George W Ingram (DE 62 APD 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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.. T., I ,fwyjx I, h. i H 3 P F' an 'IW WWW I wifh a convoy carrying supplies for fhe Norfh African invasion. During fhe nexf I5 monfhs, fhe INGRAM assisfed in escorfing more fhan 500 froop and supply-laden ships befween fhe Easf Coasf and fhe Brifish Isles, making I8 Aflanfic crossings and wifnessing fhe decline and defeaf of fhe U-Boaf. The INC-BRAM ecorfed every conceivable fype of vessel - from finy LCI's fo huge aircraff carriers - sailing in convoys ranging in size from a single vessel fo a gianf 60-ship armada. Prior fo fhe Normandy invasion, she helped escorf several Iarge groups of fasf fransporfs ferrying American GI's fo England and Ireland-including fhe Iargesf froop convoy ever assembled in any war. The INGRAM is proud of 'rhe facf fhaf fhese convoys reached fheir desfinafion wifhouf a single casualfy, alfhough fhe German U-Boaf was sfill a serious menace fo Allied shipping. Her lasf Aflanfic crossing in composed mainly of ships disabled in fhe Normandy affack, from Plymoufh, England, fo fhe 'Easf Coasf. The 30-ship convoy - a weird, unmaneuverable conglomerafion of fugs, oilers, LCI's, Liberfy Ships and crippled LST's, was plagued by bad weafher, break- downs and sfragglers from fhe firsf day ouf. To climax fheir woe, fhe escorfs foughf a daylighf U-Boaf baffle near fhe Azores which resulfed in fhe sinking of fhe LST 359 and fhe forpedoeing of fhe USS FOGG, escorf flagship. The F066 was saved alfhough her sfern was blown off and I5 members of her crew were killed. Affer 30 days af sea fhe convoy made porf, fhe escorfs having zigzagged more fhan I0,000 miles during fhe crossing. The INGRAM's sfrangesf mission followed a monfh lafer when she escorfed an Ifalian submarine from Porfs- moufh, N. H., fo New London, Conn. In addifion fo coping wifh insurmounfable Ianguage and communica- fion difficulfies, fhe INGRAM was obliged fo 'row fhe sub fhrough fhe narrow Cape Cod Canal in zero weafher - all shipping in fhe canal being December' IQ44' was one of he' M, - - forced fo half during fhe operafion. mosf memorable ones. The Task E I4 Unif fo which she was affached, Riff i A A5 5 De5+ 0Ye' ESCOTT The which included fhe Desfroyer Escorfs wg, 'NGRAM Vlslied almcsi eVe Y Pori FOGG, LEE FOX, and IRA JEFFREY, along fhe Easf Coasf of fhe Unifed was given fhe difficulf assignmenf of 'A N-4:3-,ffatfi A is Sfafes, including Porfland, Porfs- escorfing a five-knof fow convoy, moufh, Bosfon, New London, New fContinued on page 381 Page F

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--u--f-...f,.... . f . WAR HISTORY u.s.s. eeoizee w. :Nc-LRAM 1135-62 8. APD-43l HE sfory of fhe USS GEORGE W. INGRAM lDE vasf expanses of ihe Pacific, and fhe fhrealening wafers 62-APD 43l is 'rhe srory of fwo ships -- a Desfroyer of fhe Yellow and China seas. Escorf and a Deslroyer Transporf - fwo oceans, fwo - wars - and more man fwo evenhpacked Years of Like all Navy men ihey have a deep-ser personal Service Wim me Unhed S,ra+eS Fleet pride in 'rheir ship and ifs accomplishmenls - and in 'rheir skipper - lean, capable, 35-year-old Commander His also rhe slory of fhe officers and men who have sailed her more lhan I35,000 miles - men from fhe farms and facfories and schools of a greaf Na+ion - men who, for l'he mosl' parr, were rank landlubbers a few shorr years ago buf who were moulded info a close- kni'r, fighfing leam by l'he rigors of war. To fhe world al large fhe INGRAM may be iusr anofher ship of Uncle Sam's migh+y fighring fleet Bu+ fo +he men of her crew she is much more fhan l'ha+. She is +he George Willie - a good ship, a sound ship, a rugged ship, a ship +ha+ has carried Them safely 'lhrough +he icy gales of +he Nor'l'h A+lan+ic, 'lhe sub- infesfed areas of +he Caribbean and Mediferranean, rhe Pge Fo Andrew S. Boyce, veieran Naval Reservisf from Augusfa, Georgia, who has been in command since December, I943. The INGRAM is no+ lhe oldes'r ship in 'I'he Unifed S+a'res Fleer, nor is she fhe youngest A producr of fhe grear Naval expansion program which was This Na1'ion's answer +o +he 'rwin problems of fhe U-Boal' and Japan's fhrealening Naval power, she was commissioned as +he DE-62 in Augusf, l943, and quickly added +0 1'he fasl- growing fleef of A'rlan+ic escor'r vessels. Affer her shakedown in fhe Bermuda area, +he INGRAM joined +he Tenlh Fleer. Her firs+ escorf assign- menl' 'rook her from New York 'ro Aruba and Curacao, +hen across fhe Soufh Aflanfic fo Oran and Algiers wifh

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flllcmoriam The USS GEORGE W. INGRAM is proud fo bear lhe name of George Washingfon Ingram, Seaman Second Class, Uniied Slales Navy, who was killed in acfion in 'rhe defense of Pearl Harbor on December 7, I94l. Seaman Ingram was commended by lhe Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleef, in fhe following: Citation: For prompl and efficienl aclion and u'H'er disregard of personal danger in fhe efforl' fo repel fhe aH'aclc on lhe Navail Air Sfaiion, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Terri+ory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on December 7, l94I, which was made in coniuncfion wilh 'l'he a'H'aclc on +he fleel' in Pearl Harbor on lhal dale.