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.

For more images see USS Mason (DE-529), part 2

Click photograph for a larger 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, National Archives. Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 610 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 605 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 615 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 615 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 610 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 605 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives
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, National Archives. Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 610 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives

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 Reproductionsmay be available through the National Archives

Other images of USS Mason (DE-529), are available at the National Archives. The following list features some of these photographs: