USS SHELTON DE-407

USS SHELTON DE-407 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, May 2020

The first Shelton (DE-407) was laid down on 1 November 1943 at Houston, Texas, by Brown Shipbuilding Co.; launched on 18 December 1943 and sponsored by Mrs. Anise L. Shelton, the mother of Ens. James A. Shelton; and commissioned on 4 April 1944, at Houston, Lt. Cmdr. Lewis B. Salomon, USNR, in command.

Shelton put out to sea for her shakedown cruise on 21 April 1944, bound for Bermuda, British West Indies. Steaming in company with fellow escort vessel Edmonds (DE-406), Shelton arrived in Bermuda on 26 April, and spent the next month training in that area.

On 22 May 1944, Shelton completed her shakedown and shaped a course for the Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, Mass. Shortly after her arrival on the 24th, the warship commenced a post-shakedown availability period, which kept her there into mid-June. Shelton stood out of Boston on 16 June and proceeded to New York, N.Y., via the Cape Cod Canal and Narragansett Bay. Shelton arrived in New York on the 17th, and then the next day continued on to Hampton Roads, Va., accompanying the escort carrier Kasaan Bay (CVE-69).

Shortly after arriving in Hampton Roads on 20 June 1944, Shelton joined Task Unit (TU) 29.6.3, and commenced her first major escort duty. Operating with the destroyer Bearss (DD-654), Shelton aided in screening the attack transport Baxter (APA-94) en route to Balboa, Canal Zone. Following an uneventful voyage Shelton arrived at Balboa on 27 June and took on fuel and provisions.

Accompanied by Straus (DE-408), Shelton stood out from Balboa on 28 June 1944, and steamed to San Diego, Calif., arriving there on 6 July. After a brief stay at port, Shelton weighed anchor from San Diego on 15 July and steamed for Pearl Harbor, T.H. She arrived at Pearl on 20 July and then the following day ventured into local waters to conduct sonar exercises with Straus. Shelton again got underway in the local area between 22 and 24 July, in order to perform plane guard duties for the escort carrier Kadashan Bay (CVE-76). She moored back at Pearl on the 25th.

On 26 July 1944, Shelton got underway with the mine sweepers Requisite (AM-109) and Change (AM-159), to escort convoy PD38-T (composed of approximately 12 merchant ships) from Pearl to Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. After leaving port, Shelton took up a patrol station off the port bow of the convoy. She arrived at Eniwetok on 6 August.

Shelton’s task unit was dissolved on 7 August 1944 and she reported to the Commander Forward Area of the Fifth Fleet—joining TU 57.19.5. The task unit consisted of the escort carriers Sangamon (CVE-26), Chenango (CVE-28), Suwanee (CVE-27), Santee (CVE-29) and Midway (CVE-63), along with her sister ships Dennis (DE-405), Eversole (DE-404) and Richard S. Bull (DE-402). Steaming with the task unit, Shelton arrived at Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, on 13 August.

After receiving upkeep on 14 August 1944, Shelton remained in port for most of the next week. On 18 and 19 August, the warship briefly got underway to provide escort and plane guard support for Santee. While performing these duties on the 19th, Shelton rescued Ens. Robert J. Masterson, whose Grumman F4F Wildcat (BuNo 16235) had run out of fuel. Ens. Masterson was unharmed and returned to Santee by breeches-buoy. Shelton moored back at Seeadler Harbor on the 20th.

On 25 August 1944, Shelton conducted an exercise northward of Seeadler Harbor, completing various drills and a compass adjustment. Four days later on the 29th, she sortied with Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) to assist with flight and gunnery exercises. Shelton remained at Seeadler Harbor for the rest of the month.

The Morotai Attack Force (TF-77) departed the Admiralty Islands on 10 September 1944, to provide air cover and conduct offensive air operations during the assault and subsequent invasion of Morotai Island, Maluku Islands. In late September, a portion of TF-77 departed the area but Shelton remained, operating with TU 77.1.2, which had orders to continue providing air support until the U.S. Army could finish constructing an airfield on the island.

Still operating off Morotai on 3 October 1944, Shelton maneuvered into screening position number 4, in support of Fanshaw Bay and Midway (CVE-63), just after they had executed a pre-dawn launch. According to Lt. Cmdr. Salomon, seas were reportedly moderate and visibility excellent as the screening formation completed “a corpen movement.” In that moment, one of Shelton’s underwater listening devices detected a submarine estimated to be approximately 1,800 yards distant; and within seconds, the unidentified submarine’s screws became “distinctly audible.”

At 0808, just as Shelton’s sound team detected the submarine, Midway sent an urgent TBS transmission “torpedo sighted!” Lt. Cmdr. Salomon immediately “rang all engines ahead full, pulled the general alarm and altered course.” Despite these efforts, within just sixty seconds of the initial report, a second acoustic torpedo struck Shelton’s starboard screw. As a result of the explosion, the main deck, from approximately frame 148 aft, was bent and blasted upward at a 45 to 50-degree angle to the deck.

Japanese submarine RO-41 (Lt. Shiizuka Mitsuo in command) had actually fired four torpedoes attempting to hit the escort carriers in Shelton’s task unit, however, neither of them were damaged. Another screening unit, Richard M. Rowell (DE-403) quickly gave chase to RO-41, initially dropping three depth charges. Meanwhile, Shelton began experiencing flooding and lost her sound and radio power. Using visual signals, Shelton signaled Richard M. Rowell for assistance.

Standing close by, Richard M. Rowell received Shelton’s critically wounded, who were transferred via whaleboats. Lt. Cmdr. Salomon reported that the ship could be kept afloat and requested “some men be transferred and repairs conducted.” However, with no ships then available to tow, the Commander TU 77.1.2, gave the order to abandon ship. Richard M. Rowell then took on the rest of Shelton’s crew, with Lt. Cmdr. Salomon being the last to leave. Although Richard M. Rowell originally had orders to sink Shelton by gunfire, the order was canceled. Reflecting on the course of events, Lt. Cmdr. Salomon later reported that “The entire complement of USS Shelton without exception performed their assigned duties coolly and efficiently.”

Shelton, while under tow, capsized and sank at approximately 02°32’N, 129°13’W.

Shortly after taking Shelton’s crew on board, Richard M. Rowell resumed hunting RO-41 and launched a series of unsuccessful depth charge attacks. The enemy managed to escape the area, but Richard M. Rowell and aircraft from Midway (CVE-63) unknowingly began targeting the U.S. submarine Seawolf (SS-197) believing her to be RO-41. In one of the war’s most tragic friendly fire incidents, Seawolf was destroyed by a combination of aerial targeting and depth charge attacks.

Believing Shelton had been avenged, Richard M. Rowell then transported Shelton’s crew to Morotai.

Shelton was stricken from the Navy list on 27 November 1944.

Shelton received one battle star for her participation in the Morotai landings (15 September 1944).