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NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

Ship's Emblem and Name Tab Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Wilhoite (DE 397)

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - T - H - U
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Smoky Hill"

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row: Navy Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Third Row: Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal w/ star - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Fourth Row: Antarctic Service Ribbon - Viet Nam Service Medal w/ 6 stars - Republic of Viet Nam Campaign 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 4 August 1943, Launched 5 October 1943
Commissioned 16 December 1943, Decommissioned 19 June 1946
Reclassified and converted DER-397, 2 September 1954
Recommissioned 29 January 1955, Decommissioned 2 July 1969
Stricken 2 July 1969

Fate: Sold for scrapping 19 July 1972 to General Metals, Inc. of Tacoma WA

Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
169k	January 1961: Sydney, Australia	Pete Schonenberg, Cdr USN (ret.) XO - Nav '60 - '61 via Bob Hall
76k	12 February 1966: Pearl Harbor HI (Photo © Richard Leonhardt)	Richard Leonhardt
38k	date / location unknown	Robert Hurst

View Paul M. LaFave's
Wilhoite Scrapbook

View the USS Wilhoite (DE 397), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center website.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

2008 Reunion
17 - 21 September 2008 at the
Grand Plaza Hotel, Branson MO

Reunion Contact: John & Connie Mauldin
Address: 106 Chestnut Drive / Yukon OK 73099
Phone: (405) 354-9204
E-mail: J. Mauldin
Or
Ship's Contact: Elisabeth Rider, Recording Secretary, USS Wilhoite Association
Address: 303 North Vancouver Ave. / Russellville AR 72801
Phone: (479) 968-6659
FAX: (479) 968-8192
E-mail: canerday@suddenlink.net

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 Wilhoite Association Web Site
DER Group on MSN
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association

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This Page Is Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
All Pages Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Paul R. Yarnall © 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
Page Last Updated 15 December 2007