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

(1969) Vol. 4, pp.285-286.





McANN





	Donald Roy McAnn, born 23 June 1911 in Rochester, N.Y., 

enlisted in the U.S. Navy 16 August 1932.  During the early 

months of World War II, he served on aircraft carrier 

ENTERPRISE (CV-6) as a gunner’s mate first class.  On 26 

October 1942, U.S. carrier task forces fought a numerically 

superior Japanese force in the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands.  

While suffering considerable damage, the Americans 

successfully checked the advancement of the powerful enemy 

force toward Guadalcanal.  During the fierce air battle, 

McAnn took valuable photographs from an exposed position on 

the forward port .50 caliber gun mount.  In addition, he 

rendered vital assistance to the gun crew and displayed 

outstanding courage without regard for his own safety.  

While relieving one of the gunners, he was struck by an 

exploding bomb fragment and fatally wounded.  Donald Roy 

McAnn was buried at sea.  For his unstinting bravery in the 

face of hostile action, McAnn was awarded the Navy Cross 

posthumously.





DE-179

Displacement:  1,240 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  36’8”

Draft:  8’9”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  216

Armament:  3 3”; 2 40mm; 8 20mm; 3 21” torpedo tubes;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  CANNON





	McANN (DE-179)) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding 

Co., Newark, N.J., 17 May 1943; launched 5 September 1943; 

sponsored by Mrs. Ethel Marie McAnn; and commissioned at New 

York 11 October 1943, Comdr. Charles F. Hooper in command.



	After shakedown off Bermuda, McANN operated along the 

east coast from Newport, R.I., to Charleston, S.C., until 19 

December 1943 when she departed Norfolk, Va., on a convoy 

escort run to the Canal Zone.  She reached Coco Solo 26 

December, thence sailed the 31st for duty out of Key West.  

Arriving there 3 January 1944, she served for the next 

several weeks with the Fleet Sound School and trained 

sailors in ASW techniques.



	Assigned to Escort Division 24, McANN sailed for the 

Caribbean 29 February.  Steaming via Trinidad, she joined 

convoy TJ 25 on 5 March and screened the ships through 

stormy seas en route to Recife, Brazil.  On the 15th, she 

rescued the entire crew of 10 men from a B-17 which had 

splashed off the Brazilian coast the day before.  McANN 

arrived Recife 16 March.



	Between 2 and 12 April, McANN cruised to Trinidad in 

the screen of convoy JT 27, and during the next 3 months, 

she completed three additional escort runs between the 

Caribbean and Brazil.  She completed this duty 12 July and, 

4 days later, departed Recife as screen for light cruiser 

MEMPHIS (CL-13).  She cruised the South Atlantic in search 

of German submarines until returning to Recife 30 July.



	McANN underwent an upkeep and then steamed to Natal 

arriving 10 August.  She decommissioned there 15 August and 

was transferred, under lend-lease, to Brazil on the same 

date.  She was commissioned in the Brazilian Navy on 16 

August as BRACUI (D-23).  She served on loan with the 

Brazilian Navy until 30 June 1953 when she was retransferred 

to Brazil, permanently, under the Mutual Defense Assistance 

Pact.  Into 1969, McANN continues to serve as BRACUI with 

the same efficiency and attention to duty that she did when 

she was a unit of the U.S. Navy.



	[McANN was stricken from the US Navy Register on 20 

July 1953.  BRACUI was deleted from the Brazilian Navy in 

1973.



“Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1976-77,” p.55.

K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.223.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com