USS FALGOUT DE-324/WDE-424/DER-324 | |
Displacement 1,250 Tons | |
Dimensions, 306' (oa) x 36' x 10' 5" (Max) | |
Armament 3 x 3"/50, 2x 40mmAA,10x 20mm AA, 3 x 21" TT, 1 Hedgehog, 8 DCT's 2 DC racks | |
Machinery, 6,000 SHP; 4 Fairbanks Morse Model 38d81/8 Geared Diesel Engines, 2 screws | |
Speed, 21 Knots | |
Crew 186 | |
Laid down by Consolidated Steel, Orange Texas on May 24 1943 | |
Launched July 24 1943 | |
Commissioned November 15 1943 | |
Decommissioned April 18 1947 | |
Loaned to USCG and Recommissioned WDE-424, August 24 1951 | |
Returned to USN and Decommissioned May 21 1954 | |
Reclassified and converted to DER-324, October 28 1954 | |
Recommissioned June 30 1955 | |
Decommissioned October 10, 1969 at 1000 hours | |
Stricken from Navy Register June 1, 1975 | |
Final Disposition: SUNK AS A TARGET | |
Date: 01/12/1977 | |
Location: 030° 47' North, 120° 20' West (off coast of Southern California) | |
Depth: 2110 fathoms | |
 |
At Pearl Harbor in the early '60s. |  | One of our duties during Market Time patrols off Viet Nam. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Ain't she pretty? (Photo courtesy of Morper Pictures) |  | The old gal laid up in a drydock on Guam in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Lee Danner AG3) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Steamin' in circles? |  |
Where are the heck are we heading to? (Photo courtesy of Morper Pictures) | | |
| | | | | | |
 | Lee Danner and Linsey Thomas by the giant 3" peashooter on the stern in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Lee Danner AG3) |  | A minesweeper getting refueled by the Falgout in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Lee Danner AG3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Checking out a suspicious craft during the Falgout's first Market Time patrol in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Lee Danner AG3) |  | Meeting up with the Special Forces in 1965. (Photo courtesy of Lee Danner AG3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Bio of CDR Robert E. Klee, Falgout captain (1966-1968). He made Admiral and became Commander Amphibious Force United States Pacific Fleet (COMPHIBPAC). |  | My shellback certificate. It proved that I crossed the equator with the approval of Neptunus Rex, Ruler Of The Raging Main. | |
| | | | | | |
 | CDR Klee in 1971 when he was the CO of the USS Joseph Hewes DE-1078. The photo was taken off of Viet Nam. (Photo courtesy of Rob Summerhill) |  | My trusty Falgout Zippo lighter. It served me well until I quit smoking in 1978. | |
| | | | | | |
 | Capt. Klee watching manuevers on the Hewes. (Photo courtesy of Rob Summerhill) |  |
Tied alongside the USS Fred T. Berry DDG-858 in Hong Kong harbor July 1966. (Photo courtesy of Richard Leonhardt) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
"Sailing, sailing o'er the bounding main......." |  | Some hard working Falgout boys catching some rays off of Oahu in 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Typical calm seas while Falgout was on patrol in Feb. 1964, heh heh. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | Not the best place to be if you get seasick real easy! (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
|  |
| | |
| A nice head-on shot. | The fastest ship in the Navy? Not with a top speed of only 21 knots! | |
| |
| | | | | | |
 | Whoa! I think I'm going to be sick. On picket duty in May of 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | A pooped-out albatross getting a free ride in July of 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Kickin' back and relaxing in June of 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | The boys of the Falgout chowing down during a fantail cookout in August of 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Ship's patch for the mighty "Fightin' Falgout". (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | 31 for 2! Playing a game of Cribbage, August of 1964. I learned the game when I was on the Falgout. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Doing a highline maneuver between the Falgout and the USS Brister DER-327. I did one once and it's scary, let me tell you! (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | In the "M" Division berthing area, August of 1964. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Calm seas while on picket duty, heh heh. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | A forward lookout enjoying a nice warm day on picket duty, heh heh. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Pass the crackers, heh heh! (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) |  | Another view of the peaceful sea from the fantail. (Photo courtesy of Bob Kelly EN3) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
The Falgout in the Coast Guard fleet. Seen here in early '53 relieving the Durant WDE-489 on Ocean Weather Station "SUGAR" in the North Pacific. (Photo courtesy of Tom McGuire ET3) |  |
Another view of the old gal. (Photo courtesy of Tom McGuire ET3) | | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Seasick pills were passed out this day, heh heh. It was a typically rough North Pacific sea. (Photo courtesy of Tom McGuire ET3) |  |
Check out the ocean breaking over the bow. Not a good place to be! (Photo courtesy of Tom McGuire ET3) | | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Lee Ruhlman, SK1 watching the Falgout coming into Tacoma, Wash. after another patrol in early 1953. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  |
Lowering a boat to take mail to the Winona WPG-65 while on patrol in mid 1953. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Another view. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  |
Another view. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
View of the Winona. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  |
A small boat in a BIG ocean, heh heh. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) | |
| | | | | | |
 |
Hope the boat doesn't sink! (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  | Falgout as a Coast Guard ship in 1952 at Tacoma, Washington. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Moored at Seattle, Washington in 1952. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  | Jim writing home like a good sailor should, ha ha. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Jim proudly wearing his Falgout ballcap recently. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hopper, SK2) |  | The Falgout WDE-424 steaming into Havana, Cuba in early February 1952. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) | |
| | | | | | |
 | WDE-424 on a patrol. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) |  | Bill Diamond as a young Coast Guard sailor in 1952. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Bill in his present role as Flotilla Staff Officer-Finance USCGAux Flotilla 36 Boca Raton, Fl. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) |  | Bill (back left) and his wife (foreground) enjoying a day with some RVing friends. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) | |
| | | | | | |
 | Film legend Humphrey Bogart's yacht, Santana, as she was being guided to safety by the Falgout during a heavy fog in 1952. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) |  | Another view of Bogie's famous 55' sailing yacht. Bogie served in the Navy during WW I as a coxswain on the USS Leviathan, a troop transport. (Photo courtesy of Bill Diamond, YN2 USCG) | | |
| | | | | |