Trim but Deadly the Quarterly Newsletter of the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
Trim But Deadly The Quarterly Newsletter of The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum Volume 26 Number 2 Second Quarter 2020 Chairman’s Report By Bartley J. Costello, III Recently, in preparation for our return to Caddell Drydock & Repair Shipyard in Staten Island, for extensive work on our mast and other updates, I collected and organized onboard historic documents. This activity provided a glimpse into the inspired leadership, and often unrecognized volunteers over the past three decades. Together, they have worked to achieve the dramatic result we know today as the Cannon Class USS Slater DE-766, named for Frank O. Slater, a sailor killed aboard the USS San Francisco during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. Her keel was laid down in March 1943, and commissioned in May 1944, with Slater’s mother present. What became clear was that it was no sure thing that this particular ship would be saved and preserved; faithful to its original state, or that Albany would be its homeport. In this and future columns, I will write more about the various aspects of its history, in order to provide perspective for our mission. Aboard Slater, we honor the sacrifices, courage, and the dedication of those who served aboard destroyer escorts. These were civilian sailors, often reservists, who responded at a time of great need, to play a large role in winning the Battle of the Atlantic and preserving our freedoms. The sailors of the fifteen lost DE’s paid with their lives, and are honored at various times, especially annually on DE Day held aboard our ship.
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