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

(1969) Vol. 5, pp.151-152.





LOVERING





	Born 3 August 1913 at Nahant, Mass., William Bacon 

Lovering graduated from Harvard and on 2 August 1940 

enlisted in the Naval Reserve.  Appointed midshipman 22 

November, In Illinois’ Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School, he 

was commissioned an ensign 28 February 1941 and assigned to 

destroyer HAMMANN (DD-412).  Ensign Lovering died during the 

Battle of Midway when HAMMANN was torpedoed and sunk 6 June 

1942 while aiding in the salvage of aircraft carrier 

YORKTOWN (CV-5).





DE-39

Displacement:  1,140 t.

Length:  289’5”

Beam:  35’2”

Draft:  8’3”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  156

Armament:  3 3”; 4 1.1”; 

	8 depth charge projectors;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  EVARTS



	LOVERING (DE-39), originally scheduled for transfer to 

Great Britain, was laid dawn as BDE-39 7 September 1942 by 

Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash.  Ordered retained 

for use by the Navy, she was named 14 June 1943 and 

reclassified DE-39 on 16 June.  Launched 18 June 1943 by 

Miss J. Shannon, she commissioned 17 September 1943, Lt.  

Comdr. A. H. Donaldson, USNR in command.



	LOVERING began her 25 months of naval service with a 

coastal shakedown cruise and an intense training period 

operating with carriers, destroyers, and submarines.  

Departing San Francisco 4 December 1943, she arrived Pearl 

Harbor 16 December.  She departed 4 days later on an escort 

voyage to the Gilbert Islands.  Arriving 28 December, she 

operated out of the Gilberts for the next 6 months.  Sailing 

mainly from Tarawa, she performed numerous escort 

assignments to Kwajalein and Majuro in the nearby Marshall 

Islands after they were declared secure 7 February 1944.  

Eniwetok became a terminus after its seizure on the 22d.



	Returning to Pearl Harbor 27 July, LOVERING underwent a 

period in drydock and then served as a target and training 

vessel for submarines.  She continued this duty after 

returning to the Marshall Islands 19 September.  Late in 

October, she commenced a series of escort missions to Saipan 

and Guam in the Marianas.  These concluded on 10 March 1945 

when, having steamed to Ulithi, she began her final 

assignment as a screening and escort vessel for logistic 

support groups of the variously designated 3d and 5th 

Fleets.  The Iwo Jima and Ryukyus invasion areas were her 

main theaters of action before departing for home 9 July.  

LOVERING arrived San Pedro, Calif., 28 July.  Her overhaul 

was prematurely halted on 17 August.  Towed to Terminal 

Island 6 September, she decommissioned 16 October.  Struck 

from the Navy Register 1 November 1945, she was sold to Hugo 

Neu of New York City on the last day of 1946.



	LOVERING (DE-39) received three battle stars for World 

War II service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com