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USS MERVINE (DD-489 / DMS-31)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NXTM

CLASS - GLEAVES As Built.
Displacement 2395 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 348' 4"(oa) x 36' 1" x 13' 2" (Max)
Armament 4 x 5"/38AA, 6 x 0.5" MG, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 50,000 SHP; Westinghouse Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 12 Knots, Crew 208.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ. November 3 1941.
Launched May 3 1942 and commissioned June 17 1942.
Converted to High Speed Minesweeper DMS-31 May 30 1945.
Decommissioned May 27 1949.
Stricken July 31 1968.
Fate Sold October 27 1969 and broken up for scrap.

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Mervine 103kRear Admiral William Mervine, born 14 March 1791 at Philadelphia, Pa., was appointed midshipman in January 1809. Serving on Lake Ontario during the war of 1812, he later cruised off Africa and South America, in the West Indies and in the Pacific. While in command of Savannah during the war with Mexico, 1846-47, he led a detachment of sailors and marines against Monterey, 7 July 1847, took possession and hoisted the American flag over the city. Serving also during the Civil War, he served as the Flag Officer of the Gulf Squadron from 6 May 1861, until obliged by ill health to give up the command 22 September 1861. He died at Utica, N.Y., 15 September 1868. Portrait of Capt. William Mervine [painted by M. E. D. Brown at Utica, NY, circa 1850, courtesy of James Mervine.Bill Gonyo
Mervine 82kArtist's conception of the Mervine as she appeared in World War II by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.Navy Yard Associates
Mervine 104kEtching by John Taylor Arms (American, 1887-1953) of USS Radford (DD-446), USS Quick (DD-490) and USS Mervine (DD-489) in Wet Basin at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, South Kearney, NJ during 1942.Stephen Fixx
Mervine 191kJune 16 1942 at Kearny, NJ.Ed Zajkowski
Mervine 167kJune 16 1942 at Kearny, NJ.Ed Zajkowski
Mervine 283kUSS Mervine (DD-489) underway in the Atlantic on 9 May 1945. Two weeks later she entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard for conversion to a high-speed minesweeper, being reclassified DMS-31 on 30 May 1945. Mervine is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D. For drawings of this design, see: Photo # 80-G-170951 for the port side pattern, and Photo # 80-G-170950 for the starboard side. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107414.Robert Hurst
Mervine 60kCrew photo from October 25 1947 when she was DMS-31. Photo was taken at the Terminal Island Naval Shipyard, which was soon renamed the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. The Mervine was undergoing repairs caused by accidental removal of a portion of a 14” sea valve, which flooded the entire boiler room and nearly caused the sinking of the ship. This was while it was moored alongside a tender in the middle of the San Diego Harbor.ENS Robert Rausch

USS MERVINE DD-489 / DMS-31 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)


Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

LCDR Solomon David Willingham    Jun 17 1942 - Jun 22 1943
CDR Dale Roderick Frakes    Jul 22 1943 - Jan 31 1945
LCDR Irving Stahl Presler    Jan 31 1945 - ?

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: George and Elsie Ahrend
Address:
Phone: 732-251-2164
E-mail: None


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
NavSource Minesweeper Pages, USS Mervine (DMS-31)
Benson-Livermore Class Destroyers Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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