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Unnumbered Vessel Photo Archive

USS Thomas Laundry

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
World War I Victory Medal
Castle Class Trawler:
  • Built by J.P. Rennoldson, South Shields, England (YN 311) 1
  • Launched, 21 October 1918
  • Completed, 27 November 1918
  • Leased to the U.S. Navy at Falmouth, England, 16 May 1919
  • Commissioned USS Thomas Laundry the same day
  • Decommissioned at Brighton and returned to Admiralty, 08 October 1919
  • Registered at London (ON 144571), 21 May 1920
  • Sold to Tees Shipping & Fishing Co., Ltd., Middlesbrough, renamed Teesbay, 1920
  • Sold to Brødrene Lothe, Haugesund, Norway, 1924
  • Renamed Br. Lothe, 1927
  • Final disposition, grounded and lost near Nord-Leksa Island, Norway, March 1944
    1. DANFS incorrectly lists builder as Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverly.
    Specifications:
  • Displacement 281 gross registered tons
  • Length 125' 4"
  • Beam 22' 5"
  • Draft 12' 2"
  • Speed 10 kts.
  • Complement 18
  • Armament: One 12-pounder
  • Propulsion: One boiler, one triple-expansion steam engine (12.5-21-31 x 26), one shaft, 62rhp
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Thomas Laundry
    1217984801    		 121k Photo from "Sweeping the North Sea Mine Barrage by the U.S. Navy North Sea Minesweeping Detachment" Joe Radigan
    Thomas Laundry
    1217984802    		 55k As Br. Lothe, date and location unknown.
    Photo via sjohistorie.no    		 Dave Wright
    Commanding Officers
    01LT(JG) Franz Otto Willenbucher, USN - USNA Class of 1918
    Awarded the Legion of Merit - Retired as Captain    		16 May 1919
    02LT(JG) Harry DeBarr, USNRF - Awarded the Navy Cross (1920)1919 - 01 July 1919
    03LT(JG) George Franklin Evanson, USN01 July 1919
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    View the Thomas Laundry
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by David Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 07 January 2024