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

(1969) Vol. 4, p.336.





MERRILL





	Ensign Howard Deel Merrill, born 16 December 1917 at 

Provo, Utah, was appointed midshipman at the Naval Academy 

25 June 1936.  Commissioned ensign 6 June 1940, he reported 

for duty in battleship ARIZONA (BB-39) 2 July.  He was 

declared dead as of 7 December 1941, as a result of the 

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.





DE-392

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



	MERRILL (DE-392) was laid down 1 July 1943 by the Brown 

Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Tex; launched 29 August 1943; 

sponsored by Miss Dorothy E. Merrill, sister of Ens. H. D. 

Merrill; and commissioned 27 November 1943, Lt. Comdr. Irvin 

J. Stephens, USCG, in command.



	Following Bermuda shakedown, MERRILL reported to the 

Atlantic Fleet at Norfolk 28 January 1944.  Assigned to 

CortDiv 45, she began transatlantic escort duty with a north 

Africa-bound convoy 12 February.  The destroyer escort 

continued this duty between American and Mediterranean ports 

until war ended, successfully escorting 15 convoys across 

the Atlantic.



On 6 July 1945, MERRILL sailed for Guantanamo Bay for 

training, thence to Pearl Harbor.  En route she received 

news of the Japanese capitulation on 14 August.  On 3 

September she sailed for New York, arrived on the 26th, then 

on 19 October got underway for Jacksonville, Fla., and 

deactivation.  On 1 May 1946, she decommissioned and entered 

the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and berthed at Green Cove 

Springs.  Into 1969 she was berthed at the Orange, Tex., 

branch of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.



	[Stricken from the Navy Register on 2 April 1971, 

MERRILL was sold on 30 September 1974.



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

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.226.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com