Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.

Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Eichenberger (DE 202)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - G - C - F
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 - Philippine Liberation Ribbon
Specifications:
Class: Buckley
Type: TE (turbine-electric drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1400 tons (light), 1740 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 9" (extreme)
Draft: 10' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 "D" Express boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 kts
Range: 6,000 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 / 198
Eichenberger (DE 202) Building and Operational Data:
  • 15 April 1943: Keel laid by the Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.
  • 22 July 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Phyllis Louise (Parman) Eichenberger of Homestead, Fla., Ensign Eichenberger's widow
  • 17 November 1943: Commissioned at the Charleston Navy Yard, Lcdr. N. Harrell in command
  • 14 May 1946: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 2 years and 6 months of service, having steamed 120,357 miles
  • 19 July 1946: Inactivation completed at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • 01 December 1972: Struck from the NVR
  • 01 November 1973: Sold for scrapping to the National Metal and Steel Corp., Terminal Island, Los Angeles, Cal.
    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 81346 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Eichenberger
    0620201a

    Eichenberger
    0620201b

    Eichenberger

    		 26k





    36k    		 Charles Emil Eichenberger Jr. was born in Naranja, Fla. on 12 May 1920, the son of Charles E. and Ida Catherine (Matthews) Eichenberger. A 1941 graduate of the Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina, Eichenberger enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 15 April 1941 as a Seaman Second Class and received his elimination flight training from 15 April 1941 to 05 May 1941 at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Miami, Fla. He also received training at the Naval Air Stations in Jacksonville and Pensacola, Fla.

    On 12 June 1941 his enlistment terminated under honorable conditions and on 13 June he was appointed Aviation Cadet, U.S. Naval Reserve and reported for active duty to undergo training at the Naval Air Stations in Pensacola and Miami. Fla. Soon after graduating, Charles Eichenberger married 21 year old Phyllis Louise Parnam in Wake, North Carolina on 25 March 1942.

    He was soon after assigned to Fighter Squadron 5 in USS Saratoga (CV 3). Ensign Eichenberger was killed in action on 12 September 1942 in the fierce fighting of the Solomon Islands around Guadalcanal while pressing home an attack on enemy dive bombers.

    USS Eichenberger (DE 202) (1943-1945) was the first ship named in his honor.

    (Photo from the The Citadel, Citadel History)    		 Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Eichenberger
    0620202    		 614k 22 July 1943: Charleston Navy Yard, S.C. - Eichenberger's Christening and launch Dorothy Henson
    from the scrapbook of her uncle,
    Roy V. Anthis

    Larger Scans, Courtesy of

    Frederick J. Moisson
    Collection Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
    Museum of Military History
    5210 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway
    Kissimmee, Florida 34746
    Eichenberger
    0620203    		 322k 18 November 1943: Charleston Navy Yard - Crew portrait (taken the day after commissioning)
    Eichenberger
    0620204    		 153k November 1943 John Klar
    Somerville, N.J.
    Eichenberger
    0620206    		 323k 09 December 1943: Charleston, S.C. - USS Eichenberger (DE 202) preparing to pass under the John P. Grace Bridge over the Cooper River. Commissioned at Charleston Navy Yard on 17 November 1943 she remained at the Yard for fitting out. She got underway as a unit of Squadron Baker, Task Group 23.1 (DE-DD Shakedown Group) heading for her shakedown training cruise. Other units in Squadron Baker were Swearer (DE 186), Pride (DE 323), Falgout (DE 324), Lansing (DE 388), Calcaterra (DE 390), Chambers (DE 391), and Underhill (DE 682). Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    ***Alger / Eichenberger***
    0610105    		 327k early 1944: USS Hamul (AD 20) with (from left to right) DEs USS Calcaterra (DE 390); USS Pride (DE 323); USS Falgout (DE 324); USS Alger (DE 101) and USS Eichenberger (DE 202), alongside at Bermuda. Note HF/DF antenna visible on three of the five DEs, and the two-tone Measure 22 camouflage on four of the five DEs.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 86271, courtesy of the Captain D.L. Madeira Collection)
    Eichenberger
    0620205    		 130k Sunday, 09 April 1972: Stockton, Cal, - USS Eichenberger (DE 202) laid up at the Stockton, California "Mothball Fleet". Nested with her are: USS Savage (DER 386) and USS Knudson (APD 101).

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 79828 courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1974; from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource Archive Manager
    DE / FF / LCS Archive
    Eichenberger Memorabilia
    Launch Program
    Cover
    Eichenberger
    Courtesy of
    Jon Burdett    		 Postal Cover,
    Launch
    Eichenberger
    Courtesy of
    Jon Burdett    		 Commissioning
    Invitation
    Eichenberger
    Courtesy of
    Frederick J. Moisson    		 Dinner Menu
    05 September 1945
    Eichenberger
    Courtesy of
    Frederick J. Moisson    		 Historical
    Newsletter
    Eichenberger
    Courtesy of
    Navsource
    Eichenberger History
    View the USS Eichenberger (DE 202) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    Eichenberger's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 17 Nov. 1943 - 16 May 1945Lcdr. Ned Harrell (Comm. CO)
    2.) 16 May 1945 - 07 Oct. 1945Lcdr. Norwood Penrose Hallowell III, USNR (Milton, Mass.)
    3.) 01 Nov. 1945 - 07 Jan. 1946Lcdr. Albert Davis Jordan, USNR (Yonkers, N.Y.)
    4.) 01 Feb. 1946 - 16 May 1946Lt.(jg) Ralph F. DuPree, USNR (Decomm. CO) (Alachua, Fla.)
    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
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    To The DE, FF, LCS Photo Index Page
    Back To The Main Photo Index

    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail: Webmaster.

    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 03 November 2023