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

(1970) Vol. 5, p.156.





O’NEILL





	William Thomas O’Neill, Jr., was born 28 November 1914 

in Stamford, Connecticut.  On 17 July 1940, he enlisted in 

the U.S. Naval Reserve as Apprentice Seaman at New York 

City.  He performed his active duty for training aboard 

battleship USS NEW YORK (BB-34).  On 16 September 1940, he 

was appointed Midshipman, USNR, and completed training at 

Abbott Hall, Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill.



	O’Neill was commissioned Ensign on 12 December 1940 and 

assigned to battleship USS ARIZONA (BB-39) for duty.



	Ensign O’Neill reported for duty on 29 December 1940.  

He was declared officially dead as of 7 December 1941, the 

date of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, T.H.





DE-188

Displacement:  1,620 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  36’7”

Draft:  11’8”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  216

Armament:  3 3”; 6 40mm

Class:  CANNON



	O’NEILL (DE-188) was laid down 26 August 1943 by 

Federal SB and Drydock Corp., Newark, N. J., launched 14 

November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. W. T. O’Neill, commissioned 

6 December 1943, Lt. David S. Bill, Jr. in command.



	Following a shakedown cruise to Bermuda, O’NEILL 

reported to the U. S. Atlantic Fleet for duty.  Her first 

major assignment was a convoy operation from New York to the 

United Kingdom.  This was followed by a series of similar 

operations, shepherding convoys between U. S. ports and:  

Casablanca, French Morocco; Bizerte, Tunisia; and Belfast 

North Ireland.  All Atlantic crossings were made without the 

loss of a single vessel.



	On October 31st, O’NEILL transited the Panama Canal and 

reported to the Pacific Fleet.  Arriving in the forward area 

in December, she joined the Third Fleet under Admiral Halsey 

and took part in the operations which culminated in the 

reconquest of Luzon.



	In February 1945, O’NEILL became a unit of the 5th 

Fleet under Admiral Spruance, and served as an escort for 

the transports which landed the Third Marine Division at Iwo 

Jima.  This landing took place on February 24th, and 

thereafter O’NEILL served in the anti-submarine screen 

around the island.



	After a passage to Milne Bay, New Guinea, O’NEILL 

joined the force assigned for the invasion of Okinawa.  The 

initial landings were made on 1 April.  In the prolonged 

fight for the island, she served almost continuously for 60 

days on ASW picket duty- shooting down a Japanese 

twin-engined bomber on 25 May, and being hit by a suicide 

plane on the 26th.  On the latter occasion two men were 

killed and 17 were wounded aboard the ship.



	Shortly after a change of command on 16 June, O’NEILL 

returned to San Pedro, Calif. for repairs of battle damage 

and major overhaul.  While in San Pedro the war in the 

Pacific came to an end.  On completion of overhaul, she 

again transited the Panama Canal, returning to the Atlantic 

Fleet.



	O’NEILL was placed out of commission in reserve on 2 

May 1946 and berthed at Green Cove Springs, Fla., until 23 

October 1950, at which time she was transferred to the 

Netherlands under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program.  

O’NEILL was struck from the U. S. Naval Register on 20 

December 1950.  After operating as destroyer escort DUBOIS 

(F 809) she was returned to the USN in December 1967, and 

was sold to a scrap yard in West Germany in February 1968.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com