View source for USS Parle

{{Short description|Rudderow-class destroyer escort}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
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|Ship image=[[File:USS Parle (DE-708) underway on Lake Michigan c1968.jpg|300px|USS Parle (DE-708) underway on Lake Michigan c1968]]
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1970}}
|Ship name=USS ''Parle''
|Ship namesake= [[John Joseph Parle]]
|Ship ordered=1942
|Ship builder=[[Defoe Shipbuilding Company]], [[Bay City, Michigan]]
|Ship laid down=8 January 1944
|Ship launched=25 March 1944
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=29 July 1944
|Ship decommissioned=10 July 1946
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship recommissioned=2 March 1951
|Ship decommissioned=1 July 1970
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|Ship fate=Sunk as a target off the Florida coast, 27 October 1970
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= {{sclass|Rudderow|destroyer escort}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1450|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} light
*{{convert|1673|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard
|Ship length= {{convert|306|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|37|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|13|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} 
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|Ship propulsion=Turbo-electric drive, {{convert|12000|hp|MW|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed= {{convert|24|kn|lk=in}}
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|Ship complement=221
|Ship armament=*2 × single [[5"/38 caliber gun]]s
*2 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm guns]]
*10 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm guns]]
*1 × triple [[American 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*1 × [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] [[anti-submarine mortar]]
*8 × [[Depth charge#Delivery mechanisms|K-gun]] depth charge projectors
*2 × depth charge tracks
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'''USS ''Parle'' (DE-708)''', a {{sclass|Rudderow|destroyer escort}} of the [[United States Navy]], was laid down on 8 January 1944 at the [[Defoe Shipbuilding Company]], in [[Bay City, Michigan]].  She was launched on 25 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Harry V. Parle, mother of [[Medal of Honor]] recipient [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] [[John Joseph Parle]], and commissioned in [[New Orleans]] on 29 July 1944.

==Service history==

===World War II, 1944&ndash;1945===
After shakedown off [[Louisiana]] and [[Bermuda]], ''Parle'' was assigned to the [[USLANTFLT|Atlantic Fleet]] for [[convoy]] duty, completing one [[Atlantic]]-[[Mediterranean]] voyage before her permanent assignment to [[Escort Division 60]].  Then, she returned to the yards to be fitted out for [[Pacific]] duty.  On 28 December, she sailed for [[Panama]], arriving there on 3 January 1945.  After sailing to the [[South Pacific Area|South Pacific]] and reporting for duty with the [[United States Seventh Fleet|7th Fleet]], she was assigned to the [[Philippine Sea Frontier]], and routed to [[Leyte Island|Leyte]] by way of [[Galapagos]], [[Bora Bora]], [[Manus Island|Manus]] and [[Palau]].

As an escort with Task Unit 94.18.12, she carried out numerous operations between [[Kossol Roads]], Leyte, [[Lingayen, Pangasinan|Lingayen]], [[Subic, Zambales|Subic]], [[New Guinea]], [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], [[Ulithi]], and [[Jayapura|Hollandia]].  Although engaging in repeated attack runs on sound contacts during these escort assignments, she never made positive contact with the enemy.

===Post-war activities, 1945&ndash;1946===
In August 1945, ''Parle'' was with the [[Amphibious Forces]] of the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]] engaged in escorting occupation troops to [[Korea]].  In January 1946, she joined the [[Atlantic Reserve Fleet]] at [[Green Cove Springs, Florida]], and decommissioned on 10 July.

===1951&ndash;1970===
''Parle'' recommissioned on 2 March 1951 at Green Cove Springs, Florida, and following shakedown, operated with the [[USLANTFLT|Atlantic Fleet]] out of [[Norfolk, Virginia]] and [[Nova Scotia]].  During the first quarter of 1952, she underwent training at [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]] and was then sent to [[Key West]], in March, for duty as a training ship with the [[Fleet Sonar School]].  The latter part of the year found her in the [[North Atlantic]] and [[Baltic Sea]] areas engaged in fleet exercises.

The succeeding years, through 1958, were spent in training in [[anti-submarine warfare]] tactics out of Guantanamo, off the [[Virginia Capes]], and Norfolk with interim periods for overhaul and readiness evaluations.  ''Parle'' periodically provided services to the [[Fleet Sonar School]] and [[type commander]]s.

On 1 January 1959, ''Parle'' was transferred to the operational control of the [[Commandant]], [[5th Naval District]] and designated as a [[Naval Reserve Training Ship]], Group 1. Her complement was reduced, and she was assigned a [[mobilization]] crew of [[Reservist]]s for training and augmentation.  As a [[training ship]] for the reservists, she conducted year-round schedules of two-week [[Cruising (maritime)|cruise]]s, other than periods for upkeep.

During a heightening of world tensions in August 1961, President [[John F. Kennedy]] called for partial mobilization of the Reserves.  ''Parle'' received her reserve crew on 21 October, bringing her to full complement, and she commenced a year of duty with the active fleet.  Following additional training to peak the performance of her new crew, ''Parle'' assumed patrol duties in the Caribbean.

In July 1962, ''Parle'' detached the Reserve crew, and reverted to inactive status as a Reserve Training Ship.  In August, she was placed in service in reserve, and retained in a training capacity.  She has since continued her training duties, operating from her [[Great Lakes]] home port of [[Chicago]], Illinois, and into 1970, ''Parle'' continued a vital service to the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] and the [[United States Naval Reserve|U.S. Naval Reserve]] Training Program.

===Fate===
On 1 July 1970 ''Parle'' was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] after 20 years and 4 months of total service.   She was the last commissioned U.S. Navy ship based on the Great Lakes and the last WWII era destroyer escort in service.

On 27 October 1970, ''Parle'' was sunk as target off the coast of Florida.<ref>{{cite web |title=USS Parle (DE-708) |url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/708.htm |website=Navsource |access-date=27 June 2022}}</ref>

==Awards==
*[[Navy Expeditionary Medal]]
*[[American Campaign Medal]]
*[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]]
*[[European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]]
*[[World War II Victory Medal]]
*[[Navy Occupation Medal]] with "ASIA" clasp
*[[National Defense Service Medal]] with star

==See also==
*[[List of destroyer escorts of the United States Navy]]

== References ==
*{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/parle.html}}

{{reflist}}


{{Rudderow class destroyer escort}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parle (DE-708)}}
[[Category:Rudderow-class destroyer escorts]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bay City, Michigan]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs Group]]