sailed for Honshu, Japan, on 1 September as escort for the carrrier Matanikau (CVE-101). After a brief stay in Japanese home waters, the ship sailed for Guam and operated as a weather station ship. She then searched the Admiralty Islands for missing service personnel, and made strategic bombing surveys at Rabaul, New Britain, before being ordered back to the east coast in January 1946.

Stockdale arrived at Philadelphia, Pa., on 11 February for yard availability prior to inactivation. She arrived at Green Cove Springs, Fla., on 21 March and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Stockdale was decommissioned on 15 June 1946 and was placed out of commission, in reserve, until struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1972.

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Stockdale II (DE-399)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.