| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine rescue vessel |
| Class | Chanticleer |
| Pennant | ASR 8 |
| Built by | Moore Shipbuilding and Dry Dock, Co. (Oakland, California, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | 30 Dec 1940 |
| Laid down | 30 Sep 1941 |
| Launched | 28 May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 22 Jan 1943 |
| End service | |
| History | Stricken on 15 September 1977 |
Commands listed for USS Coucal (ASR 8)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. David H Byerly, USNR | 22 Jan 1943 | ??? (1) |
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Notable events involving Coucal include:
17 Sep 1944
Around 0825H/17, HMAS Adelaide (A/Capt. L.E. Tozer, RAN), departed Fremantle to make rendezvous with the damaged submarine USS Crevalle (T/Cdr. F.D. Walker, Jr., USN) coming from Darwin.
Rendezvous was affected around 1815H/19, and HMAS Adelaide took over the escort duties from USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR).
HMAS Adelaide and USS Crevalle arrived at Fremantle around 1330H/22. (2)
6 Nov 1944
During 6 and 7 November 1944, HMS Sea Rover (Lt. J.P. Angell, RN), conducted exercises off Fremantle. First gunnery exercises were carried out on a target that was being towed by HMAS Alfie Cam. These were followed by attack exercises during which USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR) served as target.
In the evening radar tracking exercises were carried out during which HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) served as target. On completion of these exercises HMS Sea Rover returned to Fremantle where she arrived early the next day. (3)
22 Nov 1944
During 22 and 23 November 1944, HMS Sirdar (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN), conducted exercises off Fremantle. These included night exercises. These included practice attacks on USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR). During the night convoy attack exercises were carried out with USS Coucal, HMAS Bunbury (Lt. J.F. Bleckman, RANR(S)), HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)) and HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) pretending to be a convoy. (4)
1 Dec 1944
During 1 and 2 December 1944, HMS Storm (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.P. Young, DSO, DSC, RNVR), conducted exercises off Fremantle with USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR). These included night exercises.
Sources
- http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c14/coucal.htm
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Adelaide for September 1944
- ADM 173/18679
- ADM 173/18790
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.