USS Coffman

USS Coffman (DE-191) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort in service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. She was sold for scrap in 1973.

History
United States
Name	USS Coffman
Namesake	DeWitt Coffman
Builder	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey
Laid down	9 September 1943
Launched	28 November 1943
Commissioned	27 December 1943
Decommissioned	30 April 1946
Stricken	1 July 1972
Honors and awards	1 battle star (World War II)
Fate	Sold for scrap, 17 August 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	Cannon-class destroyer escort
Displacement	1,240 long tons (1,260 t) standard 1,620 long tons (1,646 t) full
Length	306 ft (93 m) o/a 300 ft (91 m) w/l
Beam	36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Draft	11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion	4 × GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6,000 shp (4,474 kW), 2 screws
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range	10,800 nmi (20,000 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	15 officers and 201 enlisted
Armament	3 × single Mk.22 3-inch/50-caliber guns 1 × twin 40 mm Mk.1 AA gun 8 × 20 mm Mk.4 AA guns 3 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 1 × Hedgehog Mk.10 anti-submarine mortar (144 rounds) 8 × Mk.6 depth charge projectors 2 × Mk.9 depth charge tracks

History

USS Coffman was named in honor of DeWitt Coffman, veteran of the Spanish–American War who was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal during World War I. The ship was launched on 28 November 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss F. Liggett; and commissioned on 27 December 1943.

After one convoy escort voyage to Bizerte, Tunisia between 12 April and 3 May 1944, Coffman served between 10 June and 10 July as a target for submarines in training. Assigned to the hunter-killer group formed around the escort carrier Card (CVE-11), Coffman joined in training patrols and a voyage to Casablanca during which the group covered the movement of several convoys. Alternate periods of exercises and patrols continued until early in February 1945, when Coffman was ordered to join a group searching in stormy waters for a German weather ship reported south of Iceland.

She returned to screen carriers during air training operations out of Quonset Point, Rhode Island, until April, when the German U-boats made their last great effort of the war, penetrating the eastern Atlantic in strength. Coffman and her division were ordered to a search along the coast of Virginia, and on 30 April, she, with Thomas (DE-102), Bostwick (DE-103) and Natchez (PF-2), sank U-879 in 36°34′N 74°00′W.

After continued service to carriers and submarines in training, Coffman reported to Green Cove Springs, Florida, on 15 November 1945, and was decommissioned there on 30 April 1946 preparatory to disposal. Following the outbreak of the Korean War, she was removed from the sale list and placed in reserve. She was sold on 17 August 1973 and scrapped.

Awards

Coffman received one battle star for World War II service.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of Coffman at NavSource Naval History