USS Havre

History
United States
Name	USS Havre (PCE-877)
Namesake	Havre, Montana
Builder	Albina, Portland Willamette Iron & Steel
Laid down	6 May 1943, as PCE-877
Launched	11 August 1943
Commissioned	14 February 1944
Decommissioned	1 July 1970
Renamed	USS Havre (PCE-877), 15 February 1956
Reclassified	PCE(C)-877 (Patrol Craft Escort - Control), 20 August 1945 PCE-877 (Patrol Craft Escort), 27 October 1955
Stricken	1 July 1970
Fate	Unknown
General characteristics
Class and type	PCE-842 class patrol craft
Displacement	903 tons
Length	184' 6" (56.08m)
Beam	33' 1" (10.05m)
Draft	9' 5" (2.74m)
Propulsion	Two 900bhp General Motors 12-567A diesel engines Falk single reduction gear 2 shafts
Speed	15.7 kts. (29.08 km/hr, 18.07 mi/hr)
Complement	99
Armament	1 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount 3 twin 40mm gun mounts 5 20mm mounts 4 depth charge projectors 1 depth charge projector (Hedgehog) 2 depth charge tracks
Service record
Operations:	World War II
Awards:	2 battle stars as PCE-877

The USS Havre (PCE(C)-877) was a United States Navy PCE-842-class patrol craft escort in commission from 14 February 1944 to 1 July 1970. She served in the Central Pacific during World War II, supporting invasions of Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, and was present in Tokyo Bay for the formal Surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945. Unlike other ships from this class, which were scrapped or sold to other nations, the (PCE-877) stayed the property of the United States Navy, who transferred ownership to the United States Navy Reserve as Naval Reserve Training Ship for 9th Naval District (Chicago) in April 1954. She was renamed USS Havre (PCE-877) on 15 February 1956 as part of a Navy-wide initiative to provide names to all numbered ships. The USS Havre served on Great Lakes until struck from Navy list 1 July 1970.

Construction and commissioning

The USS Havre was laid down on 6 May 1943 at Albina Engine & Machine Works, Portland, Oregon, as Patrol Craft Escort, PCE-877. The PCEs were designed for general escort work and provided a cheaper and quicker alternative to the larger destroyers, while maintaining a substantial amount of detection and ranging gear used for locating submarines. The ship was launched 11 August 1943. The launching of the PCE 877 was a celebrated occasion that was noted in the 10 August 1943 edition of the Corvallis Gazette-Times of Corvallis, Oregon. On 11 August 1943, Marjorie L. Wooton, daughter of local Colonel Elmer V. Wooton, recent recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army), christened the PCE 877 in the presence of a crowd that included Oregon governor Earl Snell.

The PCE-877 was commissioned on 14 February 1944 at the Albina Engine & Machine Works shipyard, Portland, Oregon. According to the U.S. Navy Muster Rolls, the PCE-877 set out with Commanding Officer Coleman H. Smith, Lieutenant, USNR, Executive Officer John R. Shea, Jr., Lieutenant, USNR, several additional officers and an initial crew of 87. The vessel received its fitting out and shakedown over the next six weeks, departing Portland, Oregon on 25 February 1944, docking in Astoria, Oregon on 26 February 1944, arriving in San Pedro, California (SCTC Terminal Island) on 6 March 1944, before finally arriving at Naval Base San Diego, California on 21 March 1944.

Service history

World War II Pacific Theatre operations

Initial Deployment, Conversion to Control Vessel

Starting 1 April 1944, the PCE-877 began its escort duties as Patrol and Escort, Central Pacific region, while still based at Naval Base San Diego. At 1200 hours on 11 September 1944, the PCE-877 officially was underway to Naval Station Pearl Harbor as part of Task Unit 116.1.2. The ship proceeded to the northern part of San Clemente Island, California where the crew "ran a measured mile to check the accuracy and adjust our newly installed DRT (Dead Reckoning Tracer)."

At 1030 hours 19 September 1944, the PCE-877 arrived at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for conversion to an Central Control Vessel for Amphibious Force. The Navy control groups were responsible for the control of the assault waves of landing ships, landing craft, and amphibious vehicles from the transport and landing ship areas to the landing beaches. From 20 September 1944 to 3 November 1944 the ship was docked at D.E. Dock #1 Pearl Harbor for the installation of radio and communications equipment. During this period, the crew "conducted various exercises and tests throughout month. All gun crews attended AA schools. Damage Control parties attended fire fighting school. AS/W attack team spent one day operating with tame submerging and attended attack teacher a total of 8 hours."

Refitting was completed on 2 December 1944, and for six days the PCE-877 acted as Officer in tactical command (OTC) for a training group of control vessels between Pearl Harbor and Waianae, Hawaii. A second series of drills and exercises starting 18 December 1944 running nine days saw the PCE-877 acting as an Escort Commander for screening and as a Line of Departure Control Vessel in simulated landing operations.

On 14 December 1944, Lieutenant Coleman H. Smith, USNR, was relieved as Commanding Officer of the PCE-877 by Lieutenant John R. Shea, Jr., USNR. Lieutenant James B. Brady, USNR was promoted to Executive Officer. (Lt. Smith would advance to the rank of Commander, and after the war was a long-serving director of the War Gaming Department at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.)

The PCE-877 participated in several additional exercises on 3 January 1945 (three days) and 11 January 1945 (eight days) as part of Administrative Command Amphibious Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The ship was ordered to move to mooring Easy 7 at Pearl Harbor for logistics and supply.

Battle of Iwo Jima

On 22 January 1945, the PCE-877 departed Pearl Harbor as part of Task Force 51, Joint Expeditionary Force, Commander Amphibious Forces Pacific 53.3, conducting screening operations for Tractor Group BAKER en-route to Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands, arriving 3 February 1945. After two days of logistics and resupply, Tractor Group BAKER continued on to Saipan, the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, with PCE-877 continuing patrol and screening operations. The group arrived in Saipan Harbor the morning of 10 February 1945.

Starting 12 February 1945, the PCE 877 continued as Central Control Vessel as part of nighttime landing exercises. There was difficulty in re-embarking the LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked), as their parent LST (Landing Ship Tank) had moved to a sheltered position, and the PCE-877 "acted as a guide to round up stray LVTs and help them to their mother ship."

After completing logistical operations in Saipan Harbor, the PCE-877 shipped out at 1350 hours on 15 February 1945, proceeding as part of TU 51.13.6, performing screening operations for Tractor Group BAKER, en-route to Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, to join the invasion force. On 18 February 1945, the PCE-877 encountered a radar contact at 2,000 yards, readied for a depth charge attack, but "at 300 yards it became apparent that our contact was [a school of] large fish."

At 0540 of 19 February 1945, the PCE-877 secured from screening operations and proceeded independently to assume duties as Central Control Vessel. Once at the transport area, the ship began dispatching waves of landing craft on schedule. All assault waves were dispatched on schedule, and the ship maintained station for the entire day, except when on standby as rescue vessel for the U.S.S. LSM 211 (Landing_Ship_Medium) 211. (see List of United States Navy Landing Ship Medium (LSMs)). The PCE-877 was under fire several times, but received no hits., which had been damaged by mortar fire. The PCE-877 stayed on station until 21 February 1945, then left station and conducted rescue and salvage operations, aiding stray and sinking LVTs and LCVP_(United_States). Rough seas caused several craft to drift seaward. "One One LVT was stripped of salvageable items and sunk by gunfire from this vessel." This LVT eventually collided with the PCE-877's starboard propeller while tied alongside, causing slight damage.

On 22 February 1945, the ship conducted patrols in the area, and two days later joined TU 51.2 for screening duties as the convoy left the operations area en-route to Leyte, Philippines by way of Saipan. On 2 March 1945, the PCE-877 anchored in the outer harbor of Saipan and proceeded with logistics, but was not able to complete refueling in the short time allowed for the group, and continued underway on 3 March 1945. At 1630 on 9 March 1945 the PCE-877 anchored off Dulag, Leyte. Starting 10 March 1945, the ship took aboard stores and provisions and made repairs on sound gear (due to a transformer failure) and on the starboard screw. The damage to the propeller caused "excessive vibrations which had been present at speeds between 11 and 14 knots." Starting 15 March 1945, the PCE-877 acted as the central control vessel directing practice landings on Leyte, while completing the sonar and propeller repairs over ten days.

Battle of Okinawa

The PCE-877 departed Iwo Jima in late March 1945 to Leyte, Philippines to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa. On 1 April 1945 the PCE-877 assumed attack station to coordinate landing ships on their approach Okinawa. Under frequent enemy air attack, the ship remained off Okinawa providing troop support until 14 April 1945. The PCE-877 then sailed for Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands for a month-long overhaul.

The PCE-877 resumed operations off Okinawa on 16 May 1945. On 28 May 1945 the ship came under fire by Japanese aircraft while assisting LCS-119, which had been sunk by a kamikaze attack. During this encounter the PCE-877 aided in shooting down an enemy plane and recovered 61 survivors from the LCS-119. For the remainder of the war the PCE-877 alternated between performing patrol off Okinawa and conducting amphibious training in the Philippines. The PCE-877 was formally reclassified PCE(C)-877 on 20 August 1945 (even though the conversion took place 8 months prior in Hawaii). The PCE(C)-877 escorted a transport convoy en-route to Tokyo Bay for the surrender of Japan. The PCE(C)-877 is listed as one of five allied Submarine Chasers present for the formal surrender on 2 September 1945.

Post-War Atlantic operations

Following the end of World War II, the PCE(C)-877 returned to the United States early in 1946, arriving Charleston, South Carolina, in February 1946. From 1946 to April 1954 the ship was attached to Amphibious Control Squadron 2, exercising control and coordinating amphibious forces in the assaults from the sea and supporting embarked Marine forces once they are established ashore. During this assignment, the PCE(C)-877 engaged in exercises in the North Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, and the Caribbean Sea.

Naval Reserve Training Ship - Great Lakes

In April 1954, the PCE(C)-877 was transitioned from active duty and reassigned as a Naval Reserve Training Ship for 9th Naval District. The ship proceeded from the Gulf of Mexico, via the Mississippi River and Illinois River to Chicago and reported to Naval Station Great Lakes. This coincided with the creation of the new Gunnery School at the Naval Station, which was dedicated in March of 1954. On 27 October 1955, the ship was reclassified to PCE-877, its original classification, as it was no longer coordinating amphibious assaults and landings. Just four months later, on 15 February 1956, the ship was renamed the USS Havre (PCE-877) as part of a Navy-wide initiative to provide names to all remaining numbered ships. During its operation, the USS Havre (PCE-877) operated throughout the Great Lakes, engaging in 2-week cruises which provided valuable training for Naval Reservists, including anti-submarine warfare and gunnery exercises. The PCE-877's final voyage was sailing with the Ninth Naval District Reserve Destroyer Division fleet on 27 April 1970.

The USS Havre (PCE-877) was struck from the US Navy roster of ships on 1 July 1970.

Decorations

The PCE-877 received the following awards during her career:

• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two battle stars (for its performance at the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa)
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal with star

External links

• Naval History and Heritage Command
• NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive
• Dictionary of American Fighting Ships
• Naval History and Heritage Command - Naval Subjects Collection
• NavyHistory.com
• Bowling Green State University - Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
• U.S. Naval Institute