Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
0641101	76k	Richard Yeater Stafford was born to Fred L. and Minnie G. (Burch) Stafford near Windsor, Mo., on 11 December 1916. He attended the University of Missouri, where he very active socially and athletically as a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Graduating in 1938 with a business and public administration degree, he went to work for the Texas Oil Company in Houston, Texas. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on 19 October 1940 and, on 20 February 1941, accepted an appointment as a second lieutenant at Quantico, Va. He remained at Quantico until 29 May, when he was reassigned to San Diego. He saw duty at San Diego from 16 June 1941 to July 1942 and, on 11 April 1942, was promoted to first lieutenant. On 12 September 1942, when he was promoted to captain, Stafford had been serving in the field for about a month as the commanding officer of Company C, First Battalion, Second Marines, Reinforced, engaged in the attack against enemy Japanese positions on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Between 09 and 11 October, Capt. Stafford led his company of Marines on a forced march through the dense jungle and swamps of Guadalcanal and, upon arriving at his objective, immediately deployed his command and initiated an attack against unexpectedly strong enemy positions. After establishment of contact with the enemy, he personally directed the assault, leading his men with courage and determination until he was killed from ambush by a Japanese rifleman. His resolute fighting spirit in the face of hardships and dangers was an inspiration to the men of his command in the fulfillment of an important mission. For his " . . . conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer . . ." which constituted ". . . an inspiration to the men of his command in the fulfillment of an important mission," Capt. Stafford was posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal. USS Stafford (DE 411) (1944-1946) was the first ship to be named in his honor. In 1954, a dormitory, Stafford Hall, was named after him at the University of Missouri. (Photo from the University Archives, University of Missouri)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
0641102	433k	undated crew portrait, USS Stafford (DE 411)
0641103	219k	29 April 1944: Aft plan view of USS Stafford at Mare Island. She was in overhaul at the yard from 04 March until 30 April 1945. (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-411-3078-45)		Darryl Baker PNCM, USNR (ret.) Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
0641104	208k	29 April 1944: Forward plan view. ARD 11, with USS Dionne (DE 261) docked in her, can be seen in the background. (U.S. Navy Photo #DE-411-3079-45)
0641109	178k	23 June 1944: Boston Harbor - USS Stafford (DE 411) had gotten underway from the Boston Navy Yard at 1000 to compensate the radio direction finder and magnetic compasses. She had been in the yard from 13 to 22 June where she received a new CIC, additional officers quarters aft, and a camoflage paint job. At 1800, she passed the Boston Light Ship and set course for Norfolk, Va.		Nick Tiberio Shelton, Conn.
0641105	74k	Stafford, after being hit by a Japanese kamikaze during the raid off Mindoro on 05 January 1945. Although she suffered major damage only two men were killed in this attack. (Photo taken from "United States Destroyer Operations in World War 11", by Theodore Roscoe		Bob Hurst Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
0641108	155k	circa 1945: at sea - USS Stafford (DE 411) underway. The ship is camouflaged in a weathered Measure 21 scheme. (U.S. Navy Photo)		Mike Green Port Angeles, Wash.
0641107	467k	29 April 1945: Vallejo, Cal. - Stafford moored at the Mare Island Navy Yard. (U.S. Navy photo from the National Archives, courtesy of  Chris Wright)		Ed Zajkowski Narvon, Pa.
0641106	74k	laidup, Mare Island, November 1967 (Photo © Richard Leonhardt)		Richard Leonhardt Bethlehem, Pa.

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

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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 Stafford

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This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved. Page Last Updated: 10 May 2020