Destroyer Escort Divisions

Destroyer Escort Sailors Association - DESA

The USN afloat in WWII was comprised of fleets. A fleet was an organization of vessels and aircraft under the command of a commander in chief. It normally comprised all types of vessels and aircraft in sufficient numbers to carry on major operations in a given theatre of war.

The major subdivision of a fleet was known as a force. From these forces, task forces were organized to accomplish special tasks. The fleet and force organizations were prepared and issued by the Chief of Naval Operations.

The basic unit of fleet vessels was the division, which was composed of two or more vessels of the same type. Destroyer Escort divisions were known as escort divisions - CortDiv. During WWII, CortDivs were almost exclusively comprised of DEs, consisting of 6 ships of the same class, usually with sequential hull numbers. However, this was not always the case. While most DEs served with their original assigned division, it was common for a DE to be moved from division to division. The move may have been due to changing needs of the division, reclassification of the DE or the DEs availability for service.

One role of the CortDiv was to protect convoys from enemy attack, whether air, surface or underwater attack. Ships in the convoy were of many types and included cargo ships, tankers, troop transports and specialty vessels such as repair ships and barges.

The other roles of CortDivs were as "hunter-killer" (HUK) teams in task forces that went to sea for the specific purpose of locating and destroying submarines; antisubmarine and antiaircraft screening of capital ships as they bombarded enemy shore installations prior to amphibious assaults; and manning "picket" stations on the outer perimeter of fleet and landing operations to engage kamikazes and to warn inner perimeter vessels of their approach. This was very hazardous duty and DEs suffered personnel and material casualties.

The following is a list of known DE divisions. This is a work in progress. If you have additional information, please contact the webmaster.

Also, visit the DESA DE Task Groups and Units page.

* Flag Ship of Division	Division 3 Atlantic/Pacific 130 JACOB JONES* 131 HAMMANN 132 ROBERT E. PEARY 147 BLAIR 148 BROUGH 239 STURTEVANT	Division 4 Atlantic 133 PILLSBURY* 134 POPE 135 FLAHERTY 136 FREDERICK C. DAVIS 149 CHATELAIN 150 NEUNZER
Division 5 Atlantic 5 EVARTS 6 WYFFELS 47 DECKER 48 DOBLER 257 SMARTT 258 WALTER S. BROWN 397 WILHOITE	Division 6 Atlantic/Pacific '45 53 CHARLES LAWRENCE (APD-37) 54 DANIEL T. GRIFFIN (APD-38) 56 DONNELL 154 SIMS (APD-50) 155 HOPPING (APD-51) 156 REEVES (APD-52)	Division 7 Atlantic/Pacific 240 MOORE* 241 KEITH 242 TOMICH 243 J. RICHARD WARD 244 OTTERSTETTER 245 SLOAT
Division 8 Pacific 7 GRISWOLD* 8 STEELE 9 CARLSON 10 BEBAS 11 CROUTER 256 SEID	Division 9 Atlantic/Pacific 138 DOUGLAS L.HOWARD* 137 HERBERT C.JONES 139 FARQUHAR 140 J.R.Y. BLAKELY 141 HILL 142 FESSENDEN 143 FISKE (sunk)	Division 10 Pacific 19 BURDEN R.HASTINGS* 20 LEHARDY 21 HAROLD C.THOMAS 22 WILEMAN 23 CHARLES R.GREER 24 WHITMAN
Division 11 Pacific 162 LEVY* 163 McCONNELL 164 OSTERHAUS 165 PARKS 166 BARON 167 ACREE	Division 12 Atlantic 57 FOGG* 59 FOSS 60 GANTNER (APD 42) 62 GEORGE W. INGRAM (APD 43) 63 IRA JEFFERY (APD 44) 65 LEE FOX (APD 45)	Division 13 Atlantic/Pacific 144 FROST* 145 HUSE 146 INCH 161 BARBER (APD 57) 246 SNOWDEN 247 STANTON 248 SWASEY
Division 14 Pacific 14 DOHERTY* 15 AUSTIN 17 EDWARD C. DALY 18 GILMORE 49 DONEFF 50 ENGSTROM	Division 15 Atlantic/Pacific 168 AMICK* 169 ATHERTON 170 BOOTH 171 CARROLL 172 COONER 173 ELDRIDGE	Division 16 Pacific 259 WILLIAM C. MILLER* 260 CABANA 261 DIONNE 262 CANFIELD 263 DEEDE 264 ELDEN
Division 17 Atlantic/Pacific 214 SCOTT 215 BURKE (APD 65) 216 ENRIGHT (APD 66) 675 WEBER (APD 75) 676 SCHMITT (APD 76) 677 FRAMENT (APD 77)	Division 19 Atlantic/Pacific 66 AMESBURY* (APD 46) 68 BATES (APD 47) 69 BLESSMAN (APD 48) 236 WILLIAM M. HOBBY (APD 95) 695 RICH (sunk) 790 BORUM 791 MALOY	Division 20 Atlantic/Pacific 249 MARCHAND* 250 HURST 251 CAMP 252 HOWARD D. CROW 253 PETTIT 254 RICKETTS
Division 21 Atlantic 70 JOSEPH E. CAMPBELL (APD 49) 157 FECHTELER (sunk) 158 CHASE (APD 54) 159 LANING (APD 55) 160 LOY (APD 56) 161 BARBER (APD 57)	Division 22 Atlantic/Pacific 151 POOLE* 152 PETERSON 316 HARVESON 317 JOYCE 318 KIRKPATRICK 319 LEOPOLD After the loss of Leopold, replaced by Gandy 764 GANDY 767 OSWALD	Division 23 Atlantic/Pacific 255 SELLSTROM* 382 RAMSDEN 383 MILLS 384 RHODES 385 RICHEY 386 SAVAGE
Division 24 Atlantic/Pacific 181 STRAUB* 174 MARTS 175 PENNEWILL 176 MICKA 177 REYBOLD 178 HERZOG 179 McANN 180 TRUMPETER 182 GUSTAFSON	Division 26 Pacific 25 WINTLE* 26 DEMPSEY 27 DUFFY 28 EMERY 29 STADTFELD 30 MARTIN	Division 28 Pacific 37 GREINER* 38 WYMAN 39 LOVERING 40 SANDERS 41 BRACKETT 265 CLOUES
Division 31 Pacific 31 SEDERSTROM* 32 FLEMING 33 TISDALE 34 EISELE 35 FAIR 36 MANLOVE	Division 32 Pacific 739 BANGUST* 740 WATERMAN 741 WEAVER 742 HILBERT 743 LAMONS 744 KYNE	Division 35 Atlantic/Pacific 763 CATES* 105 BURROWS 764 GANDY 765 EARL K. OLSEN 766 SLATER 768 EBERT
Division 36 Pacific 217 COOLBAUGH* 218 DARBY 219 J. DOUGLAS BLACKWOOD 678 HARMON 679 GREENWOOD 680 LOESER	Division 37 Pacific 199 MANNING* 198 LOVELACE 200 NEUENDORF 201 JAMES E CRAIG 202 EICHENBERGER 203 THOMASON	Division 39 Pacific 696 SPANGLER* 697 GEORGE 698 RABY 699 MARSH 700 CURRIER 701 OSMUS
Division 40 Pacific 633 FOREMAN* 634 WHITEHURST 635 ENGLAND 636 WITTER 637 BOWERS (APD 40) 638 WILLMARTH	Division 44 Pacific 183 SAMUEL S. MILES* 184 WESSON 185 RIDDLE 186 SWEARER 187 STERN 188 ONEILL	Division 45 Atlantic/Pacific 387 VANCE* 388 LANSING 389 DURANT 390 CALCATERRA 391 CHAMBERS 392 MERRILL
Division 46 Atlantic 320 MENGES 321 MOSLEY 322 NEWELL 323 PRIDE 324 FALGOUT 325 LOWE	Division 47 Atlantic/Pacific 789 TATUM 790 BORUM 791 MALOY 792 HAINES (APD-84) 793 RUNELS (APD 85) 794 HOLLIS (APD-86) ? If this info is correct.	Division 48 Atlantic 103 BOSWICK 104 BREEMAN 102 THOMAS 189 BRONSTEIN 190 BAKER 191 COFFMAN
Division 49 Pacific 42 REYNOLDS* 43 MITCHELL 44 DONALDSON 301 LAKE 302 LYMAN 303 CROWLEY	Division 51 Atlantic/Pacific 393 HAVERFIELD* 394 SWENNING 395 WILLIS 396 JANSSEN 397 WILHOITE (Also 5 & 59) 398 COCKRIL	Division 53 Pacific 745 SNYDER* 746 HEMMINGER 747 BRIGHT 748 TILLS 749 ROBERTS 750 McCLELLAND
Division 54 Atlantic/Pacific 220 FRANCIS M. ROBINSON* 221 SOLAR 222 FOWLER 204 JORDAN 214 SCOTT 665 JENKS 666 DURIK	Division 55 Atlantic/Pacific 192 EISNER* 193 GARFIELD THOMAS 194 WINGFIELD 195 THORNHILL 196 RINEHART 197 ROCHE	Division 56 Pacific 681 GILLETTE 682 UNDERHILL (sunk) 683 HENRY R. KENYON 795 GUNASON 796 MAJOR 797 WEEDEN
Division 57 Pacific 326 THOMAS J. GARY* 327 BRISTER 328 FINCH 329 KRETCHMER 330 O'REILLY 331 KOINER	Division 58 Atlantic/Pacific 332 PRICE 333 STRICKLAND 334 FORSTER 399 STOCKDALE 400 HISSEM 401 HOLDER (sunk)	Division 59 Atlantic/Pacific 129 EDSALL* 238 STEWART 335 DANIEL 336 ROY O. HALE 337 DALE W. PETERSON 338 MARTIN H. RAY 397 WILHOITE (Pacific) 240 MOORE (Pacific)
Division 60 Atlantic/Pacific 51 BUCKLEY 575 AHRENS 576 BARR (APD 39) 578 ROBERT I. PAINE 686 EUGENE E. ELMORE 702 EARL V. JOHNSON 703 HOLTON 704 CRONIN 705 FRYBARGER 708 PARLE	Division 61 Pacific 304 RALL* 305 HALLORAN 306 CONNOLLY 307 FINNEGAN	Division 62 Atlantic/Pacific 210 OTTER* 211 HUBBARD (APD-53) 212 HAYTER (APD-80) 789 TATUM (APD 81) 790 BORUM 791 MALOY 798 VARIAN 799 SCROGGINS 800 JACK W. WILKE
Division 63 Pacific 402 RICHARD S. BULL* 403 RICHARD M. ROWELL 404 EVERSOLE (sunk) 405 DENNIS 406 EDMONDS 407 SHELTON (sunk) 532 TWEEDY	Division 64 Pacific 339 JOHN C. BUTLER* 340 O'FLAHERTY 341 RAYMOND 533 HOWARD F. CLARK 534 SILVERSTEIN 535 LEWIS	Division 65 Pacific 408 STRAUS* 409 LA PRADE 410 JACK MILLER 438 CORBESIER 439 CONKLIN 440 McCOY REYNOLDS
Division 66 Atlantic/Pacific 213 WILLIAM T POWELL 51 BUCKLEY 153 REUBEN JAMES 223 SPANGENBERG 577 ALEXANDER J. LUKE 578 ROBERT I. PAINE	Division 67 Atlantic/Pacific 579 RILEY 580 LESLIE L. B. KNOX 581 McNULTY 582 METIVIER 583 GEORGE A. JOHNSON 686 EUGENE E. ELMORE	Division 69 Pacific 342 RICHARD W. SUESENS* 343 ABERCROMBIE 344 OBERRENDER 411 STAFFORD 412 WALTER C. WANN 413 SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (sunk)
Division 70 Pacific 441 WILLIAM SEIVERLING* 442 ULVERT M. MOORE 443 KENDALL C. CAMPBELL 444 GOSS 445 GRADY 508 GILLIGAN	Division 71 Pacific 584 CHARLES J. KIMMEL* 585 DANIEL A. JOY 586 LOUGH 587 THOMAS F. NICKEL 588 PEIFFER 589 TINSMAN	Division 72 Pacific 414 LERAY WILSON 415 LAWRENCE C. TAYLOR* 416 MELVIN R. NAWMAN 417 OLIVER MITCHELL 418 TABBERER 419 ROBERT F. KELLER
Division 73 Pacific 639 GENDREAU* 640 FIEBERLING 641 WILLIAM C. COLE 642 PAUL G. BAKER 643 DAMON M. CUMMINGS 644 VAMMEN	Division 74 Pacific 224 RUDDEROW 225 DAY 230 CHAFFEE 231 HODGES 706 HOLT 707 JOBB	Division 76 Pacific 345 ROBERT BRAZIER 346 EDWIN A. HOWARD 347 JESSE RUTHERFORD 348 KEY 420 LELAND E. THOMAS 421 CHESTER T. O'BRIEN
Division 77 Pacific 422 DOUGLAS A. MUNRO* 423 DUFILHO 424 HAAS 446 CHARLES E. BRANNON 447 ALBERT T. HARRIS 509 FORMOE	Division 78 Pacific 349 GENTRY 350 TRAW 351 MAURICE J. MANUEL 352 NAIFEH 536 BIVIN 537 RIZZI	Division 79 Atlantic 112 CARTER 769 NEAL A. SCOTT 770 MUIR 771 SUTTON
Division 80 Atlantic 16 EDGAR G. CHASE 45 ANDRES 527 O'TOOLE 528 JOHN J. POWERS 529 MASON 530 JOHN M. BERMINGHAM	Division 82 Pacific 353 DOYLE C. BARNES* 354 KENNETH M. WILLETT 355 JACCARD 356 LLOYD E. ACREE 357 GEORGE E. DAVIS 358 MACK	Division 85 Pacific 359 WOODSON* 360 JOHNNIE HUTCHINS 361 WALTON 362 ROLF 363 PRATT 364 ROMBACH
Division 86 Pacific 365 McGINTY* 366 ALVIN C. COCKRELL 367 FRENCH 368 CECIL J. DOYLE 369 THADDEUS PARKER 370 JOHN L. WILLIAMSON	Division 87 Pacific 371 PRESLEY 372 WILLIAMS 538 OSBERG	Division 89 Pacific 448 CROSS 449 HANNA 450 JOSEPH E. CONNOLLY 510 HEYLIGER