| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Destroyer Escort |
| Class | Buckley |
| Pennant | DE 796 |
| Built by | Consolidated Steel Corp., Ltd. (Orange, Texas, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | 13 Nov 1942 |
| Laid down | 16 Aug 1943 |
| Launched | 23 Oct 1943 |
| Commissioned | 12 Feb 1944 |
| End service | 13 Mar 1948 |
| History | Decommissioned 13 March 1948. |
Commands listed for USS Major (DE 796)
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. Oscar William Goepner, USNR | 14 Feb 1944 | mid 1945 |
| 2 | A Knight, Jr., USNR | mid 1945 |
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Notable events involving Major include:
4 Jul 1944
Convoy UGS 47.
This convoy departed Hampton Roads on 4 July 1944.
On departure from Hampton Roads the convoy made up of the following transport / tankers; Abner Doubleday (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Alfred Moore (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), American Trader (American (tanker), 8862 GRT, built 1923), Anna Odland (Norwegian, 4980 GRT, built 1939), Archbishop Lamy (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Aztec (Hunduran, 5511 GRT, built 1929), Backhuysen (Dutch (tanker), 8194 GRT, built 1942), Barendrecht (Dutch (tanker), 9385 GRT, built 1938), Booker T. Washington (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Britannia (Norwegian (tanker), 9977 GRT, built 1939), Button Gwinnett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Caleb Strong (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Carter Baxton (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Chung Shan (Chinese, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Chung Tung (Chinese, 7120 GRT, built 1944), Dromus (British (tanker), 8036 GRT, built 1938), Edward Rutledge (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), Frank Springer (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Granville (Norwegian, 5745 GRT, built 1930), Henry Middleton (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), Hilary A. Herbert (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Isaac Coles (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James Barbour (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James Ford Rhodes (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James Gordon Bennett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James J. Maguire (British (tanker), 10525 GRT, built 1939), Jerome K. Jones (American, 7199 GRT, built 1943), Juaquin Miller (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Joel Chandler Harris (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Chandler (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John Davey (American, 7209 GRT, built 1943), John Fiske (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Harvard (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Sullivan (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John W. Davis (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Jonathan Edwards (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Jonathan Elmer (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Jonathan Trumbull (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Joseph Leidy (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Joseph Augustin Chevalier (American, 7176 GRT, built 1944), Jotunfjell (Norwegian (tanker), 8264 GRT, built 1937), Kong Haakon VII (Norwegian, 7073 GRT, built 1942), Leslie M. Shaw (American, 7181 GRT, built 1943), Magdala (Dutch (tanker), 8248 GRT, built 1931), Pan-Maine (American (tanker), 7237 GRT, built 1936), Peter Minuit (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), R.S. Wilson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1944), Reverdy Johnson (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Richard Bassett (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Robert Dale Owen (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Samaffric (British, 7210, built 1944), Samfaithful (British, 7210, built 1944), Samindoro (British, 7210, built 1944), Samlouis (British, 7219, built 1943), Samluzon (British, 7210, built 1944), Samnethy (British, 7210, built 1944), Samoland (British, 7255, built 1944), Samskern (British, 7210, built 1944), Samtana (British, 7210, built 1944), Samuel Blatchford (American, 7200, built 1943), Silverster Gardiner (American, 7176, built 1943), Timothy Dwight (American, 7176, built 1943), Viggo Hansteen (American, 7176, built 1943), Westmount Park (Canadian, 7133, built 1943), William L. Smith (American, 7196, built 1943), William P. Fessenden (American, 7176, built 1942) and William S. Young (American, 7176, built 1943).
Also with the convoy were the naval tanker USS Escalante (Cdr. C.L. Kiewert, USNR) and the petrol carrier USS Gauger (Lt. G.V. Davis, USNR).
On departure from Hampton Roads the convoy was escorted by the cutter USCGC Campbell (Cdr. S.F. Gray, USCG, with COMTASKFOR 61, T/Capt. J.C. Sowell, USN on board) and the destroyer escorts USS Evarts (Lt.Cdr. F.A. Harding, Jr., USNR, with COMCORTDI5 5, Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR on board), USS Wyffels (Lt. S.N. Gleis, USNR), USS Decker (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Cody, Jr., USNR), USS Dobler (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Butler, USNR), USS Smartt (Lt. E.R. Wepman, USNR), USS Walter S. Brown (Lt. L.C. Burdett, USNR), USS Gillette (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Daniel, Jr. USNR, with COMCORTDIV 56, T/Cdr. W.L. Harmon, USN on board), USS Underhill (Lt.Cdr. S.R. Jackson, USNR), USS Henry R. Kenyon (Lt.Cdr. A.D. Berliss, Jr., USNR), USS Gunason (Cdr. H.G. White, USNR), USS Major (Lt.Cdr. O.W. Goepner, USNR) and USS Weeden (Lt.Cdr. C.F. Tillinghast, Jr., USNR).
Also with the convoy were the patrol vessels, USS PC-1140 (Lt. F.H. Beardsley, USNR), USS PC-1168 (Lt. R.R. Hart, USNR), USS PC-1169 (Lt.(jg) R.S. Mueller, USNR), USS PC-1173 (Lt. R.S. Cathcart, USNR), USS PC-1174 (Lt. W.B. Tyler, USNR), USS PC-1244 (Lt. E.W. Stacy, USNR), USS PC-1246 (Lt. W.L. Smith, USNR), USS PC-1595 (Lt.(jg) L.H. Nightengale, USNR), USS PC-1597 (Lt. R.P. Harris, USNR) and Dague which were all on passage to the Mediterranean.
Around 0542Q/7, USS Gunason parted company to proceed to Bermuda with an appendicitis patient from USS Escalante. She rejoined the convoy around 2300Q/7.
Around 0610Q/7, the patrol vessels USS PC-1593 (Lt.(jg) J.A. Foley, USNR), USS PC-1594 (Lt. G.A. Tredick, Jr., USNR) and USS PC-1596 (Lt. J.C. McKay, USNR) joined the convoy coming from Bermuda.
At 0612Q/7, the Aztec broke down. It was estimated repairs would take six hours. USS Decker was ordered to remain behind with the stricken ship. They rejoined the convoy around 0700P/8.
On 9 July 1944, USS Escalante fuelled all the patrol vessels that had been with the convoy on departure from Hampton Roads in the following order; USS PC-1173, Dague, USS PC-1595, USS PC-1174, USS PC-1169, USS PC-1140, USS PC-1597, USS PC-1244, USS PC-1169 and USS PC-1246.
On 10 July 1944, USS Escalante fuelled the following escort vessels; USCGC Campbell, USS Walter S. Brown, USS Gillette, USS Decker, USS Major, USS Wyffels, USS Henry R. Kenyon, USS Dobler, USS Weeden, USS Smartt, USS Evans, USS Gunason, USS PC-1593 and USS Underhill.
Around 1100N/14, the tanker Var (French, 7935 GRT, built 1931) and transport Henry Baldwin (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942) joined coming from the Azores. They had been escorted to the rendezvous by the A/S trawler HMS Paynter (T/Lt. T.B.S. Brown, RNVR). HMS Paynter did not join the convoy.
Around 1030N/15, the Button Gwinnett broke down. Repairs were estimated to take about four to six hours. USS Decker was ordered to stand by. They rejoined the following morning.
During the 16th, all the escorts were fuelled by USS Escalante in the following order; USS PC-1593, USS PC-1169, USS PC-1173, USS Dague, USS PC-1596, USS PC-1140, USS PC-1174, USS PC-1597, USS PC-1595, USS PC-1593, USS PC-1168, USS PC-1246, USS PC-1594, USS Walter S. Brown, USCGC Campbell, USS PC-1244, USS Henry R. Kenyon, USS Wyffels, USS Gunason, USS Dobler, USS Major, USS Decker, USS Weeden, USS Smartt, USS Evarts, USS Gillette and USS Underhill.
Around 1630A/17, the James J. Maguire broke down. USS Decker was ordered to stand by the stricken vessel. They rejoined the convoy on the 19th.
Around 1615A/18, the following transports / tankers parted company with to convoy to proceed to Casablanca; Booker T. Washington, Jonathan Edwards, Pan-Maine and Var. They were escorted by the patrol vessel / sloop Amiral Mouchez and the patrol vessels L'Ardent and Le Resolu which had departed Casablanca earlier on the 18th. The 'Casablanca section' arrived there on the 19th.
On 19 July 1944, in the Straits of Gibraltar the transport Benjamin Tay (British, 1814 GRT, built 1943) joined the convoy as did the rescue tugs HMRT St. Day and HMRT Aspirant.
Around 1600B/20, the following transports / tankers; Aztec, Button Gwinnett, Dromus, Joel Chandler Harris, Jonathan Elmer, Richard Bassett and USS Gauger parted company with the convoy to proceed to Oran Bay.
Around the same time the following transports joined coming from Oran Bay; Bernard N. Baker (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Dwight W. Morrow (American, 7225 GRT, built 1943), Ezra Cornell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Gouverneur General Lepine (French, 3509 GRT, built 1923), Howard A. Kelly (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Moses Rogers (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Sidi-Brahim (British (former French), 2427 GRT, built 1910), Theodoric Bland (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Thomas R. Marshall (American, 7200 GRT, built 1943), Ville d'Ajaccio (French, 2444 GRT, built 1929) and Walter E. Ranger (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).
Around 1700B/20, the AA cruiser HMS Caledon (Capt. R.F. Nichols, RN) joined the convoy coming from Algiers.
Around 1734B/20, the destroyer USS Madison (T/Cdr. D.A. Stuart, USN) joined the convoy to serve as jamming ship against possible German radio controlled bomb attacks.
Around 1415B/21, the following transports; American Trader, Britannia, Gouverneur General Lepine, Henry Baldwin, James J. Maguire, Kong Haakon VII, Samoland, Sidi-Brahim, Silvester Gardiner, Ville d'Ajaccio and Walter E. Ranger parted company with the convoy to proceed to Algiers. The patrol vessel Dague was also detached to Algiers.
Around the same time the following transports / tankers joined coming from Algiers; Chiswick (British, 6006 GRT, built 1943), Empire Spartan (British, 7009 GRT, built 1942), Fort Gaspereau (British, 7134 GRT, built 1943), Fort Kootenay (British, 7133 GRT, built 1942), Fort Pembina (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942), Fort Richelieu (British, 7130 GRT, built 1943), Harlesden (British, 7273 GRT, built 1943), Ocean Gypsy (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942) and Ocean Rider (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942).
Around 1800B/22, the transports Egret (British, 1391 GRT, built 1937) and Kwai Sang (British, 2320 GRT, built 1917) joined coming from Bone. The rescue tug HMRT Aspirant was detached to Bone.
Around 2200B/22, USS Madison was detached to proceed to Oran.
Around 0730B/23, a British escort group relieved the American escorts which then proceeded to Bizerta with HMS Caledon, USS Escalante and the transport Howard A. Kelly in company. the British escorts were the following; sloop HMS Fleetwood (Cdr. W.B. Piggott, DSC and Bar, OBE, RD, RNR), minesweeper HMS Hazard (Lt.Cdr. L.C. Smith, RN) and the corvettes HMS Anemone (Lt. J.B. Sparkes, RNR) and HMS Coltsfoot (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.W. Rayner, RNVR).
On 24 July 1944, the transport Changte (British, 4324 GRT, built 1925) joined the convoy coming from Malta.
On 24 July 1944, the following transports / tankers departed Augusta to join the convoy; Badarpur (British (tanker), 8079 GRT, built 1922), Buccinum (British (tanker), 5237 GRT, built 1910), Crista (British, 2590 GRT, built 1938), Empire Rock (British, 7061 GRT, built 1943), Fort Drew (British, 7134 GRT, built 1943), Morialta (British, 1379 GRT, built 1940) and Samfaithful (British, 7210 GRT, built 1944). These ships were most likely escorted to the rendezvous with the convoy by the A/S trawler HMS Gavotte (T/Lt. W.A. Swain, RNVR) and HMS Tango (T/Lt. R.F. Giles, RNVR) and M/S trawler HMS Egilsay (T/Lt. J.F. Squires, RNVR).
On these ships joining the following transports / tankers were detached to Augusta where they arrived on 25 July 1944; Abner Doubleday, Alfred Moore, Archbishop Lamy, Backhuysen, Barendrecht, Benjamin Tay, Bernard N. Baker, Caleb Strong, Carter Braxton, Chiswick, Dwight W. Morrow, Egret, Empire Spartan, Ezra Cornell, Fort Gasperea, Fort Kootenay, Fort Pembina, Fort Richelieu, Harlesden, Hilary A. Herbert, Isaac Coles, James Barbour, James Ford Rhodes, Jerome K. Jones, Juaquin Miller, John Chandler, John Fiske, John Harvard, John Sullivan, Jonathan Trumbull, Joseph Leidy, Jotunfjell, Kwai Sang, Leslie M. Shaw, Magdala, Moses Rogers, Ocean Gypsy, Ocean Rider, Peter Minuit, Robert Dale Owen, Samindoro, Samluzon, Samskern, Samuel Blatchford, Theodoric Bland, Thomas R. Marshall, Timothy Dwight, Viggo Hansteen, William Smith, William P. Fessenden and William S. Young. They were most likely escorted to Augusta by the three above mention trawlers.
On 28 July 1944 the transports / tankers; Changte, Crista, Granville, Joseph Augustin Chevalier, Morialta, Reverdy Johnson and Samaffric arrived at Alexandria after having been detached from the convoy. HMS Hazard, HMS Anemone and HMS Coltsfood also arrived at Alexandria.
On 29 July 1944, the transports / tankers; Anna Odland, Badarpur, Buccinum, Chung Shan, Chung Tung, Edward Rutledge, Fort Drew, Empire Rock, Frank Springer, Henry Middleton, James Gordon Bennett, John Davey, John W. Davis, R.S. Wilson, Samfaithful, Samlouis, Samnethy, Samtana and Westmount Park arrived at Port Said escorted by HMS Fleetwood.
23 Jul 1944
HMS Caledon (Capt. R.F. Nichols, RN), USCGC Campbell (Cdr. S.F. Gray, USCG, with COMTASKFOR 61, T/Capt. J.C. Sowell, USN on board), USS Evarts (Lt.Cdr. F.A. Harding, Jr., USNR, with COMCORTDI5 5, Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR on board), USS Wyffels (Lt. S.N. Gleis, USNR), USS Decker (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Cody, Jr., USNR), USS Dobler (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Butler, USNR), USS Smartt (Lt. E.R. Wepman, USNR), USS Walter S. Brown (Lt. L.C. Burdett, USNR), USS Gillette (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Daniel, Jr. USNR, with COMCORTDIV 56, T/Cdr. W.L. Harmon, USN on board), USS Underhill (Lt.Cdr. S.R. Jackson, USNR), USS Henry R. Kenyon (Lt.Cdr. A.D. Berliss, Jr., USNR), USS Gunason (Cdr. H.G. White, USNR), USS Major (Lt.Cdr. O.W. Goepner, USNR), USS Weeden (Lt.Cdr. C.F. Tillinghast, Jr., USNR), USS PC-1140 (Lt. F.H. Beardsley, USNR), USS PC-1168 (Lt. R.R. Hart, USNR), USS PC-1169 (Lt.(jg) R.S. Mueller, USNR), USS PC-1173 (Lt. R.S. Cathcart, USNR), USS PC-1174 (Lt. W.B. Tyler, USNR), USS PC-1244 (Lt. E.W. Stacy, USNR), USS PC-1246 (Lt. W.L. Smith, USNR), USS PC-1593 (Lt.(jg) J.A. Foley, USNR), USS PC-1594 (Lt. G.A. Tredick, Jr., USNR), USS PC-1595 (Lt.(jg) L.H. Nightengale, USNR), USS PC-1596 (Lt. J.C. McKay, USNR) and USS PC-1597 (Lt. R.P. Harris, USNR) all arrived at Bizerta from convoy escort duty with convoy UGS 47.
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