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

Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Thomas J. Gary (DE 326)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - T - J - G
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Trout Fishing"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Unit Commendation w/ 1 star - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal
Second Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row: National Defense Service Medal - Antarctic Service Medal w/ 1 star - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Specifications:
Class: Edsall
Type: FMR (geared diesel, Fairbanks-Morse reverse gear drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1200 tons (light), 1590 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 20' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 Fairbanks-Morse Mod. 38d81/8 geared diesel engines, 4 diesel-generators, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 9,100 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: 8 / 201
Thomas J. Gary (DE 326) Building and Operational Data:
  • 15 June 1943: Keel laid by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Tex.
  • 21 August 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Willie Mae Gary, mother of Seaman 2d Class Gary
  • 27 November 1943: Commissioned, Lcdr William H. Harrison, USNR, in command
  • 7 March 1947: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla.
  • 24 July 1956: Delivered to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for conversion to DER
  • 1 November 1956: Reclassified DER 326
  • 2 August 1957: Recommissioned, assigned to Newport, R.I. as a unit of the Atlantic Barrier, a part of the North American Air Defense Command
  • 1 July 1967: Homeport assignment changed to Key West, Fla.
  • 22 October 1973: Decommissioned and stricken from the NVR
  • 22 October 22 1973: to Tunisia, renamed President Bourguiba, later renamed Indakh
  • 16 April 1992: Suffered a major engineroom fire, no longer operational. Now serves as Fleet headquarters and accommodation ship, berthed at Bizerte
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Thomas J. Gary 52k undated wartime image David Buell
    Thomas J. Gary 47k undated Gene Spinelli, ETR-2, USNR
    Thomas J. Gary 165k underway during the Cuban Blockade T. Mark Graham, in honor of his Dad, Ltjg Thomas Kent Graham
    Thomas J. Gary 39k Sept - Dec 1966, Perseverance Harbor, Campbell Island, south of New Zealand (Photo © Gene Spinelli) Gene Spinelli, ETR-2, USNR
    Thomas J. Gary 101k Underway. Otago Harbor, Dunedin, New Zealand. Sometime between Oct. 1965 and Feb. 1966 (From collection of Archie Cunningham RD2/USN)
    Thomas J. Gary 66k 1983: Valletta, Malta - departing Grand Harbour Robert Hurst
    Gary Memorabilia
    Ship's Plaque
    Thomas J. Gary
    Courtesy of Mike Smolinski
    View the USS Thomas J. Gary (DE 326) DANFS history entry
    located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Contact Name: Ron Day
    Address: 5608 County Rt. 10 / Heuvelton NY 13654
    Phone: use e-mail
    E-mail: Ron Day
    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 Thomas J. Gary Website
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Thomas J. Gary
    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 Is Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
    All Pages Copyright © 1996 - 2010 Paul R. Yarnall © 2010 Navsource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated 15 May 2009