Allied Warships

USS Ira Jeffery (DE 63)

Destroyer Escort of the Buckley class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Destroyer Escort
Class	Buckley
Pennant	DE 63
Built by	Bethlehem Shipyard Inc. (Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.)
Ordered	10 Jan 1942
Laid down	13 Feb 1943
Launched	15 May 1943
Commissioned	15 Aug 1943
End service	18 Jun 1946
History	Converted to high speed transport and reclassified APD 44 on 23 February 1945. The ship was used to transport underwater demolition team number 3. This team cleared beaches in Japan for the occupation forces while operating from this ship. Decommissioned 18 June 1946. Stricken 1 June 1960. Sunk as target in July 1962.

Commands listed for USS Ira Jeffery (DE 63)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	Robert Atwood Fitch, USNR	15 Aug 1943	10 Feb 1944
2	George Reginald Cassels-Smith, USNR	10 Feb 1944	2 May 1944
3	Lcmdr Alexander Malcolm White, USNR	2 May 1944	30 May 1944
4	Lt.Cdr. George Reginald Cassels-Smith, USNR	30 May 1944	12 Oct 1944
5	Lt. William Henry Doheny, USNR	12 Oct 1944	Nov 1945

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Notable events involving Ira Jeffery include:

5 Nov 1943

Convoy UT 4A.

The New York section of this convoy departed on 5 November 1943.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Brazil (American, 20614 GRT, built 1929), Examiner (American, 6737 GRT, built 1942), Frederick Lykes (American, 7773 GRT, built 1940) and Ocean Mail (American, 7842 GRT, built 1941).

The escort carrier (in an aircraft ferry role) HMS Khedive (A/Capt. H.J. Haynes, DSO, DSC, RN) and the tanker USS Salamonie (T/Capt. L.J. Johns, USN) were also part of the New York Section of the convoy.

The New York Section of the convoy was escorted by the destroyers USS Frankford (T/Cdr. T.J. Thornhill, Jr., USN, with COMDESRON 18, T/Capt. W.K. Mendenhall, Jr, USN, on board), USS Carmick (T/Cdr. R.O. Beer, USN), USS Doyle (T/Cdr. C.E. Boyd, USN), USS Endicott (T/Cdr. W.S. Heald, USN), USS McCook (T/Cdr. S.C. Anderson, USN) and the destroyer escort USS Ira Jeffery (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR).

The Boston section of this convoy also departed on 5 November 1943.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Explorer (American, 6736 GRT, built 1939) and General George W. Goethals (American, 12093 GRT, built 1942).

The Boston Section of the convoy was escorted by the destroyers USS Decatur (T/Cdr. J.B. Williams, USN, with COMDESDIV 53, T/Capt. B.S. Copping, USN), USS Clemson (Lt. W.F. Moran, USNR) and USS Greer (Lt. M.D. Cooper, USNR). These three destroyers did not join the convoy.

The two sections merged on 7 November 1943. Also joining on 7 November 1943 was the escort destroyer USS Lee Fox (Lt.Cdr. W.C. Jennings, USNR) which had been delayed due to engine trouble and could not sail with the New York Section on the 5th.

On 11 November 1943, USS Carmick and USS Lee Fox were detached to the Azores to fue. Refueling at sea had been impossible in the weather conditions that had been encountered.

On 12 November 1943, fuelling at sea was possible, so USS Doyle, USS Endicott, USS McCook and USS Frankford fuelled from USS Salamonie.

On 13 November 1943, USS Ira Jeffery fuelled from USS Salamonie.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 16 November 1943. USS Carmick and USS Lee Fox had been unable to rejoin the convoy before it's arrival.