Destroyer Escort Commanding Officers Collection: USS MAJOR (DE 796) Records, 1945-1972
(Manuscript Collection #564-004)
Descriptive Summary
| Title: | Destroyer Escort Commanding Officers Collection: USS MAJOR (DE 796) Records |
| Repository: | ECU Manuscript Collection |
| Languages: | English |
| Abstract: | Records [1945-1972] including newsletter, history, photographs, and clippings. |
| Extent: | 0.461 Cubic feet, 3 items , including a newsletter and history. |
Administrative Information
Accessions Information
June 18, 1990, 5 items, Copies of ship's newsletter, photograph, history, and clipping. Gift of Mr. Joe Martin, Norfolk, Virginia
Access Restrictions
No restrictions
Copyright Notice
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
Preferred Citation
Destroyer Escort Commanding Officers Collection: USS MAJOR (DE 796) Records (#564-004), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Acquisition Information
- Gift of Mr. Joe Martin
Processing Information
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Processed by L. Turner, November 1992
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Encoded by Apex Data Services
Description
This collection covers the background and history of the USS MAJOR, a destroyer escort, and its campaigns. Most of the information comes from a history of the USS MAJOR provided by the Office of Naval Records and History, Ship's Histories section, in the Navy Department. Included are details of its shakedown cruise in the Carribean and Casco Bay, Maine; its use as a convoy escort to Tunisia, Algeria, and Plymouth, England (1944); the role of the ship in patrolling and running escorts to Leyte and Hollandia in the Philippine Sea frontier; and its involvement in the sea rescue of U.S. Army guerilla leader, Lt. Hermongilde Acosta (1945). Also mentioned is participation in a convoy to Okinawa (1945) and the use of a high frequency direction finder to direct the USS KNOX to a downed pilot (1945).
The Navy Department history also records the presence of the USS MAJOR in Tokyo harbor for the Japanese surrender (1945) and then its trip to Long Beach, California, for decommissioning. It became part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet (1948) where it remained until being sold and scrapped in 1972.
Additional materials found in the collection are copies of "The Capstan Times" (1945), the ship's weekly paper, which provided information on demobilization, the G.I. bill, G.I. loans, and V-J day; and a photocopy of the history of the USS MAJOR, from the Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Volume IV, which provides ship statistics.
Online access to this finding aid is supported with funds created through the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). These funds come through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which is administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. This grant is part of the North Carolina ECHO, Exploring Cultural Heritage Online, Digitization Grant Program.
