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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive



Early '50's Patch (left) and Post-1958 (center) Patch courtesy of Stanley Zalewski, tab from Mike Smolinski

USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign:
N - H - F - K

Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Glen Falls"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Expeditionary Medal - American Campaign Medal - Asia-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 star
Second Row: WWII Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal - National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star


"Valor"
Specifications:
Class: John C. Butler
Type: WGT (geared-turbine drive, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1350 tons (light), 1745 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 "D" Express boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 kts
Range: 6,000 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 2 - 5"/38 cal. DP guns (2x1), 4 - 40mm AA (2x2), 10 - 20mm AA, 3 - 21" TT, 1 Mk10 Hedgehog, 8 Mk6 Depth Charge Projectors, 2 Mk9 Depth Charge Stern Racks
Complement: 14 / 201
Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) Building and Operational Data:
  • 23 May 1944: Keel laid by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.
  • 26 August 1944: Launched and christened, sponsored by Miss Ina Lee Parker
  • 25 October 1944: Commissioned, Lcdr. Duane R. Stoneleigh, USNR, in command
  • 31 May 1946: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 1 year and 7 months of service having steamed 83,703 miles
  • 18 September 1946: Inactivation completed at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • 21 September 1951: Recommissioned at San Diego, Cal., Lcdr. John L. Hansen, USN, in command
  • 14 February 1952: Homeport assignment changed to Newport, R.I. as a unit of Escort Squadron 12
  • 11 November 1957: Assigned to NRT, 3rd Naval District, at the New York Naval Shipyard as a unit of Reserve Escort Squadron 2
  • 19 November 1959: Assigned to NRT, 3rd Naval District, at Port Newark, N. J. as a unit of Reserve Escort Squadron 2
  • 02 October 1961: Recommissioned at Port Newark, N. J. for the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cmdr. Robert G. Hirsch, USNR, in command, assigned to Escort Squadron 12 at Newport, R.I.
  • 01 August 1962: Decommissioned at Port Newark, N. J., placed "In Service", reassigned to NRT, 3rd Naval District, Lt. Raymond J. Hart, USN, Officer in Charge
  • 29 April 1963: Assigned to NRT, 3rd Naval District, at the Naval Supply Center, Bayonne, N. J. as a unit of Reserve Destroyer Squadron 30 (ResDesDiv 302)
  • 01 September 1967: Taken "Out of Service" at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, custody transferred to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, struck from the NVR
  • 09 July 1968: Sold for scrapping to the Peck Iron & Metals Co., Portsmouth, Va.
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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    T. Parker

    T. Parker
    (0636901)
    9k Thaddeus Parker was born on 13 November 1923 in Cross City, Fla. and enlisted in the United States Navy on 27 June 1941. Upon completion of basic training, Parker was assigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Va., as a Hospital Apprentice on 30 August. On 31 October 1941, he was stationed at the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va., where he served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Naval Hospital, and, after 29 March 1942, in the First Raider Battalion, Fleet Marine Force.

    Parker accompanied the Raider Battalion when that unit was ordered to the South Pacific. He was awarded the Navy Cross "for extraordinary heroism while serving as company corpsman during an engagement with enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on the night of 13-14 September 1942." The citation further stated: "When his company was almost completely surrounded by the Japanese and under attack from all directions, Parker, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, constantly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for and evacuate the wounded. As a result of his dauntless courage and outstanding devotion to duty, he undoubtedly saved the lives of many of the injured who otherwise might have perished."

    Killed in action at New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 20 July 1943, Parker was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Navy Cross Medal with the following citation: "For gallantry in action at New Georgia, Solomon Islands. Disregarding his personal safety, he aggressively moved forward into areas swept by intense, hostile fire to render medical aid to two seriously wounded marines. In courageously attempting to evacuate the second man, Pharmacist's Mate Parker was killed."

    USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) (1943-1967) was the first ship to be named in his honor.
    (Photo from the Find A Grave web site submitted by Betty Jones Mikell.)
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    T. Parker
    (0636907)
    273k 1952: Boston, Mass. - USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) is shown arriving at the Boston Naval Shipyard.

    (Photo © Leslie Jones, Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection)
    John Whalen
    T. Parker
    (0636913)
    99k 22 May 1952: Thaddeus Parker underway in the Caribbean.

    (U.S. Navy photo #80-G-446907 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Nick Tiberio
    Shelton, Conn.
    T. Parker
    (0636914)
    196k 22 May 1952: Thaddeus Parker underway in the Caribbean. (Date on photo incorrect, should be 22 May 1952)

    (U.S. Navy photo #80-G-446908 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    T. Parker
    (0636902)
    224k circa late '50's: Port Newark, N.J. - Open house being held aboard USS Thaddeus Parker. Al Holenko
    Carolina Shores, N.C.
    T. Parker
    (0636916)
    393k undated image: Aerial view of the destroyer escort USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) underway.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #1043473 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    T. Parker
    (0636903)
    66k early 1960's: Parker shown entering her home port at Port Newark, N.J. Stanley J. Zalewski
    BT3, DE 369
    1958 - 1962
    T. Parker
    (0636904)
    57k 1961: San Juan, P.R. - Parker dry docked in Puerto Rico for rudder repair.
    T. Parker
    (0636908)
    250k 1962: Port Newark, N.J. - Parker shown moored in her home port. Michael Ford
    served in DE 369 as:
    SN 1962-63
    GMG2 1966-67
    T. Parker
    (0636909)
    275k 1962: Port Newark, N.J. - Parker's 5" gun mounts, forward Mount 51 on top and after mount 52 below.
    T. Parker
    (0636910)
    351k
    T. Parker
    (0636911)
    235k 1962: New York, N.Y. - Parker underway in New York harbor.
    R.F. Keller
    (0636912)
    310k 12 May 1962: The Atlantic Ocean - Robert F. Keller (DE 419) cruising in a line abreast formation with USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) and USS Albert T. Harris (DE 447).

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 95914 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Navsource
    T. Parker
    (0636905)
    258k 03 February 1967: Newport, R.I. - Two views of four Third Naval District reserve training DE's alongside USS Yosemite (AD 19) for upkeep and repair. From left to right are: Thaddeus Parker, stationed at the Military Ocean Terminal, Bayonne, N.J.; USS DeLong (DE 684), stationed to the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Reserve Center, Fort Schuyler, Bronx, N.Y.; USS Albert T. Harris (DE 447), stationed at the U.S. Naval Reserve Training Center at Whitestone, Queens, N.Y.; and finally USS Coates (DE 685), stationed at the Long Wharf in New Haven, Conn.

    (Both Photos ©Richard Leonhardt)
    Richard Leonhardt
    Bethlehem, Pa.
    T. Parker
    (0636912)
    118k
    T. Parker
    (0636906)
    76k undated image Nick Tiberio
    Shelton, Conn.
    T. Parker
    ((0636915)
    392k October 1967: News article from "The Naval Reservist" announcing the retirement of Thaddeus Parker from the reserve destroyer programs.

    Thaddeus Parker Memorabilia
    Ship's Plaque
    1950's -early '60's
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Bill Goldbach
    Ship's Plaque
    1950's -early '60's
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Ship's Plaque
    early t mid-1960's
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Bill Goldbach
    Lighter
    (front)
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Lighter
    (back)
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Lighter
    (variation)
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Parker
    Matchbook
    Thaddeus Parker
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski

    Thaddeus Parker History
    View the USS Thaddeus Parker (DE 369) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View the official War History of USS Thaddeus Parker as submitted by the ship at war's end.

    Thaddeus Parker's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 25 Oct. 1944 – 23 Nov. 1945Lcdr. Duane Rice Stoneleigh, USNR (Comm. CO) (Towson, Md.)
    2.) 23 Nov. 1945 – 31 May 1946Lcdr. Henry Jefferson Ereckson Jr., USN (Decomm. CO ) (USNA ‘40) (Muskogee, Okla.)
    3.) 21 Sep. 1951 - .. .... 1953Lcdr. John Lawrence Hansen (Recomm. CO) (USNA ‘42) (Des Moines, Ia.)
    4.) .. .... 1953 - .. .... 1955Lcdr. Alfred Anthony Cherbak (USNA ‘43) (Alta Loma, Cal.) (also CO: DD-445)
    5.) .. .... 1955 – 15 Oct. 1956Lcdr. / Cmdr. David Austin Shonerd, USN (USNA ‘43) (McLean, Va.)
    6.) 15 Oct. 1956 – 29 Aug. 1957Lcdr. Cary Edward Landis, USN (Deland, Fla.) (also CO: DD-732)
    7.) 29 Aug. 1957 – 11 Apr. 1958Lcdr. Charles Edgar Clark Nimitz, USN (USNA '47) (Kerrville, Tex.)
    8.) 11 Apr. 1958 – 18 Apr. 1959Lt. / Lcdr. Horace (Rex) Riley Jr., USN (East Point, Ga.)
    9.) 18 Apr. 1959 – 19 Jun. 1959Lt. Bertrand Thomas Sperling, USN (OinC)
    10.) 19 Jun. 1959 – 12 Jul. 1961Lt. Robert McNichol Loftus, USN (OinC) (Brooklyn, N. Y.)
    11.) 12 Jul. 1961 – 02 Oct. 1961Lt. Julius Kronnagel, USN (OinC) (enl. ‘44) (Monmouth Junction, N. J.)
    12.) 02 Oct. 1961 – 01 Aug. 1962Lcdr. / Cmdr. Robert Gerard Hirsch, USNR (USNA ‘47) (Newark, N. J.)
    13.) 01 Aug. 1962 - 25 May 1964Lt. / Lcdr. Raymond James Hart, USN (OinC) (Providence, R. I.) (also CO: DD-827)
    14.) 25 May 1964 – 11 Mar. 1966Lt. Richard Otis McGhinnis, USN (OinC) (Caldwell County, N. C.)
    15.) 11 Mar. 1966 – 01 Sep. 1967Lt. Joseph Aloysius Driscoll, USN (OinC) (Staten Island, New York City, N. Y.)

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    Contact: Frederick Olsen (QM2, '60 - '62)
    E-mail: F. Olsen
    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, rosters, or deck logs 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
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Thaddeus Parker
    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
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 06 November 2022