USS OSWALD DE-767

USS OSWALD DE-767 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, April 2016

Oswald (DE-767) was laid down 1 April 1943 at the Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Tampa, Fla.; launched 25 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Zola F. Oswald, mother of Harvey E. Oswald, MM2/c; and commissioned 12 June 1944, Lt. Edward L. Patton, USNR, in command.

Following a Bermuda shakedown, Oswald sailed north to Boston, thence to New York where she reported for duty with CortDiv 22 in TG 21.5. On 19 August she sailed with CU 36 on her first transatlantic convoy escort mission. Off Northern Ireland, on the 30th, she hunted unsuccessfully for an enemy submarine after the loss of the tanker SS Jacksonville. Rejoining the convoy, the escort vessel saw the remainder of her charges into Londonderry and on 4 September began the voyage back to New York. During the next 8 months, she escorted ten additional convoys across the North Atlantic without a loss.

In June 1945, her task group, then designated 61.2, was dissolved and Oswald reported to Quonset Point, R. I., to serve as plane guard during carrier qualification exercises on Croatan (CVE-25). Reassigned in August, she proceeded to southern Florida for similar duties with Mission Bay (CVE-59). In October, she returned to New York, underwent preinactivation overhaul, and then sailed south again. Arriving at Green Cove Springs, Fla., 9 November, she decommissioned there 30 April 1946 and joined Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Transferred to the Philadelphia Reserve Group in 1951, she has remained in reserve into 1970.