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

(1969), Vol. 2, p.25.





CANFIELD





	Born 9 November 1915 in New York City, Leon William 

Canfield enlisted in the Naval Reserve 13 May 1940, and 

after aviation training, was discharged 4 March 1941.  He 

reenlisted 25 July 1941 for midshipman training, and was 

appointed ensign 16 January 1942.  Ensign Canfield was 

killed in action in the Battle of the Solomon Islands 

15 November 1942.





DE-262

Displacement:  1,140 t.

Length:  289’5”

Beam:  35’1”

Draft:  8’3”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  114

Armament:  3 3”;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  EVARTS



	CANFIELD (DE-262) was launched 6 April 1943 by Boston 

Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. L. W. Canfield; and 

commissioned 22 July 1943, Commander J. B. Cleland, Jr., 

USNR, in command.



	CANFIELD sailed from Boston, Mass., 13 October 1943 for 

Pearl Harbor, arriving 17 November.  Between 26 November and 

10 December, she screened the vital but vulnerable tankers 

supporting air strikes on the Marshall Islands.  In January 

1944, CANFIELD sailed to Majuro from which base she 

continued to operate on convoy escort, patrol, and plane 

guard in the Marshalls operation.



	Returning to Pearl Harbor in April 1944, CANFIELD got 

underway 6 May escorting a tanker convoy bound for Majuro.  

Here she resumed escort duties, now supporting the Marianas 

operation.  In September, the escort vessel arrived at 

Eniwetok, and until December guarded convoys to the forward 

base at Ulithi.  These convoys carried the men and supplies 

essential to the Philippines operation.



	Early in March 1945, after a visit to Pearl Harbor, 

CANFIELD arrived off Iwo Jima, and served on patrol during 

the assault and capture of the northern part of the island.  

On 20 March she embarked men of the veteran 4th Marines for 

transportation to Pearl Harbor.  CANFIELD continued to San 

Francisco for overhaul, and San Diego for refresher 

training, returning to Pearl Harbor 7 June.  After a month 

of antisubmarine and plane guard duty, she sailed for San 

Pedro Bay, P.I., where she joined a Japan-bound occupation 

convoy.  CANFIELD anchored in Tokyo Bay 20 September, and on 

6 October was underway for San Francisco.  Here, CANFIELD 

was decommissioned 21 December 1945, and sold 12 June 1947.



	CANFIELD received four battle stars for World War II 

service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com