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

(1969) Vol. 4, pp.223-224.





MANNING





	Milburn A. Manning, born 16 February 1920 in Howell 

Township, Mo., enlisted in the Navy in 1939.  As aviation 

machinist’s mate third class, Manning was stationed at 

Kaneohe Naval Station, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where he died 7 

December 1941 during the Japanese air attack against Pearl 

Harbor.  He blasted away at attacking planes until cut down 

by enemy fire, and for his prompt action in an effort to 

repel the aerial assault, Manning was cited posthumously by 

the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet.





DE-199

Displacement:  1,400 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  36’10”

Draft:  9’5”

Speed:  24 k.

Complement:  213

Armament:  3 3”; 4 1.1”; 3 21” torpedo tubes;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  BUCKLEY



	MANNING (DE-199) was laid down by Charleston Navy Yard, 

Charleston, S.C., 15 February 1943; launched 1 June 1943; 

sponsored by Mrs. J. H. Hughes; and commissioned at 

Charleston 1 October 1943, Lt John I. Mingay in command.



	After shakedown off Bermuda, MANNING departed 

Charleston 12 December as escort for a troopship convoy.  

Steaming via Panama, she reached Pearl Harbor 1 January 

1944.  Five days later she sailed for the South Pacific 

where, after touching the Ellice Islands, she reached 

Florida Island, Solomons, 21 January.  During the next 2 

months she patrolled off Guadalcanal for submarines and 

escorted convoys from the Solomons to the New Hebrides, New 

Caledonia, and Samoa.  In addition, she escorted a fleet 

oiler task group out of Espiritu Santo to an ocean 

rendezvous north of the Solomons.  There on 26 March, the 

tankers refueled ships of the Fast Carrier Task Force prior 

to intensive raids by 3d Fleet carriers against Japanese 

bases In the Carolines.



	MANNING departed the Solomons 5 April and reached Milne 

Bay, New Guinea, the 7th to begin temporary duty with the 

7th Fleet.  Operating with Escort Division 37, she sailed in 

convoy 19 April and escorted transports and LSTs to Humboldt 

Bay where she arrived the 24th.  During the next 2 days, she 

screened the approaches to Humboldt Bay; thence, she 

returned to Cape Cretin 29 April.  After screening a 

reinforcement convoy to Aitape early in May, MANNING 

continued to support the westward advance of the Allies in 

New Guinea.  As escort for attack transports, she arrived 

off Wakde, New Guinea, 17 May and screened to seaward during 

the amphibious invasion.  She continued escort and ASW 

patrols along the northern coast of New Guinea until 24 June 

when she departed under tow to Espiritu Santo for repairs to 

damaged screws and shafts.



	Arriving 30 June, MANNING underwent repairs and 

overhaul during the next month.  Thence, she sailed for the 

Solomons 14 August, and until 9 October she made convoy 

escort runs out of the Solomons to the Russells, the New 

Hebrides, the Admiralties, and New Guinea.  She arrived 

Manus 11 October; and, after reporting for duty with the 7th 

Fleet, sailed the 15th to support the American invasion of 

the Philippines.



	MANNING steamed to Kossol Passage, Palaus, where on 20 

October, she joined other escorts as a screen for tankers 

and ammunition ships sailing to supply ships in Leyte Gulf.  

She arrived off Leyte 23 October, and for more than a week 

she escorted ammunition ships during replenishment 

operations.  Between 24 and 28 October, American ships 

repelled numerous Japanese air attacks.  Gunfire from 

MANNING splashed a twin-engined bomber during an evening 

attack 24 October, and concentrated gunfire as well as 

chemical smoke helped drive off enemy planes and protect 

American shipping in the gulf.



	Departing Leyte 1 November, MANNING steamed via Kossol 

to Humboldt Bay where she arrived the 6th.  Eight days 

later, she joined the screen for a task group of transports, 

LSTS, and amphibious craft steaming via Biak to Leyte.  The 

ships came under air attack at dusk 23 November, but 

effective gunfire from the task group drove off the 

attackers.  MANNING entered Leyte Gulf early the 24th.  As 

she screened the transport area, her 20mm guns hit and 

repelled an enemy dive bomber.



	MANNING sailed with the LSTs for New Guinea later the 

same day and arrived Hollandia 30 November.  As flagship for 

CortDiv 37, she reported for duty with Service Force, 7th 

Fleet, 1 December.  During the next 4 weeks she took part in 

intensive antiaircraft and ASW exercises off New Guinea.  

Thence, she joined the screen for a convoy of fleet oilers 

and sailed 28 December for the Philippines and the invasion 

of Luzon.



	Steaming via Leyte Gulf and Surigao Strait, MANNING 

entered Mindanao Sea 2 January 1945.  That evening the task 

group repulsed enemy bombers, and during the next 2 days 

American gunfire effectively drove off additional air 

attacks.  MANNING reached Mangarin Bay, Mindoro, 4 January, 

and until 21 February she operated out of Mangarin Bay in 

support of Luzon operations.  Beginning 7 January, she 

screened fleet oilers during refueling of Lingayen attack 

ships in the South China Sea.  She provided antiaircraft and 

antisubmarine protection for tankers and ammunition ships 

anchored at Mangarin Bay, and she made ASW sweeps along the 

coast of Mindoro and Luzon.  Thence, she returned to San 

Pedro Bay, Leyte, 22 February and underwent tender 

availability until early March.



	MANNING reported for duty with the Philippine Sea 

frontier 6 March.  Two days later, she sailed in the screen 

of a convoy bound for the Admiralties.  For more than 2 

months she escorted convoys out of Leyte to New Guinea, the 

Palaus, the Admiralties, and back.  As U.S. ground forces, 

buttressed by the might of American seapower, secured 

control of the Philippines, MANNING, in mid-May, resumed ASW 

patrols in the South China Sea.  Operating out of Manila, 

she patrolled the American convoy lanes from Subic Bay to 

the southern tip of Mindoro during the final 3 months of 

fighting in the western Pacific.



	MANNING completed her final patrol 4 days after the 

cessation of hostilities; and, as Japanese representatives 

signed the formal surrender documents 2 September, she 

departed Subic Bay as escort for an Okinawa-bound convoy of 

LCTs and LCIs.  After returning from Okinawa 12 September, 

she sailed with other escorts of CortDiv 37 for the United 

States 1 October.  Steaming via the Marshalls and Pearl 

Harbor, she reached San Diego 23 October and reported for 

duty with the San Diego group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet.



	MANNING decommissioned at San Diego 15 January 1947 and 

was berthed first at San Diego, and, later at Bremerton, 

Wash.  She as declared unfit for further naval service in 

mid-1968, and her name was struck from the Navy list 31 July 

1968.



	MANNING received four battle stars for World War II 

service.



	[MANNING was sold on 27 October 1969.



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

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.228.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com