Allied Warships

USS Quick (DD 490)

Destroyer of the Bristol class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Destroyer
Class	Bristol
Pennant	DD 490
Built by	Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.A.)
Ordered	9 Sep 1940
Laid down	3 Nov 1941
Launched	3 May 1942
Commissioned	3 Jul 1942
End service	28 May 1949
History	Converted to High Speed Minesweeper DMS-32 on 23 June 1945. Decommissioned 28 May 1949. Stricken 15 January 1972. Sold 27 August 1973 and broken up for scrap.

Commands listed for USS Quick (DD 490)

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. Roger Brown Nickerson, USN	3 Jul 1942	21 Mar 1943
2	T/Cdr. Philip Winslow Cann, USN	21 Mar 1943	11 Jan 1945
3	Edward Jerome Foote, USN	11 Jan 1945	30 Sep 1945

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Notable events involving Quick include:

16 Nov 1942
German U-boat U-173 was sunk at Casablanca in position 33°40'N, 07°35'W by depth charges from the US destroyers USS Woolsey, USS Swanson and USS Quick.

5 May 1943

Convoy TA 41B.

This convoy was only made up of one ship, the troopship Queen Mary (British, 81235 GRT, built 1936). She departed the Clyde on 5 May 1943 for New York and had on board about 5000 German POW's and also Prime Minister Churchill and his staff.

The AA cruiser HMS Scylla (Capt. I.A.P. Macintyre, CBE, DSO, RN) departed Scapa Flow in the afternoon of the 4th May 1943 and provided close escort for the troopship.

Around midnight during the night of 4/5 May 1943, the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. E.M. Evans-Lombe, RN) departed Scapa Flow to provide cover. HMS Glasgow returned to Scapa Flow on 10 May apparently having turned back on 8 May.

Around 1100B/5, the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable (Capt. G. Grantham, CB, DSO, RN) departed Greenock to provide air cover for the Queen Mary during the first part of her voyage. The carrier was escorted by the destroyers HMS Matchless (Lt.Cdr. J. Mowlam, DSO, RN), HMS Mahratta (Lt.Cdr. E.A.F. Drought, DSC, RN) and HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN). These destroyers had departed Scapa Flow for this duty around 2100B/5. They turned back very late on 6 May and HMS Indomitable returned to the Clyde on the 8th. HMS Matchless and HMS Mahratta were detached on the 8th to proceed to Scapa Flow where they arrived later on the same day. HMS Eclipse was detached to fuel at Londonderry on completion of which she departed around 1700B/8 for Scapa flow where she arrived around 1700B/9.

Also on 5 May 1943, around 0600B/5, the light cruiser HMS Uganda (Capt. W.G. Andrewes, RN) and AA cruiser HMS Charybdis (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN) departed Plymouth to make rendezvous with the Queen Mary. Rendezvous was effected on 7 May. Most likely HMS Scylla then parted company as she arrived at Plymouth on 8 May. HMS Charybdis parted company around 2100A/8 to return to Plymouth where she arrived on 10 May.

The Queen Mary then continued on escorted by HMS Uganda.

At 1345N/9, the heavy cruisers USS Tuscaloosa (Capt. J.B.W. Waller, USN), USS Augusta (Capt. G. Hutchins, USN) and the destroyers USS Fitch (T/Cdr. K.C. Walpole, USN), USS Corry (T/Cdr. L.B. Ensey, USN), USS Hobson (T/Lt.Cdr. K. Loveland, USN) and Murphy (T/Cdr. L.W. Bailey, USN) joined. They had departed Argentia, Newfoundland on 6 May. HMS Uganda parted company shortly afterwards and proceeded to Argentia, arriving there around 1045OP(+2.5)/11.

In the morning of the 10th the four US destroyers were relieved by four other destroyers, these were USS Mervine (T/Cdr. S.D. Willingham, USN), USS Quick (T/Cdr. P.W. Cann, USN), USS Beatty (T/Cdr. F.C. Stelter, Jr., USN) and USS Tillman (T/Cdr. F.D. McCorkle, USN).

The Queen Mary and her USN escort arrived at New York on 11 May.

(1)

21 Aug 1943

Convoy UGF 10.

This convoy departed Hampton Roads on 21 August 1943.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels / (troop) transports; Edmund B. Alexander (American, 21329 GRT, built 1905), General George W. Goethals (American, 12093 GRT, built 1942), Hawaiian Shipper (American, 7775 GRT, built 1941), Henry Gibbons (American, 12097 GRT, built 1943), J.W. McAndrew (American, 7997 GRT, built 1940), James Parker (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Lakehurst (American, 8108 GRT, built 1940), Monterey (American, 18017 GRT, built 1932), Santa Elena (American, 9135 GRT, built 1933), Santa Rosa (American, 9135 GRT, built 1932), Seatrain Texas (American, 8108 GRT, built 1940), Siboney (American, 6938 GRT, built 1918), Sloterdijk (Dutch, 9230 GRT, built 1940) and Thomas H. Barry (American, 11250 GRT, built 1930).

The naval tanker USS Chicopee (T/Cdr. B.F. Brandt, USN) was also part of the convoy as were the naval troopship USS Monticello (T/Capt. B.H. Colyear, USN), naval transports USS Dorothea L. Dix (T/Capt. L.B. Schulten, USN), USS Florence Nightingale (T/Capt. J.W. McColl, Jr., USN), USS Susan B. Anthony (Cdr. T.L. Gray, USNR), USS Anne Arundel (T/Capt. L.Y. Mason, Jr., USN), Thurston (T/Cdr. R.B. Vanasse, USN) and the naval stores ship USS Tarazed (Cdr. R.W. Chambers, USNR).

On departure the convoy was escorted by the battleship USS Texas (Capt. R. Pfaff, USN) and the destroyers USS Mervine (T/Cdr. D.R. Frakes, USN, with COMDESRON 15, T/Capt. C.C. Hartman, USN on board), USS Quick (T/Cdr. P.W. Cann, USN), USS Davison (T/Cdr. J.D. Collett, USN), USS Beatty (T/Cdr. W. Outerson, USN), USS Tillman (T/Cdr. C.S. Hutchings, USN), USS Parker (T/Cdr. J.W. Bays, USN, with COMDESRON 16, T/Capt. T.L. Wattles, USN on board), USS Boyle (T/Cdr. B.P. Field, Jr., USN), USS Champlin (T/Cdr. C.L. Melson, USN, with COMDESDIV 32, T/Capt. J.C. Sowell, USN on board), USS Kendick ( T/Cdr. C.T. Caufield, USN), USS Laub (T/Lt.Cdr. A.G. Hay, USN), USS Mackenzie (T/Cdr. D.B. Miller, USN), USS McLanahan (T/Lt.Cdr. N.C. Johnson, USN), USS Nields (T/Cdr. A.R. Heckey, USN) and USS Ordronaux (T/Cdr. R. Brodie, Jr., USN).

At 1500Q/22, USS Quick parted company with the convoy to proceed to New York.

On 25 August 1943, the destroyers fuelled from USS Chicopee.

On 30 August 1943, the the destroyers of DesRon 15 fuelled from USS Chicopee. These were USS Mervine, USS Davison, USS Beatty and USS Tillman. Also USS Kendrick from DesRon 16 was fuelled. These destroyers were to escort the Bizerta section of the convoy. Also USS Boyle received some fuel.

Around 2100Z/31, the (troop) transports Banfora (British, 9472 GRT, built 1914) and Rhona (British, 8602 GRT, built 1926) escorted by the destroyers HMS Antelope (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Sinclair, RN) and HMS Active (Lt.Cdr. P.G. Merriman, RN) joined the convoy coming from Casablanca. The patrol boats USS PC-471 (Lt. G. Washburn, USNR) and USS PC-482 (Lt. N.P. Hallowell, Jr., USNR) had also been with them as escorts but they did not join the convoy but returned to Casablanca.

Around 1630A/1, USS Texas and USS Chicopee parted company to enter Gibraltar. They took HMS Antelope and HMS Active with them as escorts.

Around 1900A/1, the escort carriers HMS Stalker (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) and HMS Battler (A/Capt. F.M.R. Stephenson, RN) joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar. They were escorted by the escort destroyers HMS Farndale (Cdr. D.P. Trentham, RN) and HMS Haydon (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Watkin, RN) which also joined the convoy.

Around 1130A/2, the Oran section of the convoy parted company and entered that port. It was made up of the following ships; Edmund B. Alexander, General George W. Goethals, Hawaiian Shipper, Henry Gibbons, J.W. McAndrew, James Parker, Lakehust, Monterey, Santa Rosa, Seatrain Texas, USS Anne Arundel, USS Dorothea L. Dix, USS Florence Nightingale, USS Monticello, USS Tarazed and USS Thurston. With them the destroyers USS Parker, USS Boyle, USS Champlin, USS Laub, USS MacKenzie, USS McLanahan, USS Nields, USS Ordronaux also entered Oran (Mers-el-Kebir).

The remaining ships continued on towards the east.

Around 2106A/2, the first air attack by enemy aircraft was made on the convoy.

Around 0700A/3, the Algiers section was detached. This was made up of the Banfora, Rhona and USS Susan B. Anthony. Around the same time the destroyer HMS Wishart (Lt. J.A. Holdsworth, RN) joined the convoy coming from Algiers.

At 0730B/4, HMS Stalker and HMS Batter were detached to proceed to Malta. They took HMS Farndale and HMS Haydon with them as escorts. The destroyers HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. V.A. Wight-Boycott, OBE, RN) and HMS Petard (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Egan, RN) had just joined as additional escorts. Around 1115B/4, they were joined by yet another additional escort, the destroyer RHS Vasilissa Olga (Lt.Cdr. G. Blessas).

The remaining ships of the convoy arrived at Bizerta on 4 September 1943.

1 Jun 1944

Convoy GUF 11.

This convoy departed Naples on 1 June 1944.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Cristobal (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Frederick Lykes (American, 7773 GRT, built 1940) and Santa Rosa (American, 9135 GRT, built 1932).

They were escorted by the destroyers USS Davison (T/Cdr. E.L.E. Ritson, USN, with COMTASKFOR 68 / COMDESRON 15, T/Capt. S.W. DuBois, USN on board), USS Mervine (T/Cdr. D.R. Frakes, USN), USS Quick (T/Cdr. P.W. Cann, USN), USS Tillman (T/Cdr. C.S. Hutchings, USN) and USS Earle (T/Capt. G.O. Hobbs, USN).

Around 2030B/1, the destroyer USS Livermore (T/Cdr. H.E. Siedel, Jr., USN) joined for jammer duty (against German radio controlled bombs).

The convoy proceeded via the Messina Straits.

Around 1300B/2, the AA cruiser HMS Colombo (Capt. C.T. Jellicoe, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN) and naval tanker USS Mattaponi (Lt.Cdr. V.J. Banks, USNR) joined coming from Bizerta.

Around 0445B/4, the convoy was off Oran where the (troop) transports James Parker (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939) and Sea Perch (American, 7870 GRT, built 1944) joined. Also the stores ship USS Merak (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Cawthon, USN) joined.

Around 1745A/4, the destroyer escorts USS Ahrens (Cdr. M.H. Harris, USNR) and USS Robert I. Paine (Lt.Cdr. D. Cochran, USN) joined the convoy near Gibraltar.

Around 1815A/4, HMS Colombo, USS Earle and USS Livermore were detached near Gibraltar.

On 5 June 1944, USS Davison, USS Mervine, USS Quick and USS Tillman fuelled from USS Mattaponi.

Around 1500N/8, the destroyer escorts USS Evarts (Lt.Cdr. T.G. Bremer, Jr., USNR, with COMCORTDIV 5, Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR on board), USS Wilhoite (T/Lt.Cdr. E.B. Roth, USN) and USS Eugene E. Elmore (T/Lt.Cdr. G.L. Conkey, USN) joined and commenced fuelling from USS Mattaponi. On completion, around 1800N/8, they parted company.

On 9 June 1944, all escorts fuelled from USS Mattaponi.

The convoy arrived at Hampton Roads on 13 June 1944.

1 Jul 1944

Convoy UGF 12.

This convoy departed Hampton Roads on 1 July 1944.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Cristobal (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Cross Keys (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Esso Springfield (American (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Exanthia (American, 6533 GRT, built 1941), Exhibitor (American, 6736 GRT, built 1940), Four Lakes (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1943), Harpers Ferry (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Henry Gibbins (American, 12097 GRT, built 1943), J.W. McAndrew (American, 7997 GRT, built 1940), James Parker (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Kernstown (American (tanker), 10317 GRT, built 1944), Marine Robin (American, 11757 GRT, built 1944), Memnon (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944), Monocacy (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1944), Mount Baker (American, 6022 GRT, built 1940), Santa Maria (American, 6507 GRT, built 1942), Santa Rosa (American, 9135 GRT, built 1932), Sirocco (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944), South Mountain (American (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Sturdy Beggar (American, 8271 GRT, built 1944) and Winchester (American (tanker), 10198 GRT, built 1943).

The troop transport USS General G.O. Squier (T/Capt. R.D. Threshie, USN) stores ship USS Ariel (Lt.Cdr. W.F. Smith, USNR), ammunition ship Mount Baker (Lt.Cdr. L.R. Brooks, USNR) and naval tanker USS Chicopee (Cdr. C.O. Peak, USNR) were also part of the convoy.

The convoy was escorted by Task Force 68 which was mad up of the destroyers USS Davison (T/Cdr. E.L.E. Ritson, USN, with COMTASKFOR 68 / COMDESRON 15, T/Capt. S.W. DuBois, USN on board), USS Mervine (T/Cdr. D.R. Frakes, USN), USS Quick (T/Cdr. P.W. Cann, USN), USS Tillman (T/Cdr. C.S. Hutchings, USN) and the destroyer escorts USS Roy O. Hale (Lt.Cdr. W.W. Bowie, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 59, T/Cdr. A.W. Slayden, USN on board), USS Edsall (Lt. M. MacLean, USNR), USS Stewart (Lt. A.C. Wilson, Jr., USNR), USS Daniel (Lt.Cdr. E.D. Boynton, USNR), USS Dale W. Peterson (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Hero, USNR) and USS Martin H. Ray (Lt. H.V. Tucker, Jr., USNR). USS Edsall actually only joined early on 2 July. She came from Cape Henry.

During 5 July 1944, the four destroyers of Task Force 68 fuelled from USS Chicopee.

Around 2100N/9, USS Ariel was detached to Gibraltar. She was escorted by USS Roy O. Hale which was to rejoin the convoy when the convoy passed Gibraltar.

In the early afternoon of 11 July 1944, the four destroyers of Task Force 68 again fuelled from USS Chicopee.

Around 1700A/11, the following tankers parted company with the convoy to proceed to Casablanca; Cross Keys, Four Lakes, Kernstown and South Mountain. To escort them to Casablanca the minesweeping sloops La Gracieuse and patrol vessels L'Indiscret and L'Effronté had come from Casablanca. The Casablanca section of the convoy arrived at its destination on the 18th.

Around 2000A/11, USS Roy O. Hale rejoined the convoy.

Around 1100B/12, the AA cruiser HMS Colombo (Capt. C.T. Jellicoe, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN) joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar.

Around 2100B/12, the Mount Baker was detached to Oran while the troop transports Samaria (British, 19597 GRT, built 1921), Sobieski (Polish, 11030 GRT, built 1939) and the naval attack transport USS Bayfield (Capt. L. Spencer, USCG) joined the convoy coming from Oran. Also the destroyer USS Benson (T/Cdr. J.B. Williams, USN) joined.

Around 1100B/13, the troop transport Arundel Castle (British, 19118 GRT, built 1921) joined the convoy off Algiers. Also the destroyer escort Hova joined the convoy.

Around 0630B/14, HMS Colombo was detached to Bizerta followed half an hour later by USS Chicopee and the Hova.

Around 1800B/14, the Harpers Ferry and Monacacy parted company to proceed to Taranto escorted by USS Roy O. Hale and USS Edsall.

Around 0700B/15, the convoy arrived in Naples Bay.

13 Dec 1944
During 13/14 December 1944, USS Lionfish (T/Lt.Cdr. E.D. Spruance, USN) conducted exercises off Portsmouth with USS Quick (T/Cdr. P.W. Cann, USN) and USS Davison (T/Cdr. E.L.E. Ritson, USN).