From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 
(1968) Vol. 3, p.673.


KOINER

DE-331
Displacement:  1,200 t.
Length:  306’
Beam:  36’7”
Draft:  8’7”
Speed:  21 k.
Complement:  186
Armament:  3 3”; 6 40mm; 10 20mm;
	2 depth charge tracks;
	9 hedge charge projectors;
Class:  EDSALL

	KOINER (DE-331) was laid down 26 July 1943, by 
Consolidated Steel Co., Orange, Tex.; launched 5 September 
1943; sponsored by Mrs. Mae H. Koiner, the mother of Lt. 
(j.g.) Koiner; and commissioned 27 December 1943, Lt. Comdr. 
C. S. Judson, Jr., in command.

	After shakedown off Bermuda, KOINER cleared Charleston, 
S.C., 28 February 1944, to join a convoy at Willemstad, 
Curacao, N.W.I., and escort tankers to Mediterranean ports.  
For the next 6 months she remained on convoy escort duty in 
the Atlantic, making four round-trip cruises from Curacao to 
North Africa and Naples.

	Completing her final Mediterranean cruise 31 August, 
KOINER commenced escort duty for United Kingdom bound ships.  
>From 20 September 1944 to 1 May 1945, the destroyer escort 
sailed with five convoys to British ports and upon cessation 
of hostilities in Europe, she began preparations for Pacific 
duty.

	KOINER arrived Pearl Harbor 25 June commencing training 
operations with escort carrier CORREGIDOR (CVE-58) and 
exercises with submarines.  Departing Pearl Harbor 4 August, 
she was en route to Leyte when President Truman announced 
the end of hostilities with Japan.  The destroyer escort 
remained in the Far East as part of the occupation forces on 
escort and patrol duty until 1 April 1946.  Clearing Hong 
Kong, she sailed by way of the Indian Ocean and 
Mediterranean Sea, and arrived Charleston, S.C., 30 May.  
KOINER decommissioned and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet 
4 October 1946, at Green Cove Springs, Fla.  

	From 20 June 1951 to 14 May 1954, KOINER was on loan to 
the Coast Guard commissioned as WDE-431.  She served as an 
ocean station vessel out of Seattle, Wash., until her return 
to the Navy in 1954.  She was converted to a radar picket 
escort vessel and reclassified DER-331 on 28 September 1954.  
Recommissioned 26 August 1955, Lt. Comdr. V. W. Tracy in 
command, KOINER joined the Continental Air Defense System in 
the Pacific Barrier.  From 1956 into 1965, KOINER operated 
on picket stations off the Washington and California coast 
to provide early warning in the event of enemy air attack.  
On 1 July 1965, KOINER departed Alameda, Calif., for her new 
homeport, Guam, arriving 28 July after a stopover at Pearl 
Harbor.  On 6 August, she left for the first of three 
"Market Time" patrols ending in December.  The experience 
KOINER had gained during her patrols off the West Coast 
enabled the radar picket escort ship to contribute greatly 
to the surveillance tactics necessary to prevent the flow of 
supplies by sea to the Viet Cong.

	During 1966, KOINER was again deployed for further 
"Market Time" operations off Vietnam.  A 7-month WestPac 
cruise began late in February.  Between patrols the ship 
visited Hong Kong; Bangkok; Manila; and Kaoshiung, Formosa.

	In late January 1967, KOINER participated in a gunfire 
mission after a brief in-port period in Japan.  She then 
resumed her regular duties.  The important work radar picket 
and her sister ships is an example of the diversified roles 
which the Navy must play in defending the nation and 
encouraging peace abroad.

	[Stricken from the Navy Register on 23 September 1968, 
KOINER was sold on 3 September 1969.

K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 
the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.225.]


Transcribed by Michael Hansen
mhansen2@attbi.com