USS Manlove (DE-36)

USS Manlove (DE-36) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed dangerous work in numerous battle areas, and sailed home proudly with five battle stars.

History
United States
Name: USS Manlove
Laid down: 24 February 1943
Launched: 28 July 1943
Commissioned: 8 November 1943
Decommissioned: 16 November 1945
Stricken: 28 November 1945
Honors and
awards:
5 battle stars (World War II)
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 9 February 1948
General characteristics
Type: Evarts-class destroyer escort
Displacement:
  • 1,140 long tons (1,158 t) standard
  • 1,430 long tons (1,453 t) full
Length:
  • 289 ft 5 in (88.21 m) o/a
  • 283 ft 6 in (86.41 m) w/l
Beam: 35 ft (11 m)
Draft: 11 ft (3.4 m) (max)
Installed power: 6,000 hp (4,500 kW)
Propulsion:
Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range: 4,150 nmi (7,690 km)
Complement: 15 officers and 183 enlisted
Armament:

Manlove was named after electrician Arthur Cleon Manlove who was killed aboard the Arizona when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Manlove was laid down as BDE-36, on 24 February 1943 by the Navy Yard, Mare Island, California; redesignated DE-36, on 16 June 1943; launched on 28 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur C. Manlove, widow of electrician, Arthur C. Manlove; and commissioned on 8 November 1943, Lt. Comdr. J. P. Ingle in command.

World War II

After post-shakedown repairs at San Francisco, California, Manlove escorted a convoy to Pearl Harbor and upon arrival, on 16 January 1944, commenced local training operations. The next month, she made one round trip voyage to Majuro, Marshall Islands, returning on 18 February. She again departed for the Marshalls on the 28th. From 5 March – 16 May, she cruised the Marshall Islands area on anti-submarine patrols and in hunter-killer (HUK) operations.

Enemy submarine located and sunk

On 24 March, during her first HUK assignment, she located the Japanese transport submarine I-32, then attempting to replenish the enemy garrison at Wotje. In the ensuing coordinated depth charge run, Manlove and her companion, PC-1135, sank the Japanese boat.

Convoy protection assignments

Manlove departed Majuro on 16 May for Kwajalein, beginning convoy escort duty between the two atolls. In mid-June, she extended her escort area and screened fleet oilers to a refueling rendezvous at sea off the Marianas. She then sailed to Eniwetok for a month of patrol. In early August, she returned to escort duty and joined a convoy headed for Hawaii. The convoy arrived Pearl Harbor on 29 August. Following repairs, Manlove participated in training operations with submarines in Hawaiian waters until her departure for the Marshalls on 8 October.

The escort arrived Eniwetok on 17 October. From then until the following March, she was primarily engaged in screening convoys between Eniwetok and Ulithi, Caroline Islands. She briefly interrupted her cruises between these islands in early February 1945 for an escort convoy assignment to Manus, Admiralty Islands.

Damaged by an exploding Japanese airplane

On 9 March, Manlove departed Eniwetok for Saipan to join units of the 5th Fleet assembling for the Okinawa campaign. She sailed with the invasion fleet on 26 March and arrived on patrol station off Okinawa on 2 April. There she assisted in repelling enemy air attacks until damaged on 11 April by an exploding Japanese airplane. After repairs at Guam, she returned to patrols off Okinawa. With only one break in this duty, escorting a convoy to the Philippines and back, she continued to contribute to the success of the Okinawa campaign until ordered back to the U.S. on 5 July.

Post-war

Proceeding via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, Manlove arrived at Seattle, Washington, on 26 June 1945. She was inactivated at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard; decommissioned on 16 November 1945; and was sold for scrap to A. G. Schoonmaker Co., Inc., of New York City, on 4 December 1947.

Awards

Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive)
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with five service stars)
World War II Victory Medal

See also

References

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