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

(1981) Vol. 7, pp.310-311.





TRUMPETER





	George Nelson Trumpeter—born on 2 September 1919 in 

Monaco, Pa.—enrolled in 1938 at the Carnegie Institute of 

Technology College of Engineering and, during his three 

years there, participated in the Reserve Officer Training 

Program.  On 5 March 1941, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve 

as a seaman second class and within two weeks began 

elimination flight training at Naval Reserve Aviation Base, 

Philadelphia.  In April he was transferred to the Naval Air 

Station, Jacksonville, Fla.; and, in May, he received an 

appointment as an Aviation Cadet.  In October, he became a 

naval aviator and, on 5 December 1941, was commissioned an 

ensign and assigned to Advanced Carrier Training Group, 

Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk.  On 1 October 1942, he was 

promoted to the rank of Lt. (j.g.)



	Assigned for duty with the Southern Attack Force of 

Operation “Torch,” Lt. Trumpeter flew his F4F fighter from 

the deck of escort carrier SANTEE (CVE-29) on the morning 

of D-Day, 8 November 1942.  Taking off in light winds at 

0545 in SANTEE’s first launch of the day, he joined a 

flight of six Wildcats for combat air patrol over the 

transport and carrier areas of Safi.  Lt. Trumpeter was 

lost while returning from this mission and was listed as 

killed in air combat action.





DE-279



	DE-279--originally named TRUMPETER--was renamed 

KEMPTHORNE in June 1943 when the Bureau of Ships decided 

that, upon completion, the EVARTS class destroyer escort 

would be turned over to the United Kingdom.  Laid down on 5 

June 1943 by the Boston Navy Yard, the warship was launched 

on 17 July 1943 and was formally transferred to the United 

Kingdom on 23 October 1943 under terms of the Lend-Lease 

agreement.



	KEMPTHORNE (K.483) served the Royal Navy in the North 

Atlantic as a CAPTAIN class frigate through the end of World 

War II.  In May 1945, she was one of two British warships 

which presided over the surrender of the German U-boats at 

Trondheim, Norway.  While still in England, KEMPTHORNE was 

returned to the custody of the United States on 20 August 

1945 and was commissioned in the United States Navy the same 

day for the voyage home.  The destroyer escort arrived at 

Philadelphia on 8 September 1945 and was decommissioned at 

the navy yard there on 17 October.  Struck from the Navy 

list on 1 November 1945, KEMPTHORNE was scrapped by 28 May 

1946.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com