Allied Warships

USS Frankford (DD 497)

Destroyer of the Bristol class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	Bristol
Pennant	DD 497
Built by	Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)
Ordered	9 Sep 1940
Laid down	5 Jun 1941
Launched	17 May 1942
Commissioned	31 Mar 1943
End service	6 Mar 1946
History	Decommissioned 6 March 1946. Stricken 1 June 1971. Sunk as a target off Puerto Rico on 4 December 1973.

Commands listed for USS Frankford (DD 497)

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	T/Cdr. Thomas James Thornhill, Jr., USN	31 Mar 1943	25 Jan 1944 (1)
2	T/Lt.Cdr. James Lardner Semmes, USN	25 Jan 1944	16 Jan 1945 (1)
3	Lt.Cdr. Donald George Wright, USNR	16 Jan 1945	6 Mar 1946 (1)

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Notable events involving Frankford include:

5 Nov 1943

Convoy UT 4A.

The New York section of this convoy departed on 5 November 1943.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Brazil (American, 20614 GRT, built 1929), Examiner (American, 6737 GRT, built 1942), Frederick Lykes (American, 7773 GRT, built 1940) and Ocean Mail (American, 7842 GRT, built 1941).

The escort carrier (in an aircraft ferry role) HMS Khedive (A/Capt. H.J. Haynes, DSO, DSC, RN) and the tanker USS Salamonie (T/Capt. L.J. Johns, USN) were also part of the New York Section of the convoy.

The New York Section of the convoy was escorted by the destroyers USS Frankford (T/Cdr. T.J. Thornhill, Jr., USN, with COMDESRON 18, T/Capt. W.K. Mendenhall, Jr, USN, on board), USS Carmick (T/Cdr. R.O. Beer, USN), USS Doyle (T/Cdr. C.E. Boyd, USN), USS Endicott (T/Cdr. W.S. Heald, USN), USS McCook (T/Cdr. S.C. Anderson, USN) and the destroyer escort USS Ira Jeffery (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR).

The Boston section of this convoy also departed on 5 November 1943.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Explorer (American, 6736 GRT, built 1939) and General George W. Goethals (American, 12093 GRT, built 1942).

The Boston Section of the convoy was escorted by the destroyers USS Decatur (T/Cdr. J.B. Williams, USN, with COMDESDIV 53, T/Capt. B.S. Copping, USN), USS Clemson (Lt. W.F. Moran, USNR) and USS Greer (Lt. M.D. Cooper, USNR). These three destroyers did not join the convoy.

The two sections merged on 7 November 1943. Also joining on 7 November 1943 was the escort destroyer USS Lee Fox (Lt.Cdr. W.C. Jennings, USNR) which had been delayed due to engine trouble and could not sail with the New York Section on the 5th.

On 11 November 1943, USS Carmick and USS Lee Fox were detached to the Azores to fue. Refueling at sea had been impossible in the weather conditions that had been encountered.

On 12 November 1943, fuelling at sea was possible, so USS Doyle, USS Endicott, USS McCook and USS Frankford fuelled from USS Salamonie.

On 13 November 1943, USS Ira Jeffery fuelled from USS Salamonie.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 16 November 1943. USS Carmick and USS Lee Fox had been unable to rejoin the convoy before it's arrival.