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NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive


Courtesy of James M. Strong

Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

DE- 329 USS KRETCHMER

CLASS: Edsall TYPE: FMR (geared diesel, Fairbanks-Morse reverse gear drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,200 tons (std) 1,590 tons (full) Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10" x 12' 3" (max)
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 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: 4 Fairbanks-Morse Mod. 38d81/8 geared diesel engines, 4 diesel-generators, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 knots Range: 9,100 nm @ 12 knots Crew: 8 / 201

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Consolidated Steel, Orange TX on 28 June 1943, Launched 31 August 1943
Commissioned 13 December 1943, Decommissioned 20 September 1946
Loaned to USCG and Recommissioned WDE-429, 20 June 1951
Returned USN and Decommissioned 12 August 1954
Reclassified and converted DER-328, 21 October 1955
Recommissioned 22 September 1956, Decommissioned 1 October 1973
Stricken 30 September 1973
Fate: Sold for scrapping 14 May 1974

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Kretchmer 65k in dazzle camouflage, 1944 US Navy photo
Kretchmer 221k Boston Naval Shipyard, August 1960. © Richard Leonhardt
Kretchmer 82k Boston Naval Shipyard, August 1960. © Richard Leonhardt
Kretchmer 88k undated, as DER-329 US Navy photo
Kretchmer 26k souvenir ashtray with Kretchmer emblem,
circa November 1964
Allan M. Wilson

USS KRETCHMER DE- 329 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


Contact Name: Jim Strong
Address: 7248 Resinda Dr. / Dayton OH 45459
Phone:937-436-1245
E-mail:Jim Strong


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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