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Time Line of Events

This accounting is based on the on-line information available from the USCG Historian's Office plus the recent recollections of Vince Grobbel, Don Roban, Duncan Hall and Tom Bretz. Their added details are as accurate as the memories of these veterans can make them. Most events beginning with 15 Feb 1945 have been verified against the ship's Deck Logs, which are stored at the National Archives and Record Administration, College Park, MD (NARA II).

SOURCES

Vince Grobbel (1941)	Duncan Hall (1945)	Don Roban (1945)	Tom Bretz (1945)

(VG): Vince Grobbel, interview – 15 Aug 2002, letter - 8 June 1945, letter - 9 July 1945
(DH): Duncan Hall, e-mail – 25 August 2002
(DR): Don Roban, phone interview –25 Aug 2002
(TB): Tom Bretz, e-mail – 28 Aug 2002
(USCGH): USCG Historian records
(Log1): PF-69 Deck Log; 15 Feb 1945 through 30 June 1945 (NARA II, 2nd Floor Textual Records, RG 24, Stack 470, Row 32)
(Log2): PF-69 Deck Log; 01 July 1945 through 04 Feb 1946 (NARA II, 2nd Floor Textual Records, RG 24, Stack 470, Row 41)

TIME LINE OF EVENTS

The following events involving the crew of the USS Davenport (PF-69) are listed in chronological order to the best of everyone’s recollection. Source(s) for the event information are indicated by the initials in parentheses. Some events are linked to photos that appear in the Photo Album that is part of this website, and a few others are linked to external websites. These links will all open in a new window - just close it to return to this page.

Click on a link in the Time Line table below to jump to a section or just continue scrolling down to read everything in chronological order.

1941 to 1943 - Enlistments, Prior Assignments and the Ship's Launching

• Vince enlisted in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) on 31 March 1941 at the age of 18 and served in Texas at various stations and beach patrols before his assignment in early 1945 to the USS Davenport in Galveston, Texas. (VG)
• Duncan was 19 years old when he enlisted in the USCG in April 1942. He was assigned to two different 83 ft. cutters prior to being assigned to the USS Davenport in 1944. (DH)
• Don enlisted in the USCG at age 16 in 1942 and in 1943 was on a PT boat in Florida before being assigned to the USS Davenport in 1944. (DR)
• Tom Bretz was almost 22 years old when he enlisted in the USCG in Oct. 1941. After boot camp in Algeirs, LA, he was assigned to stations in Wilmette, IL and Grand Haven, MI. On 01 Dec 1942, he was sent to Bluie West One, an air base in Greenland. From there, he was transferred to the USCGC Northland and then in 1944, he was assigned to the new crew of the USS Davenport. (TB)
• "USS Davenport to be launched next month at Sturgeon Bay; Construction under way of the frigate USS Davenport". This was the the headline for a brief article with three photos that appeared in the Oct. 11, 1943 edition of the Davenport, Iowa Daily Times. You can view scanned October 1943 newspaper clippings about the forthcoming launch of the USS Davenport here, here and here, all courtesy of the World War II Iowa Press Clippings digital collection that is hosted by The University of Iowa Libraries.
• The USS Davenport was christened and launched on December 8, 1943 at the Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The December 8, 1943 edition of the Davenport, Iowa Daily Times contained an article headlined "Mrs. Ed Frick Christens U.S. Frigate Davenport Today in Launching at Sturgeon Bay". You can read the article here (part 1) and here (part 2).

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1944 - Training

• In early 1944, Don, Duncan and Tom became part of the future crew of the USS Davenport (PF-69) that was assembled at the Norfolk Naval Operating Base from Unit X. (DR, DH, TB)
• From there, the entire crew was sent for training at the USCG Manhattan Beach Training Station, Sheepshead Bay, NY. (DR, DH, USCGH)
  • Don Roban trained to be a cook (DR)
    • he was 6 ft. 1. and 130 lbs and an officer said “make him a cook – maybe it will fatten him up”
    • later, on doctors orders, he was moved from cooking to photographic duties because he was losing weight due to the heat in the mess area
  • The crew received physical training from Lt. Jack Dempsey, USCGR, who was the Director of Physical Education at the Manhattan Beach Training Station. (DR, USCGH)
    
    • In his 1977 autobiography "Dempsey" (by Jack Dempsey with Barbara Dempsey Piattelli, Published by W.H. Allen, 320 pages, ISBN 0491023014), Dempsey relates this chapter of his World War Two service in the US Coast Guard:
      

      "Returning from the Coast Guard tour [to Denver and other cities where he had refereed exhibition fights at War Bond rallies], I was sent to the Manhattan Beach Training Station, where I reported to Commander Arthur G. Hall, Commanding Officer G.U. Steward and Lieutenant Commander Herbert F. Walsh. I was put in charge of the physical fitness program. My job was to see that four thousand recruits quickly got into tough physical condition. Every day I put the men through two or three hours of calisthenics, six miles of clocked roadwork and gymwork. Aiding me was a staff of fifty, including boxers Marty Servo, Nathan Mann and Lew Ambers, wrestler Bibber McCoy and Spike Mooney of the Ohio State football coaching staff, who acted as my personal assistant. In addition to general conditioning, I taught essential principles of self-defense, using such weapons as hard rubber knives for slitting the enemy's jugular veins and arteries. At the same time I stressed the importance of bringing in prisoners alive whenever possible. I felt strongly that those men who guarded our long coastline, our docks and shipping facilities had to be tough - able to meet any emergency. Being respected and looked up to by so many fine young men gave me a strange and powerful feeling."

• A small contingent of the crew, including Tom Bretz, was selected to go to the L.D. Smith Shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin to bring the ship to New Orleans via Lake Michigan, the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal and the Des Plains, Illinois and Mississippi Rivers (likely around 1 June 1944) (DH, TB, USCGH)
• Sometime later in 1944, the rest of the crew was sent by train to Camp Wallace (DR, DH)
  • Camp Wallace (photo) was located near Hitchcock in Galveston County,Texas - their train went through Niagara Falls, Ontario to Kansas City and then on to Houston, where they boarded busses to Camp Wallace (DR)
  • Don and Duncan were in this group (Vince was not a member of the crew that was assembled in Norfolk, he joined the crew later on after the ship arrived in Galveston) (DR, DH)
  • While assigned to Camp Wallace, they were sent by bus to New Orleans for gunnery training and then back to Camp Wallace (DR)
• On the trip to New Orleans, the Davenport tied up to a wharf in Chicago for one night, so Tom went for a short visit to see his wife in Sawyer, Michigan. When he got back to Chicago the next morning, the ship had already left and he had to hitchhike to Joliet to catch it. After the Captains Mast, there was no liberty for Tom when the ship finally made New Orleans. (TB)
• Once on the Mississippi River, the Davenport was rafted with a group of barges and towed down the river by a tugboat. The skeleton crew had little to do as they were merely passengers along for the ride. At one point, they felt the ship shudder as it crossed over a shallow sand bar, but by the time they arrived in New Orleans, they had forgotten all about it. However, during their sail from New Orleans to Houston, it became apparent that the grounding had caused serious damage to the Davenport's drive shafts and bearings. (TB)

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1944 to 27 Feb 1945 - Galveston, TX, Sea Trials & Commissioning

• The Davenport was sent to the Todd Johnson Dry-Dock in Galveston, Texas to determine the specifics of the bearing problem and make the necessary repairs. It was while the Davenport was in Galveston that Vince came on board and joined the skeleton crew (the rest of the crew was still at Camp Wallace). This skeleton crew would take the Davenport out in the Gulf of Mexico for occasional sea trials to assist in the resolution of the bearing problem. They ended up having to completely gut her shaft alley after discovering that one of the drive shafts was one inch out of alignment. (TB, VG, DR)
• Returning to Galveston one night from one of the sea trial runs, the ship’s electrical power went out just as they were challenged by the security station at the entrance to the harbor. Trying to send a message with a signal light without any electricity "didn't work worth a tinker's dam." The security station fired a solid shot across the Davenport’s bow and they immediately hove to. The expert electricians in the crew repaired the problem immediately and they soon got under way again. Cdr. Stolfi (aka “The Old Man”) was not too happy with the security station because all during the trial run the ship had remained within plain sight of the security station. (TB)
• The skeleton crew brought the ship from Galveston to Houston for the Commissioning ceremony and to pick up the rest of the crew who were bussed in from Camp Wallace (the skeleton crew included Vince's brother, Bob, who was a S1/c, USN on a 72 hour liberty and had come from New Orleans to visit Vince).
• With the full crew now on board, the USS Davenport (PF-69) was finally commissioned at 1600 hours on 15 Feb 1945 in Houston, Texas, while moored starboard side to Pier #10, Tennessee Coal and Iron Co. (photos). The Davenport was one of the first US Navy ships to be constructed with an all-welded hull instead of riveted plates. The Commissioning had been delayed by the driveshaft problems, plus concerns about the possibility that the contractor had cut corners with the welding, which had prompted an investigation. (DR, DH, USCGH, Log1)
• That night a portion of the Davenport crew was given liberty in Houston, including Charles "Bull" Frick, S1/c, who was reputed to have been a former Golden Gloves champion. Outside a bar named "The Chinese Duck", "Bull” happened to take offense to a comment and with one punch, he decked the guy who had made it and then ran off. The victim sustained a serious injury when his head hit the sidewalk and he was carted off to the hospital. Vince and his brother happened upon the scene just after the ambulance left. The Shore Patrol was investigating the incident and when they saw Vince, they asked for his ID. When they saw he was from the Davenport, they took him in for further questioning, because a hat with the notation "USS Davenport" had been found at the scene. After a few hours, he was released and the brothers went on their way. The next morning the entire crew was ordered to General Quarters in their dress whites. From this “line-up” a sailor was identified by witnesses as the assailant of the man who had since died from his injuries sustained the night before. (DR, VG) At 0804 hours on 16 Feb 1945, the Davenport got underway for Galveston, TX, arriving at 1301. "Bull" never sailed beyond Galveston on the PF-69, because at 2140 hours on 16 Feb 1945, Lt. A.C. Thornton of the Houston Police Department, accompanied by members of the Houston Shore Patrol, boarded the Davenport with a warrant for his arrest in the murder of Raymond Donald Meredith, a civilian from Houston. At 0117 on 17 Feb 1945, "Bull" was taken ashore and delivered into the custody of the Shore Patrol by Lt. Cdr. Swink. (Log1) Eventually "Bull" was tried and convicted in a civil court. (DR, VG)
• Davenport was underway at 0917 on 25 Feb 1945 for a 28 hour cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. At 1527 the Davenport began a number of exercises, including General Quarters, Sonar drills and Gunnery drills. The Davenport returned to Pier 12 in Galveston at 1336 on 26 Feb 1945. On 27 Feb 1945, the Davenport sailed to Texas City, TX to refuel at the Humble Oil Pier, returning again to Pier 12 in Galveston. (Log1)

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28 Feb to 30 March 1945 - Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Shakedown & Training

• The USS Davenport (PF-69) departed Galveston at 0843 on Wednesday, 28 Feb 1945, underway for Guantanamo Bay, attached to the DD-DE Shakedown Group, Cdr. Task Group 23.1, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Log1)
• While underway to Guantanamo, at 1555 on 01 March 1945, the officers of the Davenport ordered that (1) depth charge, set for 100 ft., be dropped off the starboard rack "for the indoctrination and edification of all hands, who are relatively inexperienced" (Log1)
• The Davenport arrived and and dropped anchor in Guantanamo Harbor at 1144 hours on 04 March 1945 (Log1)
• During the period 06 to 30 March, the Davenport conducted almost daily shakedown and training exercises off the coast of Cuba, returning to Guantanamo Harbor each evening. The following is a summary of their shakedown and training activities as taken from the Davenport's Deck Log: (Log1)

• 06, 07 & 08 March 1945 - conducted Anti-Submarine Warfare exercises with USS Hawkins (DD-873), SS Ida and SS Da Procida, returning to Guantanamo each evening
• 08 March 1945 - The newest motion picture brought on board was "The Very Thought of You"
• 09 March 1945 - Refueling and gunnery exercises with the fleet oiler USS Kennebec (AO-36) and the auxillary fleet tug USS Maricopa (ATA-146) towing the gunnery target sled.
• Saturday, 10 March 1945 - at anchor in Guantanamo Harbor, liberty from 1300 to 1600 for 1st Section, 1600 to 1915 for 2nd Section
• 11 & 12 March 1945 - ASW training exercises, returning to Guantanamo each evening
• 13 March 1945 - Maneuvering and stationkeeping exercises with USS Bayonne (PF-21), USS Greensboro (PF-101) and USS Hanna (DE-449)
• 14, 15 & 16 March 1945 - ASW training exercises with Da Procida, Bayonne, Greensboro, Hanna and USS Forsyth (PF-102)
• Saturday, 17 March 1945 - Tactical maneuvering and station-keeping exercises with high-speed transport USS Brock (APD-93), gunnery exercises with airplane-towed target.
• Sunday, 18 March 1945 - at anchor in Guantanamo Harbor, Cuba
• 19 through 20 March 1945 - conducted a two-day training excercise with the Bayonne, Hawkins and high-speed transport USS Bassett (APD-73); included torpedo, gunnery, visit & search and towing exercises, plus night illumination practice with gunfire and searchlights.
• Wednesday, 21 March 1945 - at anchor in Guantanamo Harbor, Cuba
• 22 through 23 March 1945 - conducted a two-day training excercise with the Bayonne and high-speed transport USS Jack C. Robinson (APD-72); included day and night gunnery practice, night signalling exercises, and CIC exercises. Davenport also performed plane guard duties for the USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) (which had departed Norfolk on 19 March, heading for duty in the Pacific Fleet via the Panama Canal).
• 24 March 1945 - at sea for General Quarters, Damage Control and Gunnery exercises; expended 102 rounds of 3"/50 cal., 240 rounds 40 mm and 1,620 rounds of 20 mm ammunition.
• 25 March 1945 - offshore of Guantanamo Bay, dropped a pattern of (7) Mk8 depth charges
• 26 March 1945 - at anchor in Guantanamo Harbor, Cuba; Note: It was followng one of the liberties at Guantanamo that a Davenport sailor brought a bottle of cheap orange blossom perfume aboard. Unfortunately, he dropped it onto the mess deck where it broke and created a miserable stench. The Commander was furious and no matter how hard they tried, they could not scrub or disinfect the deck floor well enough to eliminate the odor, which lingered for weeks. (DR)
• 27 March 1945 - from 0910 until 1139 hours, the Davenport simulated actual combat with the APD-72 acting as enemy; at 1225, stopped starboard engine to cool a hot bearing; using port engine, commenced CIC exercise at slow speed.
• 28 through 29 March 1945 - at 0400 hours workmen from the destroyer tender USS Altair (AD-11) came aboard to scrape the starboard crankshaft bearing; 0824 hours, departed for overnight competitive excercises with Bayonne, which included significant gunnery practice (54 rounds 3"/50, 127 rounds 40 mm and 1,520 rounds 20 mm ammunition expended); returned to Guantanamo Harbor at 1733 on the 29th; 1750 hours, workmen from the Altair aboard to work on starboard bearing.
• 30 March 1945 - 1753 to 1948 hours, conducted speed trial run; 2100 hours, workmen from the Altair aboard to replace wiped starboard bearing with spare bearing.

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31 March to 26 April 1945 - Anti-sub Patrol

• At 1412 hours on 31 March 1945, the USS Davenport departed Guantanamo Bay, underway for Norfolk, Virginia (Log1)
• At 1448 on 31 March, the Davenport was passing Windward Point, 1,459 yards to port and in about 1,000 feet of water, when suddenly "one Mark 8 depth charge was accidently discharged from depth charge projector #4 by S1/c Harold A. Guertz..... A report was made by TSB to Control and receipted for at 1512." (Log1)
  • Don remembers that when this happened, he was at his post on K gun #1 (250 lb depth charges, nominally set for 50 ft.) and that the resulting explosion lifted the rear of the ship clear out of the water and the sky went dark from the tons of water that shot upwards (VG, DR)
  • Damage Control reports quickly determined that the only damage was confined to some gages in the engine room – prompting the Commander to say that if the Davenport could take that kind of punishment, it would take them through the war safely. (DR)
• 04 April 1945 - at 1636 hours, the Davenport arrived in Norfolk, where it moored port side to the USS Brock (APD-93) at Pier 1, US Navy Yard Annex, Berkely, Virginia. (Log1)
• The Davenport remained moored at Pier 1 until the morning of 12 April 1945. During this period, the crew would take onshore training classes, such as Fire-Fighting School. A notable event occurred at 2245 on 08 April when an ice cream maker was delivered to the Davenport, courtesy of the Supply Officer at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. (Log1)
• 12 April 1945 - 1036 hours, engine trials out in Chesapeake Bay; 1535, moored starboard side to Pier #23, Convoy Escort Piers, Norfolk, VA. (Log1) President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia.
• 13 April 1945 - 1215 hours, High Frequency Direction Finder (HFDF) calibration out in Thimble Shoals Channel; 1955 hours, moored starboard side to the high speed transport USS Schmitt (APD-76) at Pier #23, Convoy Escort Piers, Norfolk, VA, where it remained moored until it was moved to Pier #22 on 16 April 1945. (Log1)
• Tuesday, 17 April 1945 - Underway at 1503 hours, proceeding out of Hampton Roads, enroute to Casco Bay, Maine (attached to Commander Task Group 60.2 with orders to escort Convoy UGS-89 to the Mediterranean Sea). (Log1)
• 18 April 1945 (Log1):
  • 2000 hours - underway at 15.5 knots using zig-zag plan #8, location 39.5° N, 69.5° W (about 250 statute miles ESE of New York City)
  • 2119 - Made sonar contact. All hands to General Quarters
  • 2130 - Contact evaluated as submarine. Commencing deliberate attacks. Steering various courses at 10 knots
  • 2212 - Fired hedge-hog pattern #1
  • 2301 - Fired hedge-hog pattern #2
  • 2325 - Fired hedge-hog pattern #3
  • 2337 - Fired hedge-hog pattern #4
• 19 April 1945 (photo) (Log1):
  • 0000 - underway in N. Atlantic Ocean in various courses at various speeds engaged in attacking submerged enemy submarine with the Mk.10 projector
  • 0025 - last sound contact with the submarine
  • 0047 - secured from battle stations; commenced retiring search for enemy submarine.
  • 0112 - came to course 330 T, speed 15 knots; 0120 - Changed course to 000 T, increased speed to 16.9 knots; 0220 - Changed course to 090 T; 0243 - Changed course to 180 T; 0337 - Changed course to 270 T; 0355 - Changed course to 000 T. This type of search pattern continued all morning long.
  • 1002 - the patrol gunboats USS Pert (PG-95) and USS Action (PG-86) joined the retiring search.
  • 1304 - Exercised at General Quarters, 20 mm gunnery practice, damage control drills.
  • 1400 - Secured from retiring search for enemy submarine. Departed company of Pert and Action. Commenced zig-zag plan #20.
  • 1435 - Made sonar contact. Came about to attack.
  • 1446 - Sounded general alarm
  • 1452 - Fired a full pattern of Mk. 10 projectiles which was heard to explode.
  • 1514 - Last sonar contact with the target, commenced retiring search.
  • 1544 - Secured from battle stations, continued retiring search.
  • 1809 - Sonar contact made, fired a pattern of 24 hedgehogs, MK.10 A/S projectiles. Projectiles exploded on bottom. Contact decided not submarine. Resumed retiring search.
• 20 April 1945 (Log1):
  • 0505 - Joined in formation by Pert and Action, continued retiring search.
  • 1208 - USS Action made sonar contact, location 40.5° N, 69.0° W, Pert and Davenport investigated.
  • 1302 - Davenport established sonar contact, fired full pattern of projectiles from Mk. 10 projector, projectiles were heard to explode, contact lost. Determined that contact was not a submarine.
  • 1526 - Maneuvered on various courses at various speeds while performing tactical maneuvers with Pert and Action
  • 1600 - Secured from tactical maneuvers. Sailed in column formation behind Pert and with Action following at 2,880 yards on anti-submarine patrol at 12 knots, alternating on a north-south heading every 90 minutes or so for the next 22 hours.
• 21 April 1945 (Log1):
  • 1400 - Pert and Action released from further duty with Davenport, departed formation. Commenced patrol and zig-zag plan #8.
• 22 April 1945 (Log1):
  • 0000 - Speed 16 knots enroute to rendezvous with USS Gandy (DE-764), USS Garfield Thomas (DE-193), the patrol craft USCG Triton (WPC-116) and the USCG Galatea to assist in developing sonar contact and take up position in formation. Later joined by Pert and Action.
  • 0450 - Garfield Thomas and Gandy departed formation.
  • 0805 - Discontinued search plan; all vessels were ordered by Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier to return to respective patrol areas.
  • 1840 - Electrical fire reported in galley caused by blower shorting out; extinguished with damage negative. Continued patrol.
• 23 April 1945 - Changed base course at 1505 hours to 270 T enroute to New York City (Log1)
• 24 & 25 April 1945 - moored port side to Pier 9, US Navy Frontier Base, Tompkinsville, Staten Island, NY at 0920 hours to receive minor repairs and commissary supplies (Log1)
• 26 April 1945 - underway at 1807 to the US Navy Earle Ammunition Depot pier in Sandy Hook Bay, near Leonardo, New Jersey, arriving at 1930. Finished loading (173) hedgehog projectiles and 17s fuses at 2050 hours. (Log1)

Here is what the Davenport veterans recalled about the anti-submarine attacks of 18-20 April 1945 (without benefit of having read the Deck Log accounts):

• According to Vince, he could hear the “Old Man” over the damage control station headphones cursing the German sub commander for escaping the previous barrage and ordering a different approach for the next one. In the end, he remembers the Davenport breaking off the attack and just listening for the sub while other ships (Pert and Action) took up the chase. (VG)
• According to Tom, he remembers the Davenport as having hit the sub, but that there was no evidence to verify it for certain. He remembers that the sub seemed quite fast and very maneuverable, so the Davenport devised a system of attack in which they would "ping" on the sub and by radio and flags direct a 2nd "quiet" ship over the target and tell her when to fire. (TB)
• According to Don, the Commander finally figured out the sub’s tactics and adjusted his to counter them. Just as soon as the sub knew they were within range of the Davenport’s hedgehogs (a rocket-propelled oval pattern of (24) 75 lb. projector charges that were fired from a location near the bow), the sub had been reversing its engines and then slipping to one side to evade their effects. According to Don, by adjusting their course and slightly delaying the firing of his hedgehogs, the Davenport finally managed to disable the German sub. he remembers that a small debris field was noticed and that sonar returns indicated a large stationary object on the sea floor. (DR)
  • Epilogue: Don says that several years ago, he heard a story reported on the radio that a previously unknown wreck of a German sub had recently been found off the coast of Massachusetts – he thinks that there is a possibility that this could be the USS Davenport’s “kill”. (DR)
  • However, according to uboat.net, the report Don heard was probably about the 1993 announcement of a mysterious submarine that was "discovered" 14 miles SE of Cape Cod, MA. It was supposedly the wreck of a German sub that was sunk in August of 1944 and which was known as Project CA-35 by those who were promoting their "discovery". This "discovery" has since been identified as a hoax that was perpetrated by a known scam artist. According to the Davenport's Deck Log, the April 18-20 sonar contacts occurred about 160 miles SSE of Cape Cod. The Deck Logs do not mention any evidence of a "kill" resulting from their hedgehog attacks. If the Davenport's sonar actually detected a submarine on the sea floor, it could have been that of the German submarine U-550, which was sunk on 16 April 1944 in almost this exact same location according to uboat.net . (MG)

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27 April to 09 June 1945 - Convoy Escort Duty

• 27 April 1945 - Davenport departed New York harbor at 1404 hours to join the USS New Brunswick (PF-68) in escorting the (11) vessels comprising the New York Section of Convoy UGS-89. According to the WW II Convoy Routing Code, "UGS" stood for "United States to Mediterranean, Slow" - this convoy's average speed was 10 knots, while the Davenport patroled around it at an average of 14 knots. (Log1)
• 28 April 1945 - the New York Section joined the main body of Convoy UGS-89 at 1400 hours. Davenport and New Brunswick joined the USS Uniontown (PF-65), USS Davison (DD-618) and the CTG 60.2 convoy flagship USS Selfridge (DD-357) in escorting Convoy UGS-89 to Oran, Algeria (Log1)
• Some of the crew were startled in the middle of one night when someone got up and found the deck in their berthing compartment covered with several inches of water. Shouts of "we're sinking" woke up the others and caused quite a commotion until it was found that the automatic shutoff on the nearby distillation unit had failed and the overflow of fresh water had caused the "flood". (VG)
• 08 May 1945 - the Davenport was escorting their convoy just south of the Azores, when they noticed nearby ships signaling the news that Germany had surrendered. Tom asked Cdr. Stolfi "why don't we leave this slow convoy and go home", to which he replied that "we can't - there might be a sub or two out here that didn't get the word." (DR, VG, TB); at 1236 hours, the Davenport was refueled by the fleet oiler USS Kennebec (AO-36), taking on 64,883 gallons of fuel oil in 79 minutes. (Log1)
• 11 May 1945 - at a point 300 miles west of Gibraltar, Convoy UGS-89 was joined by the USS Mackenzie (DD-614) (Log1); the announcement of Germany's unconditional surrender was read to the crew. (DR)
• 12 May 1945 - 0455 hours, white flares observed, distance 15 miles. Selfridge investigated and reported that the flares were dropped by an aircraft over a surrendering German submarine. Two destroyers had the submarine under escort. (Log1)
• 13 May 1945 - Davenport moored in Mers El Kebir harbor, Algeria at 0930 hours (Log1)
• In Mers-el-Kebir (near Oran), the Davenport's crew was given liberty (photos). The first thirsty sailors to hit town quickly found a local “watering hole”, where they discovered that the deprivations of war in North Africa had required a lot of improvising on the part of the locals. Rommel’s troops had taken or destroyed everything of value, so in place of drinking glasses, the barkeeps were using the broken-off tops of glass bottles embedded in a coating of wax on top of a board. The local drink was “calvados”, which is a distilled spirit made from green apples that was originated by the people of Normandy, France. However, the batch of calvados served to the sailors from the Davenport had been improperly distilled or contaminated, and they immediately became sick. SP’s showed up at the ship to request a party to help bring them back to their ship. Some of the sailors had developed a temporary partial paralysis in their extremities and could not even lift their legs to go through a bulkhead doorway. Those in the worst shape were given shots of Novocain in the ship’s OR. The Commander immediately canceled all liberty. (DR) The Davenport stayed in Algeria longer than originally planned due to the end of the war in Europe, while decisions were made as to where the Davenport would go next. (VG)
• During their time in the Mediterranean area, the warm (84°F) temperatures in this region made working and sleeping below decks very difficult. Then someone had the good idea to open the fire hydrants on deck and let the cool seawater pour over the hot steel deck plates. (DR)
• 16 May 1945 - Lt. David E. Oaksmith, USCGR, of Rahway, NJ assumed command of the Davenport, relieving Cdr. Stolfi.
• The Davenport finally received orders to depart Algeria. At 0701 on 22 May 1945, Davenport got underway (photo), escorting Convoy GUS-91, bound for Norfolk, Virginia. (USCGH, Log1) Other ships escorting this convoy included Selfridge, Davison, New Brunswick and Uniontown. (Log1)
• On 06 June 1945, the Selfridge and New Brunswick departed the convoy along with the New York Section of GUS-91. The remainder of the convoy continued on for Norfolk. (Log1)
• 07 June 1945 - Davenport was detached from the GUS-91 Norfolk Section per CTG 60.2 visual message 060930June at the entrance to the Norfolk channel and at 2128 hours, departed for Charleston, South Carolina. (Log1)
• 09 June 1945 - Davenport arrived at the US Naval Ammunition Depot in Charleston, SC to unload munitions; relocated to the the Charleston US Navy Yard's North Fueling Dock to unload 87,028 gallons of fuel oil. (Log1)

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10 June 1945 to 04 Feb 1946 - Weather Patrols and Decommissioning

• Sunday 10 June 1945 - Davenport was relocated to Pier J1 in the Charleston Navy Yard, where workmen began converting it to a weather ship by removing the Number 3 Gun and installing a weather balloon hanger in its place. The following movies were turned in: "Wing and a Prayer", "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves", "Edge of Darkness", "Lady Bodyguard" and "Pilot # 5". (Log1, USCGH) Vince was able to get leave and return home to Center Line, Michigan to be with his dad on Father’s Day. (VG)
• 15 through 19 June 1945 - Davenport was moved into dry dock #2 and secured alongside the USS Edward H. Allen (DE-531). (Log1)
• 24 June 1945 - Tom Bretz was transferred off the USS Davenport (Log1)
• 25 June 1945 - the Davenport moved to Pier #317 in the Charleston Navy yard and then again to the US Naval Ammunition Depot to reload munitions. (Log1)
• 26 June 1945 - the Davenport unmoored at 0709 hours from the Ammunition Depot and departed (photo) for the Naval Operations Base at Argentia, Newfoundland per CTF Dispatch 11224June and FAO Dispatch 191723June (Log1)
• 01 July 1945 - Davenport arrived at 0900 hours in Argentia, Newfoundland and moored in Berth C. At 1338, the USS Woonsocket (PF-32) moored to Davenport's port side. N.O.B. Argentia would be their home port when not actually out on weather station patrol duty. After 21 days "on-station", they would get 20 days off for transit time and in-port activities. The weather patrol rotation schedule had the Davenport relieving the USS Greensboro (PF-101) and then 21 days later, the Davenport would be relieved by the USS Hingham (PF-30). The weather information collected by the Davenport was vital to the pilots who were ferrying thousands of Air Force planes back from Europe for use in the Pacific theatre. While on-station, the Davenport also had Air and Sea Rescue responsibilities. (USCGH, Log2)
• 10 July 1945 - Davenport departed Argentia at 0830 hours, bound for Weather Station #5, which was located at 52.5° N, 30.0° W (1,600 statute miles ENE of Argentia and 1,400 miles W of the coast of Ireland). (Log2)
• 13 July 1945 - the Davenport relieved the Greensboro at 1700 hours on WS #5. (Log2)
• 01 Aug 1945 - Mess cook appointments for the month of August: Alfred Kast, F1/c, Charles Keller, S1/c, Harry Leonard, F2/c, Robert E. Rose, S1/c, Stephen Sciuto, S1/c, Robert Staub, S1/c (Log2)
• 02 Aug 1945 - at 0820 hours, the Hingham, accompanied by SC-705, arrived at WS #5; Hingham relieved the Davenport at 0930 hours. According to the SC-705 Deck Log, on 31 July 1945 she had received 1,800 gallons of contaminated fuel from the Hingham and was having engine difficulties. At 1035, she took aboard a towing line from Davenport (web page) and at 1100 they were under tow, course 012, speed 12.5 knots. The Davenport had orders to take the SC-705 to Reykjavik, Iceland, 1,600 miles to the NNE. During the voyage, the tow line parted four times: at 1314 hours on 02 Aug, 0150 hours on 03 Aug and twice on 05 Aug at 1400 and 2147 hours. (Log2)
• 06 Aug 1945 - Davenport and SC-705 moored at the South East Quay in Reykjavik at 0826 hours. (Log2)
• 13 Aug 1945 - Davenport unmoored and sailed to Hvalfjordur Fjord, Iceland to take on 152,612 gallons of fuel oil, then returned, mooring their port side to the British destroyer HMS Shikari (D-85) at North Quay, Reykjavik Harbor. (Log2)
• 14 Aug 1945 - VJ Day; when the unofficial word of the unconditional Japanese surrender came in the pre-dawn hours of the morning, the noise of sirens and whistles in the harbor woke the crew, who at first thought that they might be under attack. Later in the day after the official announcement, the crew of the Shikari invited the Davenport crew over for some “grog” to celebrate the end of the war. (photo) (DR)
• 21 Aug 1945 - at 0615 hours, the Davenport left Reykjavik for Weather Station #2, which was located at 60.5° N, 33.0° W (1,000 statute miles SW of Reykjavik and 700 miles E of the southern tip of Greenland). (Log2)
• 22 Aug 1945 - at 0615 hours, the Davenport relieved the Greensboro on Weather Station #2. (Log2)
• 31 Aug 1945 - the Davenport was joined on station by the Hingham; at 1538 a breeches buoy was rigged and motions pictures and mail were exchanged; at 1603 hours, Lt. Oaksmith was transferred to the Hingham via breeches buoy (photos) for transport to the US Naval Hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland for in-patient treatment; Lt. Sayles assumed command of the Davenport in his absence. (Log2)
• 11 Sept 1945 - the Davenport was joined on station by the Hingham; at 0819, a breeches buoy was rigged and Lt. Oaksmith was transferred back to the Davenport, along with motions pictures and mail; at 0850 hours, Hingham relieved the Davenport, who then departed WS #2 and immediately set course for Argentia. SC-688 and SC-705 followed, 500 yards astern of the Davenport. (Log2)
• 15 Sept 1945 - at 1315 hours, enroute to Argentia in good weather, an iceberg is spotted and used for target practice (photos) (Log2)
• 16 Sept 1945 - Davenport moored outboard, with starboard side to the Uniontown at Berth F, NOB Argentia; at 1313, Uniontown heads to sea and Davenport is moored starboard side to the USS Grand Rapids (PF-31). (Log2)
• 17 to 28 Sept - "recreation party" groups of 15 men at a time were given 60 hours liberty in St. John's, Newfoundland. (Log2)
• 29 Sept 1945 - Davenport departed Argentia at 1513 hours, bound for Weather Station #4, which was located at 51.0° N, 42.0° W (about 800 statute miles NE of Argentia). (Log2)
• 01 Oct 1945 - Davenport hove to on WS #4 at 2320 hours. (Log2)
• 03 Oct 1945 - the weather was partly cloudy with calm seas, Davenport conducted man-overboard drills; this was very likely the day that Lt. Oaksmith arranged for the ship's photographer to make a photograph of the Davenport using the ship's motor lifeboat (photos) (Log2, DR)
• 16 Oct 1945 - at 1500 hours, "The Commanding Officer (Lt. Oaksmith) slipped on diesel oil in the port passageway and fractured the distal 3rd of the left fistula of the left leg" (Log2)
• 19 Oct 1945 - 0100 hours, weather reported as "moderate gale, wind 32 knots out of 245°, very rough sea, vessel pitching deeply and heavily, taking heavy sea over the bow"; 0140, "steam line at anchor windlass broke - steam was cut off in engine room". 0600, barometer bottomed out at 29.07 in. Hg.; (photo); 2000, "whole gale with very high seas, wind 60 knots (69.5 mph) out of 290°; the wind did not fall below 40 knots until 1600 hours on 20 Oct 1945. (Log2)
  • Don and Vince recall that in the middle of this near-hurricane weather, the Davenport went to give aid to a nearby minesweeper that was unable to maintain headway in the storm. While underway, the Davenport was struck on the bow by a huge wave that smashed the forward winches, broke steam lines and even bent the shielding on the forward 3” gun. The damaged winches allowed seawater to flood into the ship's forward compartments. Also, the stern of the ship developed cracks in the welds near the rudder. Despite the damage, the Davenport was able to successfully assist the minesweeper. (DR, VG)
  • Don remembers that the announcement “all hands-coming about” was an unwelcome one on the mess deck. As the ship went through a quartering sea, it slipped into a deep trough between waves. With one hand, Don grabbed the coffee pot and with the other he held on to a table. The others in the mess room weren’t so lucky and when their “elevator ride” was over, they were in all in a wet heap on the floor with the dishes, food and orange juice. (DR)
• 21 Oct 1945 - at 0933 hours Davenport commenced breeches buoy operations with Hingham; received 3 motion picture films that were accidently dipped in the water; at 1000 hours, Hingham relieved the Davenport, who then departed WS #4, bound for Boston, via Argentia. (Log2)
• 23 Oct 1945 - 0803, Davenport moored starboard side to USS Shreveport (PF-23) at Pier F, NOB Argentia; 1300, Davenport underway for Boston. (Log2)
• 25 Oct 1945 - 1201, Davenport moored starboard side to east side of Pier 3, South Boston Navy Yard. (Log2)
• 05 Nov 1945 - Lt. Cdr. Warren F. Barnes, Manchester, NH, reported aboard the Davenport to assume duty as Commander, relieving Lt. Oaksmith. Orders read and transfer of command was made on 10 Nov 1945 with all hands to muster. (Log2)
• 10 Nov 1945 - Davenport was detached from CTF-24 and reported to Commandant, First Naval District for disposition, per CinClant dispatch 182343Nov. (Log2) Damages incurred from the heavy weather at WS #4 were estimated to require two and one-half months to repair. In lieu of repairs, the Davenport was ordered to await a decision for disposition. (USCGH)

27 Nov 1945 - Davenport was relocated to Pier 1, South Boston Navy Yard Annex, starboard side to Pier 1, inboard of USS Biddle (DD-151/AG-114) and USS McCormick (DD-223/AG-118). The Davenport Deck Log notes that "this vessel is in the process of being decommissioned". (Log2) 24 to 27 Dec 1945 - "Free gangway granted to crew, when not on watch" (Log2) 06 Jan 1946 - Davenport was towed and moored starboard side to USS Forrest (DD-461/DMS-24) on west side of Pier 2, South Boston Navy Yard Annex (Log2) 01 Feb 1946 - Don Roban was transferred to USCG Receiving Station, Boston for Assignment; Duncan Hall was transferred to USCG Receiving Station, Boston for separation. 04 Feb 1946 - at 1400 hours, the USS Davenport was decommissioned and Lt. Cdr. Barnes turned over the vessel to Capt. P.T. Rhea for the U.S. Navy. Vince Grobbel was transferred to USCG Receiving Station, Boston for further assignment to Patrol Frigates. (Log2)

Summarized and transcribed by: Mike Grobbel (MG)
25 Aug 2002
revised: 29 Aug 2002, 30 Aug 2002, 13 Sept 2002, 20 Nov 2002
revised with information taken from Deck Logs: 13 June 2003

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