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

(1970) Vol. 5, pp.186-187.





O’TOOLE





	John Albert O’Toole, born in Boston, 16 May 1919, 

entered the Naval Reserve as Ensign 7 May 1942.  Assigned 

to transport JOSEPH HEWES (AP-50) following instruction at 

the Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School in Chicago, he 

commanded a boar wave from that transport during the 

assault on Fedhala, Morocco, 8 November 1942.  Killed while 

withdrawing from the beach, Ensign O’Toole was posthumously 

awarded the Navy Cross for “his great personal valor and 

relentless fighting spirit...” as he led his wave to the 

beach and calmly directed the offloading of men and 

material, despite heavy artillery fire from the enemy.





DE-527

Displacement:  1,140 t.

Length:  289’5”

Beam:  35’1”

Draft:  8’3”

Speed:  21 k.

Complement:  156

Armament:  3 3”; 4 1.1”; 9 20mm;

	2 depth charge tracks;

	8 depth charge projectors;

	1 hedge hog

Class:  EVARTS



	O’TOOLE (DE-527) was laid down at the Boston Navy Yard 

25 September 1943; launched 2 November 1943; sponsored by 

Mrs. John A. O’Toole, and commissioned 22 January 1944, Lt. 

Comdr. J. G. Enzensperger, Jr., in command.



	Following shakedown off Bermuda, O’TOOLE served as a 

training ship for the Fleet Sound School, Key West, Fla.  

Detached 15 July, she sailed north to Casco Bay, thence 

proceeded south to Norfolk to accompany escort carrier 

TRIPOLI (CVE-64) to Recife, Brazil.  Guarding escort carrier 

SOLOMONS (CVE-67) on the return voyage, she arrived at 

Norfolk, 25 August, and continued on to New York where she 

joined CortDiv 80 for transatlantic convoy duty.



	On 9 September, O’TOOLE stood out of New York Harbor on 

her first escort of convoy mission.  Acting as communication 

liaison ship between CTG 27.5 and convoy NY 119, she 

shepherded the small craft convoy to the Azores, thence to 

Falmouth, England, arriving 18 October.  On 8 November, she 

departed for Reykjavik as escort to fleet tug ABNAKI 

(ATF-96).  From Iceland, she proceeded to Norfolk and New 

York, where she rejoined CortDiv 80.  In mid-December, the 

escort sailed with convoy UGS 64 for North Africa, returning 

23 January 1945.  Completing another Mediterranean run in 

April, she was en-route home from Algeria when the war in 

Europe ended.



	Arriving at New York 23 May, she operated off the New 

England coast until mid-July when she proceeded to Miami, 

for a brief tour as schoolship.  In September, she moved 

north, reporting for inactivation at Charleston on the 10th.  

Decommissioned there 18 October, she was struck from the 

Navy List 1 November, and scrapped in March 1946.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com