USS Cross (DE-448) was a ''John C. Butler''-class

destroyer escort Destroyer escort (DE) was the United States Navy mid-20th-century classification for a warship designed with the endurance necessary to escort mid-ocean convoys of merchant marine ships. Development of the destroyer escort was promoted by th ...

in service with the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

from 1945 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1958. She was sold for scrapping in 1968.

Namesake

Frederick Gushing Cross, Jr. was born on 8 July 1917 in

Lunenburg, Massachusetts Lunenburg is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,782 at the 2020 census. History Lunenburg was first settled by Europeans in 1718 and was officially incorporated in 1728. The name stems from one of ...

. He enlisted in the

United States Naval Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2004, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called reservists, are categorized as being in either the S ...

on 22 March 1941, and after aviation training was ordered to a bombing squadron at

Naval Air Station DeLand Naval Air Station DeLand was a United States Naval air station, Naval Air Station located in DeLand, Florida from 1942 to 1946. After the war, the Aerodrome, airfield and associated infrastructure was redeveloped into DeLand Municipal Airport. ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), i ...

Cross was killed in action on 7 August 1943 during an engagement with an enemy submarine. Although he was mortally wounded and his plane had a shattered starboard engine, he continued to attack the submarine, then made a perfect water landing, thus saving the lives of his copilot and radio operator. He was posthumously awarded the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

History

''Cross'' was launched 4 July 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.,

Kearny, New Jersey Kearny ( ) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and a suburb of Newark. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 41,999, an increase of 1,315 (+3.2%) from the 2010 census cou ...

; sponsored by Mrs. D. F. Cross, mother of the late Lieutenant (junior grade) ''Cross'', USNR; and commissioned 8 January 1945. Departing

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

22 March 1945, ''Cross'' called at

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, before arriving at

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for additional training. She sailed on 8 May escorting a convoy for

Ulithi Ulithi (, , or ; pronounced roughly as YOU-li-thee) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap, within Yap State. Name The name of the island goes back to Chuukic languages, Proto-Chuukic ''*úlú-diw ...

, and from 29 May to 11 September ''Cross'' continued to escort vital supply-laden

convoys A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

from Ulithi to

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. After repairs at Okinawa, she called at San Diego and

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, Massachusetts, then put in at

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, where she was placed out of commission in reserve 14 June 1946. Recommissioned 6 June 1951, ''Cross'' was assigned to the

1st Naval District United States Naval Districts is a system created by the United States Navy to organize military facilities, numbered sequentially by geographic region, for the operational and administrative control of naval bases and shore commands in the Unit ...

to serve as a

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

for

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Naval Reservists. She remained in this employment until placed in reserve again 2 January 1958. She was struck from the

Navy list A Navy Directory, Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a co ...

on 1 July 1966, and, on 5 March 1968, she was sold for scrapping.

Military awards

''Cross'' was awarded one

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...

for

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

service.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cross (DE-448) John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts World War II frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey 1944 ships