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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS LeRay Wilson (DE-414)

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - J - L - L

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 4 stars - WWII Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal

Class: John C. Butler      Type: WGT (geared-turbine drive, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1,350/1745 tons    Dimensions: 306' (oa) x 36' 10" x 13'4" (max)
Armament: 2-5"/38 DP, 4 (2x2) 40mm AA, 10-20mm AA, 3-21" TT, 1 Hedgehog, 8 DCT's, 2 DC tracks
Machinery: 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 knots    Range: 6000 nm @ 12 knots    Crew: 14 / 201

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Brown Shipbuilding, Houston TX on 20 December 1943
Launched 28 January 1944, Commissioned 10 May 1944
Decommissioned 15 January 1947
Received Major ASW Upgrade in 1947
Recommissioned 28 March 1951, Decommissioned 30 January 1959
Stricken 15 May 1972

Fate: Sold for scrapping 14 September 1973

Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
56k	LeRay Wilson was born at Cove, Oregon on 4 February 1920, and enlisted in the Navy 8 February 1939. Assigned to USS *William B. Preston* (AVD-7) on 14 June 1940, Wilson was on the seaplane tender in Malolog Bay in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked American ships there on the morning of 8 December 1941. He remained on her throughout the succeeding months of valiant struggle in which plucky American ships defied overwhelming odds fighting to hold back the enemy advance toward Australia. Japanese bombers finally caught up with *William B. Preston* at Darwin, Australia, 19 February 1942. Despite the rapidity with which the attack developed and the very obvious danger of being trapped by an explosion, Wilson went immediately below decks and had just completed closing all doors and hatches when a bomb hitting within a few feet of him caused his death. Because of his courage and efficiency, the flooding of the ship was confined to two compartments. Metalsmith 2d Class Wilson was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his bravery. USS *LeRay Wilson* (DE-414) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo from the USS LeRay Wilson Website)	Bill Gonyo
77k	undated wartime image	George J. Chairsson
62k	undated wartime image	Dan Culliton RM 44-46
67k	in dry dock, undated wartime image
65k	undated wartime image
72k	10 January 1945: Just prior to being struck by a kamikaze. Aircraft (Japanese Betty) and AA tracer fire are visible. (Slightly blurred but excellent image, whoever took this image is a very brave man.)
103k	1951: After recommissioning	Frank D. Heckart GM 2/C October 1954 - May 1956.
120k	undated postwar image	David Buell

View the USS LeRay Wilson (DE-414), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center web site.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Francis (Frank) D. Heckart GM 2/C
Address: 635 C. R. 785 / Natalia TX 78059
Phone: (830) 665-9789
E-mail: fdhmjh@aol.com

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 LeRay Wilson Website
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association

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Page Last Updated 12 April 2008