>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1969) Vol. 2, p.408.





FISKE





	Bradley Allen Fiske, born 13 June 1854 in Lyons, New 

York, was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1874.  In 

addition to serving with distinction at sea and ashore, 

Fiske advanced the Navy with electrical and ordnance 

inventions of great significance.  One of the earliest to 

understand the revolutionary possibilities of naval 

aviation, he wrote a number of books of important effect in 

gaining a wider understanding of the modern Navy by the 

public.  Rear Admiral Fiske died in New York City 6 April 

1942.





DE-143

Displacement:  1,200 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  36’7”

Draft:  8’7”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  186

Armament:  3 3”; 3 21” torpedo tubes;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  EDSALL



	The first FISKE (DE-143) was launched 14 March 1943 by 

Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.; sponsored by Mrs. H. 

G. Chalkley, and commissioned 25 August 1943, Lieutenant 

Commander R. P. Walker in command.



	FISKE began her service as a convoy escort with a 

voyage from Norfolk to Coco Solo C.Z., to New York between 

12 and 25 November 1943.  On 3 December, the escort ship 

cleared Norfolk on the first of three convoy assignments 

from Norfolk and New York to Casablanca.  During the third 

of these, on 20 April 1944, her convoy came under attack by 

German torpedo bombers in the western Mediterranean, but 

none of the enemy planes came within range of FISKE.



	Completing her Casablanca runs with her return to New 

York 21 May 1944, FISKE joined the hunter-killer group 

formed around escort carrier WAKE ISLAND (CVE-65) at Norfolk 

10 June.  Five days later her group sailed to patrol across 

the Atlantic, putting into Casablanca to replenish 20 to 24 

July.  On 2 August, during a special hunt for submarines 

known to be transmitting weather information from stations 

in the central Atlantic, FISKE and sister ship DOUGLAS L. 

HOWARD (DE-138) were detached from the task group to 

investigate a visual contact both had made.  The contact, 

surfaced U-804, quickly dived, but the two escorts picked it 

up on sonar, and began their attack approach.  Suddenly, 

FISKE was torpedoed on her starboard side amidships, and 

within 10 minutes, she broke in two and had to be abandoned.  

Thirty of her men were killed and 50 badly wounded by the 

explosion, but all who survived it were rescued by sister 

ship FARQUHAR (DE-139).



	FISKE received one battle star for World War II 

service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com