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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Garfield Thomas (DE 193)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - G - F - W
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal
Second Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - WWII Victory Medal


Specifications:
Class: Cannon
Type: DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1240 tons (light), 1620 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 10,800 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: 15 / 201
Garfield Thomas (DE 193) Building and Operational Data:
  • 23 September 1943: Keel laid by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., Port Newark, N.J.
  • 12 December 1943,: Launched and christened, sponsored by Lt. Betty K. Thomas, Nurse Corps, United States Army, sister of Lt. (j.g.) W. G. Thomas
  • 24 January 1944: Commissioned, Lcdr. Richard G. Werner in command
  • 27 March 1947: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla. after 3 years and 2 months of service
  • 26 March 1951: Struck from the NVR
  • 15 January 1951: Transferred (MDAP) to Greece, renamed HS Panthir (D-67) (stricken in 1992, reported to be laid up in Souda Bay Crete as of 1/98)
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    By And/Or Copyright
    Garfield Thomas
    0619301

    Garfield Thomas

    7k William Garfield Thomas, Jr. was born in Watsontown, Pa. on 13 September 1916. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve at Philadelphia on 14 June 1940. He was appointed midshipman 10 August, commissioned ensign 14 November 1940, and promoted to lieutenant (j.g.) 15 June 1942. He was serving in light cruiser Boise (CL 47) during the Battle of Cape Esperance on 11-12 October 1942. When his "turret was hit by enemy fire and danger of ... explosions grew increasingly imminent, Lt. (j.g.) Thomas with utter disregard of his own personal safety remained behind to ensure abandonment of the perilous area . . . Despite the fact that eight of his men succeeded in getting out and that he too might easily have escaped . . . Thomas when last seen was telephoning the handling room to order the crew out." He was awarded the Navy Cross for giving up his life in the defense of his country.

    USS Garfield Thomas (DE 193) (1943-1947) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

    (Photo from the Ebensburg-Cambria High School, Ebensburg, PA. (1934 Yearbook)
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Garfield Thomas
    0619302
    150k undated wartime photo Tony Vrailas
    Garfield Thomas
    0619309
    128k undated wartime photo Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Manager, Navsource
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Garfield Thomas
    0619303
    93k 15 January 1951: Boston, Mass. - USS Eldridge (DE 173) and USS Garfield Thomas (DE 193). Ceremony at the Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, transferring the ships to the Royal Hellenic Navy under the provisions of the U.S. Mutual Defense Assistance Program. The ships served in the Greek Navy as, respectively, Leon and Panthir.

    (U.S. Information Agency Photograph, National Archives photo #306-PSG-51-686 Box 45 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Garfield Thomas
    0619304
    97k HNS Panthir (D-67), late 1960's Tony Vrailas
    Garfield Thomas
    0619305
    131k
    Garfield Thomas
    0619306
    97k 18 August 1979: Barcelona, Spain - Greek DEs Ierax (D-31) (ex-Ebert DE 768) and Panthir (D-67) (ex-Garfield Thomas DE 193). Fabio Peña
    Barcelona, Spain

    Navsource Archive Manager
    Aircraft Carrier Archive
    Garfield Thomas
    0619307
    61k laid up at Souda Bay Crete 1995 Tony Vrailas
    Garfield Thomas
    0619308
    157k

    Garfield Thomas History
    View the USS Garfield Thomas (DE 193) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

    Garfield Thomas's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 24 Jan. 1944 - 01 Apr. 1945Lcdr. Richard G. Werner, USNR (Comm. CO)
    2.) 01 Apr. 1945 - 24 Jul. 1945Lt. Edwin D. Duryea Jr., USNR (Mt. Vernon, N. Y.)
    3.) 24 Jul. 1945 - 23 Nov. 1945Lcdr. Joseph Ross Filling Jr., USNR 
    4.) 23 Nov. 1945 - 02 Apr. 1946Lt. Walter Daugherty McCord Jr., USN (USNA ‘43) (New Rochelle, N. Y.)
    5.) 01 May 1946 - 17 Jun. 1946Lt.(jg) Raymond Robert Scheffler (Hancock, Ia.)
    6.) 17 Jun. 1946 - 01 Aug. 1946Lcdr. Thomas Clay 
    7.) 30 Sep. 1946 - 01 Nov. 1946Lt. Raymond Robert Scheffler 
    8.) 01 Feb. 1947 - 17 Mar. 1947Lt.(jg) Charles Cole Smith (Decomm. CO)

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    None
    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
    Tin Can Sailors Shipmate Registry - USS Garfield Thomas
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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 05 February 2023