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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Mason (DE-529), 1944-1947

USS Mason, a 1140-ton Evarts class destroyer escort, was constructed at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts. She was commissioned in March 1944 with a largely African-American enlisted complement. Mason was employed on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and Mediterranean through the remainder of World War II. In the early post-war months, she served as a training and experimental ship. Mason decommissioned in October 1945 and was sold for scrapping in March 1947.

USS Mason was named in honor of Ensign Newton Henry Mason, USNR, a pilot with Fighting Squadron Three, who was killed in action during the Battle of Coral Sea, 7-8 May 1942.

This page features all the views we have related to USS Mason (DE-529).

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-218856 USS Mason (DE-529) Commissioning ceremonies on the ship's fantail, held in a driving snowstorm at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, 20 March 1944. Her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander William M. Blackford, USNR, is in the center with some of the crew standing in ranks behind him. Ship in the background is an LST, with bow doors partially opened. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-44826 USS Mason (DE-529) Gunner's Mates assemble and study a 20mm machine gun, the type they will man aboard ship, during training for Mason's crew at Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Instructor is Chief Gunner's Mate Rex Ashley. Trainees are (left to right): GM3c Albert A. Davis, GM2c Frank Wood, GM2c Warren Vincent. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-214542 USS Mason (DE-529) Quartermasters receive compass instruction, during training for Mason's crew at the Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Instructor is QMC L.J. Russell, USNR (left). Trainees are (left to right): QM2c Charles W. Divers, QM2c Royal H. Gooden, QM2c Calvin Bell, QM3c Lewis F. Blanton. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-214543 USS Mason (DE-529) Navigation instruction for Quartermasters, during training for Mason's crew at the Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Instructor is QMC L.J. Russell, USNR (right). Trainees are (left to right): QM2c Charles W. Divers, QM2c Royal H. Gooden, QM3c Lewis F. Blanton, QM2c Calvin Bell. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-214544 USS Mason (DE-529) Signal lamp instruction for Signalmen, during training for Mason's crew at the Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Instructor is SM1c Ernest V. Alderman (left). Trainees are (left to right): SM2c Lorenzo A. Dufu, SM2c Julius Holmes, SM1c William M. Jones. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-44827 USS Mason (DE-529) Signalman 1st Class Ernest V. Alderman, USNR, (right) explains various parts of a signal lamp to SM2c Julius Holmes, during training for Mason's crew at Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-214545 USS Mason (DE-529) Signalman Second Class Julius Holmes receives Signal lamp instruction from SM1c Ernest V. Alderman (left), during training for Mason's crew at the Norfolk Naval Training Station, Virginia, 3 January 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

USS Mason (DE-629) is seen in the background of the following view of the launching of another ship:

Photo #: 19-N-53951 USS John M. Bermingham (DE-530) Launching, at the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, 17 November 1943. In the right center distance is the hull of USS Mason (DE-529), which had been launched earlier that day. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

While the Naval Historical Center has no other views of USS Mason (DE-529), the National Archives appears to hold several. The following list features some of these photographs:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".

Photo #: 80-G-382866 USS Mason (DE-529) off the Boston Navy Yard, 26 May 1944, painted in what appears to be Camouflage Measure 31 or Measure 32, Design 14D. Port broadside surface view. Photo #: 80-G-382867 As 80-G-382866, but starboard quarter surface view. Photo #: 80-G-382851 USS Mason (DE-529) off the Boston Navy Yard, 15 August 1944. The ship is now painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 9D. Port bow surface view. Photo #: 80-G-382852 As 80-G-382851, but starboard broadside surface view. Photo #: 80-G-245458 USS Mason (DE-529) off the U.S. Atlantic coast east of Boston, Massachusetts (position 42-23N, 69-07W), 28 August 1944. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-11. Starboard broadside aerial view. Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images above are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".

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Page made 26 November 1998
New image added and coding updated 6 February 2004