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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

Ship's patches courtesy of Nick Tiberio, Tab from Mike Smolinski

USS Parle (DE-708)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign:
N - T - I - Q
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Astoria"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Expeditionary Medal - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row: Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - WWII Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal w/star
Class: Rudderow      Type: TEV (turbo-electric drive, long hull, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1,450 tons (std) 1,810 tons (full)    Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 11.5" x 13' 9" (max)
Armament: 2-5"/38 Mk30, 4 (2x2) 40mm Mk1 AA, 10 x 20mm/70 Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1),
1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (230 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors (40), 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks (60)
Machinery: 2 CE boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 knots   Range: 5,050 nm @ 12 knots   Crew: 12 / 192
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City MI on 8 January 1944, Launched 25 March 1944
Commissioned 29 July 1944, Decommissioned 10 July 1946
Recommissioned March 2 1951
Placed "In Service, In Reserve" and assigned to NRT, 5th Naval District at Norfolk VA, 1 January 1959
Recommissioned October 1961 for the Berlin Crisis, Decommissioned and placed back"in service" August 1962
Reassigned to NRT duty, 9th Naval District at Chicago IL, 1965
Decommissioned at Norfolk VA 1 July 1970, Stricken 1 July 1970
(Last commissioned US Navy ship based on the Great Lakes / Last Active DE in USN Service)
Fate: Sunk as target off Florida on 27 October 1970
Click On Image
For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Parle 8k John Joseph Parle (26 May 1920 - 17 July 1943) was born at Omaha NE and enlisted in the US Naval Reserve as Apprentice Seaman 11 January 1942. He began Midshipman training at Notre Dame University 5 October and was commissioned Ensign, USNR on 28 January 1943. Following assignment with the Amphibious Force at Norfolk VA, he was reassigned to the Northwest African Amphibious Force and attached to LST-375 as officer-in-charge of small boats during the invasion of Sicily, 9-10 July 1943. "For valor and courage above and beyond the call of duty," as an accidentally ignited smoke pot was about to touch off a boat laden with high-explosive charges and ammunition, which would disclose to the enemy the assault about to be carried out, he unhesitatingly entered the craft, snuffed out some burning fuses, and after failing to extinguish the smoke pot, took it in his bare hands and tossed it over the side, succumbing a week later as a result of poisonous fumes and smoke inhaled, "he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Ensign Parle’s heroic self-sacrifice prevented grave damage to the ship and personnel and insured the security of a vital mission. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."

USS Parle (DE-708) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

(Photo from the Parle Family Geneology Website)		 Navsource
Parle 95k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - USS Parle (DE-708) and USS Keywadin (ATA-213) anchored in Buzzard's Bay near the Cape Cod Canal. (Photo #19620800S-a20, © Richard Leonhardt) Richard Leonhardt
Parle 118k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - Parle and Keywadin, as above (Photo #19620800S-a21, © Richard Leonhardt)
Parle 115k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - Parle and Keywadin, as above (Photo #19620800S-a23, © Richard Leonhardt)
Keywadin 87k Keywadin and Parle moored at Falmouth, MA., August 1962.
Parle 136k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - Parle and Keywadin, as above (Photo #19620800S-a24, © Richard Leonhardt)
Parle 111k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - Parle and Keywadin, as above (Photo #19620800S-a25, © Richard Leonhardt)
Parle 127k August 1962: off Falmouth MA - Parle and Keywadin, as above (Photo #19620800S-a28, © Richard Leonhardt)
Parle 79k date / location unknown Robert Hurst
Parle 107k date / location unknown Bill Gonyo
Parle 193k date / location unknown David Buell
View the USS Parle (DE-708), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center website.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Contact Name: Chet Hancock, QMCM (ret.)
E-mail: Chet Hancock
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.

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Page Last Updated 23 January 2008