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 Mills (DE 383)


N - J - U - T
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Fever Breaker"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon
Second Row: Navy Expeditionary Medal - China Service Medal - American Campaign Medal
Third Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal w/ 1 star - World War II Victory Medal
Fourth Row: National Defense Service Medal - Antarctica Service Ribbon - 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
Mills (DE 383) Building and Operational Data:
  • 26 March 1943: Keel laid by the Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Tex.
  • 26 May 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. James E. Mills
  • 12 October 1943: Commissioned, Lcdr J. S. Muzzy, USCG, in command
  • 14 June 1946: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla.
  • 1 November 1956: Reclassified as DER 383, conversion commenced at the Boston Naval Shipyard
  • 3 October 1957: Recommissioned, Lcdr Joseph E. Feaster in command, assigned to Newport, R.I. as a radar picket of the North American Continental Air Defense System
  • 3 September 1968: Assigned as NRT ship, Washington Naval District at Baltimore, Md.
  • 27 October 1970: Decommissioned at Norfolk, Va.
  • 1 August 1974: Struck from the NVR
  • 12 March 1975: Sold for scrapping
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Mills 139k August 1960: Boston Naval Shipyard (Photo © Richard Leonhardt) Richard Leonhardt
    Mills 49k April 1967: Italy (Photo © Richard McNamara) Richard McNamara
    Mills 31k late 1960's: in New York Harbor, with the statue of Liberty off the starboard bow. Bob Yellen
    Mills 301k Winter 1972 - Spring 1973: Philadelphia, Pa. - Two views of decommissioned Mills at the Inactive Ship Basin of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. Jim Cunliffe
    Mills 290k
    Mills Memorabilia
    Ashtray
    Mills
    Courtesy of Mike Smolinski    		 Ship's Plaque
    Mills
    Courtesy of Mike Smolinski
    View the USS Mills (DE 383) DANFS history entry
    located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Contact Name: Jack Merkle
    Address: 12403 Madeley Lane / Bowie MD 20715
    Phone: (301) 262-4288
    E-mail: Jack Merkle
    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
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Tin Can Sailors
    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 21 September 2010