USS GEORGE E. BADGER DD-196

A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS GEORGE E. BADGER DD-196

The Tin Can Sailor, October 2013

The CLEMSON-class destroyer USS GEORGE E. BADGER (DD-196) was named for a nineteenth-century secretary                   of the navy and U.S. Senator. She was laid down in September 1918 by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co., of Virginia and commissioned 28 July 1920. During her early career she operated out of Charleston, South Carolina, in the Caribbean waters and along the Eastern seaboard from Jacksonville, Florida, to Boston. She was decommissioned at                   Philadelphia in 1922, and transferred to the Treasury Department in October 1930 for use by the Coast Guard. The navy reacquired her in May 1934, redesignating her AVP-16 in October 1939.

Following her recommissioning at Philadelphia in January 1940, she engaged in training operations in the Caribbean. Redesignated AVD-3 in August 1940, she returned to Norfolk in                   January 1941 and subsequently tended planes while based at Argentia, Newfoundland, and Reykjavik, Iceland, until the spring of 1942.

Ordered to Charleston, North Carolina in May 1942, the BADGER escorted convoys along the Eastern seaboard, in the Gulf of Mexico, and to Recife and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, until                   January 1943. Returning to Norfolk she was fitted out for Atlantic convoy duty. Through the spring of 1943, she operated out of Argentia shepherding convoys bound for the United Kingdom. In June she underwent overhaul at Norfolk, then sailed in July for North Africa.                   Steaming with escort carrier BOGUE (CVE-9) and destroyer CLEMSON (DD-186), she made her first kill on 23 July 1943 after four depth charge attacks broke up a deep-running submarine                   southwest of Sao Miguel, Azores.

After a brief stop at Casablanca, the BADGER returned to New York in August 1943 but was bound for Casablanca with an escort two months later. She was back in New York in                   October and then Norfolk. Leaving Hampton Roads on 14 November, she sailed for North Africa with the USS BOGUE (CVE-9) and destroyers OSMOND INGRAM (DD-255) and                   CLEMSON (DD-186) on an offensive antisubmarine patrol. That patrol successfully sank the U-172 on 12 December 1943 after a 24-hour game of cat-and-mouse with the German submarine.

After escorting another convoy from Norfolk to North Africa and back, the BADGER was converted to a high speed transport at Charleston and redesignated APD-33 on 19 May 1944. She was soon en route via the West Coast and Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal where she arrived on 12 August. From there she went on to the Palau Islands and Angaur Island where, on 12 September, she screened warships bombarding the island. Between 14 and 16 September, she sent her frogmen ashore for reconnaissance and demolition work. They gathered intelligence and removed obstacles on the beach before the ship got underway on 12 October for Leyte. There she supported the reconnaissance and bombardment of the island’s east coast of and again landed her frogmen.

The BADGER got underway on 21 October. She stopped at Kossol Passage, Manus, and Noumea before joining the Lingayen landings from 5 to11 January 1945. In that action, her gun crews effectively responded to calls for fire support, and on D-day, 5 January, they blew an attacking Japanese torpedo plane out of the air. Her frogmen hit the beaches two days later. Despite frequent air attacks, the BADGER continued to screen the landings until 11 January shen she left for Leyte and Ulithi.

The veteran warship was in drydock at Ulithi for overhaul until the spring of 1945 when she joined the forces patrolling off Iwo Jima and escorted ships from Guam to Guadalcanal, Noumea, and Manus. She left Ulithi on 2 April 1945 for Okinawa with the carriers delivering replacement aircraft and subsequently escorted convoys from Saipan to Okinawa. On 24 June the GEORGE E. BADGER left Eniwetok for Pearl Harbor and San Francisco. There, she was                   reconverted to DD-196 on 20 July 1945 and decommissioned on 3 October 1945. The BADGER                   was scrapped on 3 June 1946.

USS GEORGE E. BADGER DD-196 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, February 2016

George E. Badger (Destroyer No. 196) was laid down 24 September 1918 by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.; launched 6 March 1920; sponsored by Miss Mary B. Wilson, the namesake’s granddaughter; and commissioned 28 July 1920, Lt. Comdr. Albert Gleaves Berry, Jr., in command.

After shakedown, George E. Badger based at Charleston, S.C., while operating in Caribbean waters and along the eastern seaboard from Jacksonville, Fla, to Boston. Returning to Philadelphia 6 June 1922, she decommissioned there 11 August 1922 and was subsequently transferred to the Treasury Department 1 October 1930 for use by the Coast Guard. She was reacquired by the Navy 21 May 1934 and redesignated (AVP-16) on 1 October 1939.

George E. Badger recommissioned at Philadelphia 8 January 1940, Lt. Comdr. Frank Akers in command. During the next year she engaged in training operations in the Caribbean. Redesignated AVD-3 on 2 August 1940, she returned to Norfolk 12 January 1941 and subsequently tended planes while based at Argentia, Newfoundland, and Reykjavik, Iceland, until the spring of 1942.

Ordered to Charleston, N.C., 26 May 1942, George E. Badger escorted convoys along the eastern seaboard, in the Gulf of Mexico, and to Recife and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, until returning to Norfolk 15 January 1943 to be fitted out for Atlantic convoy duty. Through the spring of 1943 she operated out of Argentia shepherding convoys bound for the United Kingdom. In June she underwent overhaul at Norfolk, then sailed 13 July for North Africa. Steaming with escort carrier. Bogue (CVE-9) and destroyer Clemson (DD-186), she made her first kill 23 July 1943 after four depth charge attacks broke up deep-running 77-6.73 southwest of Sao Miguel, Azores. This victory came just a few hours before planes from Bogue attacked and sent TJ-521 to the bottom not far away.

After touching Casablanca, George E. Badger returned to New York 23 August. During the next 2 months she made another escort voyage from New York to Casablanca, then returned to New York 21 October. Departing Hampton Roads 14 November, she sailed for North Africa with Bogue and destroyers Dupont, Osmond Ingram and Clemson on an offensive antisubmarine patrol. This patrol was aggressively and successfully conducted, blasting U-172 on 12 December 1943 after a 24-hour game of cat-and-mouse which the German submarine lost.

After escorting another convoy from Norfolk to North Africa and back George E. Badger underwent conversion to high speed transport at Charleston and was redesignated APD-33 on 19 May 1944. Sailing for duty in the Pacific, she steamed via the West Coast and Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal where she arrived 12 August. From there she carried to the Palau Islands. Reaching Angaur Island 12 September, George E. Badger screened warships bombarding the island and from 14 to 16 September sent her hardy frogmen ashore for reconnaissance and demolition work. Intelligence was gathered and obstacles on the beach removed before the ship got underway 12 October for Leyte, where until 18 October she supported the reconnaissance and bombardment of the east coast of that strategic island and again landed her frogmen.

Departing 21 October, she called at Kossol Passage, Manus, and Noumea before participating in the Lingayen landings of 5-11 January 1945. In these she lent her effective fire support as requested, and on D-day, 5 January, blew an attacking Japanese torpedo plane out of the air. Her frogmen hit the beaches 2 days later; and, despite frequent air attacks, George E. Badger continued screening during landings 7 January until sailing 11 January for Leyte and Ulithi.

Until the spring of 1945 the veteran warship was overhauled at Ulithi; patrolled off Iwo Jima while the fighting raged; and escorted ships from Guam to Guadalcanal, Noumea, and Manus. She sailed from Ulithi 2 April 1945 for Okinawa with carriers delivering replacement aircraft, and subsequently escorted convoys from Saipan to Okinawa. George E. Badger sailed from Eniwetok 24 June for Pearl Harbor. Ordered thence to San Francisco for reconversion, she reverted to DD-196 on 20 July 1945 and later decommissioned at that port 3 October 1945. George E. Badger was scrapped 3 June 1946.

George E. Badger received eight battle stars for World War II service in addition to the Presidential Unit Citation.