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

(1968) Vol. 3, p.97.





GILLETTE





	Douglas Wiley Gillette, born 10 September 1918 in 

Wilmington, N.C., enlisted in the Naval Reserve 5 March 

1936.  After serving at Norfolk, in destroyer McDOUGAL 

(DD-358), and after studying at the Naval Academy and 

Northwestern University, he was commissioned Ensign 

12 September 1941.  Ordered to active duty in aircraft 

carrier HORNET (CV-8) 17 November 1941, he was appointed 

Lieutenant (j.g.) (temporary).  He was killed in enemy 

action in the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands 26 October 1942 

while serving in HORNET.





DE-681

Displacement:  1,400 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  37’

Draft:  13’6”

Speed:  23.6 k.

Complement:  213

Armament:  3 3”; 4 1.1”; 4 40mm; 8 20mm; 

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  BUCKLEY



	The second GILLETTE (DE-681) was launched 25 September 

1943 by the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by 

Mrs. Pearl M. Gillette, the namesake's mother, and 

commissioned 27 October 1943, Comdr. T. G. Murrell, USNR, 

commanding.



	After shakedown off Bermuda, GILLETTE  sailed from 

Boston 2 January 1944 for Balboa, C.Z., where for 4 months 

she conducted intensive exercises with submarines and 

escorted a convoy to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and returned.  

She sailed 9 May for Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, on a good 

will tour and visited Barranquilla, Colombia, as well before 

returning to Boston 2 June.



	From 4 July 1944 to 18 February 1945, GILLETTE made 

four round trip transatlantic escort voyages--three out of 

Hampton Roads and one from New York--to Oran and United 

Kingdom ports protecting Allied shipping.  She subsequently 

served as a submarine training ship at New London, Conn., 

until 14 April 1945.  That date she sailed for Hollandia via 

Borabora and Manus, and escorted a convoy thence to Manila, 

where she put in 17 June.  Patrol and escort duties in the 

Philippines and to Ulithi occupied the busy ship until 6 

August, when she sailed for Okinawa and returned as convoy 

escort to Subic Bay 17 August.  Following a round trip 

escort voyage from Subic Bay to Tokyo and return, GILLETTE 

continued patrol and logistics duties in the Philippines 

until departing Subic Bay 26 November for San Diego, where 

she moored 17 December 1945.



	GILLETTE remained at San Diego until decommissioned 

there 2 February 1947 and placed in reserve with the Pacific 

group at San Diego.



	[Stricken from the Navy Register on 1 December 1972, 

GILLETTE was sold on 11 September 1973.



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

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.231.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com