DE-704 - Tin Can Sailors

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Hull Number: DE-704

Launch Date: 01/05/1944

Commissioned Date: 05/05/1944

Decommissioned Date: 12/04/1953

Call Sign: NTVJ

Class: BUCKLEY

BUCKLEY Class

Namesake: CORNELIUS CRONIN

CORNELIUS CRONIN

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016

Cornelius Cronin, born 10 March 1838 in Detroit, Mich., enlisted in the Navy 17 September 1858. He was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving in Richmond for his “coolness and close attention to duty in looking out for signals and steering the ship in the action in Mobile Bay on the morning and forenoon of August 5, 1864.” Appointed mate in Michigan 9 July 1866, Cronin was warranted acting gunner 12 November 1875, was transferred to the Retired List 16 August 1898, and continued to serve on board Vermont and Columbia and at New York Navy Yard until 3 February 1908. Chief Gunner Cronin died 18 August 1912 at Brooklyn, N.Y.

Disposition:

She was reclassified back to DE-704 on 27 December 1957. On 16 December 1971, Cronin was towed out to sea and sunk as an aircraft target. Her final resting place is listed at 31° 43' N., 76° 15' W.

USS CRONIN DE-704 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016

Cronin (DE-704) was launched 5 January 1944 by Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Mich.; sponsored by Mrs. E. B. Cronin, daughter-in-law of the late Chief Gunner Cronin; and commissioned 5 May 1944, Lieutenant Commander A. G. Cooke, USNR, in command.

Cronin departed New York 21 July to escort a convoy to Bizerte, Tunisia, returning to Norfolk 7 September. A second convoy escort voyage from 2 October to 18 November during which she rescued 24 survivors from SS George W. McKnight on 14 October took her to Palermo, Sicily. On 16 December she departed New York for the Pacific, arriving at Manus 22 January 1945.

Assigned to the Philippine Sea Frontier, Cronin operated out of Leyte on convoy escort duty until the end of the war. On 30 August she departed Manila for Okinawa. From this base she supported the reoccupation of the Chinese mainland, escorted transports to Jinsen, Korea, screened Bougainville (CVE-100) who was delivering planes at Taku and Tsingtao, and escorted an LST convoy to Jinsen. She departed Okinawa 8 November for Boston, arriving 15 December. Cronin arrived at Green Cove Springs, Fla., 19 January 1946, and was placed out of commission in reserve there 31 May 1946. She was reclassified DEC-704, 13 September 1950.

Recommissioned 9 February 1951, Cronin took part in major exercises in the Atlantic, and operated out of Norfolk on training duty that included exercises at Key West with submarines in March 1953. Cronin returned to Green Cove Springs 24 September and was again placed out of commission in reserve 4 December 1953. She was reclassified DE-704, 27 December 1957.