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NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

DE- 414 USS LE RAY WILSON

Class: John C. Butler Type:WGT (geared-turbine drive, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1,350/1745 tons Dimensions: 306' (oa) x 36' 10" x 13'4" (max)
Armament: 2-5"/38, 4 (2x2) 40mmAA, 10-20mm AA, 3-21" TT, 1 Hedgehog, 8 DCT's, 2 DC tracks
Machinery: 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 knots Range: 6000 nm@12 knots Crew: 14 / 201

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Brown Shipbuilding, Houston TX on 20 December 1943
Launched 28 January 1944, Commissioned 10 May 1944
Decommissioned 15 January 1947
Received Major ASW Upgrade in 1947
Recommissioned 28 March 1951, Decommissioned 30 January 1959
Stricken 15 May 1972

Fate: sold for scrapping 14 September 1973

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Le Ray Wilson 70kb undated wartime image USN / George J. Chairsson
Le Ray Wilson 60kb undated wartime image USN / Dan Culliton RM 44-46.
Le Ray Wilson 49kb in dry dock, undated wartime image USN / Dan Culliton RM 44-46.
Le Ray Wilson 48kb undated wartime image (Same as #1 above) USN / Dan Culliton RM 44-46.
Le Ray Wilson 62kb undated wartime image USN / Dan Culliton RM 44-46.
Le Ray Wilson 71kb Just prior to being struck by a kamikaze, 10 January 1945
Aircraft (Japanese Betty) and AA tracer fire are visible.
Slightly blurred but excellent image, whoever took this image is a very brave man.
USN / Dan Culliton RM 44-46.
Le Ray Wilson 83kb After recommissioning in 1951 USN / Frank D. Heckart GM 2/C
October 1954 - May 1956.

USS LE RAY WILSON DE- 414 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: Francis (Frank) D. Heckart GM 2/C
Address: 635 C. R. 785 / Natalia TX 78059
Phone: (830) 665-9789
E-mail: fdhmjh@aol.com


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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