USS Durik (DE-666)

USS Durik (DE-666) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, in service from 1944 to 1946. After spending two decades in reserve, she was scrapped in 1967.

Durik on 31 December 1944
History
Laid down: 22 June 1943
Launched: 9 October 1943
Commissioned: 24 March 1944
Decommissioned: 15 June 1946
Struck: 1 June 1965
Fate: Sold for scrap, 30 January 1967
General characteristics
Displacement:
  • 1,740 tons full
  • 1,400 tons, standard
Length: 306 ft 0 in (93.27 m)
Beam:   36 ft 9 in (11.20 m)
Draft:   13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Propulsion:
  • GE turbo-electric drive,
  • 12,000 shp (8.9 MW)
  • two propellers
Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h)
Range: 4,940 nautical miles (9,150 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement: 15 officers, 198 men
Armament:

History

Durik was named in honor of Apprentice Seaman Joseph E. Durik (1922–42). She was launched 9 October 1943 by Dravo Corp., Neville Island, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Mrs. M. Durik, mother of Seaman Apprentice Durik; and commissioned 24 March 1944, Commander K. B. Smith in command.

Battle of the Atlantic

Between 20 May and 30 November 1944 Durik made two voyages from New York and Norfolk, Virginia escorting convoys to Casablanca, Bizerte, and Palermo. She served as schoolship for precommissioning crews of escort vessels, frigates, and high-speed transports at Norfolk from 9 December 1944 to 14 January 1945, then returned to convoy duty, making two voyages to Oran, Algeria, between 17 January 1945 and 19 May. John D. Cartano was the acting captain of Durik in 1944-1945.[1]

Durik arrived at Miami, Florida, 8 June 1945 to serve as schoolship for the instruction of student officers. From 21 July to 5 September she was briefly overhauled at New York and trained at Guantanamo Bay, then returned to duty at Miami until 1 November when she arrived at Mayport, Fla., to serve as plane guard for USS Solomons (CVE-67) during the qualifications of pilots in carrier operations. On 28 March 1946 Durik entered Charleston Naval Shipyard, and on 27 April arrived at Green Cove Springs, Fla., where she was placed out of commission in reserve 15 June 1946.

Fate

Durik was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1965 and sold for scrap on 30 January 1967.

References
  1. Per notation on the reverse of this photo presented by the Navy to John D. Cartano after WWII.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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