USS Buckley (DE-51) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer escorts in the service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. After spending 23 years in reserve, she was scrapped in 1969.

History

USS Buckley was named in honor of Aviation Ordnanceman John D. Buckley (1920–1941), who was killed in action during the Japanese attack on the Hawaiian Islands on 7 December 1941.

Buckley was launched on 9 January 1943, by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, Massachusetts, sponsored by Mrs. James Buckley, mother of Aviation Ordnanceman Buckley; and commissioned on 30 April 1943.

Battle of the Atlantic

Between July 1943 and 22 April 1944, Buckley operated along the eastern seaboard as training ship for prospective officers and nucleus crews of other destroyer escorts.

On 22 April 1944, she joined hunter-killer Task Group 21.11 (TG 21.11) for a sweep of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean convoy routes. The ship was west of Africa near the Cape Verde Islands in May. In the early morning of 6 May, aircraft from the escort carrier reported an enemy submarine approximately 20 miles from Buckley. The ship steamed toward the U-boat at full speed. Meanwhile, U-66 had exhausted supplies and surfaced to recharge batteries and waited for a supply ship. At 0308, believing the approaching ship was German, U-66 launched three flares. The distance between the two vessels was 4,000 yards when the U-boat realized the actual identity of the ship approaching them.

Awards

  • Navy Unit Commendation (for sinking U-66)
  • American Campaign Medal with one battle star
  • European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two battle stars
  • World War II Victory Medal

References

A 1/249 scale plastic model kit of the USS Buckley is available by Revell Models.

  • Historical Record of the USS Buckley
  • Youtube video: USS Buckley vs U-66 during the Battle of the Atlantic
  • 1944: May 6: Sinking of U-66 - National Museum of Naval History