USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442)

USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Ulvert M. Moore, a United States Marine Corps Private First Class killed in action during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the ship served primarily in the Pacific Theater of Operations. After the war, it was placed in reserve before being used as a target ship and sunk in a naval exercise.

Construction and commissioning

The ship's keel was laid down on 7 February 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey. It was launched on 7 May 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Mary E. Moore, the mother of the ship's namesake. The vessel was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 9 August 1944, under the command of Lieutenant Commander John H. Willis.

Service history

Following shakedown training near Bermuda, Ulvert M. Moore transited the Panama Canal in October 1944 to join the U.S. Pacific Fleet. It was assigned to Escort Division 77 and performed vital convoy escort duties across the Central Pacific Ocean, protecting vital supply lines to advanced bases. In early 1945, the destroyer escort was detailed to screen the Fast Carrier Task Force during operations supporting the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, providing anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare support. During this period, it rescued downed aviators from the USS ''Essex'' and survived several kamikaze attacks off Okinawa. After the surrender of Japan, the ship participated in occupation duties in waters around Tokyo Bay before returning to the United States.

Decommissioning and fate

The ship arrived at San Diego in December 1945 and was decommissioned on 15 June 1946. It was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, berthed at San Diego Naval Base. On 1 July 1966, the vessel was reclassified as an Auxiliary Research Vessel and redesignated AG-176. It was used in various test programs, including sonar evaluations, by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Its final duty was as a target in a live-fire exercise. On 19 November 1970, the ex-Ulvert M. Moore was sunk by gunfire and missiles from other United States Navy warships during a Fleet Exercise in the Pacific Ocean near Southern California.

Awards and legacy

For its World War II service, the ship earned one battle star for its participation in the Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto. The legacy of its namesake, Ulvert M. Moore, is memorialized in the ship's service record, and its operational history reflects the critical role of destroyer escorts in the Pacific War. The vessel's final use as a target contributed to the development of modern naval warfare tactics and weapons systems for the Cold War-era United States Navy.

Category:John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts Category:Ships sunk as targets Category:World War II frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States