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

(1970) Vol. 5, p.185-186.





OSWALD





	Harvey Emerson Oswald, born in Columbus, Ohio, 11 

September 1918, enlisted in the Naval Reserve in April 

1938.  Discharged from the reserve at his own request 3 

August 1939, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy the same day.  

Assigned the following December to seaplane tender WILLIAM 

B. PRESTON (AVD-7), he was killed when that ship came under 

Japanese aerial attack at Darwin, Australia, 19 February 

1942.  For his prompt and courageous manning of a .50 

caliber PBY airplane machine gun, he was posthumously 

awarded the Silver Star.





DE-71

Displacement:  1,400 t.

Length:  306’

Beam:  37’

Draft:  13’6” (max)

Speed:  24 k.

Complement:  186

Armament:  3 3”; 3 21” torpedo tubes

Class:  BUCKLEY



	The name OSWALD was assigned to DE-71 on 23 February 

1943, but was reassigned to DE-767 after DE-71 was 

designated to be turned over to the United Kingdom under the 

terms of Lend Lease.  Transferred to the Royal Navy 29 

September 1943, DE-71 served the British war effort as 

AFFLECK (K-462).  At the end of World War II she was 

returned to the US Navy in Britain, where she was sold on 24 

January 1947 and, into 1970, serves as the Mercantile hulk 

NOSTRA SENORA DE LA LUZ.



	[Damaged by a U-boat on 26 December 1944, AFFLECK was 

not repaired.  After returning to United States custody, she 

was stricken from the Navy Register on 17 September 1945.



K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.227, 232.

“Conway’s All The World’s Fighting Ships, 1922-1946,” p.61.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com