Coolbaugh (DE 217) - Naval Cruise Book

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FOREWORD This book has been prepared primarily as a pictorial history of the Coolbaugh in 1954 since We believe in the old Chinese adage that one picture is worth ten thousand words. Consequently the Written matter has been kept to an absolute minimum. We gratefully acknowledge the art contributions of Mrs. Ralph Peters, David Soto, SN, USN, and Dennis Banks, RDSN, USN, and appreciate the photographs submitted by members of the crew for use herein. This book is dedicated to Lieutenant Commander Thomas S. McCarthy, USN, upon his transfer from duty as Commanding Officer. We all wish him the best of luck in his future assignments. The Editors LTJG Russell R. Conrad, USNR Ensign James L. Hart, USN . 7 'Y CKWSE Q' 'P -n ook ,QL 5 :.:. '.zd.:.s.uee:.x:x.x..':.x.:11 1222: .-:J 2 1:-:':

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HISTORY OF THE COOLBAUGH KDE-2173 The U. S. S. Coolbaugh, Destroyer Escort 217, was built at the U. S. Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was commissioned October 15, 1943. She was assigned to Pacific duty with Admiral I-Ialsey's Third Fleet and later as a unit of the Seventh Fleet participated in the Leyte Gulf, Luzon, and Iwo Jima operations. During this time the ship was credited with shooting down two Japanese Kamikazes and sinking two enemy submarines. The Coolbaugh was cited for rescuing 91 survivors of the U. S. S. Suwanee, a jeep carrier which was badly damaged in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Upon return to the States at the conclusion of the war, the ship was transferred to the U. S. Atlantic Fleet. 'On 25 January, 1946, the' Coolbaugh played the major role in restoring electrical power to Block Island after a fire in the powerhouse had rendered the island powerless and extinguished navigational lights for the channel With the help of a submarine rescue tug electucal cables were linked with the ships main generator and power and light were restored to the island until the effects of the ire were repaired From May 1949 to April 1952 the Coolbaugh served as a school ship for the Fleet Sonar School Key West Florida She then was transferred to Escort Squadron Eight with her home port in Norfolk Virginia but st1ll continued her sonar training program by spending three months each year ln Key West Wh1le a member of Cortl-'ion Eight the ship participated in Atlantic Hunter Killer Operations and Midshipman Cruise Baker from 12 July to 4 September 1954 The M1dSh1p man Trainng Cruise took the Coolbaugh to Dublin Ireland Portsmouth England and Guantana mo Bay Cuba The tenth and present Commanding Oflicer IS Lieutenant Commander Thomas S McCarthy U S Navy The ship was named for LTJ G Wesley Coolbaugh USNR a Naval aviator who won the Navy Cross during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 and was later killed 1n operat1onal fllght The Coolbaugh is 306 feet long with a beam of 36 feet and is propelled by turbo electric drlve The ship is armed with 40 mm anti aircraft and 5 X38 caliber dual purpose guns Depth charges and hedgehogs are the ship s weapons for anti submarine warfare . - 9 . . . . , . . . , . . . . . . . l ' n . . . 1 J - ' . . . . . . . . . ,, 1 1 I ' Y o .l . . . - v X . , f - . . . . , . . - . . , I 1 r J 9 ' I - . . 7 - - ' , . Q f ' . . ' I. I . , , ., ' I n 1 I I . . . . f 0 g I 1 ' - ' . - .- . H , ' I ' a - . - I . i , Y . v I . l , f I v . X .,M,,-.f-.121I-flfrlgfif- V 1E5-rgiggfgfgifflLffifir-'15 5.75: .I TE 755'-F5 '2'?T-fIAT r glilfff' 715735'-7'15':l Ll ' 'J ' ' 7 WA I' I ' A 0 I n I I N