USS CARTER DE-112 Ship History
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016
Carter (DE-112) was launched 29 February 1944 by Dravo Corp., Wilmington, Del.; sponsored by Mrs. E. C. Patterson; commissioned 3 May 1944, Lieutenant Commander F. J. T. Baker, USNR, in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.
Carter sailed from New York 21 July 1944 escorting a convoy bound for Bizerte, Tunisia, from which she returned to New York 18 September. Training at Casco Bay, a run to Jamaica to join French transport Cuba whom she guarded to New York, and a period training precommissioning crews for other escort vessels preceded her next convoy assignment. This crossing took her to Oran, from which she returned to Boston 20 January 1945.
Antisubmarine patrol from Casco Bay was Carter’s assignment for the remainder of the war. Her constant vigilance was rewarded on 22 April, when she picked up U-518 as a sound contact. In mountainous seas, she and Neal A. Scott (DE-769) joined in a hedgehog attack which sank the German submarine in 43-26′ N., 38-23′ W. On 9 May she made rendezvous at sea with U-858 whom she escorted to the designated surrender area. After her group captured U-S34, attempting an escape to Japan with a German major general, Japanese officials, and important cargo on board, Carter brought the captive in to Portsmouth, N.H., 17 May.
At New York City from 20 May to 10 June 1945, Carter next sailed to act as plane guard during carrier qualification flights off Florida. She arrived at Green Cove Springs, Fla., 8 November 1945, and was placed out of commission in reserve there 10 April 1946. On 14 December 1948, she was transferred to Nationalist China, with whom she serves as T’ai Chao (DE-26).
Carter received one battle star for World War II service.
