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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Sellstrom (DE-255)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - F - T - M
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - China Service Medal - American Campaign Medal
Second Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal w/ 1 star - World War II Victory Medal
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 Brown Shipbuilding, Houston TX on 16 March 1943, Launched 12 May 1943
Commissioned 12 October 1943, Decommissioned 13 June 1946
Reclassified DER-255, 21 October 1955
Moved to the Brooklyn NSY for conversion 1 November 1955
Recommissioned 1 October 1956, Decommissioned at the Philadelphia NSY June 1960
Stricken 1 November 1965
Fate: Sold for scrapping in April 1967 to the Peck Iron & Metalworks, Portsmouth VA
Click On Image
For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Sellstrom 8k Edward Robert Sellstrom was born in Gowrie, Iowa on 19 July 1916, and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota in 1939. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve as Seaman second class at Minneapolis on 14 January 1941 and was appointed Aviation Cadet at Pensacola, Fla., on 20 March 1941. On 15 September 1941, he was commissioned Ensign, USNR. After duty in the Advanced Carrier Training Group, Pacific Fleet, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 3, on board carrier Lexington. On 20 February 1942, Ensign Sellstrom intercepted an enemy four-engined bomber, determinedly pursued it through clouds and rain, and assisted in shooting it down despite heavy machine gun and cannon fire. Later that day, he intercepted and shot down another aircraft during an attack directed at his carrier by nine enemy bombers. As a result of his "skillful marksmanship and courage," he was awarded the Navy Cross. Ensign Sellstrom was killed in an airplane crash on 21 June 1942.

USS Sellstrom (DE-255) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

(Photo Courtesy of the Gustavus Adolphus College Alumni Association thanks to Philly Kauffmann)		 Bill Gonyo
Sellstrom 77k Rec'd 16 Sept. 1944 (Official USN photo #USN-177791 from the US Coast Guard Cutter List Mike Green
Sellstrom 162k undated: as DER-255 Dean J. Frazer
View the USS Sellstrom (DE-255), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center web site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
None
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
DER Group on MSN
US Coast Guard Cutter List - USS Sellstrom
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
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Page Last Updated 12 April 2008