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NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

DE- 221 USS SOLAR

CLASS: Buckley TYPE: TE (turbine-electric drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,400 tons (std) 1,740 tons (full) Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 9" x 13' 6" (max)
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 x 1.1"/75 Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1),
1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Machinery: 2 "D" Express boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 knots Range: 4,940 nm @ 12 knots Crew: 15 / 198

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Philadelphia NSY on 22 February 1943, Launched 29 May 1943
Commissioned 15 February 1944
Fate: exploded at her berth in Earle N.J. while unloading ammunition on 30 April 1946
165 members of her crew and dock workers were killed in the explosion and 65 injured
Solar's name was stricken 5 June 1946
Her hulk was towed 100 miles out to sea and scuttled in 700 fathoms of water on 9 June 1946.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
SOLAR 54k 22 July 1944 - In New York harbor with a barge and harbor tug alongside. Photographed from a 300-foot altitude by Naval Air Station New York aircraft. USN
SOLAR 46k 30 April 1946 - SOLAR was pulls into Leonardo Pier I of the Naval Ammunition Depot at Earle, N.J. to discharge ammunition J. D. Reed,
Fireman First Class
SOLAR 63k 30 April 1946 - Crew of Solar J. D. Reed,
Fireman First Class
SOLAR 44k 30 April 1946 - shortly after 1130, three explosions blasted the ship near her number 2 upper handling room. J. D. Reed,
Fireman First Class
SOLAR 47k 30 April 1946 - Salvage work on Solar was begun by 1500, and her wrecked superstructure was cut off to prevent her capsizing. J. D. Reed,
Fireman First Class
SOLAR 49k 30 April 1946 - Her number 2 gun was demolished and the bridge, main battery director, and mast were all blown aft and to starboard. Both sides of the ship were torn open J. D. Reed,
Fireman First Class

USS SOLAR DE- 221 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

None Located
Contact Name: none
Address: none
Phone: none
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
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association

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