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

(1969) Vol. 4, p.352.





MICKA





	Lt. Edward Micka, born at Guyuga, N.Dak., 10 October 

1915, enlisted in the U.S. Navy 19 June 1934.  Appointed 

midshipman from the Navy at large the following year, he was 

commissioned ensign 1 June 1939.  He served on heavy cruiser 

MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36) and destroyer CLEMSON (DD-186) prior to 

receiving his wings as a Navy pilot and was attached to 

Fighting Squadron 9, on board aircraft carrier RANGER 

(CV-4), in November 1942.  On the 8th, he led three flights 

in support of the initial phase of operation “Torch,” the 

assault and occupation of Morocco.  In the first two 

flights, he led his sections against airdromes at Rabat-Sale 

and Port Lyautey, destroying at least 17 hostile planes on 

the ground.  During the third, his section provided direct 

support to ground forces by destroying several machine gun 

nests.  Two days later, he participated in the attack on the 

Mediouna airdrome, conducting strafing runs at low 

altitudes.  Lieutenant Micka lost his life on the fifth run 

when his plane was hit by antiaircraft fire.  He was awarded 

the Navy Cross posthumously “for extraordinary heroism and 

distinguished service in action as a pilot” during operation 

“Torch.”





DE-176

Displacement:  1,240 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  36’8”

Draft:  11’8”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  186

Armament:  3 3”; 2 40mm; 8 20mm; 3 21” torpedo tubes;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  CANNON



	MICKA (DE-176) was laid down 3 May 1943 by the Federal 

Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N. J.; launched 22 

August 1943: sponsored by Mrs. Edward Micka, widow of 

Lieutenant Micka; and commissioned 23 September 1943,  Lt. 

G. C. Spencer in command.



	Assigned to Escort Division 24, MICKA guarded 

merchantmen and naval supply vessels plying the waters of 

the eastern Atlantic from Recife, Brazil, to New York until 

12 November 1944.  She then reported at Recife for 3 months 

of mid-ocean antisubmarine patrols with the 4th Fleet.  

Detached in March 1945, she steamed north; served briefly 

with the eastern sea frontier on antisubmarine patrol; and 

then completed a round-trip voyage to Oran, Algeria, as 

convoy escort.  On 11 June she entered the Charleston, S.C., 

Navy Yard for overhaul preparatory to her transfer to the 

Pacific.



	MICKA arrived at Pearl Harbor 15 August, the day after 

Japan agreed to surrender under the terms of the Potsdam 

Declaration.  She remained in Hawaii, conducting local 

exercises until 18 December, when, with over 300 naval 

passengers, she got underway for the east coast.  She 

disembarked her passengers at Boston 6 January 1946 and 

sailed at the end of the month for Green Cove Springs, Fla.  

There, she decommissioned and entered the Atlantic Reserve 

Fleet 14 June 1946.  MICKA remained berthed in the St. Johns 

River until struck from the Naval Register 1 August 1965 and 

sold for scrapping to Peck Iron & Metals Co., 15 May 1967.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com