Crowley DE-303

Crowley
Thomas Ewing Crowley, born 18 April 1902 in Madison, III., enlisted in the Navy 6 March 1919 and was discharged 31 January 1923. A member of the Naval Reserve, he was commissioned assistant dental surgeon from 23 December 1929 and served at naval stations at Great Lakes, III., San Diego, Calif., Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Lakehurst, N.J., as well as at sea. He reported to Arizona (BB-39) 23 May 1941. Lieutenant Commander Crowley was killed in action during the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941.

(DE-303: dp. 1,140; 1. 289'5"; b. 36'1"; dr. 8'3"; s. 21 k.;
cpl. 156; a. 3 3", 8 dep., 1 dcp.(hh.), 2 dct.; cl. Evarte)

Crowley (DE-308) was launched 22 September 1943 by Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. T. E. Crowley widow of Lieutenant Commander Crowley

commissioned 25 March 1944, Lieutenant Commander T. J. Skewes, Jr., USNR, in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

Departing San Francisco 25 May 1944, Crowley arrived at Pearl Harbor 31 May and joined in antisubmarine training exercises in Hawaii until 12 August. Escorting a convoy, she arrived at Guadalcanal 25 August, and with another convoy reached Manus 14 .September.

Between 15 September and 18 November 1944, Crowley sailed out of Manus escorting shipping to the Palau Islands during the invasion and consolidation, with occasional voyages to Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, and the Solomons. On 26 September she joined Donaldson (DE-44) in giving assistance to the merchant ship SS J)on Marquis, rescuing her survivors and bringing her fires under control to save her war cargo.

Crowley based at Ulithi from 21 November 1944 joining a logistics group supporting the fast carrier task forces. Until 1 February 1945 she escorted oilers to the ocean rendezvous at which they replenished the carrier forces striking Luzon, Formosa, and the China coast, then operated with the oilers in the assault on Iwo Jima until 22 March.

Departing Ulithi 22 March Crowley arrived at Guam 9 April and continued escorting oilers during the Okinawa operations until 18 June. From 3 July to the end of hostilities Crowley supported the 3d and 5th Fleet raids on the Japanese home islands. On similar logistics duty for the occupation forces, Crowley arrived at Sagami Wan, Honshu, 9 September.

Crowley departed Tokyo Bay 16 September 1945 and arrived at San Francisco 8 October. Crowley was decommissioned 3 December 1945 and sold 21 December 1946.

Crowley received five battle stars for World War II service.