Booth DE-170

Booth

Born In Hickory, N. C., 25 January 1915, Robert Sinclair Booth, Jr., enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1940. He graduated from the Naval Reserve Midshipman's School on board Illinoi8 (ex-BB-7) 14 November 1940. Ensign Booth was killed while serving on Arizona (BB-39) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941.

(DE-170: dp. 1240; 1. 306'; b. 36'8"; dr. 11'8"; s. 21 k.;
cpl. 186; a. 3 3", 3 21" TT.; cl. Cannon)

Booth (DE-170) was launched 21 June 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newark, N. J.; sponsored by Mrs. R. S. Booth, mother of Ensign Booth; and commissioned 19 September 1943, Lieutenant Commander D. W. Todd in command.

From 1 to 17 December 1943, following her shakedown, Booth carried out experiments for the Naval Research Laboratory, Anacostia, D. C. She then reported for trans-Atlantic convoy duty and between 1 January 1944 and 7 May 1945 she made eight crossings, escorting convoys to the Mediterranean. She departed for the Pacific 28 May 1945 and arrived at Pearl Harbor 2 JWy after stops at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and San Francisco. Departing Pearl Harbor 15 July she steamed to Saipan, arriving 26 July. After a convoy run to Iwo Jima Booth departed. for Ullthl, Caroline Islands, from where she escorted two convoys to Okinawa (12 August-8 September 1945).

She departed Ullthi 8 September with a party of Americans and Japanese aboard to secure the surrender of Japanese-held islands in the western Carollnes. LeavIng Ulithl again oil 21 September she carried passengers to Saipan and Guam and then embarked Lieutenant Colonel L. D. Spurlock, USMC, and party. Booth carried her passengers to Truk, Caroline Islands, and assisted them in evacuating Japanese from Puluwat and Momoi and preparing for the arrival of American occupation forces. She returned to Guam 7 November 1945 and the following day departed for the east coast via Pearl Harbor, San Diego, and the Panama Canal.

Booth was decommissioned 4 March 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Fla., preparatory to sale. Removed from the sale list in May 1951, she has remained at Green Cove Springs in reserve.