Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.

Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Atherton (DE 169)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - P - G - W
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row: European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal w/ 1 star - WWII Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Medal (Asia Clasp)
Specifications:
Class: Cannon
Type: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1240 tons (light), 1620 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots
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
Complement: 15 / 201
Atherton (DE 169) Building and Operational Data:
  • 14 January 1943: Keel laid at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., Port Newark, N.J.
  • 27 May 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Cornelia A. Atherton, the mother of Lt. (jg.) Atherton; moved to the Norfolk Navy Yard
  • 29 August 1943: Commissioned at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Lcdr Paul L. Mansell, Jr., USNR, in command
  • 10 December 1945: Decommissioned at Jacksonville Fla., moved to Green Cove Springs, Fla. for storage
  • 14 June 1955: To Japan , renamed IJNS Hatsuhi (DE-263), To Philippines 13 September 1976, renamed BRS Rajah Humabon, still active in Philippine Navy.
  • 15 June 1975: Stricken from the NVR
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Atherton 141k 8 May 1945: off Point Judith RI - Taken from an ASW blimp during the attack on U-853. Peter Lydon
    Atherton 32k circa 1956: (Official Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1956-57"). Robert Hurst
    Atherton 41k circa 1967, as the Japanese Navy IJNS Hatsuhi
    Atherton 68k date / location unknown, as the Philippine Navy BRP Rajah Humabon.
    Atherton 236k 19 April 2009: Subic Bay, the Phillipine Islands - View of the superstructure of the BRP Rajah Humabon (PF 11) taken at the Rivera Point piers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Sunday, April 19, 2009. One day prior to getting underway for Exercise Balikatan 2009. (Photo by Lcdr Gallardo) Orlando Gallardo, Jr.
    Atherton 79k 19 April 2009: Subic Bay, the Phillipine Islands - View of the quarterdeck podium painting of Rajah Humabon's emblem. (Photo by Orlando Gallardo, Jr.)
    Atherton 390k 21 April 2009: South China Sea - The Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy destroyer escort BRP Rajah Humabon (PF 11) steams ahead during an exercise with the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46), as part of Exercise Balikatan 2009 (BK09). Essex and Tortuga are participating in Balikatan 2009, an annual combined, joint-bilateral exercise involving U.S. and Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, as well as subject matter experts from Philippine civil defense agencies. (U.S. Navy photo #090421-N-9950J-062 by MC2 Greg Johnson from the Navy Newstand) Andrew Payne
    Chesapeake, Va.
    Atherton 114k 22 April 2009: South China Sea - BRP Rajah Humabon steams away after conclusion of the photo exercise held as part of Exercise Balikatan 2009. (Photo by Orlando Gallardo, Jr.) Orlando Gallardo, Jr.
    Atherton Memorabilia
    Launch Button
    Atherton
    Courtesy of Tom Kermen
    View the USS Atherton (DE 169) DANFS history entry
    located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Last Known Reunion:
    23 - 25 June 2008 at Albany NY
    Contact Name: Preston Davis
    Address: 75 Driftwood Lane / Stafford VA 22554
    Phone: (540) 659-4822
    E-mail: P. Davis
    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
    USS Atherton Web Site
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Atherton
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE Photo Index Page Back To The Main Photo Index

    Comments, Suggestions, or Image Submissions, Please E-mail: DE Info
    Problems or Site Related Matters, Please E-mail: Webmaster

    This Page Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated 26 April 2009