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ex-HMS Halder (BDE-18)

USS Gilmore (DE 18)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - X - B - Y
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
Second Row: American Campaign Medal - Asia-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 star - WWII Victory Medal
Specifications:
Class: Evarts
Type: GMT (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, short hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,140 tons (light), 1,430 tons (full)
Length: 283' 6" (wl), 289' 5" (oa)
Beam: 35' 0" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 19 kts
Range: 4,150 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 - 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 - 1.1"/75 cal. Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 9 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 15 / 183
Gilmore (DE 18) Building and Operational Data:
  • 01 April 1942: Keel laid by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal.
  • 22 October 1942: Launched as HMS Halder (BDE 18), sponsored by Mrs. Otis J. Boyer, wife of a Quarterman Rigger of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
  • 19 February 1943: Retained by U.S. Navy, renamed USS Gilmore
  • 17 April 1943: Commissioned, Lcdr. S. C. Small in command
  • 29 December 1945: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 2 years and 8⅓ months of service
  • 21 January 1946: Struck from the NVR
  • 01 February 1947: Sold, scrapped
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Gilmore
    0601802    		 110k 22 October 1942: Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. - Mrs. Otis J. Boyer (Sponsor) is seen christening the HMS Halder. Capt F. G. Crisp to left of Mrs. Boyer is assisting in the christening.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-6535-42)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Gilmore
    0601803    		 127k 22 October 1942: The HMS Halder (BDE 18) is half way down the building ways at Mare Island on 22 Oct 1942.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-6534-42)
    Gilmore
    0601813    		 165k 13 April 1943: The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Gilmore (DE 18) at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California. Gilmore was commissioned on 17 April 1943.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #19-N-43274 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Gilmore
    0601804    		 74k 27 February 1945: Bow on view of Gilmore off Mare Island.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-1505-45)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Gilmore
    0601805    		 98k 27 February 1945: Broadside view, she was in overhaul at the yard from 19 January until 3 March 1945.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-1505-45)
    Gilmore
    0601812    		 399k 27 February 1945: Vallejo, Cal. - Port quarter view (135 degrees off centerline) of Gilmore off the Mare Island Navy Yard, wearing Measure 22 camouflage scheme. Gilmore was originally allocated to England under terms of the Lend-Lease Program, and launched as HMS Halder (BDE-18) on 22 October 1942 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California. Reallocated to the United States Navy, Gilmore (DE 18) was commissioned on 17 April 1943.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #1502-45 from the Mare Island Navy Yard)    		 Mike Green
    Port Angeles, Wash.
    Gilmore
    0601806    		 111k 27 February 1945: Stern view.

    (Navy Photo #DE-18-1501-45)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Gilmore
    0601807    		 212k 03 March 1945: Forward plan view of Gilmore. USS Engstrom (DE 50) is aft of Gilmore and the stern of Montgomery (DM 17) is seen of the next pier to the right.

    (<U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-1625-45)
    Gilmore
    0601808    		 256k 03 March 1945: Aft plan view, note new quad 40mm gun mount aft which replaced the 1.1" guns.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-18-1624-45)
    Gilmore
    0601810    		 187k 03 March 1945: Mare Island Naval Shipyard Pieter Bakels
    Wehl, The Netherlands
    Gilmore
    0601811    		 158k 03 March 1945: Mare Island Naval Shipyard
    Gilmore
    0601809    		 67k Alaska, undated Roy Byrum
    Gilmore History
    View the USS Gilmore (DE 18) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View a short article on the design and development of the Evarts Class DE submitted by Bob Sables.
    Gilmore's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 17 Apr. 1943 - 31 Aug. 1943Lcdr. Seldon Clobridge Small (Comm. CO)
    2.) 31 Aug. 1943 - 03 Jan. 1944Lt. Alfred Gordon Cooke, USNR
    3.) 03 Jan. 1944 - 24 Jan. 1945Lcdr. Walter Donald Jenckes, USNR
    4.) 24 Jan. 1945 - 29 Dec. 1945Lt. Theodore Francis Mayer Jr., USNR (Decomm. CO)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Contact Name: Roland Major
    Address: 6239 Monita Street
    City/State: Long Beach, CA. 90803-2125
    Phone:(562) 430-9391
    E-mail:rmajor696@charter.net

    Contact Name: Bill Glover
    Address: 1929 SW 16th Pl.
    City/State: Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8026
    Phone: (954) 571-5157
    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, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
    Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

    Additional Resources
    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page
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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: 13 April 2023