USS Marts
| Career | 
|
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 26 April 1943 |
| Launched: | 8 August 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 3 September 1943 |
| Battle Stars: | Unknown |
| Decommissioned: | 20 March 1945 |
| Struck: | 20 July 1953 |
| Fate: | Transferred to Brazil 20 March 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class: | Cannon class destroyer escort |
| Type: | DET (diesel-electric tandem motor drive, long hull, 3" guns) |
| Displacement: | 1,240 tons (std) 1,620 tons (full) |
| Dimensions: | 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10" x 11' 8" (max) |
| Range: | 10,800 nm @ 12 knots |
| Speed: | 21 knots |
| Complement: | 15 / 201 |
| Armament: | 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks |
| Propulsion: | 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws |
USS Marts (DE-174) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys.
Marts was named in honor of Alvin Lee Marts who earned the Navy Cross for his heroic efforts during the Battle of Tassafaronga. The ship was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey, 26 April 1943; launched 8 August 1943; sponsored by Miss Betty Marts; and, commissioned 3 September 1943. Lt. Carl M. Fellows in command.
World War II South Atlantic operations
After shakedown off Bermuda, Marts departed New York 4 November for convoy escort duty off the Atlantic coast of South America. She reached Trinidad, British West Indies, 9 November, and during the next 5 months operated in the U.S. 4th Fleet escorting ships between Trinidad and Recife, Brazil. As escort for USS Omaha, she departed Bahia, Brazil, 23 May 1944 and patrolled the mid Atlantic, south of the Equator, in search of German U-boats, until returning to Bahia, 5 June. She made two more patrols during the next month; and, after escorting Omaha to Gibraltar 13 July, she returned to Recife the 23d.
Between 24 July and 3 August Marts screened the British cable repair ship SS Cambria during repairs on communications cables off the Brazilian coast. Thence, she joined Escort Division 24 on hunter-killer patrols in the Atlantic. Operating with Tripoli, she made four offensive ASW patrols out of Recife between 22 August and 12 November. After completing sonar repairs at Bahia, Brazil, she sailed to Trinidad, where she arrived 5 December to resume convoy escort duty. From 6 to 18 December she screened a merchant convoy to Recife; thence, she continued escort duty between Brazilian Ports and Trinidad until the end of January 1945.
Marts joined Cincinnati at Bahia 1 February and escorted the cruiser on patrol in the South Atlantic until returning to Recife 10 February.
Post-War deactivation and decommissioning
Scheduled for transfer under lend lease to the Brazilian Government, she steamed to the Brazilian Naval Base at Natal 2 March, and there trained Brazilian sailors. Marts decommissioned 20 March 1945 and recommissioned the same day in the Brazilian Navy as Bocaina (D 22). On 30 June 1953 she was returned to the United States and simultaneously transferred outright to Brazil under terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. She continued to serve in the Brazilian Navy until struck and scrapped in 1975.
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
See also
External links
- Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive = USS MARTS DE-174
