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USS English (DD-696)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS English (DD-696)

USS English (DD-696) was launched 27 February 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J.; sponsored by Ensign Eloise W. English, USNR(W), daughter of Rear Admiral English; and commissioned 4 May 1944, Commander J. T. Smith in command.

USS English (DD-696) arrived in the Hawaiian Islands 3 September 1944 for final training, and service as plane guard during the qualification of aviators in carrier operations. On 17 December, USS English (DD-696) sailed from Pearl Harbor for Ulithi, where on 28 December she joined the screen for mighty carrier TF 38. USS English (DD-696) put in to San Pedro Bay, P.I., from 1 June 1945 to 1 July for repairs and exercises, then sailed again with TF 38 for the final pounding series of air strikes on the Japanese homeland.

USS English (DD-696) operated out of Boston, and later Charleston and New Orleans, for exercises and to train members of the Naval Reserve, cruising along the east coast and in the Caribbean. From 23 April 1949 she was home ported at Norfolk, from which she sailed 6 September for her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She returned to Norfolk 26 January 1950 for exercises off the Virginia Capes and in the Caribbean. On 20 January 1951 USS English (DD-696) began duty as direct fire-support ship for a division of the Korean army, blasting positions at Kanson, Kosong, and Kangnung to support the Korean advance ashore.

From her return to Norfolk 9 June 1951, USS English (DD-696) resumed local training operations, and in the winter of 1952 joined in cold-weather exercises off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. From May to August 1955, USS English (DD-696) made a good will cruise to ports of northern Europe, and between 28 July 1956 and 4 December served again in the Mediterranean, visiting Bahrein in the Persian Gulf. With the eruption of the Suez Crisis, she aided in evacuating American citizens from the troubled area, and patrolled the eastern Mediterranean to serve with the 6th Fleet. Returning to Norfolk in April USS English (DD-696) spent the remainder of 1959 and all of 1960 in conducting an intensive program of antisubmarine warfare exercises.

For a complete history of USS English (DD-696) please see its DANFS page.