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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive



Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Edward McDonnell (DE 1043)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign:
N - C - Q - G
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Del Monte"

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Unit Commendation - CG Meritorious Unit Commendation w/star
Second Row: Navy Expeditionary Medal - National Defense Service Medal - CG Special Operations Service Ribbon w/ 2 stars


"Deter Through Strength"
Specifications:
Class: Garcia
Type: SCB No. 199A / 1961 - 1963
Number in Class: 10
Displacement: 2,620 tons (std), 3,400 tons (full)
Length: 390' 0" (wl), 414' 6" (oa)
Beam: 44' 0" (extreme)
Draft: 24' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 Foster Wheeler 1200-psi boilers; 1 Westinghouse geared turbine; 35,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 27 kts
Range: 4,000 nm @ 20 knots
Complement: 13 / 234
Guns: 2 - 5"/38 Mk30 Gun (2x1) (350 rounds)
ASW Weapons: 1 - Mk16 ASROC launcher (1x8) (16 missiles), 6 - 12.75" (324mm) Mk 32 torpedo tubes (2x3) / Mk 46 torpedos (18)
Radars: AN/SPS-10 (surface), AN/SPS-40 (air)
Sonars: AN/SQS-26AXR in DE 1040 - 1045, AN/SQS-26BX in DE 1047 - 1051
Fire Control Systems: Mk56 Mod 43 Gun FCS, Mk114 Mod 8/11 ASW FCS
Helicopter: 1 - SH-2 LAMPS Helicopter
Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) Building and Operational Data:
  • 03 January 1962: Building contract awarded to Avondale Shipyards, Inc.
  • 01 April 1963: Keel laid at the Avondale Shipyard Corp., Westwego, La.
  • 15 February 1964: Launched and christened
  • 15 February 1965: Commissioned, Cmdr. Daniel Lewis Banks Jr. in command
  • 30 June 1975: Reclassified Frigate (FF 1043)
  • 30 September 1988: Decommissioned after 23 years and 7½ months of service
  • 15 December 1992: Struck from the NVR
  • 07 December 2001: Contract for $2.3 million awarded to Metro Machine Corp, Philadelphia, Pa. for towing / scrapping at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
  • .. July 2002: Scrapping completed
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104301a

    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104101a

    Edw. McDonnell
    46k



    75k
    Edward Orrick McDonnell was born on 13 November 1891 in Baltimore, Maryland. Appointed from that same state to the U.S.b Naval Academy, he graduated as an Ensign in July 1912 and served in succession on board USS New Jersey, the cruiser Montana, USS Florida and USS Montgomery. In March 1914, he reported to USS Prairie and participated in the intervention at Vera Cruz, Mexico. On 21 and 22 April, while under continual fire and at an exposed post, McDonnell established a signal station to ensure effective communications between troops and ships. For his "extraordinary heroism," he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Following aeronautical instruction at the Wright Company at Dayton, Ohio, and flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, he was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1915, then remained at Pensacola as an aviation instructor. In June 1915, McDonnell was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade.

    In June 1917, McDonnell became an instructor at Naval Air Station Huntington Bay, Long Island, New York. That July, he was temporarily promoted to Lieutenant. During World War I, he served at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. At the end of the year, he reported to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Operating in European Waters and took part in air campaigns in France and Italy. In September 1918, McDonnell was temporarily promoted to Lieutenant Commander and was assigned to USS Texas while aircraft was installed. In January 1919, he served at the Bureau of Navigation and the Office of Naval Operations. In January 1920, McDonnell resigned and entered the active reserves. During this time, he had periods of active duty on board USS Wright and at Naval Air Station, Pensacola. Following promotion to Commander in July 1940, he was a Naval Observer on the first flight of Pan American Airways to Oceania. While still a reservist, he returned to active duty that October at the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C.. Early in the new year, he was assigned as the Attache for Air in London, England, and transferred as such for duty at the American Embassy at Peiping (now known as Beijing), China.

    In July 1941, McDonnell commanded the Naval Air Station at New York City while also serving as the District Aviation Officer for the Third Naval District. That December, he was promoted to Captain, which was followed by a promotion to Rear Admiral the following year. In June 1943, he reported to Commandant, Naval Air Training Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, and transferred in the area to Chief of Naval Air Intermediate Training Command. In May 1944, McDonnell assumed command of USS Long Island and later transferred to command the escort carrier Nehenta Bay. After World War II, he was Special Assistant to the Flight Pay Board at the Office of the Deputy Chief of the Naval Operations. In December 1945, he was relieved from active duty. Upon transfer to the reserve retired list in December 1951, he was promoted to Vice Admiral. On 06 January 1960, Edward O. McDonnell was a casualty on a commerical plane crash at Bolivia, North Carolina. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

    USS Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) (1965 - 1988) was the first ship to be named in his honor.
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104327
    388k circa 1963: Westwego, La. - The future U.S. Navy destroyer escort Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) under construction at Avondale Shipyards, Westwego, Louisiana. Edward McDonnell was launched in February of 1964 and commissioned on 15 February 1965. Note the massive dome of the AN/SQS-26 sonar.

    (U.S. Navy All Hands Magazine, January 1965, p. 1.)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104326
    354k 15 February 1964: Westwego, La. - Edward McDonnell being side-launched at Avondale Shipyards. S. Dale Hargrave
    Newport News, Va.
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104308
    50k date / location unknown: USS Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) in heavy seas. Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104310
    36k mid 1960's: Edward McDonnell at sea in the Atlantic. Robert M. Cieri
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104325
    299k circa 1966: USS Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) underway.

    (Official U.S. Navy photo; from "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1966-67")
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104302
    56k 1966: The Mediterranean - Edward McDonnell in heavy weather. Bob LaFont
    Odax
    0848409
    674k 04 July 1970: the Atlantic Ocean - Odax (SS 484) surfacing in front of McDonnell (DE 1043). Photo taken from the flight deck of Wasp (CVA 18). Courtesy
    of imt.net
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104303
    48k Summer 1970: the North Atlantic (Both photos © Steve Singlar) Steve Singlar
    ETCS USNR (ret.)
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104304
    94k
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104301
    4176k 1972 movie, one minute. Shows McDonnell refueling from the USS Nantahala (AO 60). My ship, USS Intrepid (CVS 11) was on port side of Nantahala, so my vantage point was excellent. We had pretty heavy seas that day, she took some hefty white water over the bow as she broke away from the refueling....exciting footage. Jim Converse,
    former Lt.(jg),
    USS Intrepid (CVS11)
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104305
    52k An undated postcard view of Edward McDonnell as a DE.     (Postcard © Arnold Art Store, Newport, R.I.; shown at 125% of original size)

    Caption reads: U.S.S. Edward McDonnell (DE-1043) is a modern ocean escort. Command facilities include a modular Combat Information Center and advanced communications and electronics installations. With an overall length of 414 feet, an extreme beam of 44 feet and displacing 3500 tons, this ship is representative of our newest anti-submarine warfare capability.
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104311
    79k An undated postcard view of Edward McDonnell as an FF.     (Postcard #16091 © Marine Photos and Publishing Co., San Diego, Cal.; shown at 125% of original size)

    Caption reads: The ocean escort USS EDWARD MC DONNELL standing off Newport, Rhode Island.
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104313
    55k An undated postcard view of Edward McDonnell as an FF.     (Postcard #P11803 ©Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, Va.; shown at 125% of original size)

    Caption reads: U.S.S. EDWARD MC DONNELL (FF-1043) - A GARCIA class frigate built by Avondale Shipyards, Inc., New Orleans, LA and commissioned on 15 February 1965.
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104321
    111k .. February 1975: the Atlantic Ocean - HNLMS Van Ness (F805), USS Edward McDonnell (FF 1043), and FGS Lubeck (F224) heading into Lisbon, Portugal.

    (Photo © Isaac Newton)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104306
    57k .. July 1978: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

    (Photo © Walter Bengtson)
    Walter Bengtson
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104307
    74k 29 January 1983: at Barcelona, Spain - Visible in this photo are many of McDonnell's radar, communications and EW antennas. There is no ASROC reload magazine. Fabio Peña
    Barcelona, Spain

    Archive Manager
    Aircraft Carrier Archive
    Navsource
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104314
    265k 07 May 1985: A starboard beam view of the frigate Edward McDonnell underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-01953 from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104315
    365k 20 November 1986: An aerial starboard quarter view of the frigate Edward McDonnell underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-01417 from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104316
    255k 20 November 1986: An elevated starboard quarter view of the frigate Edward McDonnell underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-01426 from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104317
    196k 22 April 1988: A port bow view of the frigate Edward McDonnell underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-88-06665 by PH2 P.A. Reich from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104318
    168k 22 April 1988: A Combat Support Squadron 8 (HC-8) CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter hovers over the fantail of the ammunition ship USS Nitro (AE 23) in preparation for transporting ordnance during a vertical replenishment with the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). The bow of the frigate Edward McDonnell is in the background.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-88-06666 by PH2 P.A. Reich from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104319
    213k 22 April 1988: A Combat Support Squadron 8 (HC-8) CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter hovers over the fantail of the ammunition ship USS Nitro (AE 23) in preparation for transporting ordnance during a vertical replenishment with the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). The amidships section of the frigate Edward McDonnell is in the background.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-88-06667 by PH2 P.A. Reich from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edw. McDonnell
    0602104320
    211k 22 April 1988: A view of the bows of the ammunition ship USS Nitro (AE 23), foreground, and the frigate Edward McDonnell underway alongside the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) during an underway replenishment.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-88-06671 by PH2 P.A. Reich from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Edward McDonnell
    06021043091
    100k date unknown: Philadelphia, Pa. - Voge (FF 1047) outboard, and Edward McDonnell sharing a berth just ahead of the heavy cruiser Des Moines (CA 134) at the Inactive Ship Facility in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

    (from the authors collection, photo taken from Warship Boneyards by Kit and Carolyn Bonner)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104324
    115k 1995: Philadelphia, Pa. - West Reserve Basin view of submarine ex-USS Trout (SS 566) and the frigate ex-USS Edward E. McDonnell (DE 1043) at the Naval Base Philadelphia - Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

    (U.S. Navy photo #HAER PA,51-PHILA,709W--5 from the Library of Congress)
    Mike Green
    Port Angeles, Wash.
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104322
    97k circa January 2001: Philadelphia, Pa. - Possibly the last photos ever taken of Edward McDonnell as she is just beginning to strip out. She's moored at a stub pier beside the turret shed at PNSY. A lot of the Metro scrapping jobs went to that pier before being pushed into drydock 2. For chopping her up, they got $842.00 a ton and her scrapping completed 10 July 2002. Her stack and parts of the superstructure are over in Camden since around April of 2002. Ron Reeves
    Oaklyn, N.J.
    Edward McDonnell
    0602104323
    104k

    Edward McDonnell Memorabilia
    Ship's Emblem
    Enamelled Metal
    Edward McDonnell
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Ship's Lighter
    (as FF)
    Edward McDonnell
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski

    Edward McDonnell History
    The USS Edward McDonnell (DE 1043) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site is not presently available.

    Edward McDonnell's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)   15 Feb. 1965 - 22 May 1966 Cmdr. Daniel Lewis Banks Jr. (NROTC '46) (Sacramento, Cal.)
    2.)   22 May 1966 - 05 Jul. 1968 Cmdr. William Raymond Sheridan (ROTC '50) (Newark, N.J.)
    3.)   05 Jul. 1968 - 16 Feb. 1970 Cmdr. Richard C. Allen
    4.)   16 Feb. 1970 - 15 Aug. 1971 Cmdr. Alexander Malcolm Sinclair (prior enl., USNA '51) (Santa Cruz, Cal.) (ret. as Radm.)
    5.)   15 Aug. 1971 - 15 Jan. 1973 Cmdr. Roger Oscar Simon (enl. '50, OCS '55) (Perham, Minn.) (ret. as Radm.)
    6.)   15 Jan. 1973 - 19 Jul. 1974 Cmdr. Francis John Lamotte (USNA '56) (New York City, N.Y.)
    7.)   19 Jul. 1974 - 29 Oct. 1975 Cmdr. Lyndon Conway Murchison Jr. (ROTC '59) (Raleigh, N.C.)
    8.)   29 Oct. 1975 - 10 Sep. 1978 Cmdr. Robert Dean Thomas
    9.)   10 Sep. 1978 - 25 Sep. 1979 Cmdr. Charles E. Ryan
    10.) 25 Sep. 1979 - 15 Jan. 1982 Cmdr. Frank Peter Zmorzenski (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
    11.) 15 Jan. 1982 - 17 Jun. 1983 Cmdr. Gerald M. Vanderwier *
    12.) 17 Jun. 1983 - 10 Jul. 1986 Cmdr. James Arthur Roorbach II (USNA '65) (Camden, N.J.)
    13.) 10 Jul. 1986 - 14 Jul. 1988 Cmdr. Jerome V. Diekemper
    14.) 14 Jul. 1988 - 30 Sep. 1988 Cmdr. James J. McCallum

    * Relieved of command, tried for three counts of sodomy and discharged from the Navy
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    Contact Name: John C. Collins
    Address:202 Terrace Ave.
    City/State: Riverside RI 02915
    Phone:(401) 433-4998
    E-mail: john1297@cox.net
    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

    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page
    Back To The Main Photo Index

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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
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    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 21 April 2020