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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive
Tab Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Durant (DE 389)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - H - G - J
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Magic Song"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
Second Row: WWII Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star - Antarctica Service Ribbon
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
Durant (DE 389) Building and Operational Data:
  • 15 May 1943: Keel laid at the Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Tex.
  • 3 August 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. S. R. Durant, mother of Pharmacist's Mate Durant
  • 16 November 1943: Commissioned at Houston, Tex., Lcdr C. C. Knapp, USCG, in command
  • 27 February 1946: Decommissioned at Jacksonville, Fla.
  • 9 May 1952: Loaned to USCG and Recommissioned as WDE 489
  • 10 April 1954: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal.
  • 16 June 1954: Returned to USN at San Diego, Cal.
  • 7 December 1955: Reclassified DER 389 and conversion scheduled
  • 8 December 1956: Recommissioned, Lcdr Harry C. Carter, USN, in command
  • June 1964: Decommissioned
  • 1 April 1974: Struck from the NVR
  • 16 August 1974: Sold for scrapping
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Durant 50k undated wartime image Russ Padden
    Durant 197k undated wartime image David Buell
    Durant 97k USS Durant (serving as WDE 489), 1952-1954 (USCG photo) -
    Durant 115k 24 April 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - Forward plan view of Durant, with Coast Guard hull paint job and most of her topside being modified . (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 29052-4-56) Darryl Baker
    Durant 66k USCGC Durant (WDE 489) underway date and location unknown. She is shown painted in Coast Guard colors, white hull, and buff funnel with black top. The heavy DE close-range armament was retained during her period of Coast Guard service. (Photos and text taken from "American Destroyer Escorts of World War 2" by Peter Elliott) Robert Hurst
    Durant 82k date and location unknown: USCGC Durant (WDE 489) underway. Nick Tiberio
    Durant 30k 16 November 1956: The Vallejo Times Herald - A photo of Lcdr Harry E. Carter, new commanding officer of USS Durant (DER 389) which appeared in today’s issue of the paper. (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32278-11-56) Darryl Baker
    Durant 836k November 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - A view of Durant taken during her conversion to a DER. (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32277-11-56)
    Durant 131k 22 November 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - Forward plan view of Durant shortly before her recomissioning. (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32278-11-56)
    Durant 117k 7 December 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - Commissioning ceremonies aboard USS Durant (DER 389). The speaker is Capt. George L. Shame; Commander, Mare Island Submarine Administration. The officer behind Capt. Shame are from left to right: Lt. R. D. Provost, Executive Officer; Lcdr. Harry E. Carter, Commanding Officer and Radm. Martin J. Lawrence, Shipyard Commander. (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32463-12-56)
    Durant 150k 7 December 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - Commissioning ceremonies aboard USS Durant (DER 389). (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32465-12-56)
    Durant 191k 27 December 1956: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal. - Broadside view of Durant off Mare Island. She was converted at the Naval Shipyard from 1 December 1955 to 31 January 1957. (U.S. Navy photo #DER 389 32616-12-)
    Additional Memorabilia
    Ship's Plaque
    Durant
    Courtesy of Mike Smolinski
    View the USS Durant (DE 389) DANFS history entry
    located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Next Reunion:
    2013 at Seattle, Wash. (tentative)
    Contact Name: Mike Mains
    E-mail: Mike Mains
    Contact Name: Don Wiggins
    E-mail: Don Wiggins
    Contact Name: Jim Neymeyer
    E-mail: Jim Neymeyer
    Association Address: USS Durant (DE-389) Assn. 1720 SE 5th. St. Ocala, FL. 34471
    Association Web Site: USS Durant (DE-389) Assn.
    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 Durant Website
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Durant
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE Photo Index Page Back To The Main Photo Index

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    This Page Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
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    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated 6 July 2012