An illustrated history (undated) of the USS Alvin C. Cockrell (DR 366) by George L. Clark, Jr.
The escort ship USS ALVIN C. COCKRELL (DE-366) was named for First Lieutenant Alvin C. Cockrell, U. S. Marine Corps Reserve, who was killed in action during World War II at Guadalcanal on September 24, 1942.
This monograph, An Illustrated History of the USS ALVIN C. COCKRELL (DE-366) includes an index of terms and is heavily illustrated with photographs, and copies of declassified materials, including deck logs and orders. The book begins with a short introduction about the classification and uses of escort ships. The body of the volume begins with a biographical note about Alvin C. Cockrell and the activities of the 7th Marine Regiment at Guadalcanal.
Christened and launched (August 8, 1944), the ALVIN C. COCKRELL was intended for escort duty (pp. 39-40), though a number of air and sea rescues are described off Yap Island (p. 43) and Guam (pp. 44-45). Also included is a very detailed description (pp. 50-58) of the rescue of the crew of heavy cruiser USS INDIANAPOLIS (CA-35) after it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. Included are deck logs from this search (August 2-7, 1945, pp. 59-64), photographs of burials of the dead at sea (pp. 66-67), and track charts of the search operations (pp. 68-73). Correspondence describes the condition of allied prisoners of war brought to the Wakayama Evacuation Unit that includes descriptions of the residential section of the city, the railroad station, and the physical condition of the men (September 15, 1945, pp. 79.2-79.10). Also contained in the narrative is the war diary for the ALVIN C. COCKRELL that also details the vessel's post-World War II activities in Japan (December 1944-July 1946, pp. 85-120).
The narrative also details the decommissioning (July 1946) and recommissioning (June 1951) of the ship for anti-submarine activity and as a support ship based in Hong Kong during the Korean War (pp. xvi, 132). The ALVIN C. COCKRELL also details training cruises for the Selected Reserves as the flagship for Escort Squadron 3 in 1955(pp. 152-178), and surveillance in and around South Vietnam with Escort Squadron 7, including Saigon (pp. 238.2-238.4). A deck log (May 4, 1962) and a description of patrols (p. 244) are included, and Naval Reserve training is described (pp. 256-263). The account concludes with details of the ship being used for hull strength testing, its decommissioning, and sinking (pp. 272-276); a list of officers and their biographies (pp. 285-296); and a chronology of the ship's activities (pp. 297-304).
Gift of Mr. George L. Clark
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