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 French (DE 367)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - T - G - A
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 w/ 2 stars - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal


Specifications:
Class: John C. Butler
Type: WGT (geared-turbine drive, 5" guns)
Displacement: 1350 tons (light), 1745 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 11' 0" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 "D" Express boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 kts
Range: 6,000 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 2 - 5"/38 cal. DP guns (2x1), 4 - 40mm AA (2x2), 10 - 20mm AA, 3 - 21" TT, 1 Mk10 Hedgehog, 8 Mk6 Depth Charge Projectors, 2 Mk9 Depth Charge Stern Racks
Complement: 14 / 201
French (DE 367) Building and Operational Data:
  • 01 May 1944: Keel laid by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.
  • 17 June 1944: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Alma M. French, mother of Corporal French
  • 09 October 1944: Commissioned by Cmdr. J.M.D. Knowles representing Commander Eighth Naval District, Lcdr. T. K. Dunstan, USNR, in command
  • 29 May 1946: Decommissioned at San Diego, Cal. after 1 year and 7½ months of service having steamed 73569 miles
  • 10 January 1947: Inactivation completed at San Diego, Cal., assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • 15 May 1972: Struck from the NVR
  • 20 September 1973: Sold for scrapping
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    French

    French

    French
    70k




    45k
    Neldon Theo French was born on 25 July 1918 in Benton County, Tenn., to Clarence H. and Alma M. French. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on 09 September 1940 at Nashville, Tenn., and arrived at the Marine Barracks, Parris Island, S.C., two days later. Following his boot camp training, French served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (from 23 December 1940), and at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va. (from 23 June 1941), where he received promotions to private 1st class (28 December 1941) and corporal (22 March 1942). Carried as “in the field” on 28 April 1942, Cpl. French took part in the Guadalcanal campaign, being wounded in action on 24 September 1942.

    Subsequently, on 08 October 1942, Cpl. French, in Company A, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, dug in in a defensive position along the Matanikau River, came under attack by approximately 150 Japanese that plunged through the dense jungle growth against the leathernecks' hastily prepared positions under the cover of smoke. French and other members of his platoon bore the brunt of the savage assault, the enemy employing automatic weapons, hand grenades and bayonets. Fighting fiercely in hand-to-hand combat, the marines refused to be dislodged and while they died at their positions, they exacted a heavy toll, daylight revealing 78 dead Japanese on the field of battle.

    For his heroism on the night of 08-09 October 1942, the 24-year old Tennesseean was awarded the Navy Cross (posthumously), as well as a share of the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the First Marine Division. Originally interred on Guadalcanal, French’s remains were eventually returned to the land of his birth in response to his mother’s request on 30 June 1947, and he lies in Baker’s Chapel Cemetery, Camden, Tennessee.

    USS French (DE 367) (1944-1946) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

    Photos from Special Forces Roll of Honor
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    French 295k 17 June 1944: Orange, Tex. – Guests view the christening and launching of USS French at Consolidated Steel & Shipbuilding. Standing at center is Mr. C.H. French, father of Corporal French. Neldon French
    French 262k 17 June 1944: Orange, Tex – Mrs. Alma French, mother of Corporal French.
    French 238k 17 June 1944: Orange, Tex. – Mrs. French prepares to christen the ship.
    French 270k 17 June 1944: Orange, Tex. – Mrs. French breaks the traditional bottle of champagne on the ship's bow.
    French 283k 17 June 1944: Orange, Tex. – USS French being launched at Consolidated Steel & Shipbuilding.
    French 277k USS French (DE-367) off San Francisco in 1945-46.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 79837, Courtesy of D.M. McPherson, 1974 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Green
    Port Angeles, Wash.
    French 56k 1972: Photo of mothballed ships moored together in the muddy waters of the Napa River at Mare Island. From left are Sedgwick County (LST-1123), an unidentified LST, Owen (DD 536), French, an unidentified destroyer, Howard F. Clark (DE 533), and another unidentified destroyer.

    (Photo courtesy of L. Cote, from Warship Boneyards, by Kit and Carolyn Bonner)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom

    French History
    View the USS French (DE 367) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.

    French's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.) 09 Oct. 1944 – 09 Dec. 1944Lcdr. Thomas Kempshall Dunstan, USNR (Comm. CO) (New York City, N.Y.)
    2.) 09 Dec. 1944 – .. Dec. 1945Lcdr. Reginald Chauncey Robbins Jr., USNR (Houlton, Me.)
    3.) .. Dec. 1945 – .. Mar. 1946Lcdr. Everett (Easy) Marsalis Glenn (USNA '40) (Amarillo, Tex.)
    4.) .. Mar. 1946 – 29 May 1946Lt.(jg) John H. Crahan, USNR (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

    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: 15 November 2021