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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Lester (DE-1022)

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - D - S - K
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Annette"

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Class: Courtney (As Built)      FY / SCB No.: 54/72
Displacement: 1314 tons (std), 1877 tons (full)    Dimensions: 314' 6"(oa), 308" (wl) x 36' 9" x 18' 0"
Armament: 4 x 3"/50 (2x2) Mk 33, 1 Mk 108 ASW rocket launcher, 6-324mm Mk 32 (2x3) tubes / Mk 46 torpedos
Machinery: 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers; 1 De Laval geared turbine; 20,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 27 knots    Range: 6,000 nm @ 12 knots    Crew: 12 / 161

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City MI 2 September 1954
Launched 5 January 1956, Commissioned 14 June 1957
Decommissioned (unknown), Stricken 14 December 1973

Fate: Sold for scrapping 17 July 1974

Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
8k	Fred Faulkner Lester (29 April 1926 - 8 June 1945) was born in Downers Grove, Illinois. Dedicated to serving his country during the early days of World War II, Fred attempted to enlist at the young age of 16 years in 1942, but was denied. He patiently waited a year and with his parents approval enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves as Apprentice Seaman at Chicago, Illinois on 1 November 1943. He received training at the Naval Training Station, Farragut, Idaho, and was promoted to Seaman Second Class in January 1944. On 3 March 1944 his rating was changed to Hospital Apprentice Second Class after additional training at Hospital Corps School, U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, California. Later that month he reported to the Fleet Marine Force, Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. Fred served with Marine units until he was killed in action on 8 June 1945, in the battle for Okinawa Shima. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. He was laid to rest in Clarendon Hills Cemetery, Westmont, Illinois. USS *Lester, DE-1022, was the first ship named in his honor. (Photo & Text courtesy of the 22nd Marines*)	Bill Gonyo
115k	USS *Lester* at sea. (US Navy Photo)	-
69k	Great Sitkin (AE-17) is left behind as Lester pulls away after an underway replenishment of ammunition, date and place unknown. USN photo, "All Hands" magazine October 1962	Gary Priolo / Joe Radigan

Additional Memorabilia
Ship's Plaque Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Ship's Plaque Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

View the USS Lester (DE-1022), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center web site.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

2008 Reunion for all Newport Based Dealeys
25 - 28 September 2008 at Nashville TN

Chairman: Marc Arsenault
Address: 98 Oxbow Road / Charlton MA 01507
Phone: (508) 248-5072
E-mail: marc-a@charter.net
or
contact through Newport Dealey link below

Note About Contacts

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

Additional Resources

Newport Dealeys.Com
Home of the Newport Dealeys
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association

To The DE Photo Index Page

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This Page Is Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
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Page Last Updated 8 March 2008